The Best Portable Space Heaters

When the mercury takes an icy plunge outside, bumping up the heat throughout your home doesn't always make sense, particularly if you find yourself in one room for the better part of the day or night. To heat the space where you are, you need to look no further than a portable space heater. These little appliances can be placed in any room for a toasty boost without putting a strain on your gas or electric bill. The best space heaters adequately heat small rooms, and many are equipped with built-in safety features like anti-tip over switches, cool-touch exteriors, and automatic shut-off. Whether you're looking for a budget space heater or a splurge or you're looking to heat a small space or a large room, there's no shortage of great options.

Here are the best portable space heaters for every type of, well, space.

Reviewers rave about the Vornado MVH Vortex heater. And the consensus is that this electric space heater is small but mighty. With metal heating elements, an internal thermostat with three heat settings, and forced air technology, the Vornado MVH is powerful enough to heat large rooms and it's whisper quiet. And while it really packs a punch against old man winter, there are plenty of great safety features like an anti-tip over switch, a cool-touch exterior, and an automatic safety shut-off system.

DeLonghi's slim-style space heater is a smart option for apartments or dorm rooms. While it's only 3 inches wide, it's still powerful enough to effectively heat medium to large rooms (up to 300 square feet). This slim space heater is outfitted with the safety features you'd want in a space heater, like an anti-tip over switch and thermal shut-off that prevents overheating. And finally, while this space heater is small enough and light enough to be considered a portable space heater, it's also wall-mountable, making it an excellent option for those with limited space.

Dyson's Pure Hot+Cool heater and fan combo might be a little spendy, but it's a great one-and-done solution for those who need a heater in the winter and a fan in the summer. Not only can you use this unit to heat and cool your room, but it's also an air purifier with an integrated HEPA filter that's powerful enough to remove 99.97% of pollen, bacteria, pet dander, and other allergens from the air. Dyson's Pure Hot+Cool heater and fan also has a jet focus control feature that lets you choose between personal heating or whole room heating. At this price point, the unit has all the bells and whistles you would expect, including a sleep timer, an oscillation option, automatic shut-off, and remote control.

At just under 12 inches, Honeywell's 360° Surround Heater is a small portable space heater, but it's still powerful enough to heat a bedroom or small office. It features an adjustable thermostat, two heat settings, and a 360-degree heat output to help you keep your space extra cozy. And while it's budget-friendly at less than $40, that doesn't mean it's lacking in some pretty great safety features, including a tip-over switch, overheat protection, a shut-off timer, and a cool-touch handle.

Lasko's tower heater features two quiet heat settings and, with its oscillating function, effectively distributes warm air where you need it. The 1500 watt ceramic heating element is adjustable with an easy read digital temperature display, and the tower heater comes with a remote control. Built-in safety features include a cool-touch exterior and overheat protection.

For those in search of something a little more energy-efficient, oil-filled models might be the way to go. Oil-filled heaters tend to have a high heat capacity and a high heat reservoir, courtesy of the diathermic oils used in them. The oil allows the unit to continue radiating heat even after it's turned off, ultimately making oil-filled heaters more energy-efficient and less expensive to operate. This oil-filled radiator features an adjustable thermostat, multiple heat settings, and a thermal shut-off that prevents overheating. Even better, the oil system is permanently sealed, so there's no need to worry about oil spills and refills.

This budget-friendly ceramic space heater by Lasko is highly rated on Amazon. Users indicate that while it doesn't have the power to heat large rooms, it can hold its own in small spaces. Many have noted that this space heater is quite reliable, and it warms the space quickly. While this space heater lacks some of the safety features other models have, it does have overheat protection and a tip-over safety switch which are probably the most important anyway.