Under the current Energy Price Guarantee, electricity costs 27.35p per kilowatt hour for domestic customers on a standard variable tariff. Do you want short bursts of heat, or something to keep you warm over several hours? Some of the cheapest fan heaters run at 3kW, so are good for short, intense bursts. More expensive and much slower convectors won't get the heat going as fast, but they'll be better over longer periods.

RUSSELL HOBBS RHCVH4002B Portable Convector Heater - Currys RUSSELL HOBBS RHCVH4002B Portable Convector Heater - Currys

We've found that convector heaters and oil radiators can take more than half an hour to raise a room's temperature significantly, but a good fan heater can do this in half the time. Live more sustainably - get our free Sustainability newsletter to make changes for you and the planet. This mid-range convector heater has a simple design despite being more expensive than the cheapest heaters, but that simplicity might appeal. We've noticed that prices tend to edge up the closer to colder weather we get - we've seen some price increases over the last few weeks. So if you want to get a cheap electric heater, our advice would be not to hang around.A wide range of heat settings: some only offer a couple of heat settings and basic thermostatic control that gives a vague steer towards hot or cold rather than letting you choose specific temperatures in degrees °C. Convector heaters heat up the air in your room in a different way to fan heaters. They have an exposed heating element which warms up cold air that passes through. How important these features are is down to personal preference. If all you want is something to keep you warm when there's a nip in the air, and you don't care about how it looks or require the ability to control it at a distance, a decent budget electric heater should be perfectly adequate. It has feet on the side as well as the bottom, so you can set it up flat or upright as a very mini tower heater. This 2.4kW fan heater stands stationary on an elevated surface and blows hot air in whichever direction you face it.

RUSSELL HOBBS RHFH1005B Portable Fan Heater - Black RUSSELL HOBBS RHFH1005B Portable Fan Heater - Black

They warm up oil inside the heater that acts as a heat reservoir that tends to warm rooms up at a slower, but longer-lasting, rate. Not necessarily. Heaters are highly efficient at turning electricity into heat regardless of their price. You don't necessarily need an expensive heater to get 'more' out of the electricity you draw. As you might expect, interest in electric heaters reaches its peak in the winter months. Over the last few years they've flown off the shelves as the nights have drawn in, even after having their prices hiked up rather than cut.

You can also read our guide to the best heating for your home to find a whole-home solution for your heating needs. This oil-filled radiator really is mini - it's not much bigger than some of the smallest heaters we've tested. If you're relying on your portable heater because your boiler isn't doing its job, find out how to buy the best boiler or whether you're eligible for a free boiler or a boiler grant.

RUSSELL HOBBS RHCVH4002 Portable Convector Heater Reviews RUSSELL HOBBS RHCVH4002 Portable Convector Heater Reviews

It's pretty basic in its controls. It has three power settings and a thermostat that ranges from non-specific cool to hot temperatures. A programmable timer, that lets you set specific times the heater will switch on. Some cheap electric heaters do have 24-hour timers that will switch the heater on at the same time every day, but some pricier heaters have digital timers that can be set to switch on at various times throughout the week. Read: one simple way to adjust your boiler to lower your heating bill to see how you can save money by lowering the temperature of the water supplying your radiators. Once that desired temperature is reached, the heater won't run constantly anymore. It will toggle on and off sporadically to maintain that temperature. Cheap heaters usually have fewer featuresThe wheels do make this heater easier to push around, and it's also only 9.5kg, which is light compared to several other oil-filled radiators we've tested. It's another no-frills convector with a mechanical timer and an adjustable thermostat that doesn't list specific temperatures in degrees °C. On average, most electric heaters run at a maximum output of 2kW. In other words: if you run your 2kW electric heater at full blast for one hour, you'll be paying around 55p. For just half an hour, it'll cost you around 27p.