On this page
We may earn a commission if you buy through links here. Brands do not pay to be listed. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Start with your room
Winter in Delhi is not the same as winter in Pune, and a small study is not the same as a large hall. Before you compare brands, answer two questions.
- How big is the room? A small room needs far less heat than a large one.
- How long will you run it? Ten minutes before a bath needs a different heater from six hours in a bedroom.
Your answers point to the type of heater. The brand comes after that.
The four types compared
| Type | Heats by | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quartz or halogen | Glowing rods that warm what is in front | Short use, one person | Heats in one direction, can dry the air |
| Fan heater | Fan blows air over a hot element | Quick heat, small room | Fan noise |
| Convector | Warms the air, which rises | Small to medium room | Slower than a fan heater |
| Oil-filled radiator | Warm oil heats metal fins | Bedrooms, long hours | Costs more, slow to start, heavy |
Top 5 room heaters to look at
We have not tested these. The details come from each Amazon listing, and the pros and cons are our reading of those details and of this type of product. This is a shortlist, not a ranking. We picked popular listings on Amazon.in, so the order does not mean one is better. Check the current price, warranty and reviews on Amazon.
| Product | Type | Listed power |
|---|---|---|
| Crompton Comfy Plus | Quartz | 800 watts |
| Orpat OEH-1220 | Fan | 2000 watts |
| Solimo room heater | Portable, with thermostat | 2000 or 1000 watts |
| Usha 423N | Convector | 2000 watts |
| Havells 11 fin | Oil-filled | 2900 watts |
1. Crompton Comfy Plus
This is a floor-standing quartz heater with heated rods and a chrome reflector behind them. At 800 watts it draws the least power of these five, and it is the only quartz model here. It is aimed at one person who wants direct warmth close by.
Key details
- Type: quartz rod heater for indoor floor use
- Power: 800 watts
- Settings: two, 400 watts or 800 watts
- Safety: tip-over protection and a shock-proof body
- Certification: ISI approved
- Size: 31 cm wide, 12 cm deep, 35.5 cm high
- The low wattage means 0.8 units an hour at full power
- Tip-over protection is listed, which helps in homes with children or pets
- It has a carrying handle and a neon indicator lamp
- No thermostat listed, so it keeps heating until you switch it off
- Warranty not listed, so confirm it
- Quartz heat goes in one direction, so it will not warm a whole room
Good for: One person sitting close to the heater in a small room for short spells.
2. Orpat OEH-1220
This is a small 1 kg fan heater with the largest listed room size of these five. It is aimed at someone who wants fast warm air in a small or medium room.
Key details
- Type: fan heater with a plastic and metal body
- Power: 2000 watts at 230 volts, with a 1000 watt setting
- Room size: listed as up to 250 sq ft at 2000 watts, for spot heating
- Safety: thermal cut-off, overheat protection, mesh grill and cool touch body
- Size and weight: 23 x 21 x 13 cm, 1 kg
- Warranty: 1 year on the product
- Two heat settings let you use 1 unit an hour instead of 2 on milder days
- Overheat protection and a thermal cut-off are both listed
- Cord rewind and low weight make it easy to store
- It has a 15A plug, and the listing warns against a standard 5 or 6A socket
- No thermostat listed, so you switch it on and off yourself
- The listing says it makes some fan noise
Good for: A quick burst of heat in a small or medium room that has a 15A wall socket.
3. Solimo room heater
This is a light fan heater with an adjustable thermostat. It can stand upright or lie flat, which none of the other four list. It is aimed at a buyer who wants a thermostat on a small, portable heater.
Key details
- Type: portable fan heater, plastic body with a metal grill
- Power: 2000 watts or 1000 watts
- Controls: adjustable thermostat and a cool, warm or hot knob
- Size and weight: 25 x 12.2 x 24.8 cm, 1.15 kg
- Certification and warranty: ISI certified, 1 year limited warranty on manufacturing defects
- The thermostat means it need not run flat out all the time
- Two power levels let you use less on milder nights
- At 1.15 kg it is easy to carry, and it can be placed upright or flat
- It needs a 16A socket, and the listing warns that a lower one may melt
- The listing warns of a burning smell on first use, from the motor varnish
- No overheat or tip-over protection listed, so confirm both
Good for: A small to medium room, or a home where one heater moves between rooms.
4. Usha 423N
This is a heat convector with a fan, offering three heat positions and two fan speeds. That is more ways to adjust the heat than the other small heaters here, but its listed room size is smaller than the Orpat's. It is aimed at a buyer who wants finer control in one small room.
Key details
- Type: heat convector with a twin turbo design
- Power: 2000 watts at 230 volts
- Settings: 665, 1330 or 2000 watts, and two fan speeds
- Room size: listed as up to 150 sq ft, for spot heating
- Safety: overheat protection, thermal cut-out and a cool touch handle
- Certification and warranty: ISI approved, 1 year on the product
- The lowest position runs at about a third of full power
- Overheat protection and a thermal cut-out are both listed
- The cool touch handle makes it easier to move
- No thermostat listed, so it will not hold a set temperature
- No tip-over protection listed, so confirm it
- The 150 sq ft limit means it will not suit a big room
Good for: A small bedroom or study where you want a few heat levels.
5. Havells 11 fin
This is an 11 fin oil-filled radiator on wheels, with a small 400 watt PTC fan heater built in. It is the largest and most powerful of the five, and the only oil-filled one. It is aimed at rooms where the heater runs for long hours.
Key details
- Type: oil-filled radiator with 11 fins and a PTC fan heater
- Power: 2900 watts in all, with 1000, 1500 or 2500 watt settings plus the fan
- Controls: thermostat, three power settings and fan control
- Safety: overheat protection, cool touch exterior, ISI approved
- Size and weight: 62.5 x 22 x 73 cm, 10 kg
- The thermostat stops it from running flat out
- The PTC fan adds a faster source of heat while the oil warms up
- Wheels and a pull-out handle help with the weight
- At full power it uses 2.9 units an hour, the most of these five
- Oil-filled heaters warm up slowly, and this one weighs 10 kg
- The title shows a 10 year warranty but not what it covers, so confirm it
Good for: A bedroom or living room that needs steady heat for long hours.
What it costs to run
One unit on your bill is one kilowatt-hour. So a heater's wattage tells you the cost. This table uses ₹8 per unit as an example. Your rate depends on your state and how much you use, so check your bill.
| Heater power | Units per hour | Cost per hour | Cost for 4 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| 800 watts | 0.8 | ₹6.40 | ₹25.60 |
| 1000 watts | 1 | ₹8 | ₹32 |
| 2000 watts | 2 | ₹16 | ₹64 |
Four hours at 2000 watts every night for a month is 240 units, or about ₹1,920 at this rate. That is on full power. A thermostat cuts this, since it stops heating once the room is warm. Also check if the extra units push you into a higher slab on your bill.
Features worth paying for
- Thermostat. It stops the heater from running flat out all the time.
- Overheat protection. It turns the heater off if it gets too hot.
- Tip-over protection. This matters in homes with children or pets.
- ISI mark. Look for it on the listing and on the product.
- Low and high settings. They let you use less power on milder nights.
Safety at home
- Keep it about 1 metre from curtains, bedding and clothes.
- Plug it straight into a wall socket. Avoid extension boards.
- Do not dry clothes on or over a heater.
- Turn it off before you sleep or leave the room.
- Keep children and pets away from hot rods and fins.
- Rod and fan heaters can dry the air. A bowl of water in the room or a short airing helps.
Before you buy
Stop draughts first, because heat escapes through gaps under doors and around windows. Thick curtains help too. Then choose the smallest heater that does the job, because it will cost you less all winter.
Read next
We read the Amazon listings, compared the details and noted what they leave out. We have not tested these products, and brands do not pay to be listed.
Common questions
Which room heater uses the least electricity?
A lower wattage uses less per hour. An 800 watt heater uses 0.8 units an hour and a 2000 watt heater uses 2 units. A thermostat also helps, because it switches off once the room is warm.
Is an oil-filled heater better than a fan heater?
For long use, usually yes. It is quiet and gives steady heat, but it costs more and warms up slowly. A fan heater is cheaper and quicker for short use.
Can I leave a room heater on all night?
General safety advice is to turn off portable heaters when you sleep. If you use one in a closed room, keep the room ventilated, and never use it near bedding or curtains.
Should I use an extension board with a room heater?
No. A heater draws a lot of power, so plug it straight into a suitable wall socket.