11 Best Space Heaters of 2026, Lab-Tested and Reviewed
These models from Comfort Zone, Dyson, Honeywell, Lasko, and Vornado all perform well and pass our safety tests. Some are best for spot-heating, while others excel at warming a whole room.
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In our tests of the best space heaters, we’ve found several models that work well—and some that even add a bit of style to a room—most for less than $100.
We also evaluate the factors that contribute to safety. For instance, you might consider a space heater with a remote control because it’s safest to keep it on the floor rather than on a table, and you don’t want to have to kneel down to twist knobs and dials on the bottom of the unit. It can also be wise to buy a space heater with a tip-over safety switch that turns the machine off if it’s ever knocked over.
- Best Space Heaters for: Overall Heating Quick Room Heating Direct Heating
- How CR Tests Space Heaters
Photo: John Walsh/Consumer Reports Photo: John Walsh/Consumer Reports
Best Space Heaters for Overall Heating
The top two space heaters in our overall ratings also earn the highest scores for both room heating and spot-heating. That is, they excel at quickly heating a space and spot-heating for people sitting near the unit.
Best Space Heaters for Heating a Room Quickly
The following space heaters excel in our tests for room heating, earning a top score in heating a standard-sized room in under 15 minutes. They also boast high Overall Scores and are CR Recommended.
Best Space Heaters for Direct Heating
In addition to earning CR Recommendations, these heaters score particularly well in our test of how effectively they warm the people in the room where they’re used.
How CR Tests Space Heaters
We evaluate space heaters based on how well they heat a standard-sized room in 15 minutes and how effectively they warm a person directly in the same amount of time (our spot-heating score). “Our spot-heating test uses a mannequin wired with sensors,” says Samantha Ostrander, a test engineer. “We want to know how your body will feel when you’re sitting within 4.5 feet of the appliance.”
We also test space heaters for safety, including how hot the heat exhaust outlet gets (so you don’t burn your fingers) and whether the model gets so hot that it can ignite nearby fabric (like curtains). If you have young children or pets in your home, pay close attention to the hot-surface score in our ratings. Models that score poorly on that test aren’t included in this article.
“While a heater is supposed to provide adequate heat to warm your space—and in turn, you—you don’t want to pick a heater that could potentially burn someone who doesn’t understand that they shouldn’t touch it, even if they accidentally bump into it,” Ostrander says.
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