The Best Small Space Heaters to Warm up Your Bedroom, Bathroom, or Office
Stay cozy and comfortable anywhere with these quiet, compact, and efficient expert picks.
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Our Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab team spent the past few months putting nearly 30 space heaters through rigorous testing ahead of winter. The standout models deliver substantial warmth despite their small footprint, which makes them perfect for bedrooms, home offices, or any compact space that needs extra heat.
These smaller heaters offer real advantages beyond just saving space. They typically cost less than their full-size counterparts but still include the features that matter: adjustable thermostats, automatic safety shut-offs, and energy-saving modes. Based on our hands-on testing and analysis, here are the best small space heaters you can buy right now.
Best Deal
Pros
- The fan runs for 30 seconds after the heating element turns off to cool the mesh
- It’s quiet, portable, and powerful
- Many safety features
Cons
- Its touch-sensitive buttons may be difficult to locate or identify
The Dreo Atom 316 illustrates the point about good things coming in small packages. Despite being one of the smallest and most inexpensive space heaters we evaluated, it offers one of the widest feature sets—including an adjustable thermostat—and heats as well as models that cost over three times as much.
TESTING NOTES: In Lab tests, the portable 1,500-watt heater raised the temperature of a medium-sized room by 7°F in just 30 minutes on maximum power. At its maximum setting, the sound level is 47.9 decibels from 6 inches away—about as quiet as a typical home refrigerator. Thanks to its ETL verification, cool-to-the-touch exterior, automatic timer, and tip-over protection, you can feel safe using it. To prevent overheating, the fan even runs for 30 seconds after the heater shuts off.
One drawback is that its touch-sensitive buttons may be difficult to locate or identify since they're not backlit and lack tactile feedback.
| Output | 1,500 watts |
| Heat settings | 3 |
| Handle | Yes |
| Weight | 3.83 lbs |
| Dimensions | 6.02" x 6.02" x 9.64" |
Pros
- Ceramic space heaters heat up quickly
- Offers several safety features and is ETL-certified
- Has a cool-to-the-touch exterior and a built-in handle
Cons
- Surprisingly noisy for its size
This compact and budget-friendly space heater has three heat settings and is capable of heating rooms up to 260 square feet. Its black design blends in most rooms, and the built-in handle makes it easy to move around. Plus, ETL certification ensures it meets rigorous safety standards.
TESTING NOTES: Ceramic space heaters are known to heat up quickly, and a GH staffer successfully used this space heater to warm a large room and was impressed by its rapid heating capabilities. The tip-over shut-off feature provided peace of mind, as it automatically turned off the heater when accidentally knocked over. Additional safety features include an automatic overheat shut-off and a highly visible power indicator light. The only complaint from our tester is that it's surprisingly noisy for its size.
| Output | 1,500 watts |
| Heat settings | 3 |
| Handle | Yes |
| Weight | 2.652 lbs |
| Dimensions | 4.74" x 6.2" x 8.3" |
Pros
- Delivers fast, even heat
- Lightweight design
- Multiple heat and fan settings
Cons
- Not ideal for large spaces
With its lightweight, vertical frame, the Lasko Ellipse Ceramic Heater fits neatly on a table, desk, or shelf. Its curved design feels more intentional than most small heaters, and the wide grill paired with 120-degree oscillation allows it to push heat evenly across a medium-sized room.
TESTING NOTES: During testing, our engineers noted that this model “packs impressive heat output in a compact housing,” making it a great pick for home offices or small living spaces. In particular, our experts liked how quickly it starts up and how simple it is to control. The top-mounted buttons are intuitive and visible from above, which makes setup and adjustment more user-friendly. After testing the heater at home for several weeks, one GH staffer shared, “It starts up and gets hot immediately. The oscillation is a great feature.”
Another noted, “It’s compact, reasonably attractive, lightweight, and effective. I like that it has three heat settings and two fan settings.” In addition to the customizable heat options, the unit includes a 12-hour timer, AutoEco energy-saving mode, and a seven-function remote control with onboard storage.
Safety and quiet operation are also key benefits. The heater runs under 40 decibels, so it won’t disrupt sleep or work. It includes overheat protection, a tip-over switch, a child lock, and cool-touch housing for added peace of mind.
Features at a Glance
| Outout | 1,500 watts |
| Heat settings | 3 |
| Handle | Yes |
| Weight | 3 lbs |
| Dimensions | 11.65 " × 4.86" × 6.11" |
Pros
- Compact plug-in design fits into tight spaces and frees up floor space
- Extremely easy to set up and use
Cons
- Not suited to larger spaces
When our team in the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab collaborated on the design of this small but mighty heater, safety was a top priority. The device is ETL-certified, and features overheat protection, a side power safety button, and a cool-to-the-touch exterior. There’s even a brief fan-only mode that runs for a minute after you turn it off to cool down its heating element.
TESTING NOTES: The Good Housekeeping-branded heater is about the size of a square tissue box and sports a unique plug-in design, so it won't take up valuable floor space or create any tripping hazards. With its fast heating capabilities, adjustable thermostat, and unique plug-in design, this option is perfect for drafty home offices.
The mini heater features a 12-hour timer and an easy-to-read digital display. But, keep in mind that the 750-watt output and 60-square-foot coverage may be insufficient for larger spaces.
Features at a Glance
| Output | 750 watts |
| Heat settings | 2 |
| Handle | No |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs |
| Dimensions | 5.5" x 5.5" x 6" |
Pros
- Quickly heats up small rooms
- Built-in ALCI switch makes it safer to use in damp environments
Cons
- Lacks adjustable temperature control
The Lasko CD08200 stands out as a safe and reliable bathroom heater, thanks to its built-in Appliance Leakage Current Interrupter (ACLI) plug, which is a safety feature that prevents electrical shocks in areas like bathrooms by automatically shutting off power if it detects a hazard like water.
TESTING NOTES: The small heater is roughly the size of a loaf of sourdough and features a single button to control power, enable its one-hour timer, and switch between low- and high-heat modes. If you're looking for a heater that has a thermostat for precise temperature control, we recommend shopping for another option in this guide.
Regardless, the Lasko is quick to heat up, sports a convenient handle, and has all the expert-recommended safety settings, including a tip-over switch and built-in overheat protection.
| Output | 1,500 watts |
| Heat settings | 2 |
| Handle | Yes |
| Weight | 3.35 lbs |
| Dimensions | 6.25" x 6.25" x 7.65" |
Pros
- Includes a temperature sensor to attach to your child’s crib
- Wide array of safety features
- Two heat settings and a built-in timer
Cons
- The bright digital display can’t be dimmed
The Vornadobaby SENSA is designed with families in mind. Parents can rest easy knowing that it has a highly-sensitive automatic shut-off sensor if it becomes too hot, tips over, or gets bumped into. The exterior of the heater is cool to the touch and it was specifically designed to be topple-proof and finger-friendly with no pinch points, according to the brand.
TESTING NOTES: We appreciate that the heater has convenient cord storage to minimize tripping and that the controls and filter cover are lockable. Given its higher-than-average price point, this option has more premium features like automatic climate control, a 12-hour timer. and a small separate sensor designed to measure the temperature around your child’s crib. This ensures the heater turns on or off automatically to maintain the desired temperature. Keep in mind that the digital display is overly bright and can’t be dimmed.
| Output | 1,200 watts |
| Heat settings | 2 |
| Handle | Yes |
| Weight | 5.16 lbs |
| Dimensions | 11.9" x 10.1" x 10.9" |
How we test small space heaters
Space heaters are on the list of continuously-tested products in the Home Improvement & Outdoor Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute. Throughout the year, our product experts keep tabs on the marketplace to identify the space heaters that you’re most likely to find at stores and online.
This report draws on our testing of nearly 30 space heaters over the past five years. Our assessments, which focus on ease of use, performance, and safety, takes place in the Lab as well as in the homes of consumer testers, which allows us to evaluate the heaters in real-world conditions.
✔️ Ease of use: We assess how easy space heaters are to set up and operate and whether manuals are readable and easy to understand. We also consider each space heater’s weight and any features that improve or hinder its portability.
✔️ Performance: Space heaters are evaluated for how effectively they heat up a room while we monitor temperature, electrical usage (wattage), heat distribution, and noise levels. We also consider extra features such as adjustable thermostats and the number of heat settings.
✔️ Safety: We review the safety of each space heater during use and foreseeable misuse by testing a unit’s stability, automatic tip-over, shut-off protection, surface temperature, flammability, safety sensors, and more.
What to look for when shopping for a small space heater
✔️ Size: If you're looking for a small space heater, size is likely a top concern. Many of the models we recommend have a very slim profile, so they should fit easily in most areas. However, it's important to measure your space and ensure the heater is kept at least 3 feet away from flammable items like bedding, curtains, and furniture. Also, pay attention to a heater’s weight and whether or not it has a handle if you plan to move it throughout your home.
✔️ Features: Small space heaters often have a more limited feature set compared to larger models and typically lack adjustable thermostats and heat settings for precise control. While essential features like a built-in timer are recommended, nice-to-haves include integrated fans or oscillation functionality to better disperse heat and a remote control for convenient operation.
✔️ Safety: Seek out models that have been vetted by independent safety-testing laboratories such as UL or ETL. We also recommend shopping for models with overheat protection, cool-to-the-touch exteriors, and tip-over auto shut-off switches to reduce fires and injury.
✔️ Power: Large electric space heaters typically have a high setting of 1,500 watts and a low setting of 750 watts. However, there are smaller models with lower power outputs, often 375 watts on low and 750 watts maximum. It's important to consider your power needs before settling on a model.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Good Housekeeping Contributing Commerce Editor Brandon Carte wrote this guide. He has over a decade of experience testing and researching products, from space heaters and fans to home goods, consumer tech, and leaf vacuums. He urges people to have an easily accessible fire extinguisher on each floor of their home.
He consulted the Good Housekeeping Institute’s Home Improvement and Outdoor Director Dan DiClerico, who brings 25 years of experience to the GH Institute, having reviewed thousands of products for Good Housekeeping, as well as brands like Consumer Reports and This Old House. DiClerico also oversees the testing of all types of heating equipment for the home, from room space heaters to whole-house heat pumps.
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