Best Space Heater for a Large Room in 2023

We’ve looked at a variety of types of space heaters suitable for heating larger spaces and compared specs, prices, features, temperature settings, and reviews to bring you our list of the best space heater for a large room on the market. Not included on this list were any portable heaters that didn’t offer at least 100 square feet of useful heating area and which weren’t certified for fire and electrical safety by a recognized national or international standards organization such as UL or ETL. Essential safety features of the best space heater for a large room include an overheat-protection cutout switch and tip-over cut-off switch if the heater is not mounted securely to a wall. You might also want to read our best patio heater guide. And if you want to find heaters ideal for heating living spaces, open our best heaters guide.

Great for large spaces and areas of around 1,000 square feet in size, the 5200 BTU Duraflame 3D Space Heater infrared electric fireplace is our top pick among the best large space heaters to keep you cozy and warm this winter. Its IR quartz heating element heats the air quickly without dehumidifying it, while its digital adjustable thermostat allows you to save energy, making it a great heater for large rooms.

Top 7 Best Large Space Heaters Compared

 #1  Duraflame 3D 5200 BTU Electric Fireplace – Top Pick/1000 Sq Ft

WHY WE LIKE IT: Cozy retro fireplace looks to meet effective, energy-efficient high-tech heating in this 5200 BTU electric space heater, the most powerful electric heater on our list. It’s a great heating system for those looking for a clean way to heat up a living room, cabin, bungalow, or garage without central heating and appreciate the classic look of a wood-burning stove.

For anyone considering infrared space heaters, the Duraflame 3D is our top-ranked choice. It’s reasonably energy-efficient, using 120 volt/ 12.5 amp current to generate up to 5200 BTU/hr. It produces the most heat of any large space heater on our list, meaning you can actually use it like a fireplace to heat up a room the size of a large living room or even an entire cabin or bungalow. Like many of the options in our best garage heaters buyers guide. It’s also great for converted garages without central heating, as it’s safer than a gas heater, with no risk of gas leaks or overheating. It also has built-in safety features, such as overheating protection.

The Duraflame 3D also has some high-quality design touches, like real beveled glass doors and a realistic “flame” effect flickering behind the “logs.” Its infrared quartz heating element is preferred over a ceramic heater or wire elements since it doesn’t dry out the air as much, keeping you more comfortable and cozy. Just remember electric heaters, if left running all day, can get expensive.

 #2  Comfort Zone 1500 W Oscillating Space Heater – Honorable Mention/ETL Certified

WHY WE LIKE IT: This oscillating, efficient space heater comes with ETL certification for safety and weighs only 7 pounds. It’s great for those looking for personal space heaters they can comfortably move from room to room or easily bring on a road trip to the cabin or ski lodge.

The Comfort Zone oscillating heater has excellent energy efficiency, making it great for travel and for moving from room to room. It comfortably and easily heats up a space the size of an average bedroom, den, or dining room, roughly 150 square feet. It also works well for bathrooms since its heat settings can be dialed down and set to ECO mode, saving electricity when you don’t need full power. If you’re looking for a personal heater, you can’t go wrong with this one.

This oscillating space heater has multiple fan-speed settings and comes with an 8-hour timer and a digital thermostat. Its forced air design helps it heat more air while using less electricity, and it’s ETL-certified. However, you will want to keep in mind a few safety precautions, as this model is easy to tip over. Fortunately, though, it has an automatic tip-over cut-out switch and a built-in overheat protection switch. For cooling, check out the best window air conditioner for the best-rated models.

 #3  Lifesmart Infrared 5100 BTU Fireplace Quartz Heater – Best Oscillating Space Heater/1000 Sq Ft

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WHY WE LIKE IT: A powerful space heater rated for 1000 square feet, with a handsome exterior finished in burnished Quakerstown oak. It’s great for anyone looking for a heating option that preserves the ambiance of a fireplace without dealing with the associated fumes and chores of an actual wood-burning fireplace.

The Liffesmart IR Quartz heater, like the Duraflame 3D, is a “virtual fireplace” that heats up to 1000 square feet using an infrared quartz element. It keeps a rustic, old-style ambiance while being more eco-friendly than a wood stove and more energy-saving than central heating. Using 1500 W of electric power, it’s comparable to other large space heaters like the Duraflame or Dr. Heater.

The Lifesmart IR Quartz heater benefits from some helpful convenience features, too. Remote control is included, letting you set the heat level or turn the heat off as well as select between two different faux-flame effects. While some might prefer the more subtle glowing-log effect of the top-rated Duraflame 3D, this one does have casters for easier mobility. However, it’s also a rather hefty 40 lbs, making it heavier than most of the heaters on our list. You may also like our best ventilation fans list.

 #4  Dr Infrared 1500 W Space Heater – Most High Tech/UL Certified

WHY WE LIKE IT: A handsomely designed space heater that promises more heating power than other 1500W space heaters thanks to high efficiency, high-speed blower good for an estimated airflow rate of over 3 m/s with air heated to about 250-degrees F. It’s great for those who’re looking for an aesthetic, well-designed space heater that’s easy to move from room to room and is UL certified for safety.

You use the best modern ceiling fan to cool down, so naturally, you want that garage or room heated, too, right? This efficient dual-element space heater from Dr. Heater promises more heating power than other 1500W space heaters thanks to a high-efficiency blower good for an estimated airflow rate of over 3 m/s with air heated to about 250-degrees F. This compares favorably with most large space heaters on the market and matches the temperature performance of the larger Duraflame 3D. Dr. Heater really stands out for its aesthetics as well, with a cool, record player-inspired look that’s retro-futuristic without being corny.

The Dr. Heater Infrared heater may not be lightweight, at 24 lbs it’s much heavier than the about 7-lb Comfort Zone heater, but it makes up for it by having caster wheels for easier positioning. Plus, Dr. Heater offers a remote control that lets you change the fan speed, set the thermostat, or turn the heater off from the comfort of the couch. Dr. Heater is UL certified for safety, featuring fail-safes such as tip-over automatic shut-off and overheat protection.

 #5  DeLonghi TRD40615E 1500-Watt Heater – Quietest

WHY WE LIKE IT: Innovative, durable, and heavy-duty, this radiator-type oil-filled heater on caster wheels provides fast heating at low noise levels while maintaining a low surface temperature to avoid the risk of burns. This type of heater is great for heating apartments and small rooms on a schedule while saving energy since it can be set via a thermostat or on a 24-hr timer.

The DeLonghi TRD4 offers 1500 watts of heating power, matching the Lifesmart IR and the Comfort Zone. Like most radiant heaters, this model has an oil-filled radiator design rather than using a heating element, allowing the DeLonghi to claim that this model has a 25 percent improvement in the radiant area’s temperature compared to earlier versions.

Among the advantages of this design is that it’s more compact than heating element space heaters of similar output. It’s also much quieter than fan-based or oscillating space heaters. It’s also a good pick for offices and studios, and other high-traffic areas since its maintenance-free radiator design, lacking an exposed heating element, is likely more durable than any of the other large space heaters on our list. In addition, the DeLonghi benefits from safety features like a built-in overheat protection switch and a fully sealed radiator, which makes it both more durable and safer. On the flip side, its heat circulation isn’t as far-reaching as with larger quartz element heaters like Dr. Heater, our #4 pick. You should also look at the best air purifier for mold since garages tend to get moist.

 #6  Heat Storm 1000 W Deluxe Space Heater – Best Wall Mounted Space Heater

WHY WE LIKE IT: This 1000W infrared wall heater is rated for 500 square feet, while taking up minimal floor space. Its wall-mounted design adds to safety by eliminating tip-over risk, making it great for places with pets. It’s also great for use in apartments, art and recording studios, “tiny houses,” and anywhere else space is at a premium.

Looking for reliable heaters for large rooms can sometimes be tricky, but the Heat Storm Deluxe stands out on our list of the best large space heaters since it has a wall-mounted design that saves floor space. This makes it great for kitchens, bathrooms, and smaller apartments, as well as tiny houses, art studios, and bungalows. It requires an extra step for setup compared to the mobile caster-mounted units like Dr. Heater, but it does come with remote control for added convenience.

This wall-mounted space heater is also pleasing, eschewing fancy effects for a clean, “space-age” look. It features a large LED display for temperature readout and a programmable thermostat. While its 3200 BTU output is less than our top-rated Duraflame 3D, it also requires less electoral power, 1000 W compared to 1500. The Heat Storm Deluxe comes with a 1-year warranty.  If you’re looking for an outdoor heating option instead, try one of the best outdoor patio heaters.

 #7  FFDDY 1500W Space Heater – Best Budget/Most Portable

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WHY WE LIKE IT: The smallest heater on our list and the most portable choice with simple, easy-to-use controls, it matches the power of more expensive heaters like the Comfort Zone, our #2 pick, while still including safety features like automatic tip-over cut-off. It’s great for college students looking for compact space heaters to warm up a chilly dorm, or for heating cabins, bathrooms, and other smallish spaces.

When it comes to portable heaters, the FFDDY space heater is a simple and unobtrusive design that offers the same 1200 watts of heating as the much more expensive Comfort Zone space heater. It also matches the other best large space heaters on our list in such safety features as standard tip-over protection and an automatic overheat cut-off switch.

The FFDDY even stands out with 90-degree rotation helping it to evenly heat the room. While it doesn’t have casters or a fancy flame effect, it is compact enough that it works where some larger heaters like the Duraflame 3D or the Lifesmart IR won’t.

Space Heater for Large Room Buyer’s Guide

When you’re shopping for the best indoor electric heaters for large rooms, it’s important to prioritize safety and have it at the top of your features list. This is because any best heater for a large room can be a fire hazard. Even if you buy the best space heater for a large room with auto shut-off features or overheating protection, you still need to keep an eye on the heater. Why? Because even if the best electric heater for a large room is safe, if it’s too close to the wall, sensitive material, or near flammable products, it will cause a fire. 

However, having safety fire features on any high-end space heaters for large rooms is still ideal for anyone. Keep reading to find out what other features are important in a great indoor heater for a large room. On the other hand, if you’re looking to compare ACs, like the Voltas vs Daikin, we have a guide for you.  

The Most Important Features to Consider

1. Safety cut-off switch
   All the best electric heaters for large rooms on our list feature at least an overheat failsafe switch, and all the floor-mounted and caster-mounted models come with a tip-over cut-off switch. This is important because it helps reduce the risk of fire.
   • However, do keep in mind that even the best large room heater can still spark a fire if the owner is careless. For instance, even good heaters for large rooms will spark a flame if a towel or blanket falls over it while it’s active.
2. Programmable Thermostat
   To reduce energy consumption and add convenience, most of the best large space heaters come with a thermostat that lets you select the desired temperature.
   • Some, like the DeLonghi, have an extra energy-saving “anti-freeze” mode. Designed to help keep pipes from freezing and to use minimal energy, this lets it turn on only when the ambient temperature drops below 44 degrees F.
   • Speaking of programmable thermostats, you’ll find the same feature on ACs, like the best mini split.
   • However, this is contingent based on what you’re looking for. For example, are you searching for a window air conditioner or a central AC? The type of air conditioner you choose should be based on your immediate needs.
3. Timer
   A programmable timer is useful since you can set the space heater to run only while you’re actually using a room, regardless of temperature. For example, models with a 12-hour timer are great for zone heating since it cuts down on heating costs compared to relying on central heating systems.
4. Types of Heaters
   The best large space heaters here are either ceramic space heaters with a circulating fan or have an IR quartz solid heating element and fan, or, alternatively, are oil-filled space heaters, such as in the DeLonghi space heater. Although, if you’re looking for central heat and air, you can look into LG air conditioners, as this brand makes residential HVAC machines.
   • An IR quartz element is the most efficient at turning electrical power into heat, and it has the added benefit of maintaining the natural humidity in the room.
   • Models with a ceramic heating element heat up fast and are typically less expensive than the IQ quartz models, making them great for more temporary or occasional use or for smaller rooms such as bathrooms.
   • Radiator-type space heaters, since they don’t rely on a powerful fan to circulate the air, are much quieter and can be used to silently and quickly heat a room. They also tend to be more durable, since there’s no exposed heating element.
   • Similar to space heaters, evaporative coolers have the ability to make a room cool without installing an AC.
5. Certifications
   The best large space heaters come with safety certification from UL or ETL or another national or international standards laboratory. This means they’ve been extensively tested, and their safety features have proven to work to avoid accidental fires and electrical injuries. Key safety features, in addition to an, overheat cut-out switch, include an insulating or heat-resistant outer panel, so that no surface of the heater becomes hot enough to cause burns, and, for the floor-mounted models, a tip-over cut-out switch as well.