We found the Best electric heaters on the market in Duux, Swan and Dyson test

11 December 2023 , 14:35

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Dyson

The wintery chill is certainly here in the UK and who isn't looking for any way possible to stay warm, while keeping costs low. A heater to have as back up and avoid reaching for the thermostat is a great way to really start to monitor your energy usage- and we have seen some huge changes to our energy bills while reviewing certain models.

There are a number of alternative ways to save even moreso on heating bills, with USB gloves, pocket warmers, heated blankets, gilets and more all being on our radar since MSE expert Martin Lewis told us all to 'heat the human not the home'.

We couldn't help but notice how much heating we were using in our team chats too, so we got straight to trying to find the best portable/desktop/ electric heaters which not only have the best star ratings, but are proven to keep energy prices low, too.

Duxx

'Best for the middle of a room'

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The Duux Threesixty is app controlled allowing you to set it to automatically turn off when the room gets warm enough (Narin Flanders)

Mirror Choice's Narin Flanders recently reviewed the Duux Threesixty smart heater included in the sale and praised the 'small but mighty' gadget for its versatility and power and the fact she could use an app to switch it on from across the room without standing up from her Zoom calls when she got cold working from home.

In her review she said: "The Duux Threesixty at first glance, looks more like a smart speaker than a traditional fan heater. All sleek curves and in shiny tech white it stands at a petite 29cm high and is best placed on a table top, shelf or window ledge, although I realised quickly with it doing exactly what its name suggests and heating from all sides the best thing to do is put it in the middle of the room as otherwise you're losing half the benefit by heating the glass of a window.

"The heater has two settings, and at current energy pricing costs between 20p and 61p an hour to run. While I wouldn't be happy having that on for extended periods of time alongside my heating, it's brilliant for using at points where heating the entire house feels like a waste of money. So I can keep my heating timed to go off during the day when everyone but me is out of the house and instead use this to give me a quick blast of warmth as and when I need it.

"Keeping the Threesixty at a steady 19 degrees, which is what our central heating is usually set at, means that for now at least it's on for less than an hour at a time and - keeping the doors closed - the warmth stays in long enough that I don't need it on for extended periods. Right now in practical terms what that means is I've gone another day without turning the heating on at all - and long may that continue."

You can pick one up at Manomano.co.uk here for £98.95

SWAN

'Best for cheap working from home use'

The SWAN vertical/horizontal heater is simple to use and portable, so really easy to use in different rooms

Mirror Choice's Stacey Dutton also tested out one of the best affordable heaters on th emarket- the SWAN 2000W vertical/horizontal heater and on paper it looked perfect for the job.

Here's Stacey's verdict while trialling at her work desk now that the chill has set in at her work desk.

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'I have used the SWAN heater while working from home and I have seen a huge difference on my heating usage. I was so used to coming downstairs and turning the heating on the minute I felt the cold that things needed to change.

The heater has easy-to-use controls with an adjustable thermostat so you can crank the heat up with two heat settings, so you're in total control of your heating. So, whether you just want to take the chill off on a nippy winter morning, or get nice and cosy on a cool winter night the Swan vertical fan heater can do it all.

I couldn't believe the heat from the device as soon as I turned it on, and I only found myself using it for half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening- so it's just 54p a day for me to keep warm at my desk- that's all I need while my large back room can sometimes take a while to heat up with the heating on.'

You can pick a SWAN heater up here for just £19.99.

READ MORE: 'Brilliant' heated gilet with own power bank branded a 'must-have this time of year'

Dyson

'Best for multifunctional use'

Dyson Hot + Cold Purifier will be a great addition for many households for an instant cool down

Now I've tried many tricks, and it seems keeping warm around the house is proving much easier with the incredibly effective Dyson Hot + Cool Purifier.

As far as devices go, it's not the cheapest costing upto £350 (saving available at John Lewis) but once you take into consideration that this one machine works as an air purifier for hay fever season, can cool you down like an air conditioning unit, and can warm up a room in minutes during the winter it starts to make much more sense why there's a hefty price tag.

With an easy to use remote you can control how hot or cold your room gets, how strong the fan is and whether it rotates. It's recommended, if you want to take full advantage of the air purification, that you keep doors and windows closed to have full effect in the room.

I have had no issues doing this and found that I have the only room in the entire house that has managed to stay warm during cooler evenings. While the fan itself is huge and certainly becomes a staple in any room, I would say that it's even better than keeping all windows open because of the easy customisation and how close I can get.

Using the unit for air conditioning during the summer months to stay cool, unlike common air conditioning units, the Dyson Hot + Cool doesn't need you to have part of it leading outside which I find is much more efficient for space and makes it less of an eyesore.

The remote is really easy to use (Image: Jada Jones)

One thing I love about this device is how versatile it is, it can be adjusted to suit my personal needs. It does use up a lot of energy, with my energy bill jumping from around £40 to over £100 in the winter when I have used it day and night- but this would only be an issue if I were to use it everyday. I am making do with just using it say once or twice a week and it's a great way to keep warm while I work from home.

For those who have the cash to spare, I would strongly recommend this fan which you can buy here directly from Dyson or from John Lewis for £349.99 (save £100) with free standard delivery.

But, as always we like to try and get you the best value for money (especially while we are in a cost of living crisis- if I really couldn't afford such a product, here are two other brands with similar purifiers at a fraction of the price.

• Vortex Air Cleanse- Bladeless air purifier (Hot and Cool Fan)- £189.99
• Vybra VS001B 3-in-1 Multi-Heater, Cooler and Air Purifier 23.5 x 23.5 x 101 cm Black- £196.80

Stacey Dutton