Quick answer: A space heater can save money if you use it to heat one room you are sitting in while turning your main thermostat down. It will not save money if you use it on top of your normal heating. Look for one with tip-over and overheat shut-off, a thermostat, and a safety certification mark such as UL or ETL.
When a space heater saves money (and when it doesn’t)
- Saves money: You lower the whole-house thermostat by several degrees and heat only the room you are using, like a home office or bedroom.
- Costs more: You run it in several rooms at once, or leave the furnace at its normal setting too.
- Rule of thumb: Most plug-in heaters max out at 1,500 watts. At an electricity price of 17 cents per kWh, that is about 25 cents an hour on high. Check your own bill for your rate.
Types of space heaters
| Type | Best for | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Ceramic | Quick heat in small rooms | Compact, warms fast, often has a fan |
| Oil-filled radiator | Bedrooms, quiet steady heat | Silent, slow to warm, stays warm after shut-off |
| Infrared | Warming people directly | Heats what it faces, good for drafty spaces |
| Heated blanket | Cheapest option | Uses far less power than a room heater |
Safety checklist
- Plug it directly into a wall outlet, never an extension cord or power strip.
- Keep it at least 3 feet away from beds, curtains, furniture and paper.
- Choose a model with tip-over and overheat protection.
- Turn it off when you leave the room or go to sleep, unless it is designed for unattended use.
- Make sure your home has working smoke alarms.
Recommended products
- Ceramic space heater with thermostat – Fast heat for a home office or small bedroom.
- Oil-filled radiator heater – Quiet, steady heat for bedrooms.
- Infrared space heater – Warms you directly in drafty rooms.
- Heated throw blanket – The cheapest way to stay warm.
- Plug-in electricity usage monitor – See exactly what your heater costs to run.
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Nexgen Headlines earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability can change.
Want more ways to cut your winter bill? See our guide on how to lower your heating bill and our winterize your home checklist.
How much a space heater really costs to run
The math is simple: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × your electricity rate. Your rate is on your electric bill, shown as cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Here is what a typical 1,500-watt heater costs at 17 cents per kWh:
| Use | Energy | Cost at 17¢/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hour on high (1,500 W) | 1.5 kWh | About $0.26 |
| 1 hour on low (750 W) | 0.75 kWh | About $0.13 |
| 8 hours a day on high, 30 days | 360 kWh | About $61 a month |
| 4 hours a day on low, 30 days | 90 kWh | About $15 a month |
| Heated blanket, 8 hours a day, 30 days (about 100 W) | 24 kWh | About $4 a month |
A heater with a thermostat cycles on and off once the room is warm, so real costs are usually lower than running it on high nonstop.
Space heater vs. turning down the thermostat: a worked example
Space heaters save money only when they let you heat less of the house. Say you work from home in one room for 8 hours a day:
- Turn the main thermostat down by several degrees while you are in that one room.
- Close the door to that room so the warm air stays in.
- Run the space heater on low or with its thermostat to keep just that room comfortable.
Whether this saves money depends on what heats the rest of your home. If you have electric baseboard heat or an older electric furnace, heating one room instead of the whole house usually saves money. If you have a heat pump or an efficient gas furnace, the main system may already heat the house cheaply, and the savings are smaller. Track your next two bills, or use a plug-in usage monitor, to see what works in your home.
How to pick the right size
Almost all plug-in heaters top out at 1,500 watts, because that is about the most a standard household outlet can safely supply. A common rule of thumb is about 10 watts per square foot of room in a typical, reasonably insulated home:
| Room | Size | Heater |
|---|---|---|
| Small office or bathroom | Up to about 75 sq ft | Small 750 W model or low setting |
| Bedroom | About 100–150 sq ft | 1,500 W model with a thermostat |
| Living room | Over 150 sq ft | One 1,500 W heater warms part of the room; heat where you sit |
Bigger rooms, high ceilings and drafty windows need more heat. In those cases, aim the heat at where you sit instead of trying to warm the whole space.
Features worth paying for
- Adjustable thermostat: the single biggest money saver, because the heater shuts off when the room is warm.
- Tip-over switch: turns the heater off if it falls over.
- Overheat protection: shuts it off if the inside gets too hot.
- UL, ETL or CSA mark: shows an independent lab tested it for safety.
- Timer: so it doesn’t run after you leave the room.
- Cool-touch case: safer around kids and pets.
Features you can skip: bright light effects, “eco” labels without a real thermostat, and apps you will never open.
Why safety matters so much
Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of U.S. home fires, and the National Fire Protection Association has found that space heaters are involved in most home heating fire deaths. The most common factor is a heater placed too close to something that can burn, such as bedding, curtains, clothing or a couch. December, January and February are the peak months. Follow the safety checklist above every time, and never use an extension cord or power strip.
Cheaper ways to stay warm (use them together)
- Heat the person: a heated blanket or heated throw costs only a few dollars a month to run.
- Stop drafts: door draft stoppers, weatherstripping and window insulation film often cost under $20 and keep heat in.
- Use curtains: open them on sunny days, close them at night.
- Program your thermostat lower at night and when nobody is home.
- Check for help: if bills are hard to pay, ask your utility about payment plans and look into the federal LIHEAP heating assistance program in your state.
Also read: 15 ways to lower your heating bill this winter.
7 space heater mistakes that cost money (or worse)
- Running it while the furnace heats the whole house. You pay twice. Turn the main thermostat down.
- Leaving it on in an empty room. Use the timer, or turn it off when you leave.
- Using high when low is enough. Low uses half the power. Let the thermostat do the work.
- Heating a room with the door open. Close it so the warm air stays where you are.
- Plugging into an extension cord or power strip. A 1,500-watt heater can overheat them and start a fire.
- Putting it near bedding, curtains or clothes. Keep a 3-foot clear zone on all sides.
- Buying the cheapest model without safety features. Tip-over and overheat shut-off are worth the extra few dollars.
Where to put your space heater
- On a hard, flat, level floor, never on a rug, bed, chair or table.
- Out of walkways, so nobody trips on the heater or its cord.
- Close to where you sit, but at least 3 feet away from you and anything that can burn.
- Away from water, unless the model is rated for bathrooms.
- Where kids and pets can’t knock it over, or choose a cool-touch model.
Gas or kerosene space heaters are a different product: they burn fuel and can produce carbon monoxide. If you use one, follow the maker’s ventilation rules exactly and have a working carbon monoxide alarm. For most apartments and bedrooms, an electric heater is the safer choice.
Our pick for most homes: an oil-filled radiator with a thermostat for bedrooms, or a ceramic heater with tip-over protection for a home office, plus a heated blanket for evenings on the couch.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to run a space heater or central heat?
Heating one room with a space heater while the thermostat is turned down is usually cheaper. Heating the whole house with space heaters usually is not.
How much does a space heater cost to run?
A 1,500-watt heater on high uses 1.5 kWh per hour. Multiply by your electricity rate. At 17 cents per kWh, that is about 25 cents an hour.
Can I leave a space heater on overnight?
It is safest not to. If you must, use a model with tip-over and overheat shut-off, keep it 3 feet from bedding, and plug it directly into the wall.
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy: Small space heaters; NFPA: Heating safety; HHS: LIHEAP energy assistance.
Last reviewed: Oct. 27, 2026.
