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10 Best Infrared Heaters of 2022 – Reviews & Top Picks

Last Updated on December 11, 2021

If you can’t stand the feeling of dry, hot air sucking the moisture from your skin, then you may be on the lookout for a quality infrared heater. Aside from not turning your home into a desert, these heaters tout a host of benefits over traditional ceramic space heaters. When it comes to picking the best one though, many differences separate the good from the best.

With so many variables in heating range, efficiency, features, price, and more, it can be difficult deciding on a purchase that you can be sure won’t let you down at the worst of times.

A failed heater can leave your family shivering, and you wishing you’d spent more time researching the right purchase! To avoid this, we’ve done the leg work for you and compiled these reviews after extensive research and testing. The following are our choices for the 10 best infrared heaters on the market right now.

A Quick Look at Heaterking’s Favorites in 2022:

The 10 Best Infrared Heaters:

1. Dr Infrared Portable Space Heater – Best Overall

Featuring both quartz infrared heat and PTC ceramic coils, the DR968 from Dr Infrared gives you the best of both worlds. It’s a highly efficient heater, managing to produce temperatures of up to 250 degrees on 1,500 watts, compared to the dismal 155 degrees maximum of competitors at the same 1,500 watts. Such a high level of efficiency is sure to help you save money on your electric bills. This model is absolutely child and pet safe since the exterior never heats up and remains cool to the touch during use.

Remote and built-in timers provide flexibility and comfort. An easy to clean removable filter makes it simple to freshen up this heater for year after year use, and a three-year warranty shows the company expects it to live that long. The one drawback was that it cycled on every five minutes to check the current temperature, pumping out hot air while it did. This meant it tended to overheat the room. That said, it’s also capable of warming up a cold room very quickly, so that’s one drawback that you may not mind too much.

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2. COSTWAY Radiant Infrared Tower Heater – Best Value

This tower heater is a different design than most on our list. We were quite impressed with the serious amount of heat this thing puts out. Don’t let the modest 1200 watts pulled at high-power fool you; the COSTWAY radiant tower heater gets very hot. The only real negative to mention about this heater is that it definitely transfers heat through the bottom. You wouldn’t want to put it on carpet, or even leave it on wood floor overnight. It didn’t cause any lasting damage, but the floor was very hot. We recommend putting something thick and non-flammable underneath this unit during use and keep anything flammable far away from its heating range.

Impressively, this tower heater is almost completely silent. There’s no fan, which means there’s also no fan-only option. This may be a drawback for some, but others may be appreciative of the fact that this heater doesn’t stir up any dust when in use. A carry handle is built-in for easy portability. With all of these great features and the high level of heat this heater pumps out, we think this COSTWAY radiant tower heater is the best infrared heater for the money.

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3. Unique HeatNext Room Infrared Space Heater – Premium Choice

For those who want premium form and function and won’t scoff at the lofty price, this space heater from Unique Heat packs enough power to keep an entire apartment warm in a small, portable package. The only real downside to this heater is the high price. At ten times the price of a low-end space heater, this isn’t for the thrifty consumer. But with the ability to heat up to 1,000 square feet, this is an investment that may just save you money in the long term by lowering your energy costs.

Since the digital display lets you set your temperature in Fahrenheit, Celsius, and on a 1-20 scale, this heater provides plenty of ways to dial in the settings to your exact preferences. Add in the wireless remote for ease of use and this is a stacked feature set that’s hard to compete with. While it is a portable unit complete with carrying cutout handles, you cannot plug this unit into an extension cord, so you’ll need an outlet nearby.

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4. Duraflame DFI-5010 Infrared Heater

With the ability to heat up to 1,000 square feet, the Duraflame DFI-5010 boasts some impressive heating abilities. It features a quartz heating element that keeps the natural humidity in the air, avoiding the dried out feeling that’s commonly associated with space heaters. The digital thermostat makes it easy to dial in the exact temperature you want, and a remote makes it even more convenient.

The DFI-5010 is also a very unique looking space heater. It’s not really portable, as it’s designed to look like a fireplace stove, complete with burning logs and everything. The 3D flames are pretty realistic, and the heat that it produces makes it feel like a fire truly may be roaring inside. However, this is not a look that everyone is going for. Sized much larger than most space heaters, this one is difficult to store in the summer months when it’s not in use. It definitely has a premium price tag, though not nearly as high as some of its competitors. You’ll have to decide if you like the looks of the faux fireplace or not, since its performance is on par with its best competitors.

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5. LifeSmart Infrared Heater

Able to heat up to 1,400 cubic feet, this stylish infrared heater is powerful as well as efficient. With a large digital display and included remote control, it’s very easy to set your perfect temperature range and let the heater do the rest. Helping to keep this safe for children, a child lock is featured so the temperature won’t change should a toddler play with the buttons. With an eco-mode that only uses 500 watts, this LifeSmart heater is capable of very efficient operation that’s sure to help reduce your energy costs. The washable lifetime air filter is designed to help keep this unit running for many years to come. The entire unit is on casters that make it easy to move around the house.

While this is a great heater, unfortunately, one major flaw holds this heater design back. The fan is unreliable. It died after only a few months of use, leaving the heater unit to run with no fan. This caused it to overheat and produce smoke, a situation that could have been dangerous. The one-year warranty meant it was easy to replace, but it’s not something anyone wants to deal with.

How an infrared heater works – Click here to read!

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6. Air Choice Infrared Heater

Equipped with an LED digital readout and a wireless remote control, this heater from Air Choice makes it simple and convenient to find your perfect comfort level. With three heat levels ranging from 1,500 watts in high mode to just 300 watts in eco-mode, you’ll have plenty of adjustability for keeping up with the changing weather. A child lock on the remote means you don’t have to worry about kids accidentally changing your settings. Standard safety functions such as tip-over shutoff and overheat shutoff are included, meaning it’s pet and kid-safe.

On paper, there’s not much to dislike about the Air Choice infrared heater. Although, we were honestly a bit put off by the smell that it makes. Also, it looks like there are buttons for digital controls, but it’s only controllable by remote. If you lose the remote, you will no longer be able to adjust this heater! This seems like a bit of an oversight.

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7. Homegear Infrared Portable Heater Black

With more modern looks that break away from the wood feel, this Homegear heater is a simple and stylish way to keep your living space warm. With an impressive heating range of up to 1,500 square feet, you should be able to keep an entire apartment toasty using just this heater.  Featuring a digital LED readout for setting the temperature, a wireless remote, and buttons on the machine, Homegear makes it easy and convenient to set your perfect temperature.

During testing, it was realized that the advertised heating range of 1,500 square feet is greatly exaggerated. In reality, it was able to warm a smaller sized room effectively, but you can’t count on this heater to warm a large living space like a larger apartment or a smaller home. Lack of an included warranty is another dark mark for this little heater, especially considering the multiple reports of units failing in the first year. Finally, when this little heater cycles on, you’ll notice the lights dim. Many people purchase space heaters for the improved efficiency. With this heater, you may not experience the same energy savings.

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8. Ivation IVAIFWM1500 Portable-Heater

Going for a simple, vintage look, this Ivation space heater is built from cherry oak wood. A small digital LCD display with buttons is set in the front so you can easily dial in an exact temperature. The included wireless remote makes it easy to change settings without having to get up. Child locks on all the buttons are a great included safety feature in case you have kids at home. Featuring low, high, and eco modes, this heater provides plenty of flexibility for dialing in your comfort. If you need to transport it to a different area, smooth-rolling casters make it easily portable. The six quartz elements help keep your home warm without drying out the air.

When testing, we noticed a faint burning smell. After checking the unit, it appeared that the overheat sensor had gone bad, a semi-common problem. Despite producing ample heat, this heater died in a few short months. It was covered under the one-year warranty, but replacing it still left us with no heater for several days.

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9. Heat Storm Infrared Space Heater

Most portable space heaters are meant to sit on the floor and that’s it. With this Heat Storm heater, however, you can actually mount it to a wall. While this takes away its portability, it also could be a great way to mount the heater up out of the way if you know you only need it in one area. With 1,500 watts output on high mode, this heater should be able to heat up a pretty sizeable area, but in reality, it can warm a space up to 300 square feet. The LED thermostat with remote makes it simple to get it set to your liking.

At this price point, certain levels of functionality have come to be expected. For instance, being able to turn off eco-mode, or dim the light from the LED. All you can control is power on/off, and temperature up/down. On top of this, quality control is lacking with this product. The heater arrived with something loose rattling around inside. The fan was also much louder than expected and with the eco-mode clicking on and off repeatedly it tended to get a bit annoying.

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10. TRUSTECH Infrared-Heaters

Featuring all the standard safety functions and a three-year warranty, this TRUSTECH infrared heater has some decent specs. Touchscreen digital display and included remote make it easy to operate and built-in timers mean you can customize how it runs to suit your schedule. Equipped with low, high, and eco modes, this heater should provide everything you’d need to keep your space warm although, you will pay a bit more than other models to get it.

So, why isn’t it higher on our list? The inflated price alone isn’t enough. When this heater arrived, it pumped out warm air and everything worked as advertised. The only problem initially was that it had a tendency to vibrate loud enough to become a bit annoying at a certain part of the heating cycle. But after a few short weeks, the heat stopped being so warm, though the numbers on the display registered the same. Eventually, even though it said it was heating, the air was barely warm and was no longer heating the room. With the included warranty, replacing it isn’t an issue. Although it’s a great heater overall, for the price, the options higher on this list would make a better investment.

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Buyer’s Guide

After seeing our comparison of the top ten infrared space heaters available, you may be wondering which features to prioritize most when deciding on which to purchase. While everyone will have different needs and priorities, the following are some considerations that everyone should keep in mind when buying an infrared heater.

Heating Range

We’ve put heating range first in the buyer’s guide for a good reason, it’s one of the most important aspects to consider when purchasing a heater. If your heater can’t meet the demands of your home, then it’s not going to keep you warm. While some heaters may only heat 300 square feet, others are capable of 1,000 square feet and beyond. If you’re trying to heat an entire apartment or a large room, then you may need the extra heating capabilities offered by some models. Take some measurements and do a rough estimate of the size of your living space just to be sure. You don’t want to make a purchase that won’t suit your needs.

Thermostat with Temperature Control

On many premium heaters, you can dial in your exact temperature preference by number. This allows for much more precise temperature settings than the knob featured on some more budget-minded models. If you want to be able to set an exact temperature and trust your heater to stick to it, look for one with a digital display. This will allow you to easily set your desired temperature and walk away.

Warranty

Some heaters don’t come with any warranty at all, leaving you empty-handed if a problem should occur. On the other hand, some models come standard with warranties as long as three years. If you want some peace of mind knowing that your heater will be replaced if a malfunction should arise, then look for a heater that comes with a good warranty.

Price

All infrared heaters have one main goal in mind, keep you warm. The included features vary from model to model though, and as a result, so does price. At the lower end of the price spectrum, you won’t find digital displays and remote controls. You can still stay warm without spending a small fortune though. If you want the ultimate in comfort and don’t mind paying for the luxury, then you may be looking for a model with all of the bells and whistles. We’ve compared models from all over the price range so you can see how they stack up and determine which features you can and can’t live without.

Portability

Since a small heater produces just one heat source and can’t spread from room to room, if you want heat in a new area of your home, you’ll have to take your heater with you. While this isn’t an issue for some heaters, others aren’t as easily moved. On smaller models, look for a carry handle you can use to lift it without getting near the hot parts. On a larger model, look for casters that will let you roll the heater from room to room.

Safety Features

It’s pretty safe to assume that no one wants their home to catch fire. Heaters today are equipped with many safety functions to ensure this never happens. However, they’re not all equipped with all of the safety features. If you have children or pets in your home, then you may want to prioritize safety features such as tip-over shutoff and overheat protection.

Remote

Everything is wireless these days! Let’s face it, you purchase a heater to help you be more comfortable, a remote is the logical next step. Once you’re already positioned on the couch and relaxing, you probably don’t want to have to get up just to readjust the heater. Look for a heater with a remote control and you won’t have to!

Conclusion

It’s time. You’ve got a decision to make. You know our thoughts on the best infrared heaters available. You’ve read the reviews comparing the top ten, and in the buyer’s guide, we did a refresher on all of the important features and considerations so it’s all fresh in your mind now that it’s time to decide.

The Dr Infrared DR968 is our top recommendation for many reasons. Incredibly efficient and able to produce up to 250 degrees to warm a space up to 1,000 square feet, this little heater is sure to keep you toasty even in the coldest of weather. The three-year warranty means you don’t have to worry, this heater will be with you for several winters. For best overall value, it’s hard to beat the COSTWAY radiant tower heater in our second position. It features a design that produces plenty of heat without stirring up any dust at a price that’s easily affordable. No matter which one you choose, you won’t regret deciding to pick any of these heaters.