The Best Space Heaters for 2026: Vornado, De’Longhi and Safe Picks
By Claire Whitmore. Last updated October 2026.
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A good space heater warms a chilly bedroom or home office quickly and quietly, without making you feel like you’re sitting in front of a hair dryer. It should also be as safe as possible, because portable heaters are involved in more than 1,000 home fires a year in the U.S., according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Our picks come from Wirecutter’s October 2026 update to its space heater guide. Its author has researched more than 100 models and tested more than 80 since 2011, running each for four hours while logging temperature 3 and 6 feet away, noise and surface temperatures. We also note WIRED’s 2026 testing. We haven’t tested these heaters ourselves, and prices change often.
Quick answer: the Vornado VH200, or its quieter successor the VH240, is the space heater to buy for most rooms. Choose the Vornado AVH10 for a digital thermostat, the De’Longhi TRD40615E oil-filled radiator for silent, long-lasting warmth, the Windmill Space Heater for oscillation and a remote, the De’Longhi HMP1500 mica panel to save floor space, the Dreo DR-HSH004A for bathrooms, and the Lasko 754200 on a tight budget.
Our picks at a glance
| Pick | Type | Best for | Warranty | Approx. price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vornado VH200 / VH240 | Fan-forced | Best overall | Five years | About $65 to $80 |
| Vornado AVH10 | Fan-forced, digital | Precise thermostat | Five years | About $30 to $50 more than VH200 |
| De’Longhi TRD40615E | Oil-filled radiator | Silent, ambient heat | One year | Varies |
| Windmill Space Heater | Oscillating tower | Remote, extra safety | One year | About $129 |
| De’Longhi HMP1500 | Mica panel | Saving floor space | See manufacturer | Varies |
| Dreo DR-HSH004A | Bathroom heater with ALCI plug | Bathrooms | See manufacturer | Varies |
| Lasko 754200 | Ceramic | Budget | See manufacturer | About $35 |
*Prices from Wirecutter’s buying links at the time of writing. Heater prices rise in midwinter, so buy early.
The best space heaters
1. Vornado VH200 and VH240: best overall
Best for: bedrooms, offices and living rooms that need fast, even, quiet heat.
The VH200 has been Wirecutter’s top pick since 2018. It raised a test room’s temperature by nearly 20 degrees in two hours, with only about a 6-degree difference between sensors 3 and 6 feet away, so the warmth feels natural rather than blasted. It measured 45 dBA at 3 feet on high, quieter than most ceramic heaters and a household fridge.
It has a tip-over switch that trips after an inch of tilt, overheat protection, UL certification and a 6-foot cord. The shell stayed around 95 °F and the heat source under 140 °F, among the coolest tested. Controls are three modes and a seven-step thermostat dial with a hidden self-regulating setting. Vornado backs it with a five-year warranty.
Vornado is phasing the VH200 out in favor of the VH240, which uses the same heating element in a sleeker shell. The VH240 measured about 40 decibels, the quietest non-radiator heater Wirecutter has tested, and raised the room 18.6 degrees in under an hour. Buy whichever is available.
Pros
- Fast, even heating
- Very quiet
- Excellent safety features
- Five-year warranty
Cons
- No remote, timer or oscillation
- No numeric thermostat
- Availability varies during the changeover
2. Vornado AVH10: best with a digital thermostat
Best for: people who want to set an exact room temperature.
The AVH10 was the most powerful heater in Wirecutter’s original testing, raising the temperature 24 degrees in an hour at 3 feet. It adds a digital display that shows and holds a set temperature, a fan-only mode, a cord wrap and a shutoff countdown. It shares Vornado’s five-year warranty.
It doesn’t spread heat as evenly as the VH200; the updated version still showed about a 5-degree difference across the room. It usually costs $30 to $50 more. The Vornado TAVH10 is essentially the same heater with a timer and remote.
Pros
- Most powerful pick
- Precise digital thermostat
- Fan-only mode
Cons
- Less even heat
- Costs more
3. De’Longhi TRD40615E: best oil-filled radiator
Best for: long evenings in one room, or anywhere you want total silence.
Oil-filled radiators are slow but cozy. This one can take half an hour or more before you feel much warmth, but it stores heat and kept a test room between 80 and 90 °F for four hours after switching off. With no fan, it’s completely silent.
Its all-metal build is sturdier than plastic heaters, and its exterior, about 180 °F after four hours, was much cooler than other radiators Wirecutter has tested, though still hot enough to burn. It’s 25 inches tall and 25 pounds, with retractable wheels. New units can smell at first, so consider running it outdoors once. The TRD40615T is the same heater with analog controls.
Pros
- Silent
- Holds heat after shutoff
- Sturdy all-metal build
Cons
- Slow to warm up
- Large and heavy
- Hot surface
- One-year warranty
4. Windmill Space Heater: best oscillating heater
Best for: people who want a remote, a timer and extra safety features.
This sleek tower is one of the few picks with both oscillation and a remote. It measured about 41 decibels on high, has a digital thermostat with an Eco mode, a timer, a child lock, overheat protection built into the plug and an automatic shutoff after 20 hours of use. A fan-only mode makes it useful in summer, and its silicone carry handle is genuinely nice.
It’s less powerful than the Vornados, raising the temperature 11 degrees in the first hour, and has a one-year warranty despite its premium price.
Pros
- Remote, timer and oscillation
- Extra safety features
- Fan-only mode
Cons
- Less powerful
- Pricier
- One-year warranty
5. De’Longhi HMP1500 Mica Panel Heater: best for small spaces
Best for: rooms where floor space is tight, or where you’d like a heater on the wall.
This flat heater is barely 2¼ inches thick, like a big picture frame, and can roll on feet or hang on the wall with the included mount. Its wide, tall panel heated a room very evenly, with never more than a one-degree difference across sensors, and it’s essentially silent.
Controls are two knobs: high or low power and a 1-to-6 dial, with no thermostat or timer. The front panel reached about 300 °F after an hour on high, so wall mounting is wise around pets and children.
Pros
- Very slim
- Even heat
- Wall-mountable
- Silent
Cons
- Very hot front panel
- Basic controls
6. Dreo DR-HSH004A: best for bathrooms
Best for: warming a cold bathroom safely before a shower.
Most heaters must never be used in a bathroom. This one has an ALCI safety plug, which works with your bathroom’s GFCI outlet to cut power if current goes astray, plus overheat protection and a tip-over switch. It warmed cold tile well in testing and comes with a remote.
Even so, its manual says never to place it where it could fall into a tub or near a shower or pool. Keep it well away from water.
Pros
- ALCI plug for bathroom safety
- Strong heating
- Remote control
Cons
- Still must be kept away from water
7. Lasko 754200: best budget heater
Best for: a small bedroom or under a desk on a budget.
Wirecutter has recommended this little ceramic heater since 2013. It warms up fast, weighs about 3 pounds and has two simple dials. Its focused stream is great for heating the space right in front of it but doesn’t fill a room the way the Vornados do.
It lacks a tip-over switch, though it has overheat protection and ETL certification, and it’s about 7 dBA louder than the VH200. At about $35, it’s a lot of heat for the money.
Pros
- Cheap and reliable
- Compact
- Heats quickly
Cons
- No tip-over switch
- Louder
- Narrow stream of heat
Space heater safety: the rules that matter
- Never plug a space heater into an extension cord or power strip. Plug it straight into a wall outlet.
- Don’t leave it running unattended or while you sleep; use a timer if it has one.
- Keep it at least 3 feet from curtains, bedding, furniture, papers and anything else flammable.
- Set it on a flat, uncovered floor, not on tables, stools or (ideally) rugs, and don’t run the cord under rugs or doors.
- Only use heaters designed for bathrooms in bathrooms.
- Wirecutter advises against using propane heaters indoors because of carbon monoxide and clearance risks.
How to choose
Fan-forced versus radiant. Fan heaters like the Vornados warm a room fastest. Oil-filled radiators and mica panels are silent and gentle but slower.
Efficiency claims. Every electric resistance heater turns essentially 100% of its electricity into heat. Most use about 1,500 watts on high, producing about 5,110 Btu. A typical 1,500-watt heater costs about $2.20 to run for an eight-hour day at average rates, per Wirecutter. What differs is how well heat is spread around the room.
Safety certification. Look for UL or ETL listing, tip-over and overheat protection, and a cool-touch exterior.
Warranty. Most heaters carry one year. Vornado’s five years stands out.
FAQ
What is the safest type of space heater?
There’s no risk-free heater, but models with UL or ETL certification, tip-over switches, overheat protection and cool exteriors, like the Vornado VH200, are the safest bets when used correctly.
Can I use a space heater with a smart plug?
Wirecutter says some smart plugs, such as the Wemo Mini, should be safe and can add a timer to heaters that lack one. Extension cords and power strips are not safe.
Do space heaters save money?
They can if you heat only the room you’re using instead of the whole house. They don’t produce heat more efficiently than other electric heaters.
Which heater is quietest?
Oil-filled radiators and mica panels are silent. Among fan heaters, the Vornado VH240 measured about 40 decibels.
The bottom line
The Vornado VH200, or the VH240 that’s replacing it, is the space heater we’d buy: fast, even, quiet, safe and backed by five years of warranty. Pick the De’Longhi TRD40615E for silent radiant warmth, the Windmill for a remote and oscillation, the De’Longhi HMP1500 for a wall-mounted panel, the Dreo for the bathroom and the Lasko 754200 on a budget.
