How Much Electric
Does a Heater Use?
There is no single answer because there is no single type of heater. A 500W halogen costs 12p an hour. A 3kW fan heater costs 74p. A 2kW storage heater on Economy 7 can cost less than half what a daytime equivalent costs. This guide breaks every common UK heater type down at the current Ofgem rate.
An electric heater uses between 0.5 kWh and 3 kWh per hour depending on type plus setting. At the current Q2 2026 Ofgem unit rate of 24.7p per kWh, that means 12p per hour for a small halogen heater, 49p per hour for a 2kW oil-filled or fan heater plus 74p per hour for a 3kW high-output heater. Storage heaters charged on Economy 7 night rate (typically around 14p per kWh) cost roughly 40 percent less than equivalent daytime electric heating but only suit households with predictable daytime use.
The figures that matter
Halogen 500W
Spot heating for one person at a desk or in a chair. Cheapest hourly cost.
Oil-filled 1.5kW
Mid-range oil-filled radiator with thermostat. Good for small bedrooms.
Fan 2kW
UK average heater wattage. Heats a small to medium living room.
High-output 3kW
Larger fan or oil-filled heaters. Heats medium to large rooms quickly.
Four things to consider
Wattage drives cost
Type and brand matter less than wattage rating. Always check the label first.
Thermostats save 30%+
Heaters with thermostats cycle off when at temperature. Real savings are large.
Storage heaters need Economy 7
Off-peak tariffs make storage heaters viable. Without one they are no cheaper than daytime.
Heat pumps win long term
Air source heat pumps cost roughly 5p to 10p per kWh of heat delivered, far below any electric heater.
Every common UK heater type compared on running cost
When people ask about heater electricity use, they normally mean their specific portable heater. The right answer depends on which type of heater is in front of them. Below is the full picture across the common UK domestic options.
Real numbers at 24.7p per kWh (Q2 2026 Ofgem cap):
- Halogen heater (500 to 1200W). 12p to 30p per hour. Spot heating, fast warmth, only useful close to the heater.
- Fan heater (1500 to 3000W). 37p to 74p per hour. Quick warmth but cools quickly when off.
- Convector heater (1000 to 2500W). 25p to 62p per hour. Warmer feel than fan heaters at the same wattage.
- Oil-filled radiator (700 to 2500W). 17p to 62p per hour. Slow to warm, holds heat well, quiet operation.
- Infrared panel heater (300 to 800W). 7p to 20p per hour. Heats objects directly rather than air. Best in well-insulated rooms.
- Storage heater on Economy 7 (1.5 to 3.4kW). Effective cost roughly 50 to 60 percent of daytime electric.
- Air source heat pump. Effective cost 5p to 10p per kWh of delivered heat, far cheaper than any direct electric heater.
Why heater type matters less than the wattage label. Two 2kW heaters of different types use the same electricity per hour at full draw. The differences in real-world running cost come from how often the heater cycles off (thermostat behaviour) plus how the heat reaches you. A 2kW oil-filled radiator with a good thermostat in a well-insulated room can match a 3kW fan heater's perceived warmth at lower total cost.
Where storage heaters fit. Storage heaters charge overnight on the Economy 7 cheap-rate window then release heat through the day. The economics only work if you have an Economy 7 tariff installed plus your usage genuinely peaks during the day. Households with empty homes during the day often pay full rate to charge a heater that releases its heat into an empty house.
Heat pumps in context. An air source heat pump moves heat rather than generating it from electricity directly. Per kWh of heat delivered, costs run 5p to 10p versus 24.7p for direct electric heating. That makes them roughly 3 to 5 times cheaper to run despite the higher install cost. Worth looking at for whole-home heating, particularly with current government grants under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Real number ranges
Hourly cost per heater type (UK 2026)
How a typical UK winter heating day breaks down
Pre-work warmth
1 hour of 2kW heating in living areas. Cost: 49p. Thermostat then cycles off as room reaches temperature.
Off or zone only
Heater off in unused rooms. Some households leave a 1kW heater in the home office. Cost: 25p per hour.
Peak heating
4 to 5 hours of 2kW heating across living plus dining. With thermostat cycling, real cost £1.20 to £2.00.
Wind down
Heaters off in living areas. Brief 30-minute bedroom warm-up at 1kW. Cost: 12p. Daily total £2 to £4.
Four ways to cut electric heater costs
Match heater to room size
10m² room: 1kW. 15-20m² room: 2kW. 25m²+ room: 3kW. Oversizing wastes electricity, undersizing means it never reaches temperature.
Use thermostatic models
Heaters that cycle off when room is at temperature save 30 to 50 percent versus uncontrolled models.
Add a smart plug or timer
Smart plugs prevent heaters left running in empty rooms or overnight. Easy retrofit for any plug-in heater.
Insulate first, heat second
An extra 100mm of loft insulation cuts heat demand more than any heater swap. Always insulate before upgrading.
Compare the options
Direct electric heater (any type)
- •£30 to £300 typical purchase cost for portable plus fixed models.
- •1 kWh of electricity produces 1 kWh of heat. No multiplier.
- •24.7p per kWh of heat at the current Ofgem cap.
- •No installation needed for plug-in models. Works in any home immediately.
- •Best for occasional or single-room heating use rather than whole-home daily use.
Air source heat pump
- •£7,500 to £13,000 install before grants. Boiler Upgrade Scheme covers £7,500 in England plus Wales.
- •1 kWh of electricity produces 3 to 5 kWh of heat.
- •5p to 10p per kWh of heat delivered at the same Ofgem electricity rate.
- •Full install required including outdoor unit, plumbing changes plus often new radiators.
- •Best for whole-home, daily use. Runs steadily across the day rather than bursting on plus off.
Heater running costs are one of the most visible parts of the winter electricity bill. Our full Appliances hub covers running costs across every major UK household appliance from kettles to heat pumps.
Visit the Appliances Hub
This article is one chapter inside our complete Appliances knowledge base. The hub covers running costs across every major household appliance from kettles to heat pumps.
More on appliance running costs
Three further heating cost articles in the same hub group cover the next questions you should ask. The first looks at how much electric do electric heaters use for plug-in detail. The second covers how much electricity does a heat pump use as the lower-cost alternative. The third is how much electric does electric blanket use for the cheapest spot-heating option.