When winter’s here I crave staying in bed and cranking up the heater with a remote. Yet I can’t help but worry about my heating bill skyrocketing!
Sound familiar?
Well, I’ve always wanted a thermostat heater that keeps my energy costs low without having to tweak the settings. I can set it and forget worrying about using too much heat. So I’ve gone through dozens of electric heaters with thermostats, hoping to find the one that you might need, too.
I’ve carefully reviewed 5 of the best types — including the best oil-filled, best all-rounder, best ‘tower’ style, best infrared, and best wall heaters. All with accurate thermostats.
Don’t know which one will work for you? Not a problem. I’ve included a buying guide at the end to help you choose the model that suits you best.
The Best Electric Heaters with Thermostats
Image | Thermostat Heater | Type | Link |
---|---|---|---|
|
PELONIS Space Heater | Oil-Filled | Amazon |
|
Lasko Thermostat Tower Heater | Tower Heater | Amazon |
|
Dr Heater Infrared Heater | Infrared Heater | Amazon |
|
HeatStorm Infrared Wall Heater | Infrared Wall Heater | Amazon |
Reviews: Best Electric Heaters with Thermostats
The Pelonis Space Heater is, by far, the best oil-filled thermostat heater I could find.
First up, it saves you energy and is pretty easy to use.
The heat settings, for instance, gives you plenty of options: 600w, 900w, or 1500w. If you’re a budget geek, you can start it up in low wattage. And when you turn it off and on, it remembers your last temp setting. (Pretty cool. And warm!)
By the way, there’s also an ECO mode that automatically keeps the temp ideal No need to adjust the setting every now and then! Want it to run for only a few hours? Just set the timer.
Design-wise, it’s also pretty sleek. The big LED display tells you the current temperature even if you’re standing across the room.
Be warned, though. You can’t expect it to warm up your room within minutes. (Well you should expect this from an oil-filled heater.) But once it’s reached your target temp, it’ll keep it at that.
Anyway, once you’re in bed and would like to adjust the temp a bit, no need to get up. Yup, there’s a remote control to change the settings in a breeze!
Finally, I’ve got to mention this in case you have kids and/or pets: this heater includes a tip-over and overheat protection. Excellent safety feature to help keep accidents away.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
3 Heat Settings + ECO Mode | 1 Year Warranty |
Big LED Display + Digital Controls | Takes a while to heat up |
Remote + Timer | |
Long-lasting heat | |
Suitable for larger rooms |
Our Verdict
If you’re hyper-concerned about your monthly bills, the Pelonis Space Heater can save you a chunk.
You can get this one if it’s crucial for you to have low, mid, or high power at will.
And it’s so easy to use. You can literally ‘set and forget’ the controls. Just set this heater in an ECO or timer mode. Or, turn it back on, and it will warm up your room to your previous setting.
Energy-saving. Easy. Safe. Sleek.
I think that pretty sums up everything I like about this Pelonis heater.
If you’re fine running a heater at 1500W, as long as it makes you suffer virtually no energy loss, I’d recommend this Dr Infrared Heater.
Especially when infrared heaters are the cheapest type of heater to run.
It’s so efficient that it can deliver you an average of 250°F at 3.5m/s. To compare, other heaters on this setting can only deliver up to 155°F at 2.2m/s.
Why? It’s mostly thanks to the way this heater works. It acts like sunlight, warming up objects instead of the air.
The result? A warm and cosy room. And a few more bucks saved in the final electric meter reading. (Especially if you make good use of its 12-hr programmable timer.)
I’ll be honest, though. This heater has a remote control, but you have to use the power button first to get it started. Looks like a safety feature to me, but maybe a little inconvenient for some.
Also, it may look a little old-fashioned. Not much of a problem for me, again, as the ‘cabinet-styled’ design helps make it cooler to touch. Still, it looks like Dr Infrared just wants this heater to be safe enough — considering all the heat it emits!
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Dual Heating System (IR + PTC) | May Look Old-Fashioned to Some Users |
12-Hr Programmable Timer | Only One Wattage Setting (1500W) |
Heats Up the Room Quickly | |
IR Remote Control Included |
Our Verdict
Okay, I love how powerful this infrared thermostat heater can be. I think it’ll be great for poorly-insulated rooms, as it gives you more heat than other 1500W heaters.
The control buttons and temperature display are large enough, and the remote comes in handy when you’re in another room.
I guess it all boils down to your priorities. Are you more into design or power? Is your location freezing enough to require you to go all-out with heating?
Well, if you’d like a sun-like box to warm up your place during the winter, then you might want to take a good look at this heater using the link below.
(But if design means so much to you, then jump ahead to the fifth entry in this list of heaters.)
So you’re quite the power user, but you don’t like the old-fashioned cabinet-box enclosure of the heater above? Then check out this HeatStorm Wall-Mounted Heater instead.
It looks sleek, modern, and slim, and would certainly be a nice touch to a living room, bedroom, or office wall.
Want something that you can move around? This same heater can actually be portable, too. Just let it stand on its base and place it anywhere you need it.
Plus, this HeatStorm heater goes beyond the usual digital controls. It also includes a screen lock feature, keeping your settings safe against naughty kids. Even the power switch has waterproof protection, which makes this unit suitable even for bathrooms.
Energy-wise? Well, it operates on three different modes — low, high, and energy-saving. Up to you to set up according to your warming needs.
And if you really want your energy savings maxed out, just set the programmable timer on.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Can Stand on its Base or Be Mounted on a Wall | Not the Most Affordable on this List |
With Screen Lock Feature and Waterproof Protection Over the Switch | |
Low, High, and Energy-Saving Power Modes | |
Programmable Timer Included |
Our Verdict
What sets this heater apart from all the rest in this list is its design and safety features.
Both the power and energy-saving features are quite comparable to any of the other four models. But, this HeatStorm heater goes extra on set-up modes and safety.
If you think you might need to transfer a heater to a wall or put it down on the floor, this model gives you that flexibility.
At first glance, it’s a modern-looking heater with a slim tower design that fits any contemporary-styled home.
The looks raise your expectations, and it does not disappoint.
It has a total of 5 heat settings, including ECO and Fan modes. AND specific wattages at 600W, 1000W, and 1500W. It even swings up to 60° back and forth, so the heat is spread evenly throughout your room.
It also keeps your last setting in memory, warms up quickly, and is easy to control with a remote — even when you’re 6 meters away. Spells convenience to me! And if it helps, it’s not noisy. Even with the fan on.
Also, just set the timer if you wish to keep your bills nice and low.
Of course, I wouldn’t put this as the best all-rounder if it doesn’t have the safety features as the Pelonis heater above. Lasko includes those, PLUS it’s quicker to heat a room (albeit more expensive, and not as long lasting heat).
All these perks for a reasonable price.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
5 Heat Settings with ECO and Fan Mode | May Not Be Enough to Heat Up A Large Room |
60° Oscillation Evenly Warms Your Room | Higher Electricity Use vs Infrared / Oil Heaters |
Remote Control and Timer Function Included | |
Detachable Dust Filter Included |
Our Verdict
What can I say? The Lasko Indoor Electric Space Heater is a game changer.
Design. Ease of use. Energy efficiency. Heat distribution. Safety. Budget.
It’s a very tried-and-tested model, with over 1,000 positive reviews on Amazon that say the same thing. It’s not quite in the same league as the Pelonis or infrared models in terms of energy efficiency, but it’s a great option with a cheaper up-front cost.
So try this heater if you’d like to experience the best of all worlds.
Have you ever seen a ‘tower’ style electric heater that can stand AND also lie down?
This Aikoper ‘Double-Duty’ Electric Space Heater is one of the first of its kind.
Its internal oscillation feature allows you to make it ‘stand’ on its ‘feet’ or on its ‘belly.’ Nothing gets tangled whether you position it vertically or horizontally. It’s quite useful if you want the heat to flow up and down instead of just left and right. AND if you wish to keep things really quiet.
This heater also gives you an ECO and fan-only mode, aside from the 900W (low) and 1500W (high) heat settings.
Need to save on energy costs? Just switch to the ECO mode with your ideal temperature. It auto-adjusts so that it consumes low power while maintaining your set temp.
With a minimal tower design, this heater would look great on in an office, a living room, or a bedroom. I’d even use it with kids around. Thanks to its built-in overheat and safety protection.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Can Stand Either Vertically or Horizontally | Not Suitable for Laundry Room and Bathroom Use |
Internal Oscillation Offers Low-Noise Operation | |
ECO and Fan Modes Included | |
With 24-Hr Programmable Timer and Remote Control |
Our Verdict
If you’re fond of tower-styled heaters with unique design features, this Aikoper Double-Duty Space Heater could be the one for you.
Well, Aikoper wasn’t only thinking about aesthetics for this model. Talk about a design feature that incorporates not one but three solutions — low-noise operation, safety, and an even heat distribution!
Note that I haven’t even talked about convenience yet. You can also control this heater with a remote. Plus, you can set the timer so that it operates for only a specific number of hours: 1, 2, 3, …, 23, 24. (You can control how your electric bill would look!)
While it only gives you 2 wattage settings (outside of the eco and fan modes), I think all the above benefits will make this thermostatic attractive enough for a look. (Yup, just click the link below.)
Tips to Get The Most From Your Heater
No matter how smart your heater is in terms of energy-saving features, you still can get some skyrocketing bills. Know why?
Well, how high your meter reads can depend largely on your usage habits, too.
So here are a few tips to get your home warmed up without using up too much energy.
- Keep your doors closed. Even those of your indoor rooms.
- Insulate your windows with a plastic seal.
- Use one room as a family, and keep your portable heater there.
- Use thermal curtains in wintertime.
- Seal the sources of drafts in your home.
- Cover your wooden floors with a carpet or warm rugs.
- Upgrade your heater if it’s no longer efficient. (Choose any of the heaters I’ve recommended above. *Wink*)
Want more money-saving tips on heating? I’ve actually written a long list of 26 hacks here, in case you need to cut down on your electric costs — significantly.
Electric Heater Buying Guide
I’ll keep this short and focus on thermostat heaters. (You can learn more about different kinds of efficient heaters here, including electricity-powered ones.)
So here’s what you’d want to look for:
- Easy controls. Both on the unit itself and in the remote control.
- Large temperature display. So it’s easier to read and adjust the temp from a distance.
- Safety features. It’s electric. It must auto shut-off when it reaches a max temp. Plus, you’ll need some protection for the sake of your kids and pets.
- Especially if you can’t be in one room forever.
- Eco and timer modes. You’ll want a set-and-forget feature so you can sleep tight without getting anxious about your energy bill.
- Get a premium heater that saves you more in the long run, or get an all-rounder that doesn’t hurt your budget. I’ll leave it up to you.
What's The Best Temperature To Set My Thermostat?
What a question! The answer to all the family arguments over where we should set the temperature. Is there such a thing?
According to recommendations from Energy Star, you should roughly follow these tables for the best energy efficiency:
Temperature (Fahrenheit; oF) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Outside | In Room | Sleeping | Out | Coldest |
80 | 78 | 82 | 85 | 60 |
85 | 78 | 82 | 85 | 65 |
90 | 78 | 82 | 85 | 70 |
95 | 78 | 82 | 85 | 75 |
100 | 80 | 84 | 87 | 80 |
105 | 85 | 89 | 92 | 85 |
Temperature (Celsius; oC) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Outside | In Room | Sleeping | Out | Coldest |
26.7 | 25.6 | 27.8 | 29.4 | 15.6 |
29.4 | 25.6 | 27.8 | 29.4 | 18.3 |
32.2 | 25.6 | 27.8 | 29.4 | 21.1 |
35.0 | 25.6 | 27.8 | 29.4 | 23.9 |
37.8 | 26.7 | 28.9 | 30.6 | 26.7 |
40.6 | 29.4 | 31.7 | 33.3 | 29.4 |
Conclusion
Electric heaters with thermostats are, without a doubt, among the most convenient types of heaters.
But convenience doesn’t always mean savings, which is why I’ve put together this review for you.
Above are my top favourite thermostat heaters, and they’re all fantastic in their own ways. Every one is energy-saving. And all are easy to use.
Well, I hope I’ve helped you pick at least for your indoor space. In case you want to see some more small-room heaters, follow that link.
Or, if you think you can do away without a thermostat and go for the cheapest electric heaters instead, then feel free to check out our guide in that link.
At the end of the day, your heater of choice is either gonna heat up your room nicely or heat up your head with quite disturbing costs.
Good luck with your choice, and have a warm and fantastic day!
– Craig