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Best Wall Heaters

Updated May 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Heat Storm Infrared WiFi Wall Mounted  Heater
Heat Storm
Infrared WiFi Wall Mounted Heater
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Most Comprehensive
Bottom Line

This heater has WiFi connections allowing you to control it from your smartphone.

Pros

This 1,500-watt heater has a sleek and safe design. The power cord can be tucked underneath and its exterior doesn't radiate heat making it okay to use around children and pets.

Cons

Need to download Smart Life app to control. Some users have experienced glitches with the app.

Best Bang for the Buck
Broan Wall Heater
Broan
Wall Heater
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Best for Small Spaces
Bottom Line

The best budget wall heater for smaller spaces and rooms that need a temperature boost in the winter.

Pros

A lot of power output (750 watts or 1,500 watts depending on power input) in a small frame. Heating elements are quiet during normal operation. Easy to assemble and maintain. Made of heavy steel.

Cons

Thermostat can shut down prematurely.

EconoHome Wall Mount Space Heater Panel
EconoHome
Wall Mount Space Heater Panel
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Customer Favorite
Bottom Line

An attractive, space-saving heater with added heat guard protection on purchase, that's designed for small to mid-sized rooms.

Pros

Sports a slim design that fits flat against a wall, making it suitable for rooms with limited space. Convection heating warms evenly, and the unit is quiet when operating. Easy to install.

Cons

Front gets fairly warm to the touch, so the company recommends a heat guard that's a separate purchase.

Heat Storm Deluxe Mounted Space Infrared Wall Heater
Heat Storm
Deluxe Mounted Space Infrared Wall Heater
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Simple Yet Solid
Bottom Line

This electric heater is compact and modern and perfect for small places like a bathroom.

Pros

This infrared space heater keeps your room warm long after it's been turned off due to its ability to heat not only the air but the objects in the room too. This product comes equipped with an energy-saving LED thermostat display.

Cons

Heater's WiFi connection may cause interference with other products connected to the same network.

Dr. Infrared 7500-Watt Hardwired Electric Heater
Dr. Infrared
7500-Watt Hardwired Electric Heater
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Feature-packed
Bottom Line

This powerful 240-volt heater can either be mounted on the ceiling or the wall and is best used to heat large spaces.

Pros

This heater has significant power for such a compact machine. With 5 adjustable louvers that assist in regulating airflow, this product can easily heat your garage, factory, or warehouse with little effort.

Cons

Puts out a lot of external heat, not safe to be in close contact with children or pets.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

35
Models
Considered
150
Consumers
Consulted
12
Hours
Researched
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Buying guide for Best wall heaters

Are you looking for a convenient way to deliver extra heat to your home? Some households rely on a wall heater for supplemental heat. Wall heaters offer several important advantages. When there’s a chill in the air, you can heat a single room rather than turning up the heat for the whole house. The heat is nearly instant, whereas underfloor heating and HVAC systems take time to warm up. And, of course, a wall heater doesn’t consume valuable floor space.

Most wall heaters have a built-in thermostat that you can use to fine-tune the warmth in the room or rooms of your choice. Bathrooms and bedrooms are common locations. So how do they work? Inside the wall heater casing is a heating element. As soon as you hit the switch, you get heat. To spread the heat around the room as quickly as possible, a fan is included. The fan blows cold air across the element and warm air into the room. Wall heaters are simple, reliable, and fast.

Content Image
An inset wall heater make less of a physical impact in a room, but it is a much more permanent fixture. A surface-mounted wall heater with plug-in power can be moved easily, leaving just a few small holes to patch up.

Wall heater considerations

Before making your purchase, you must decide how you will mount the wall heater: will it be an inset or surface-mounted appliance? Furthermore, you’ll want to decide how to power your wall heater — via hardwiring or plug-in electricity.

Inset vs. surface-mounted wall heaters

Inset wall heaters are usually sized to fit standard gaps in the framework of partitioned walls, so installation is relatively easy. Having said that, an inset heater requires you to make a hole in your wall if there isn’t one already. If you don’t like that idea, choose a surface-mounted wall heater, which only requires a few fixing screws.

A few inset models offer the option of surface mounting, though additional hardware may be required. However, we’re unable to see why you would want to do that. It’s better, in our opinion, to buy a model designed for surface mounting in the first place if that’s what you want.

Hardwiring vs. wall plug

Inset heaters are invariably hardwired. Some people have the skills to do this themselves, but it’s always advisable to call a qualified electrician. Surface-mounted models usually — though not always — plug into a convenient outlet.

Wall heater features

Built-in thermostat

Most wall heaters have built-in thermostats. The drawback is that some measure the temperature of the unit itself, so if they’re fitted too close to one end of a large room, you might need to set them higher than expected to warm the other end. Mounting your wall heater near the center of the room can help combat this problem.

Boost controls

Boost controls are available on some models, allowing you to use maximum heat for a predetermined amount of time. After that time elapses, the heater settles at a temperature set by the thermostat.

Temperature control

Temperature control is usually a question of “hotter” or “colder” rather than a precise degree value, though some digital units offer this level of accuracy.

Frost setting

A frost setting can be used to minimize energy use while ensuring the room never drops below freezing.

Safety features

Look for a unit that has an automatic shut-off that kicks in if the unit overheats and tip-over protection if the unit falls off the wall mount.

Expert tip
Proper clearance is essential with wall heaters. At least three feet of clearance is required for any flammables. Keep window treatments, towels, and bedding away. 
BestReviews Home Improvement and DIY Expert

Wall heater prices

As we’ve seen, there’s not a great deal of complexity with wall-mounted heaters, so prices tend to reflect the quality of manufacture, power, and the few possible extras.

Less expensive

Most of the lower-priced wall-mounted heaters we would recommend fall in the $60 to $100 range. You’ll find a variety of power outputs, from 750W to 1,500W, that can provide a cost-effective heating solution.

More expensive

While many designs remain quite basic, you don’t really pay a premium for those that are more attractive. Models of 2,000W from respected manufacturers are around $150, and the most powerful models of 4,000W seldom top $250.

Expert tip
Look for units that have a cool-to-touch cover that prevents burns and tip-over shut-off if it comes off the wall mount.
BestReviews Home Improvement and DIY Expert

Tips

  • Beware of putting items too close to your wall heater. Surrounding items can get very hot if they are in the path of the warm air. Take note of the manufacturer-suggested safe zone, and be aware that if you place items too close, there’s a risk of fire.

  • If you’re installing a hardwired wall heater, make absolutely sure you know what you’re doing. If you’re not comfortable with the instructions, call a suitably qualified professional.

  • If you’re buying a plug-in wall heater, think about adding a plug-in timer. You can then set the heater to come on before you get home, before you get up in the morning, or whenever you want to set it.

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Before making your purchase, don’t forget to check the sound level. The fans in some cheaper wall heaters can be surprisingly noisy.

FAQ

Q. How do I know what size wall heater I need?

A. This is a tough question, because it depends on how well-insulated your room is and how efficient the heater is. HVAC systems generally use BTU (British Thermal Unit) ratings, but unfortunately, few wall heater makers supply figures. Manufacturers often make their own recommendations. A particular wall heater might heat a 100 sq.ft. room, for example.

Having looked at numerous products, we’ve found most wall heaters range from 750W to 2,000W. If you take an average of the figures provided, you get the following:

  • 750W may heat a room of 50 to 100 sq.ft.

  • 1,000W may heat a room of 100 to 125 sq.ft.

  • 1,500W may heat a room of 120 to 170 sq.ft.

  • 2,000W may heat a room of 60 to 240 sq.ft.

There’s a lot of inconsistency in those figures, and they don’t provide a linear progression. This is a reflection of how different manufacturers rate their equipment and, as they often say in the small print, it should only be used as a guide.

In addition to room size, it’s a good idea to take price into account. If you’re caught between two sizes and can afford the more powerful model, that’s the one we would choose.

Expert tip
Dust and vacuum the units. Do not clean with solvent-based cleaners. A damp rag is sufficient
BestReviews Home Improvement and DIY Expert

Q. Are wall heaters expensive to run?

A. It can be argued that wall heaters are not as efficient as whole-home HVAC or underfloor heating. Furthermore, they don’t provide the residual warmth that radiators do; as soon as it’s off, a wall heater stops delivering heat.

However, as a solution for warming modest spaces, this option is tough to beat. Wall heaters themselves are relatively inexpensive to buy and install. A wall heater with a built-in thermostat helps conserve energy, and other features (such as timers and other control devices) can be attached. You enjoy the ability to heat one or two rooms rather than the whole house — and that will save you money.

Q. What’s the difference between a radiant heater and a convection heater?

A. Radiant heaters heat objects, including people, whereas convection heaters heat the air. For instance, an outdoor patio heater that works with radiant heat is a good idea because if you stand near it, it’s like heating yourself in front of a fireplace. But radiant heat is not such a good way to heat an enclosed space, because if there’s a chair between you and the heat source, the chair will absorb much of the warmth.

Almost all wall heaters use convection heat to warm the whole room evenly. There are no cold spots. The convection effect doesn’t absolutely require a fan, though a fan can help speed up air circulation and thus warm the room more quickly.