How CR Tests Space Heaters

How CR Tests Space Heaters

We evaluate space heaters for heating a standard-sized room in 15 minutes and directly heating a person—spot heating—in the same amount of time. “Our spot-heating test uses a mannequin wired with sensors,” says test engineer Chris Regan, who oversees our space heater ratings. “We want to know how your body will feel when you’re sitting within 4.5 feet of the appliance.”

Chris Regan, who leads CR's tests of space heaters, measures how hot a model's surface gets during use.

Photo: John Walsh/Consumer Reports

We also test space heaters for safety, as shown above, including how hot the surface gets (so that you don’t burn your fingers) and whether the model gets so hot that it can ignite a piece of fabric (like nearby curtains, for example).

Below, grouped alphabetically by task, are ratings and reviews of space heaters that excel at both heating a room and directly heating a person—as well as models that aced either one task or the other. For even more options, see our comprehensive space heater ratings.

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