“The most important things to consider when shopping for an infrared heater are whether it’s rated for the size of the space you’re trying to heat, where you’re going to position it, and safety features, like an overheat protection sensor and auto-shutoff if it tips over since there is a level of risk that comes with any space heater,” says Mallory Micetich, Vice President of Corporate Communications at Angi and an expert in consumer protection and small home living. We’ve spent hours researching and testing popular infrared heaters, rating them for heating performance, design, safety features, and value. Our testers also carefully noted characteristics such as noise output, and the temperature and humidity ratings in the rooms being heated. Our favorite, the Duraflame 3D Infrared Electric Fireplace Stove, has auto-shutoff, an adjustable thermostat, and a remote control, not to mention a classic look that evokes a hearth or wood stove.  Here are the best infrared heaters available online. It’s designed to look like a wood stove, with a flickering-flame effect (complete with fake logs and embers). “The logs glow to look like a real fire box, so it’s also decorative,” said our tester. We also appreciated how quiet the heater was and how easy it was to assemble—you simply screw on the legs. It has an adjustable digital thermostat and auto-shutoff protection. You can run it with both lighting and heat or with just the lighting for a cozy ambiance, at any time of year. Handy hooks on the back can corral the cord when you aren’t using it. This heater has multiple settings for brightness and temperature, and a remote control, so you can adjust for your specific preferences without having to leave your couch. (However, we thought the remote’s instructions could have been written more clearly.) The heater is also quite powerful: With 5,200 BTUs, it should work well in a space of up to 1,000 square feet. It’s been tested by the Underwriters’ Laboratory (UL), which Micetich says is an important consideration. “Both UL and ETL [Electrical Testing Laboratories, also called Intertek] are nationally recognized energy testing standards, and if your heater has one of these certifications, that’s a great thing,” she says. Price at time of publish: $290 We like that it comes with multiple safety features, including tip-over and overheat protection, and an automatic shut-off timer. We tested the tip-over protection feature and it worked successfully, but we also noted that because of the wheels, the unit is difficult to upend in most cases. Besides high and low modes, it has an eco mode, which uses a mix of high and low to determine the most environmentally sound way to heat the room. The unit comes with a remote control and uses two types of space heating technology to take the chill out of a space: One is quartz infrared and the other is called PTC (positive temperature coefficient), which means it self-regulates based on the room’s air temperature. But one downside we noticed is that the heater doesn’t warm as well as we had hoped, and there wasn’t a huge difference between the high and low settings. “The heat does not disperse in the room very well, but it is good if you’re right next to it,” our tester reported, adding that given the price, they hoped it would be more powerful. However, our home tester disagreed, saying this heater did a good job of heating up her bedroom. “I was very impressed with its performance and its ability to heat my large primary bedroom evenly,” they said. “I set the temperature at 70, and the room heated up in less than a half hour, even with outdoor temperatures near freezing.” We noted that the timer can be set only using the remote control, which could be a problem if it’s ever lost; also that the unit can be powered on only manually, not via remote (no flipping it on from bed on a chilly morning). Despite these shortcomings, we believe this is a solid choice given the handy wheels, reliability, and attractive profile that “doesn’t look like a tower fan," as one of our testers noted. Price at time of publish: $122 We do have good news/bad news about some of this product’s features. When we performed the tip-over test in our lab, the heat shut off as expected (and displayed an error message), but the fan continued to run. You can control the heater using a handy smartphone app, but some testers initially experienced some glitches. We found the included remote a bit small and had to push the buttons several times to get the heater settings to change. We also noted that the feet seemed stable, but a bit flimsy. If you choose not to mount it, this is something to keep in mind, as the feet may not hold up over time. Price at time of publish: $122 The heater can be set to oscillate to cover a wider area, or be still if you want to target the heat in one direction. Plus, you can adjust the vents so they point upwards or downwards. There are multiple safety features, including tip-over protection, and some users found it so sensitive that the heater would turn off even if gently bumped. A common complaint is the heater is noisy when it’s running on the high setting. It also doesn’t have a thermostat, so it doesn’t automatically switch off when the room reaches the desired temperature. However, there is a built-in timer function, and you can choose between 2-, 4-, and 8-hour intervals. Price at time of publish: $279 This electric heater includes a washable lifetime filter that can be cleaned using warm water and mild dish soap. The manufacturer claims it heats “small to large rooms,” and we’ve noted that it works well even under a vaulted ceiling, despite the manufacturer’s recommendation to avoid using it in such a room. It also comes with safety features such as tip-over protection, overheat protection, and auto reboot, which helps it recover in the event of a power outage or surge. The entire exterior stays cool to the touch, making it a nice option for families with young children. Price at time of publish: $447 Because of its small size, it’s not meant to heat up a massive space, although some users with large rooms said it worked surprisingly well. The fan is not especially noisy, but we’ve noted a buzzing sound on the lowest setting. Note that although the Black+Decker does have overheat protection, it doesn’t have tip-over protection, so it might not be well-suited for a home with young children or rambunctious pets. Price at time of publish: $30 The device is equipped with several safety features such as tip-over protection and automatic safety shutoff, which occurs if the airflow becomes blocked, for any reason. The grill is quite shallow to protect the fingers of curious kids who might be tempted to poke around. The cool-touch exterior also has a few things worth mentioning, like the incorporated carrying handle, and the storage area for the power cord, which allows you to tuck it neatly out of the way when you’re not using it. At 11 pounds, the Vornado isn’t cumbersome to carry from room to room. Bonus: Should you run into issues, the heater comes with an impressive 5-year guarantee, and Vornado is known for its friendly customer service. Price at time of publish: $170

Size

Some IR heaters are designed for tabletops or small spaces; others are larger and must be placed on the floor. It’s always a good idea to measure the location where you plan to put your heater, so you can be sure to buy one with the right dimensions. Some units can also be mounted on a wall or the ceiling such as our wall-mounted pick, the Heat Storm Phoenix Infrared Space Heater. Measure those areas, and note the electrical outlet locations.

Safety Features

Mallory Micetich, Vice President of Corporate Communications at Angi (formerly Angie’s List), recommends doing your research carefully when it comes to safety. “When buying a space heater,” she says, “it’s worth going above and beyond in terms of safety and testing, because these products have a certain amount of risk associated with them—it’s almost like when you’re buying products for children.” Here are a few common ones: ETL- and UL-listed: If your heater of choice has either UL or ETL certification, it means it’s been subject to rigorous safety tests at an independent laboratory. Tip-Over Shutoff: Many heaters come with tip-over shutoff, which means the unit turns off if it’s flipped on its side, thus reducing the risk of fire. Some buyers note that certain devices are highly sensitive, and power down even when the device is tipped only about 10 degrees. Overheat Shutoff: This safety feature causes the device to turn off if it starts to overheat, which could happen if dust or something else (a blanket dropped by a toddler, for example) might block the airflow. Cool-touch exterior: A huge benefit of infrared heaters is the outside never becomes overly hot, though you should keep your fingers away from the grill, and watch children carefully at all times when they’re around one. “Just because it’s cool to the touch doesn’t mean the risk isn’t there,” Micetich says. “But if a kid bumps it or a pet runs into it, it’s not going to cause an immediate burn.” Ingress Protection Code (IPC): This code is expressed as a two-digit number that shows how well a product such as an outdoor heater fares when exposed to the elements. The first digit refers to the product’s resistance to solids, while the second is its resistance to liquids. A heater that is intended for outside use should have an IPC of at least 55.

Why Trust The Spruce?

This story was written by Lexi Dwyer, a freelance writer for The Spruce. She’s been writing for The Spruce since 2019 and has researched and written about home improvement products such as retractable screen doors, fireplace tools, door locks, and recycling bins. To make this list, she tried to find radiant heaters that had safety features like auto shutoff, UL or ETA certification, adjustable thermostats, good reviews for performance, and easy-to-use controls. To learn more about infrared heaters, Lexi also spoke with Mallory Micetich, Vice President of Corporate Communications at Angi (formerly Angie’s List) and an expert in consumer protection and small home living. “Relatively speaking, radiant space heaters are fairly efficient, but any electric heating unit is not the most efficient,” says Micetich, who notes that several factors may play a role in your final bill. “It costs approximately 30 cents an hour to run an infrared heater,” she adds, “but this also depends on where you live and the unit size. If you’re using it as a primary heat source, you’re going to need more than one, which of course will require more electricity.”