Best Convector Heaters

A convector heater is one of the most practical choices you can make for heating a room in the UK. No plumbing, no installation, no engineer needed. Plug it in, set the thermostat, and it silently draws cool air in from the bottom, heats it across an element, and releases warm air from the top. The De’Longhi HSX2320 is our top pick: a slim, reliable 2kW convector with 697 reviews and a price that makes it easy to recommend.

Below you’ll find our full reviews of the seven best convector heaters available on Amazon UK right now, covering everything from budget options under £25 to smart Wi-Fi models from Dimplex.

Our Top Picks

7 Best Convector Heaters

1. De’Longhi HSX2320 Slim Convector Heater

De’Longhi have been making convector heaters for decades, and the HSX2320 is the one that’s stood the test of time. At just under £60 with nearly 700 reviews behind it, this is the benchmark other convector heaters are measured against. The slim profile means it tucks away easily against a skirting board, and the three heat settings — 800W, 1,200W and 2,000W — give you sensible options for mild mornings and proper winter evenings.

The convection effect works well in rooms up to about 20m². Set the thermostat, leave it to cycle on and off, and you’ll find it holds a comfortable temperature without running constantly. It’s quiet enough to use in a bedroom, and the carry handles mean moving it between rooms takes no effort.

One thing to be realistic about: this is a straightforward heater. There’s no digital display, no timer, no app control. If you want those features, the Devola or Dimplex further down this list will suit you better. But if you want a proven, no-nonsense convector heater from a brand you can trust, the HSX2320 is the one to buy.

Features

• 2,000W output with 3 heat settings (800W / 1,200W / 2,000W)
• Slim profile — fits neatly along a wall
• Adjustable thermostat dial
• Carry handles for easy repositioning
• Convection heating — silent operation, no fan
• No installation required — plug and use

2. EMtronics 2000W Portable Electric Convector Heater

Under £25 for a 2,000W convector heater with a 24-hour timer and 468 reviews — the EMtronics is one of the best-value heaters you’ll find in this category. It does everything you actually need: three heat settings (750W, 1,250W, 2,000W), a variable thermostat dial, tip-over cut-out and overheat protection. The 24-hour timer is a genuine bonus at this price point.

It’s not glamorous, and you wouldn’t expect it to be. The dial controls are basic, the build won’t feel premium, and the white plastic casing is functional rather than attractive. But for a spare room, hallway, or home office you only heat occasionally, it’s hard to argue with the value. The EMtronics delivers honest performance at a price that’s difficult to beat.

Features

• 2,000W with 3 heat settings (750W / 1,250W / 2,000W)
• 24-hour programmable timer
• Variable thermostat dial
• Tip-over and overheat protection
• Freestanding with carry handle

3. Devola 2000W Convector Heater with Digital Thermostat and Remote

If you want a convector heater with proper controls rather than basic dial settings, the Devola DVCH2BL is where to look. The digital thermostat lets you set the temperature precisely between 5°C and 35°C, the LED display gives you clear feedback, and the remote control means you can adjust settings from the sofa. There’s also a 24-hour programmable timer and an ECO mode that maintains your target temperature without burning full power continuously.

The turbo fan mode is worth highlighting: when you need to warm a room quickly, it pushes heat out faster than pure convection can manage. It’s a feature you’ll use when you first come in from outside on a cold evening. Once the room is up to temperature, drop it back to the standard convection mode for quiet, efficient background heat.

The grey finish looks better than the white plastic of most budget convectors, and the build quality is noticeably sturdier. At under £50, it bridges the gap between basic and smart heaters very well.

Features

• 2,000W with 4 modes: Low (1,250W), High (2,000W), Turbo Fan, ECO
• Digital LED display and soft-touch controls
• Remote control included
• 24-hour programmable timer
• Adjustable thermostat: 5°C–35°C
• Tip-over protection, overheat protection, child lock

4. Duronic HV220 2000W Micathermic Panel Heater

The Duronic HV220 is technically a micathermic panel heater rather than a traditional convector, but it belongs in this list because it heats a room in exactly the same way — convecting warm air upwards — while doing it faster and more efficiently. Micathermic elements heat up in around one minute, which is significantly quicker than oil-filled radiators and noticeably quicker than a standard convector element.

The panel is lightweight and slim enough to stand against a wall or lean in a corner, and at 2,000W it can handle bedrooms and mid-sized living rooms without breaking a sweat. The 4.5-star rating from 561 reviews puts this among the most consistently well-regarded heaters in the category. Buyers particularly note how quickly it warms a room and how much lighter it is than an oil-filled radiator.

The tradeoff is price: at £69.99 it’s more expensive than basic convectors. But if speed of heating matters to you — particularly for a room you only heat for short periods — the Duronic’s rapid warm-up time justifies the premium over a standard convector element.

Features

• 2,000W micathermic (mica panel) heating element
• Heats up in approximately one minute
• Combines radiant and convection heat output
• Lightweight and slimline — easy to reposition
• Thermostat and overheat protection
• Freestanding with castors

5. Zanussi ZCVH4004B 2000W Electric Convector Heater

Zanussi is a name people trust in white goods, and that brand confidence carries over to their convector heaters. The ZCVH4004B is a no-fuss 2kW heater with three heat settings (800W, 1,200W, 2,000W), frost protection, overheat cutoff, and a 2-year guarantee — that last point being something you won’t get with most cheaper alternatives.

The black finish sets it apart visually from the white-only field, and the slim build with integrated carry handles makes it easy to move. Controls are dial-based, which keeps it simple to use. There’s no timer or app control, but that’s not necessarily a problem — for a lounge or bedroom where you just want to set a temperature and forget about it, simple dial controls are often preferable.

At just over £80 it’s the priciest traditional convector on this list, but for the brand name, the 2-year guarantee, and the quality of build, it makes a reasonable case for itself.

Features

• 2,000W with 3 heat settings (800W / 1,200W / 2,000W)
• Frost protection mode
• Overheat protection
• 2-year guarantee (1 year standard + 1 year on registration)
• Black finish with slim profile
• Integrated carry handles

6. Dimplex HeatLite Smart Convector Heater 2kW

Dimplex is the definitive name in British electric heating, and the HeatLite Smart is their answer to the growing demand for app-controlled convector heaters. The headline feature is Wi-Fi control via a smartphone app, which lets you adjust temperature, set schedules, and manage heating from anywhere. Combined with the 24-hour timer and a thermostat range of 10°C to 35°C, you have genuine flexibility over when and how warm your room gets.

The whisper-quiet operation is worth singling out: at 4.6 stars from its early reviewers, buyers specifically comment on how silent this heater runs. The dimmable LED display is a thoughtful touch for bedroom use — you can dim it to avoid illuminating the room at night. Triple safety features (child lock, tilt shut-off, overheat protection) round out a well-specified package.

At £84.99 it’s the premium pick on this list, and the review count is still low as a relatively new product. But for Dimplex quality with smart home compatibility, it’s the one to choose if you want the best convector heater without compromise.

Features

• 2,000W with Wi-Fi app control
• Adjustable thermostat: 10°C–35°C
• 24-hour programmable timer
• Dimmable LED display for bedroom use
• Whisper-quiet operation
• Child lock, tilt shut-off, overheat protection
• Covers rooms up to 20m²

7. PIFCO 2kW White Convector Heater

The PIFCO sits between the budget EMtronics and the mid-range De’Longhi in both price and feature set. Three heat settings (750W, 1,250W, 2,000W), an adjustable thermostat, carry handles, and safety cutoffs make it a complete package, and the 4.7-star rating — the highest of any heater on this list — suggests buyers are genuinely pleased with it. The review count is low compared to the De’Longhi, so that rating may settle slightly as more reviews come in, but the early signals are encouraging.

It heats quickly, runs quietly, and looks smart in white. For a rental property, student flat, or guest bedroom where you want something simple and reliable without spending much, the PIFCO delivers.

Features

• 2,000W with 3 heat settings (750W / 1,250W / 2,000W)
• Adjustable thermostat dial
• Power-on indicator light
• Overheat and tip-over protection
• Carry handles for easy portability
• Clean white finish

Convector Heater Buying Guide

Key Takeaways

• Convector heaters work silently by drawing in cool air and releasing warm air upward — ideal for living rooms and bedrooms where fan noise is unwelcome
• 2,000W is the standard output for a standard UK room up to 20m²; choose lower wattage for smaller spaces
• At current UK energy rates (approximately 25p/kWh), running a 2kW convector at full power costs around 50p per hour — in practice, a thermostat will cycle it off and on, cutting actual costs significantly
• Look for thermostat control if you plan to leave the heater running unsupervised — it prevents energy waste
• Smart models with Wi-Fi and timers are worth the premium if you want to heat rooms only when needed
• Micathermic heaters warm up faster than standard convectors but cost more upfront

What Is a Convector Heater?

A convector heater is an electric heater that works by natural convection. Cool air is drawn in through vents at the bottom of the unit, passes over a heated element inside, and rises as warm air out of the top. The warmer air rises to the ceiling, cools, falls back down, and the cycle continues until the room reaches the set temperature.

Unlike fan heaters, convector heaters do this without a fan — which means they operate in near-silence. Unlike oil-filled radiators, they don’t need to heat a reservoir of oil, so they respond more quickly when turned on. They sit somewhere between the two in terms of performance, which is precisely why they’ve remained popular in UK homes for decades.

How Do Convector Heaters Work?

Inside a convector heater is a heating element — typically nichrome wire or, in more efficient models, a mica or PTC element. When electricity passes through the element, it heats up. The design of the heater’s casing channels air over the element and out through the top.

Most convector heaters include a bimetallic thermostat. When the room reaches the target temperature, the thermostat cuts power to the element. When the temperature drops, it kicks back in. This cycling behaviour is normal and means the heater doesn’t draw full power continuously — a properly sized heater in a reasonably insulated room might only run at full power for 20–30% of the time once the room is up to temperature.

Benefits of Using Convector Heaters

Silent operation is the biggest practical advantage over fan heaters. If you’re working, sleeping, or trying to concentrate, a convector heater won’t distract you with fan noise. This makes them particularly well-suited to bedrooms and home offices.

Portability is another strong point. Most convector heaters weigh between 2kg and 5kg and come with carry handles, so you can move them between rooms as needed. You’re not locked into heating rooms you’re not using.

Running costs compare favourably with other portable electric heaters. Because convectors cycle on and off under thermostat control rather than running continuously, they can be more economical in practice than the headline wattage suggests. A 2,000W heater in a well-insulated room might average 500W–700W of actual consumption over an hour.

Things to Keep in Mind Before Buying

Match the wattage to the room. As a rough guide, allow 100W per square metre of floor area in a well-insulated room, or 130–150W per square metre in a poorly insulated one. A 2,000W heater suits rooms up to 15–20m² comfortably. For larger spaces, you’ll either need a higher-output model or accept that the heater will work harder and run costs will be higher.

Check whether you need a timer. Basic models use a dial thermostat only, which means the heater runs whenever it’s plugged in and the thermostat calls for heat. Models with a 24-hour timer let you programme it to come on before you wake up or before you arrive home, saving energy during the hours you’re out. For primary heating in a room you use daily, a timer is worth prioritising.

Consider smart controls only if you’ll actually use them. Wi-Fi app control sounds appealing, but if you’re mainly heating one room on a fixed schedule, a 24-hour mechanical timer does the same job at a fraction of the cost. Smart controls genuinely earn their premium for those who heat multiple rooms unpredictably, or who want to make adjustments remotely.

Types of Convector Heaters

Standard convector heaters use a nichrome wire element and rely on natural convection. They’re silent, reliable, and straightforward. Most of the budget and mid-range picks on this list fall into this category.

Micathermic heaters use mica panels as the heating element. They combine radiant and convection heat output, warm up faster than standard convectors, and are slimmer and lighter. The Duronic HV220 on this list is a micathermic model. Expect to pay a premium of £20–£40 over comparable standard convectors.

Smart convector heaters add Wi-Fi connectivity, app control, and advanced scheduling. The Dimplex HeatLite Smart is the best example on this list. They make sense if you want to integrate heating into a smart home setup or manage multiple heaters from one app.

Panel heaters and electric radiators are related products that work on similar principles but are typically designed for wall mounting and often include LOT 20-compliant electronic thermostats for greater energy efficiency. If you’re looking for a permanent rather than portable solution, these may be worth considering instead.

Case Study: Heating a Home Office in a Victorian Terrace

Background

A homeowner in a Victorian terrace in South Yorkshire used a single portable convector heater to heat a converted box room that served as their home office. The room measured approximately 8m² with a single-glazed sash window and solid brick walls — poor insulation by modern standards. They worked from home five days a week and needed the room to reach a comfortable working temperature each morning by 8:30am.

Project Overview

Their existing oil-filled radiator took around 45 minutes to properly warm the room, which meant turning it on before getting out of bed. They wanted something that responded faster and could be controlled without leaving the desk.

Implementation

They replaced the oil-filled radiator with a 2,000W convector heater with a 24-hour timer, setting it to come on at 7:45am each weekday at 1,500W. On particularly cold mornings they could manually boost to full 2,000W. A draught excluder on the door and secondary glazing film on the sash window helped retain heat.

Results

The room reached working temperature by 8:15am, 15 minutes ahead of target. Because the convector responded in minutes rather than 45 minutes, the timer could be set later — reducing the total heating window by around 35 minutes per day. Estimated daily energy use fell from approximately 1.8kWh to 1.2kWh for the morning heating period, saving around £0.15 per working day at current rates.

Expert Insights From Our Heating Engineers About Convector Heaters

One of our senior heating engineers with over 18 years of experience in domestic and commercial electric heating shares their perspective on convector heaters in the current market.

“The biggest mistake I see people make with convector heaters is choosing one based purely on price and then complaining about running costs. A £22 heater isn’t inherently more expensive to run than a £70 one — they’re both 2,000W. What matters is whether the thermostat works accurately and whether the heater is sized correctly for the room. An undersized heater runs at full power constantly trying to reach temperature and that’s when bills climb.

The other thing worth knowing is that convectors perform better in well-draught-proofed rooms than fan heaters do. Because they rely on natural convection currents, a room that leaks warm air quickly will make a convector work much harder than a fan heater that can actively push warmth to different parts of the space. Sort your door seals and window draughts first, then choose your heater.

For anyone who genuinely wants to reduce running costs rather than just save on the purchase price, a model with a good digital thermostat — one that holds temperature accurately rather than cycling by 2 or 3 degrees — will pay for itself over a winter. The difference between a thermostat that cycles at ±1°C and one that cycles at ±3°C is meaningful over months of daily use.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Summing Up

The De’Longhi HSX2320 remains our top pick for most people: proven, quiet, slim and reliable, with nearly 700 reviews to back it up. If budget is the priority, the EMtronics 2000W at under £25 delivers honest performance that’s hard to argue with. For a feature-rich mid-range option, the Devola DVCH2BL brings a digital thermostat, remote control and ECO mode at under £50. And if you want the best convector heater without any compromise, the Dimplex HeatLite Smart is the one to go for.

Updated April 2026