· By Diego Gómez
Space heater vs. central heat: which is cheaper for one room?
When a space heater actually saves money compared with central heating, and when it costs you more, depending on whether your home runs on gas, a heat pump or electric resistance heat.
The short answer: a space heater saves money only when it lets you turn the rest of the house down.
Electric baseboards or an electric furnace
A space heater and resistance heat both turn electricity into heat at close to 100%. The saving comes from heating one room instead of every room.
Gas furnace
In much of the country, heat from natural gas costs less per unit than heat from electricity. Running a 1500 W heater for hours to avoid the furnace may not save anything. It can help if you lower the main thermostat a few degrees and heat only the room where you spend the evening.
Heat pump
A heat pump typically delivers two to three units of heat for every unit of electricity it uses, so in mild weather it usually beats a space heater, which delivers one. Use a space heater only for a cold corner or a short burst.
The cheapest heat of all
Heat the person, not the air: a heated blanket uses about 100 W, roughly 1.8¢ an hour at the US average of 18¢/kWh.
Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Recommended
DREO 1500W ceramic space heater
- 1500 W (PTC ceramic)
- digital
- tip-over and overheat protection, child lock
One of the best-selling space heaters on Amazon: a quiet 1500 W ceramic heater with a real digital thermostat, tip-over protection and a child lock.
PELONIS oil-filled radiator
- 600/900/1500 W
- wheels, mechanical thermostat
- tip-over and overheat protection
Basic oil-filled radiator with three power levels and wheels.
Sealy heated blanket (full, 80×84 in)
- 80 × 84 in
- 10 heat levels
- ETL certified, auto shut-off
Full-size flannel-to-sherpa heated blanket from Sealy.
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