March 6th, 2023 by Sarah Miles

Staying warm enough in the home while also reducing our heating bills is the holy grail we all seem to be searching for in this cost-of-living crisis. As we head towards spring with the harshest of winter weather hopefully behind us, there are some alternative forms of heat that offer enough low-level heat to keep us warm while allowing us to turn traditional central heating right down, if not off completely.

As government support for heating bills ends soon, turning to one of these energy-efficient heaters could be the solution we need to get us through these last few weeks of winter.

Fan Heaters

Fan heaters are small, inexpensive, energy-efficient heaters that can be relied upon to add extra heat whenever we need it. As the name suggests, they use a fan to distribute heat around the space, warming the air and keeping it circulating.

They are compact and the most portable of all the heaters covered here, intended to just be taken with you wherever you go so instead of heating the whole house, you can just move the heat from room to room with you. Small enough to be placed on a desk or table, they need hardly any space and you often only need them on for a short while and they’ll keep the area warm for a long time. Prices start at less than £20 and yet you can still expect great features like remote controls, ceramic heating elements, and multiple heat settings.

MYLEK Upright PTC Fan Heater 1.5KW

Price: £19.99

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Oil Filled Radiators

While they are larger than fan heaters, oil-filled are still very compact for the level of heat that they emit and light enough to be moved around the house. Their greatest advantage is how efficiently they store heat, using a thermos-conductive oil as their heating element. This allows them to cool very slowly so they will still be putting out heat long after they have stopped drawing energy, making them very efficient (and low cost) to run.

You can even buy models that are smart enabled, allowing you to control them using a smartphone app and this provides even more opportunities to use them efficiently.

Air Curtains

You may associate these over-door more with shops and restaurants than homes but they are surprisingly low cost and offer great advantages for homes as well. They work really well placed over external doors as they create a curtain of warm air that provides an invisible barrier between the cold outside air and warm inside air. Perfect for busy households with lots of coming and going and areas where external doors lead directly into living spaces such as living rooms, kitchens, or conservatories.

MYLEK Remote Control Over Door Heater with Illuminated Display, 2KW

Price: £79.99

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Tubular Heaters

Tubular heaters are most commonly used in outbuildings where they offer a low background heat that protects garages and sheds from becoming mouldy over the winter and allows plants to survive over the winter in greenhouses.

However, they are also great for spaces like conservatories, which can be unbearably cold in the winter. They are so cost-effective to run that you just leave them running all the time, meaning the temperature never drops too low. Because they are small, they are really easy to accommodate as well.

Plinth Heaters

Kitchens can often be small spaces with limited wall area to place radiators or even room-to-stand panel heaters. Plinth heaters are perfect because they fit neatly under the cupboards, taking up space that wouldn’t otherwise be used and emitting heat at a low level.

As hot air rises, it circulates upwards through the room and warms the space. Because kitchens are full of appliances that use heat, such as ovens, kettles, hobs, and dishwashers, combined with heaters such as this, you probably won’t need anything else.

MYLEK Hydronic Voice Controlled Black Plinth Heater 1.2KW

Price: £356.34

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