Buying guide · Electric heaters & oil-filled radiators

The best electric heaters in the UK for 2026, and what they cost to run

Updated 1 November 2026

The short answer

For most rooms, the best electric heater is a radiator with a thermostat and a built-in timer, and our pick is the Dimplex ECR20Tie. For quick heat in a small room, choose the Dreo Solaris Slim H3 fan heater; on a tight budget, the Russell Hobbs RHOFR5002. At Ofgem's cap of 26.32p/kWh (1 October to 31 December 2026), any 2 kW heater costs 52.6p an hour flat out.

Our three picks

Our pick
Dimplex ECR20Tie 2kW Oil Free Column Radiator with timer
It pairs a 600 W low setting (joint lowest of the radiators here) and a frost setting with a 24-hour digital timer that runs four on/off programmes a day, so the room is warm when you need it and the heater is off when you don't. Oil-free Thermocore elements, a tilt switch and a thermal cut-out, and three years' cover once registered with Dimplex.
Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms and home offices used at the same times every day
DetailsSpecifications
Best for: Living rooms, bedrooms and home offices used at the same times every day
It pairs a 600 W low setting (joint lowest of the radiators here) and a frost setting with a 24-hour digital timer that runs four on/off programmes a day, so the room is warm when you need it and the heater is off when you don't. Oil-free Thermocore elements, a tilt switch and a thermal cut-out, and three years' cover once registered with Dimplex.
Type
Oil-free column radiator (Thermocore), 7 fins
Heat output
2 kW; settings 600 W, 1,400 W and 2,000 W
Thermostat
Adjustable rotary thermostat with a frost setting (about 5 °C)
Timer
24-hour digital timer, 4 on/off programmes a day, Advance function, battery back-up
Safety
Tilt switch, thermal safety cut-out, key lock
Running cost at full power
52.6p an hour at 26.32p/kWh
Guarantee
1 year, extended by 2 years if registered with Dimplex within 28 days
Colour
White and light grey
Portability
Castors and a carry handle; 10.8 kg
View on Amazon →Manufacturer’s page: Dimplex ECR20Tie 2kW Oil Free Column Radiator with timer ↗
Best for quick heat
Dreo Solaris Slim H3 (DR-HSH003) fan heater
Blown air starts warming a small room as soon as it is switched on, where an oil-filled radiator takes 5 to 10 minutes to reach full heat, and a digital thermostat (5–35 °C), an ECO mode and a 1–12 hour off-timer stop it running longer than it needs to. At 2.7 kg, with a remote and a 34 dB rating, it is the easiest heater here to move from room to room.
Best for: Short sessions in a small room: an hour at the desk, or warming a bedroom before bed
DetailsSpecifications
Best for: Short sessions in a small room: an hour at the desk, or warming a bedroom before bed
Blown air starts warming a small room as soon as it is switched on, where an oil-filled radiator takes 5 to 10 minutes to reach full heat, and a digital thermostat (5–35 °C), an ECO mode and a 1–12 hour off-timer stop it running longer than it needs to. At 2.7 kg, with a remote and a 34 dB rating, it is the easiest heater here to move from room to room.
Type
Oscillating fan heater (70°)
Rated power
1,800 W
Modes
H1, H2, H3, ECO and fan only; 3 fan speeds
Thermostat
Digital, 5–35 °C
Timer
1–12 hour off-timer
Safety
Tip-over and overheat protection
Noise
34 dB
Size and weight
14.99 × 14.99 × 40.13 cm, 2.7 kg
Running cost at full power
47.4p an hour at 26.32p/kWh
Warranty
24 months
View on Amazon →Manufacturer’s page: Dreo Solaris Slim H3 (DR-HSH003) fan heater ↗
Best budget
Russell Hobbs RHOFR5002 9 Fin 2kW Oil Filled Radiator (white; RHOFR5002B in black)
A no-frills oil-filled radiator with three power levels (800 W, 1.2 kW, 2 kW), a thermostat dial and both overheat and tip-over cut-outs; the oil keeps radiating after the thermostat clicks off. There is no timer, and the guarantee is 1 year, or 2 if you register it.
Best for: Occasional use: a spare room, or taking the chill off for an evening
DetailsSpecifications
Best for: Occasional use: a spare room, or taking the chill off for an evening
A no-frills oil-filled radiator with three power levels (800 W, 1.2 kW, 2 kW), a thermostat dial and both overheat and tip-over cut-outs; the oil keeps radiating after the thermostat clicks off. There is no timer, and the guarantee is 1 year, or 2 if you register it.
Type
Oil-filled radiator, 9 fins
Heat output
2 kW; settings 800 W, 1.2 kW and 2 kW
Thermostat
Adjustable dial with indicator light
Timer
None
Warm-up
5 to 10 minutes to reach full heat (manufacturer)
Safety
Overheat cut-out and tip-over switch
Dimensions
62.5 cm high, 24 × 40.5 cm footprint
Running cost at full power
52.6p an hour at 26.32p/kWh
Guarantee
1 year (instruction manual); Russell Hobbs adds a free second year if you register the product
View on Amazon →Manufacturer’s page: Russell Hobbs RHOFR5002 9 Fin 2kW Oil Filled Radiator (white; RHOFR5002B in black) ↗

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Comparison table

Swipe the table to see every column.

Model	Type	Max output	Lowest setting	Controls	Timer	Tip-over cut-out	Cost per hour at full power (26.32p/kWh)	Guarantee	Amazon
Dimplex ECR20Tie	Oil-free column radiator, 7 fins, 10.8 kg	2 kW	600 W	Rotary thermostat, frost setting, key lock	24-hour digital, 4 programmes a day	Yes (tilt switch)	52.6p	1 year + 2 years if registered	View on Amazon
Dreo Solaris Slim H3	Oscillating fan heater	1.8 kW	Not stated (H1, ECO and fan-only modes)	Digital thermostat 5–35 °C, ECO mode, remote	1–12 hour off-timer	Yes	47.4p	24 months	View on Amazon
Russell Hobbs RHOFR5002	Oil-filled radiator, 9 fins	2 kW	800 W	Thermostat dial	None	Yes	52.6p	1 year + 1 year if registered	View on Amazon
Russell Hobbs RHOFR5001	Oil-filled radiator, 7 fins	1.5 kW	600 W	Thermostat dial	None	Yes	39.5p	1 year + 1 year if registered	–
De'Longhi Radia S TRRS0920E.G	Oil-filled radiator, 9 fins, 12.03 kg	2 kW	900 W	Room thermostat, eco function, anti-freeze, child lock	Electronic start/off, 0.5–24 hours	Not listed	52.6p	2 years	–
De'Longhi Dragon 4 TRDX40820E	Oil-filled radiator, 8 fins, 14.36 kg	2 kW	900 W	Room thermostat, eco function, anti-freeze, child lock	Electronic start/off, 0–24 hours	Not listed	52.6p	2 years	–
Dimplex EvoRad 2kW Smart (EVO2001)	Oil-free radiator, 12 kg	2 kW	900 W	Digital thermostat, touch controls, LED display, eco mode, anti-frost, Wi-Fi app	24-hour timer	Yes (tilt switch)	52.6p	5 years (listed as 1 + 4)	–

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Why this ranking

We rank models on product criteria only, weighted as shown below. Price and clicks play no part.

Controls that cut the bill30%
Every plug-in heater turns the electricity it uses into heat, so the bill depends on how long the element runs. We compare the thermostat (dial or digital), the lowest power setting, eco and frost modes, and above all the built-in timer: a daily programme beats an off-timer, which beats none.
Heat that suits the room25%
Oil-filled and oil-free radiators suit a room you sit in for hours; a fan heater suits short sessions in a small room. We look at output, the manufacturer's warm-up and room-size figures, and how each type behaves once switched off, using Which?'s published findings on heater types.
Safety20%
We check the manufacturer's UK page and manual for a tip-over switch, an overheat cut-out, a key or child lock and clear warnings, and favour brands that name a UK company to contact.
Everyday use15%
Weight and castors, the display and remote, and the stated noise level: a heater you can move easily gets used in the room you are actually in.
Guarantee and UK support10%
The length of the manufacturer's guarantee as stated in its UK manual or product page, and whether registration extends it.

We rank on the five criteria below, using each manufacturer's UK product page and manual and published independent test findings. Commission plays no part in the order, and we do not test heaters ourselves.

Dimplex ECR20Tie first. It scores highest on controls (30%): a 600 W low setting (joint lowest among the radiators), a frost setting, a key lock and a 24-hour digital timer with four on/off programmes a day. It has both a tilt switch and a thermal cut-out (safety, 20%) and the longest cover of our picks: three years once registered with Dimplex within 28 days (10%).
Dreo Solaris Slim H3 second. A digital thermostat, an ECO mode and an off-timer score well on controls, and at 2.7 kg with a remote and a 34 dB rating it is the easiest to live with (15%). It loses ground on room fit (25%): the heat stops the moment the fan does, and its timer can only switch it off, not on.
Russell Hobbs RHOFR5002 third. Three power levels, a thermostat dial and tip-over and overheat cut-outs cover the basics, but there is no timer of any kind and the guarantee is 1 year unless you register it for a second.
Dimplex EvoRad 2kW Smart in the table rather than the picks. It has the most connected controls here (Wi-Fi app, digital thermostat, eco mode, 24-hour timer), a tilt switch and the longest guarantee (5 years), so choose it if you want to control the heater from your phone. It sits below the ECR20Tie on our heaviest criterion because its lowest setting is 900 W rather than 600 W (23.7p an hour rather than 15.8p), and it is heavier at 12 kg.
De'Longhi in the table rather than the picks. The Radia S and Dragon 4 are well-equipped oil-filled radiators with an eco function, anti-freeze protection, a child lock and an electronic timer, but De'Longhi's UK pages do not list a tip-over switch, they weigh 12–14 kg and the warranty is two years.

How we compare →

What an electric heater costs to run: October to December 2026

Every plug-in electric heater turns the electricity it draws into heat, so the running cost comes down to three numbers: the wattage, the hours it runs, and your unit rate. The sum is kilowatts × hours × pence per kWh.

From 1 October to 31 December 2026, Ofgem's price cap puts electricity at 26.32p per kWh on average for a household on a standard variable tariff paying by Direct Debit in England, Scotland and Wales (Ofgem notice of 26 August 2026). The government has removed VAT from electricity bills from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, so that is the rate you pay per unit. The daily standing charge (54.83p) is the same whether the heater is on or off. Ofgem will announce the cap for January to March 2027 on 25 November 2026, and we will recalculate this page then.

Cost per hour at 26.32p/kWh, with the element on all the time:

600 W (Dimplex ECR20Tie, low): 15.8p
800 W (Russell Hobbs RHOFR5002, low): 21.1p
900 W (De'Longhi Radia S and Dragon 4, minimum): 23.7p
1.2 kW (Russell Hobbs RHOFR5002, medium): 31.6p
1.4 kW (Dimplex ECR20Tie, medium): 36.8p
1.5 kW (Russell Hobbs RHOFR5001, high): 39.5p
1.8 kW (Dreo Solaris Slim H3, full power): 47.4p
2 kW (any 2 kW heater, full power): 52.6p

These are worst-case figures. Once the room reaches the temperature you have set, the thermostat switches the element off and on again, so the real cost per hour is lower. As an illustration only: if a 2 kW radiator's element runs half the time, three hours an evening uses 3 kWh, or 79p, and 30 such evenings cost £23.69. If you are on Economy 7 or another time-of-use tariff, a fixed deal or prepayment, or you live in Northern Ireland (outside Ofgem's cap), use the unit rate on your own bill.

Oil-filled, oil-free or fan heater: which suits your room

Oil-filled radiators (Russell Hobbs, De'Longhi) are slow to start: Russell Hobbs says its RHOFR5002 takes 5 to 10 minutes to reach full heat. The oil then keeps radiating after the thermostat cuts out, which suits an evening spent in one room. They are heavy, so check for castors.
Oil-free column radiators (Dimplex ECR and EvoRad) have the same shape without the oil. Dimplex says its Thermocore design warms up faster than oil-filled equivalents and has nothing to leak or top up.
Fan heaters (Dreo) blow warm air straight away and are light enough to carry, but the heat stops with the fan. Best for short sessions in a small room.
Convector heaters, such as Dimplex's HeatLite and ML ranges, sit in between: light and fairly quick to warm a room.

Which? reports that in its tests oil-filled radiators heated the test room more slowly than fan and convector heaters, but averaged 33p an hour against 60p for fan heaters (worked out at 25.73p/kWh) and kept heating for about half an hour after being switched off (page dated 25 September 2026).

Size the heater to the room rather than buying the biggest you can find. De'Longhi rates its 2 kW Radia S and Dragon 4 for 60 m³, which is a room of about 24 m² with a 2.5 m ceiling. For a small bedroom or box room, a 1.5 kW radiator such as the Russell Hobbs RHOFR5001 is enough.

Timers, smart plugs and extension leads: what the manuals say

A timer is the simplest way to cut running costs, because a 2 kW heater left on by mistake costs 52.6p an hour. Use the timer built into the heater, though, not a plug-in one.

Dimplex says in its ECR manual that the radiator must not be supplied through an external switching device such as a timer, and that it does not recommend extension leads, plug-in timers or remote-control plug adaptors, because heaters draw a high current and a weak connection can overheat.
Russell Hobbs says in its RHOFR manual not to use the radiator with a programmer, timer or any other device that switches it on automatically.
If you want to control a heater from your phone, buy one with Wi-Fi built in, such as the Dimplex EvoRad 2kW Smart, rather than putting a smart plug on an ordinary radiator.

Plug the heater straight into a wall socket and keep it away from the area directly below one, as Dimplex advises. Both the Dimplex and Russell Hobbs manuals also say these heaters are only suitable for well-insulated spaces or occasional use: Dimplex describes the ECR as background heat, ideally used alongside a main heating system.

Is an electric heater cheaper than central heating?

Per unit of energy, no. Under the same cap, gas costs 7.97p per kWh on average (including 5% VAT) against 26.32p for electricity, so a kWh of electricity costs about 3.3 times as much, before allowing for boiler losses.

A plug-in heater saves money only when it lets you leave the central heating off, or turned down, and heat just the room you are sitting in for a few hours. Heating a whole home with plug-in heaters costs far more than running a gas boiler. If you have no gas, or the boiler is off for the season, a heater with a thermostat and a built-in timer is how you keep the electricity bill in check.

What Which? says

Which?, the UK consumer association, lab-tests electric heaters; its scores and Best Buys are for members, so we link to them rather than repeat them.

Its oil-filled radiator round-up (dated 25 September 2026, tests run between November 2022 and August 2024) names the Russell Hobbs RHOFR5002B, the black version of our budget pick, alongside the De'Longhi Radia-S 2kW and Dragon 4 TRDX41025E, the Dimplex EvoRad EVO2BTA and a Dimplex 2.0kW Rapid Eco Oil Free Radiator.
Its main electric heater guide (16 October 2026) puts the cost of running a heater flat out at anything from 8p to 80p an hour at the 26.32p/kWh cap.

Buy a named brand with a UK address

In research published in May 2024, Which? bought eight portable heaters from sellers on TikTok and Temu and found six of them electrically unsafe, with faults ranging from poor wiring and non-compliant plugs to fake fuses and missing UK importer details.

Our three picks are sold on Amazon by name and model number, and the UK manuals name a company to contact: Glen Dimplex Heating & Ventilation in Southampton for Dimplex, and G2S Limited in Wigan, the importer, for Russell Hobbs heaters. Dreo sells through its own UK online store, which gives a UK address in Kington, Herefordshire, a UK support email and a 24-month warranty. Whatever you buy, check that the listing gives the exact model code and that it comes with a UK three-pin plug.

What independent testers found

We don’t test products ourselves. These organisations publish their own results: read them on their sites.

Which?
Best oil-filled radiators, dated 25 September 2026 (tests November 2022 to August 2024): oil-filled models heated the test room more slowly than fan and convector heaters, averaged 33p an hour against 60p for fan heaters at 25.73p/kWh, and kept heating for about half an hour after switching off. Names the Russell Hobbs RHOFR5002B, De'Longhi Radia-S 2kW and Dragon 4 TRDX41025E, Dimplex EvoRad EVO2BTA and a Dimplex 2.0kW Rapid Eco Oil Free Radiator; scores are for members.
Which?
Best electric heaters 2026, dated 16 October 2026: at the 26.32p/kWh cap, running a heater flat out costs anything from 8p to 80p an hour; Best Buys and scores are for members.
Which?
14 May 2024: of eight portable heaters bought from TikTok and Temu sellers, six were electrically unsafe.

F · A · Q

Frequently Asked Questions

52.6p an hour at full power, at Ofgem's average cap of 26.32p/kWh for 1 October to 31 December 2026 (standard variable tariff, Direct Debit, England, Scotland and Wales). Once the room is warm the thermostat cycles the element on and off, so the real cost is lower. Ofgem announces the cap for January to March 2027 on 25 November 2026.

Watt for watt, no: 2 kW costs 52.6p an hour whatever the type. In practice they often cost less because they keep giving off heat after the thermostat cuts out. In Which?'s tests oil-filled radiators averaged 33p an hour against 60p for fan heaters (at 25.73p/kWh), though they were slower to warm the room.

No plug-in heater gets more heat out of a kWh than another: they all turn the electricity they use into heat. What saves money is control: a thermostat that holds the temperature, a low setting, an eco mode, a timer, and heating only the room you are in.

Check the manual first. Dimplex says its ECR radiators must not be supplied through an external timer and does not recommend plug-in timers or remote-control plug adaptors; Russell Hobbs says not to use its RHOFR radiators with any device that switches them on automatically. Use the heater's own timer, or buy a model with Wi-Fi built in.

Only if it lets you switch the central heating off or down. Under the current cap gas averages 7.97p per kWh and electricity 26.32p, so heating a whole home with plug-in heaters costs far more than with a gas boiler. Heating one room for a few hours while the rest of the house stays cool can cost less.

At the same wattage they cost the same per hour. Dimplex says its oil-free ECR warms up faster than oil-filled equivalents and has nothing to leak; oil-filled models such as the Russell Hobbs RHOFR5002 take 5 to 10 minutes to reach full heat but keep radiating for longer once switched off.

Dimplex does not recommend it for its ECR radiators, because heaters draw a high current and a weak connection can overheat. Plug the heater straight into a wall socket, uncoil the cable fully, and don't stand it directly below the socket.

For a bedroom or home office used as a top-up, 1.5 to 2 kW is usually enough. De'Longhi rates its 2 kW Radia S and Dragon 4 for rooms up to 60 m³, about 24 m² with a 2.5 m ceiling; for a box room, a 1.5 kW model such as the Russell Hobbs RHOFR5001 will do.