BLAUPUNKT Blaupunkr ASF501 Floor fan 40 cm diameter, power 55W

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In our tests, we set every heater to run at full blast so you can see the maximum amount it cost to heat our medium-sized test room. If you have the thermostat of your heater set to a desired temperature, the heater will toggle on and off once it reaches that temperature – depending on what's needed to maintain it. The heater won't operate continuously, so won't cost you as much to run. Are electric heaters cheaper to use than central heating?

Central heating is much more effective at maintaining a stable temperature over a longer period, whereas the heat from an electric heater will soon dissipate if the rest of your home is cold. Key specs – Dimensions: 54 x 15 x 14cm; Weight: 2.4kg; Oscillation angle: 90˚; Cord length: 1.6m; Warranty: 2yr; Power: 18W Decided that a tower fan is for you? Well, now your choice comes down to size and features. Generally speaking, the larger and taller the fan, the higher the airflow and the bigger the room it can cool, with the added bonus that you might not have to push it so hard to have the same effect. This means you can run the fan at a slower speed with – usually – less noise. That’s handy, as noise is the second-biggest factor. A noisy tower fan can be distracting in the daytime, but a real issue if it stops you dropping off to sleep at night. These can still be bought, but they aren't as popular or widely available as fan or convector heaters.The oil in the radiator acts as a heat reservoir, which stays hot for some time after the heater's switched off. Some are called 'oil-free' and function in a comparable way, just with an internal heating element instead of any oil. Key specs – Dimensions: 107 x 30 x 30cm; Weight: 5.7kg; Oscillation angle: 60˚; Cord length: 1.8m; Warranty: 2yr; Power: 45W Cold air setting Some fan heaters can help cool you down too. They're not nearly as effective as a dedicated air conditioner, but a light breeze of cold air is better than nothing.

Instead, the best reason to get this fan is that it pushes so much air out over such a high and wide area, thanks to the sheer size of the fan, a 2.4m/sec maximum airflow and an 80˚ degree oscillation feature. It’s just a shame that it’s noisy, putting out 46dB at its highest settings and 40dB even in Sleep mode, while the Natural mode is plain distracting, constantly revving up and revving down the fan speed. Still, if you want a fan for a large space and noise doesn’t matter, this one’s a keeper, and one of the few tower fans we’ve tested that can rival a pedestal fan on reach and range. It doesn’t take up as much space, yet it’s a serious tower of power. If you were to try replacing the use of your central heating by putting an electric heater in each room, it will definitely end up costing much more.On the downside, this type can be quite noisy and they don't have some of the more advanced features you can get with convector heaters. And a fourth user put forth the following question: “@bmstores Would you be willing to donate some fans to be shared around to the various children’s wards at Southampton Children’s Hospital? They are crying out for them like a sauna up on the kids’ wards and paediatric emergency dept.” Convector heaters are usually taller than fan heaters, but thin and light – making them larger, but still relatively easy to move between rooms.