Infrared heaters, also known as IR or space heaters, are designed to radiate heat in a small space. They use a quartz heating element requiring anywhere between 600.0 to 1,500.0 Watts of power to function. Because of their design, infrared heaters do not produce much noise and stay relatively cool to the touch. These heaters also work exceptionally well for heating areas where a constant air temperature is difficult to maintain, such as drafty garages.
To help you choose the best option for your needs, our review team has researched and tested the best infrared heaters on the market. We break down how well each heater performs as well as their design quality and size. Our buyers guide can also help you determine what to look for when deciding which heater to buy.
In this article:
- 5 Best Infrared Space Heaters
- #1 Best Two-In-One Heater: Dr. Infrared Heater And Humidifier
- #2 Best Portable: Dr. Infrared Heater Greenhouse Garage
- #3 Best Decor: Duraflame Realistic Ember
- #4 Best Wall-Mounted: Heat Storm Deluxe Mounted
- #5 Best Industrial: Dr. Infrared Heater DR-988
- Infrared Heaters Buyers Guide
- Our Review Standards
- Frequently Asked Questions
5 Best Infrared Space Heaters
- Dr. Infrared Heater And Humidifier
- Dr. Infrared Heater Greenhouse Garage
- Duraflame Realistic Ember
- Heat Storm Deluxe Mounted
- Dr. Infrared Heater DR-988
#1 Best Two-In-One Heater: Dr. Infrared Heater And Humidifier
The Dr. Infrared Heater® and Humidifier has 1,500.0 Watts of power output, so it can heat most medium-to-large rooms with ease. This heater uses a dual heating system of infrared quartz tubes and a positive temperature coefficient, or PTC, for long-lasting warm air production.
For overheat protection, this space heater has a built-in 12-hour automatic shutoff. While many infrared heaters can only produce heat, the Dr. Infrared Heater doubles as a humidifier that’s perfect for combating dry air.
Key Features
- Power: 1,500.0 Watts
- Weight: 23.0 lbs
- 72.0-inch power cord
- Remote-controlled
Our Experience
Using the Dr. Infrared Heater, we were able to warm up our room to a reasonable temperature in under half an hour. It didn’t make much noise in the process, either.
This heater was surprisingly portable, which we credit to the combination of its relatively low weight and bottom-mounted caster wheels. Despite this, the Dr. Infrared Heater can be difficult to pick up due to its lack of a carrying handle.
We found it easy to set temperatures and humidity settings thanks to its front-facing LED display, plus we liked that it came with a remote control. Its wood panel design makes it welcoming but easy to hide away like a spare filing cabinet.
| Overall Rating | 4.8 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Heat Output | 5 out of 5 |
| Size | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Design | 5 out of 5 |
What Customers Are Saying
On Amazon, the Dr. Infrared Heater and Humidifier has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. This is from nearly 1,000 reviews, close to 90 percent of which are 4-star ratings or higher.
A commonly praised feature of this heater is its humidifier setting, which some use in tandem with the heater to help alleviate dry throats and noses. One of the most frequent complaints from customers is that the water bottle for the humidifier is too small.
#2 Best Portable: Dr. Infrared Heater Greenhouse Garage
Originally designed for use in greenhouses to keep plants warm during winter months, the Dr. Heater Greenhouse Garage Heater also works well in garages and other hybrid indoor and outdoor spaces. Its compact design and large carrying handle make it easy to move around without sacrificing power.
This heater uses fan-forced heating to radiate warm air throughout a wide area. Its safety features include a precision temperature monitor and adjustable thermostat control that help prevent overheating.
Key Features
- Power: 1,500.0 Watts
- Weight: 13.0 lbs
- Heavy-duty ball bearing motor
- IPX4 structure
Our Experience
With its blower, this heater was able to heat up our room and keep it warm. We also thought its design was very aesthetically pleasing, plus its dials and knobs were easy to learn how to use.
What won us over was its portability. Our review team found it very easy to move this heater around thanks to its size and carrying handle. However, its size did cut into its warmup time, as it took longer than we expected for our room to reach an optimal temperature.
| Overall Rating | 4.7 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Heat Output | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Size | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Design | 5 out of 5 |
What Customers Are Saying
The Greenhouse heater currently has an average rating of 4.3 stars from around 500 reviews on Amazon. Close to 70 percent of reviewers left a 5-star rating for this heater.
Despite having a majority of its reviews at 5 stars, many of the most shared reviews complain that this heater only produces temperatures that are too low or too high. Those who like this heater say it holds up well in very humid conditions.
#3 Best Decor: Duraflame Realistic Ember
The coziest option in this review, the Duraflame Realistic Ember provides the best that an electric fireplace has to offer. Its flame effect can be used with or without the heater turned on for a soothing ambiance, plus it can project realistic glowing embers to simulate a real fire.
Like other products in our review, the Duraflame uses an infrared quartz heater. Duraflame claims that this heater can warm a room up to 1,000.0 square feet in size to any desired temperature.
Key Features
- Power: 1,500.0 Watts
- Weight: 13.0 lbs
- Black finish fire grate
Our Experience
We enjoyed the ambiance this heater provided during our testing process, giving it high marks for its design. This heater is relatively small compared to other heaters and it’s very lightweight for easy transporting.
Unfortunately, we were not impressed with the Duraflame’s immediate heat output. It struggled to warm up our room in under 30 minutes, and even after the clock ran out we had to wait for it to show results.
| Overall Rating | 4.5 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Heat Output | 4 out of 5 |
| Size | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Design | 5 out of 5 |
What Customers Are Saying
From over 4,500 ratings on Amazon, the Duraflame Realistic Ember heater has an average rating of 4.5 stars. About 70 percent of these reviews are 5-star ratings, while less than 10 percent are 1 star.
Of the customers who left a positive review, there were many who said they preferred this heater over an actual fire since it left less of a mess behind. Reviewers also like the sound feature, which imitates the crackling of a real fire.
Those who didn’t enjoy using this heater say it didn't have enough output to heat their living room. Some even claim plastic parts on this heater started to burn after extensive use.
#4 Best Wall-Mounted: Heat Storm Deluxe Mounted
Unlike most heaters, the Heat Storm Deluxe Mounted heater is WiFi-enabled to work with smart devices. This allows users to monitor their heater from their phone and even adjust the amount of heat being produced if they’re not home, which is perfect for warming up your room or apartment on the way back from work.
The Heat Storm has a cool-touch grill that won’t burn anything that touches it, even after the heater has been active. Should it accidentally fall out of its mounting, this heater has a tip-over sensor that deactivates the device when not in an upright position.
Key Features
- Power: 1,000.0 Watts
- Weight: 8.0 lbs
- Multiple heating modes
Our Experience
Because of its wall-mounted design, we like that this heater takes up no floor space. Its digital thermostat provided us with an accurate temperature of both the room it inhabited and the heat output it was producing. It did not take long for it to start producing adequate heat.
This heater is relatively small and lightweight. It does take extra effort to install this heater onto a wall, though. Our review team appreciated its futuristic design, which was oddly reminiscent of a portable game console. However, because of its design, this heater is not portable.
| Overall Rating | 4 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Heat Output | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Size | 4 out of 5 |
| Design | 3.5 out of 5 |
What Customers Are Saying
The Heat Storm Deluxe Mounted heater currently has over 4,400 reviews on Amazon and an average rating of 4.4 stars. Less than 10 percent of reviewers left a 2-star rating or lower.
Many customers say this electric space heater is thoughtfully designed, noting its multiple temperature settings as a key feature for constant warmth. While some enjoy this, others say that the heat settings take too long to deactivate, giving this heater a long cooldown time.
#5 Best Industrial: Dr. Infrared Heater DR-988
Made for industrial use, the Dr. Infrared Heater DR-988 is ideal for warming garages and outdoor spaces. Its overheat and tip-over protection prevent it from accidentally burning the area around it, plus its steel safety grill prevents finger burns.
This electric infrared heater has a safety switch to cut off power in emergency situations. Its carrying handle is sturdy, which makes it great combined with its low weight for portability.
Key Features
- Power: 5,600.0 Watts
- Weight: 20.0 lbs
- Heavy-duty cord
- Steel safety grill
Our Experience
The design of the DR-988 is ideal for outdoor use, and we thought it would double well as a patio heater for small or large outdoor events. We did not like that this heater doesn’t have a timer on it like the others in our roundup.
We were able to heat our room comfortably in a reasonable amount of time using this infrared heater. It was a bit heavier than other heaters, making it difficult to carry around. However, its large handle came in handy for transporting.
| Overall Rating | 3.8 out of 5 |
|---|---|
| Heat Output | 4 out of 5 |
| Size | 4 out of 5 |
| Design | 3.5 out of 5 |
What Customers Are Saying
The DR-988 has an average rating of 4.3 stars on Amazon. This is from over 1,200 reviews, close to 70 percent of which are 5-star ratings.
Many customers claim this heater works well for garage use. Some customers who don’t like this heater say it’s because it shorted out after a few months of use.
Infrared Heaters Buyers Guide
Before starting your search, consider checking out our buyers guide to learn more about how infrared heaters function and their key features.
Energy
With infrared heaters, the higher the Wattage, the more heat output you’ll get. Larger rooms or rooms that depend on heat solely from a heater should have a Watt rating of at least 1,500.0 Watts. Smaller or medium-sized rooms can be safely heated with less than 1,500.0 Watts of energy.
It is also important to consider energy efficiency depending on what your home or apartment can produce without driving up your electric bill.
Size
Some infrared heaters are designed to sit on countertops or can be lifted with one hand, while others must sit on the floor or take two people to move. Knowing how much space your heater can take up without compromising necessary space is important before choosing one.
Design
While there are many sleekly designed heaters that tuck away unnoticed, others can be overtly industrial or act as a flashy centerpiece for a room. If you’re looking for something that can impress your guests, check out infrared heaters that are designed to mimic household amenities such as fireplaces or radios.
Our Review Standards
The infrared heaters in this article went through two rounds of reviews. We started by searching Amazon for top products, looking at factors like Prime shipping eligibility, customer ratings, Amazon superlatives, and prices.
Our product testing team ordered the five infrared heaters that best met these standards. A team member tested each product, taking note of how well the infrared heater warmed up a room, its size, and how well its design blended in with a room. Each heater was given a rating out of 5 stars based on these criteria.
Infrared Heaters Testing Process
We tested each infrared heater in a small room and let it run for about half an hour. After the 30 minutes was up, we checked how warm the room was to determine how well the heater worked.
Each space heater was also assessed on its design quality and how well it could remain hidden within a room. We determined this based on the noise, materials, and general design of each space heater. Our review team also attempted transporting each heater to determine its portability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to leave an infrared heater on overnight?
Yes, it is safe to leave an infrared heater on while you sleep or while you’re out. Most portable space heaters have an auto shut-off that activates when the heater or room it’s in reaches a certain temperature.
Are infrared heaters expensive to run?
Infrared heaters are an excellent way to heat your home without running up your budget. The typical infrared heater costs only 40 percent of what it costs to run an electric or gas heater.
Do infrared heaters cause cancer?
Infrared heaters do not cause cancer and are not harmful to your health. Although infrared heat works similarly to the Sun’s heat, the radiation does not contain any ultraviolet components.
Where is the best place to leave my heater?
Placing your heater in the corner of a room facing outwards is the most productive heating method with infrared space heaters. Some space heaters, such as those with a wall-mounted design, work better placed nearer the center of a wall.
*Data accurate at time of publication.
