Things to note:

Noise:

• Fan Heaters use high-speed fans so they will make noise.
• Making them quieter means using expensive high-quality bearings and air bafflers.
• If manufacturers cannot make a £200 fan heater run quietly then a £20 one is certainly going to make some noise!
• 38 Db is the normal background noise level and is considered as 'silent' for a top-quality fan heater.

Thermostats:

• The thermometer attached to the heater is measuring the temperature at the heater, not the room temperature.
• Set the thermostat to go on/off when you feel hot/cold, not according to the temperature reading on the heater.

  Read Less

The Dimplex DX 'letterbox' ranges are our no.1 selling flat fan heaters and the ones we recommend as our best buy fan heaters, see our post Why is this our best buy fan heater?  for more details.

This is a  standard Dimplex DX 2Kw  'letterbox' fan heater in shocking pink with a daisy motif, If you don't mind the colour then this is a great deal.

The same great Dimplex build and 3-year guarantee but just look at that price. If you really can't live with the design you can get the standard white model here Dimplex 2Kw Electric Flat Fan Heater

Read Less

Dimplex is the worlds leading manufacturer of heating appliances and has been making heaters since 1973. All their heaters are BEAB approved and have stood the test of time.

If you're looking for a portable heater that's cheap, reliable and you're not too concerned about style statements or fancy gadgetry then this is for you.

Dimplex still makes the same sturdy and reliable flat fan heater they've been making for the past 30+ years.

87.3% of our users give the 3kW heater  3 to 5 stars and 54.6% of all users give it the top 5-star rating. 85.6% of our users give the 2kW heater  3 to 5 stars and 64.5% of all users give it the top 5-star rating.

This fan heater has thermostatic control, frost protection, 2 heat settings and a cool air setting, a mains light indicator to show when it's switched on and a safety cut out to prevent overheating.

It has all the necessary features you need without the bells and whistles.

Don't expect whisper-quiet running or a thermostat accurate to 0.5 of a degree,  Dimplex doesn't promise that, what you get is a fan heater that does the job with proven reliability and the security of the Dimplex 3 year guarantee*, in the unlikely event of a breakdown.

There is a 2Kw model available too, we have selected this 3kW as the extra heat setting gives you more options.

*All Dimplex heaters come with a manufacturer guarantee:- "Your product is guaranteed for three years from the date of purchase. Within this period, we undertake to repair or exchange this product free of charge (subject to availability), within the guarantee period provided it has been operated in accordance with the instructions in the operating manual"

Read Less

Honeywell, with 125 years of history,  are world-leading inventors and manufacturers of technologies that address some of the world’s most critical challenges around energy, safety, security, productivity and global urbanization.

Honeywell started their business making heating control systems and are the inventors of thermostatic controls.  As well as the industrial division Honeywell manufactures a range of high-quality appliances for domestic use. Like Dimplex, they have enough confidence in their heating appliances to offer a 3-year guarantee.

The UberHeat Ceramic Personal Heater is a strictly functional appliance which does exactly what it should with no unnecessary frills. Lightweight and minimalist in design it fits in anywhere and does the job.

Ideal for small/personal spaces, desktop and office use.

This is not by any means the quietest of Honeywell heaters, our test model was measured at 58db from 2 meters away, the sound of a normal conversation,  this is still a lot quieter than many fan heaters on in this price range.

It has 2 heat settings 900w and 1.5kW and a fan-only function, the easy use controls are set on the top for easy access and it has 'cool touch' casing for ease of movement. It is suitable for rooms up to 20m²

There is a built-in thermostat, anti-tilt cut off switch, overheat protection and frost guard which automatically turns it on if the temperature drops below 5°C

Dimensions: (LxWxH): 21.6 x 15.25 x 924.1 cm. Weight 1.36Kg

Read Less

Prem-I-Air is a British company based in  St. Helens near Liverpool. They have a worldwide customer base and their Elite-branded products are seen as world leaders in environmental control and air treatment.

This Prem-I-Air 1.5 kW PTC Fan Heater with PIR Sensor (motion detector) is a real innovation for Compact fan heaters.

It has an Eco mode which uses the built-in PIR to detect the presence of people in the room. After 10 minutes without detecting movement, the heater will reduce the thermostat setting by 3 degrees and after 24 hours down to 7 degrees. The detector has a range of approx' 2 meters and will cover a 60° angle above and below the heater.

It has 2 heat settings, an adjustable thermostat with a digital readout of the set temperature.

We are impressed by the practical yet attractive design, the control buttons are neatly set on the top of the unit. The digital readout is bright and large enough to be seen from across the room and there is a nifty cool-touch handle integrated into the back.

There is a dust filter that is removable for cleaning

Safety features: Overheat protection switch which will cut it out if it overheats; Frost protection feature which will turn it on if the temperature falls below 7°C; Dust filter in the rear, designed to be removed, cleaned and reused.

This heater is covered by  a 2-year guarantee (see manual).

Dimensions: Depth 16.8cm: Height 45.5cm: Width  20.5cm. Net weight  3.5Kg

Note: This does not have an anti-tilt switch off so if you knock it over it will stay turned on.

Read Less

Russell Hobbs is a British company founded in 1952, we are more used to seeing their wide range of small kitchen and laundry appliances.

They have an impressive range of heating and cooling appliances too. This is a lovely looking tower type fan heater, with that fat rotary dial on the front and the chrome legs it seems reminiscent of the 1950s. It's easy to use and has a PTC ceramic element with 2 heat settings (1.2 kW & 2 kW)  an adjustable thermostat and a fan only setting. The cool touch case makes it very portable while the anti-tilt switch cuts it out immediately should it get knocked over.

This fan heater is a little noisier than we would like at 58db (about as loud as background conversation in an office or restaurant) and is definitely not suitable for the playroom or children's bedroom as, like all PTC heaters,  the grill does get very during use.

 Dimensions: H 52.2; W 18.4; D 52.1 cm: Weight 2.1kg. Only available in black

2-year guarantee (you have to register online to get the free second year).

Read Less

This is the second of our recommended Russell Hobbs retro heaters, we like the style, the build the performance and so do our visitors as we have had an overwhelming demand to test these we bought the two models and are extremely impressed.   This one, looking like an old school radio is less powerful at 1.5 kW, it has 2 heat settings (750 W and 1.5 kW) and a fan only setting. It has a variable thermostat, overheat and anti-tilt safety features

Compact and lightweight with a  cool-touch case make it very portable and suitable for use on the desktop as well as the floor.

Read Less

There are many of these tower heaters on the market, they all have the same functions:

Oscillation, (the heater sweeps the room with hot air), thermostats, timers, remote controls, safety overheat and anti-tilt cut outs,

They all suffer the same faults: Ceramic elements are slow to cool down, the thermostat switch has on & off time lags and they are noisier than we would like, despite the manufacturer's claims.

Also, the whole heater swivels from side to side on a single bearing which can wear out quite quickly.

Originally we chose the Delonghi TCH8093ER Ceramic Tower as it is delightfully styled, easy to use with a well laid out touch control panel set on the front along with the temperature display.

This fan actually is quiet (compared to the rest) & is rated at 38 dB which is equivalent to normal background noise.

Even though it has a high customer satisfaction rating it has an issue with an over-sensitive anti-tilt switch so 28% of users have given it a 1-star rating. If Delonghi can sort this issue out we will be recommending it again.

Instead, we have chosen the Dimplex Studio G, despite it only having a one year guarantee, as our recommended best buy tower heater It has a high satisfaction rate with 84% of users giving it 3 to 5 stars and 55% of all users giving it the top 5-star rating.

This speaker-style tower heater with a smoked-glass base provides a contemporary and sophisticated look, which is complemented by the touch control panel with its LCD display to display room temperature and LED indicators. There is  remote control operation and a 12-hour runback timer

The Studio G delivers 2.5Kw of heat with 2 heat settings, 1.3Kw and 2.5K,  the 76° oscillation sweep ensures it delivers fast, even heat across a room, you can preset the temperature from 15°C to 35°C.

It has an anti-tilt switch which turns it off if knocked over, a thermal safety switch and the filter is easily removable for cleaning. Dimensions: Dia' 26.3cm, Height 82.5cm. Weight 4.37kg

Read Less

 This is was one of our favourite heaters:

Note: The markings apply to the original, not the current model on Amazon, please read on.

But, when we started reviewing it, it cost £50, was a 2kW heater (downgraded to 1.8kW later on) and a far better build quality than this  1.5 kW model that now carries the name of this once iconic design.

If you can find one of the original models than snap it up, those heaters should give you about 20 years use (if you get them opened up and have the dust and fluff cleaned out every 5 years).

We can't justify spending £100 on this 1.5kW model, have a look at our original review and see why we rated the original so highly.

Its unusual styling brings back memories of those fantastic American cars of the late 50's early 60's all big grills dripping with chrome and high gloss paintwork. Its timeless retro styling means it blends in well with any decor.

It is a domestic heavy-duty heater with a metal casing, we are pleased to say that this heater performs as well as it looks. It's quick-heating ceramic element, gives instant heat, there are 2 heat settings (1.1 Kw & 1.8 kW) with a variable thermostat and a fan only setting.

The adjustable front legs are a great feature which allows the front of the heater to be elevated while its wide grippy rubber covered feet keep it nice and stable. The 2-meter lead is long enough to avoid the temptation of using an extension lead.

 For safety, it has overheat protection, an anti-frost setting which automatically switches on if the room temperature falls below 5 ºC, an anti-tilt cut out which turns it off if it is knocked over.

Ceramic elements heat up quickly, but take time to cool down, this heater has an innovative SafeGuard^TM marker on the front grill.

When it's hot it turns red, when it's cool it stays black, a welcome added safety feature. There is also a cool touch carry handle to make moving it around easy.

The strong construction, metal case and ceramic element make for a sturdy robust unit which is still light enough to be moved easily from room to room.

Designed to heat rooms up to 22m this fan heater should give many years of trouble-free service.

For added protection the heater is covered by Honeywells 3 year manufactures guarantee. Measures 29.5cm wide, 18 cm deep x 27cm high. Weight 2.5 Kg

Read Less

Stadler Form is a design-led Swiss Company making elegant high-quality household appliances.

Founded by Martin Stadler in 1998 with a mission to produce the simple, elegant, quality products,  he wanted but couldn't find.

The Anna was one of Stadler Forms first major successes winning the 2012 Houseware design best of the best gold award and the red dot design award in 2013.

This means that the Anna is rated one of the worlds best products by international designers and retailers of household products, it has a customer satisfaction of 95% (across all models) with 90% of all users giving it the full 5-star rating.

With 1.2 kW & 2 kW settings, it has a PTC heating element (self-regulating ceramic), adjustable thermostat, anti-tilt cut off (if it falls over it switches off), and overheat safety cut out, it is very safe to use, Stadler Form claim it never overheats.

The ultra slim profile  (146 x 367 x 95 mm) makes it a discreet yet highly attractive piece of kit. It looks more like a speaker box than a fan heater.

Rather than one large fan, Anna uses multi fans giving it a much quieter operation than a standard fan heater, at 43db this is the quietest fan heater we have tested it really is whisper quiet.

The Anna has cool side & rear walls during operation, but the front does take time to cool down (as with all ceramic element heaters) after it's switched off.

What lets this otherwise near perfect fan heater down is while attention has been paid to its slimline elegant look and high performance, a little more thought could have been given to the position of the controls.

These are mounted on the rear and not well marked,  which means fiddling around the back to switch between power settings and to turn the thermostat up and down, or else turning the heater around, it's a shame Matti Walker, the designer, didn't think a little more about this.

Maybe he thinks the occasional fiddle around the back is better than spoiling the overall look with knobs sticking out of the top or side.

(There is another model, Paul, with remote control, adaptive heating, digital readout etc... and it oscillates. It's a fantastic product and is our next reviewed heater.)

Anna is available in Black or White, the white uses special paint which means it will never yellow with age.

There is a smaller 1200 watt version available 'Little ANNA' (146 x 237 x 95 mm) with 2 power settings 700 watts and  1200 watt.

Little Anna is also available in White,  Berry (red), Honeycomb (yellow), Green and  Metallic. Supplies of these colours can be erratic so you may have to search around for anything other than black or white.

 Anna heaters are covered by a 2-year Guarantee.

Read Less

Winner of the German design award 2017.

We've tested many heaters and this one is the perfect blend of design and function, it is unbelievably quiet for a fan heater.  Nearly £300 for what is essentially a 2kW fan heater is a lot of money, in this case, if you have the budget it is worth buying.

Unlike most fan heaters Paul is IP2/1 rated making suitable for sensible placement in bathrooms as well.

This ceramic (PTC) 2kW upright fan heater has a unique Adaptive Heat™ technology making it more sensitive than any other fan heater. In auto mode, it automatically adapts the heat output to maintain the desired degree of heat – no annoying on-off fluctuations; it reaches the desired heat and keeps the temperature even, it has a max heat  setting of 26°C

The heater has an oscillation (swing) mode and it will swing through a 90° angle

It's very quiet too, as well as the muted fans there is no switching on and off at full power, at 30dB it's one of the quietest fan heaters we've tested.

Instead of using auto you can adjust the desired temperature using the easy-to-operate touch panel or the remote control. There are 8 heat settings, unlike most other fan heaters which have 2 or 3.

Cool air function:

The internal construction is designed so that the airflow from the heating element is obstructed as minimally as possible, making it a pretty decent fan as well.

There is a removable washable air filter, anti-tilt switch and overheat protection

Suitable for rooms up to 73m³

Dimensions: Height 53.6cm, Width 17.7cm, Depth 18.9cm. Weight 4.7kg. Power cord length 155cm (approx 5 ft)

Read Less

You might expect to see this on our Electric Fire Reviews page,  but as it is free standing fan heater we have included it for those wanting a traditionally styled feature room heater with the convenience of a portable fan heater.

This is the entry-level model from Dimplex's innovative optiflame heating range of stylish stove styled fan heaters with highly realistic flame effects (see video).

This model has 100% of users giving it either  3 to 5 stars and 72% giving it the full 5 stars.  For the other models of this style of fan heater visit  the Dimplex shop on Amazon (Dimplex does not sell from its own website but will direct you to Amazon or another stockist)

The Dimplex optiflame range gives you all the visual comforts of a wood burning stove, without the maintenance & mess.

The Courchevel measures  59.7cm (H) x 51cm (W) x 34cm (D) and the heat is provided from a concealed fan heater with  2 heat settings, 1 Kw & 2Kw. There is a safety thermal cut out and a remote control switch, but no adjustable thermostat (available on more expensive models).

The optiflame effect has a log flame bed that resembles dying embers, this can work independently of the heater.

The controls are easily accessible and located behind a flap on the front of the heater. Fully portable so it can easily be moved from room to room, it is reasonably quiet though not whisper quiet, with the fan turned off there is a slight humming noise when the optiflame effect is used on its own.

This fan heater is the perfect marriage of traditional styling and modern heating technology, it's not just warm, it looks warm too!

 Dimensions: Height 59.7 cm X Width 51 cm X Deep 34 cm. Weight 17Kg.

Read Less

There are hundreds of different designs of fan heaters,  ranging from the strictly functional to those that attempt to be a piece of furniture.

Your choice is going to be based on personal taste, the right heat output for your space, the functions you want (such as timers and remote controls), build quality and budget (there are some very expensive fan heaters on the market).

Our advice is, unless you need a short-term budget cheapie, stay away from the Chinese imports and opt for the companies which manufacture their own and accept nothing less than a free extended 2-year guarantee.

Do not pay for external warranties, if a company cannot trust that its own heaters are reliable enough to guarantee them for two years then why should you buy them?

Companies such as Dimplex and Honeywell offer 3-year guarantees as standard, De'Longhi offers up to 10 years on certain heaters.

Others companies such as Warmlite, Prem-I-Air and VanHaus do import but offer free extended 2-year guarantees, so check the small print first.

For a basic traditional style flat fan 'letterbox' heater the Dimplex DX is hard to beat, other brands sell more but the Dimplex 3 year guarantee puts it at the top of our list.

If you prefer a ceramic tower heater we have already selected the Dimplex Studio G   as the best of the bunch.

We believe the worlds best upright fan heater is the Stadler Form Paul, You don't win German design awards by being second best. It is expensive but if you have the funds then go for it.

For those who need a strictly functional fan heater for the workshop or garage, the  Xpelair range of wall mounted ones are way above the rest.

The best of the floor standing home workshop heaters is the Dimplex DXTT3  3kW twin turbo It's a compact portable fan heater that can be used free-standing or wall-mounted to save floor space in the small garage or workshop.

It will throw out enough heat to warm up your space quickly, and the thermostat will ensure that it does just that, constantly & reliably. We find this heater works very well in domestic settings for larger spaces such as lofts and barns.

Compact and lightweight, the DXTT3 has dimensions of L: 470mm, W: 290mm, H: 280mm and weighs 4.65kg, plus unlike many commercial grade fan heaters it has an anti-tilt switch making it ideal for the home or workshop/ garage.

 

The Dyson AM05 Hot & Cold Fan Heater

If you prefer modern tech and innovative design then you may be tempted by the Dyson Hot & Cool bladeless fan heaters, they look as sleek and stylish as something Apple would produce.

Or the Dyson Pure hot+coolink purifier heater which purifies air, great for asthmatics or anyone needing clean dust & allergen-free atmosphere.

Dysons are not cheap, what you are buying is the innovative design. It is hard to believe that it is really a 2 kW fan heater with a fan in the base and some clever air ducting, but even with all the clever engineering like all fan heaters, it is still a little noisy.

One issue with the Dyson hot and cold appliances is because they have a fan only functions (advertised as a cooling fan) people expect it to cool down the room temperature and are disappointed when they find out it's not an air conditioning unit.

Because Dysons are more powerful normal domestic fans they circulate air very quickly, the greater air flowing over your body evaporates sweat quickly and cool you down, but it does not actually cool the air.

If you want to cool down air or are looking for an appliance which will effectively cool and heat your space (climate control)  you need an air conditioning unit, visit our Cooling page to see how they work and our recommended cooling appliances.

Maybe because the AM05 does not live up to these expectations its customer satisfaction rate is only 62% with just 25.6% of all users giving it a 5 star and the same amount giving it a bottom 1-star rating, a surprising figure for what is viewed as a top-notch quality Hi-Tech item.

 You can visit the Dyson Website and see their range of new fans and heaters, they may be expensive but Dyson offers payment by instalments  if you buy directly from their website.

Dimplex Meribel stove type fan heater

If you prefer traditionally styled stove type heaters then it has to from the Dimplex Opti-Myst range, where they have combined fan heaters with lifelike fire effects so realistic that you'll believe you are sitting in front of a real fire.

This range generates realistic smoke (it's really a fine water mist). The best of these is the 2Kw Merbel which has a 180° viewing angle of the 'living fire'  it is quite large at 67 cm high, 62 cm wide and 39 cm deep, loaded with safety features and has a remote control.

It is pricey, but it is beautiful and makes a wonderful centrepiece for your lounge or family room. If you have a Dimplex stockist near you go and have a look, these Opti-Myst fires have to be seen to be believed.

The one misgiving with the Opti-Myst fires is the system that gives it such a dramatic effect. The water used to simulate smoke has to go somewhere, and if you don't have adequate ventilation it will end up inside your home as condensation. Take a look at the reviews before buying.

Read Less