Gadgets to help keep your central heating OFF
WHEN you’re feeling chilly but don’t want to fire up the central heating, a portable heater can be an energy-efficient way of keeping warm.
No wonder the manufacturers of these devices are now citing hourly running costs as a selling point.
But just how effective is a plugin heater? How portable are they? And do they quietly get on with the job in hand? We put them to the test to find out.
Instant warm air with retro styling
De’Longhi Capsule Fan Heater, £59.99, lakeland.co.uk
Portability: It’s small, lightweight and has a built-in handle making it easy to take up and down the stairs. Time to warm up: Instant heat that’s directed straight at you — either from the floor or on a table-top. Noisy? It has a fan, which is noisy on high but much quieter on its low setting. Running cost per hour: 31p on low, 61p on high. Verdict: Despite being small and light this is a quality product with simple settings that feels robust and well-made.
Smart and classic with wheels
LOGIK L15OFR20 Portable Oil-filled Radiator, £44.99, currys.co.uk Portability: A weighty piece of kit, but those wheels mean it’s easy to move from room to room. Time to warm up: A little patience is required as all the electricity this heater uses goes into heating up the oil within it. But it still only took five minutes to feel noticeably warmer and the room reached a comfortable temperature within ten minutes. Noisy? Completely silent. Running cost per hour: 51p.
Verdict: Slow to get going but then silently radiated steady heat throughout the room. I found it easy to transport between our sitting room and the kitchen. Safest to commit to one floor of the house — I’d say downstairs.
Cheap and cheerful piece of kit
AcornSolution Electrical Convector Heater, £38.06, amazon.co.uk Portability: Super light, but the metal casing gets very hot so I wanted to let that cool before moving it to another room. Time to warm up:
Immediate warmth that quickly spread throughout the room. In current temperatures, the lowest setting worked well. Noisy? Silent, even on its highest setting. Running cost per hour: 25.5p on low. 41p on medium. 68p on high. Verdict: This is a good value purchase but feels a bit flimsy. It heats up quickly and is super cheap to run on low. The casing gets very hot, limiting its portability. I wouldn’t leave a child or pet with it unattended.
The fake woodburner
Small Black Stove Heater (pictured), RRP £109.99 but on sale for £64.99, vonhaus.com Portability: Although lighter than it looks, there is no handle so you need to get a good grip under the lip of the top before lifting, making it cumbersome to move.
Time to warm up: Instant. Warm air blows through a grid at the bottom of the stove. Noisy? Slightly, but not obtrusively so. Once you’re warm enough you can turn the heater off and just enjoy the glow from the pretend coals.
Running cost per hour: 32p on low and 63p on high.
Verdict: If you’re looking to create a cosy, log fire look but without the associated soot and potential fumes, then this is great. However, I’d pick a room and give it a permanent spot rather than moving it around the house.
State-of-the-art eco heater
AENO Premium Eco Smart Heater, £239, appliancehouse. co.uk Portability: Too heavy to lug around the house. Time to warm up: The panel started to heat up as soon as it was switched on. Noisy? Not a peep. Running cost per hour: From 5.5p on its lowest setting up to around 24p. Verdict: Made from tempered glass, this uses infrared technology to heat the panel and can be controlled by a smart app from your phone. It’s astonishingly cheap to run — even working flat out it only uses around 700w. Even a technophobe like me managed to get it going via the easy-tonavigate app that monitors how much energy it uses.