How Much Does a Space Heater Cost to Run? US and UK Costs

Heating 6 min read

By the Plug & Penny editorial team · Published 10 November 2026

A 1,500-watt space heater costs about 27¢ an hour at full power in the US, at the national average price of 18.16¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026). In the UK, a typical 2 kW heater costs about 53p an hour under the price cap unit rate of 26.32p/kWh (Ofgem, 1 October to 31 December 2026).

Those are full-power figures. A heater with a thermostat spends part of its time on a lower setting or switched off, so your real cost is usually lower. Below are costs for common wattages, every US state and the UK, plus how the thermostat changes the numbers.

How the cost is worked out

There are two steps:

• watts × hours ÷ 1,000 = kWh
• kWh × price per kWh = cost

For a 1,500 W heater running for one hour in the US: 1,500 × 1 ÷ 1,000 = 1.5 kWh. Then 1.5 kWh × 18.16¢ = 27.24¢, so about 27¢.

For a 2,000 W heater in the UK: 2,000 × 1 ÷ 1,000 = 2 kWh. Then 2 kWh × 26.32p = 52.64p, so about 53p.

The day and month figures below assume 6 hours a day and 30 days a month. Our sources have no US figure for daily heater use. The closest is a UK government survey: households that heat rooms at regular times used their alternative heaters for a median of 6 hours per heater per day, with a range of 15 minutes to 24 hours (EFUS 2011, BRE for DECC). That survey is from 2010–11, so treat 6 hours as a starting point and use the calculator below for your own hours.

Space heater running costs in the US

At the US average of 18.16¢/kWh (EIA, August 2026), running at full power:

Why these wattages? 1,500 W is the most a US plug-in heater is rated for under the voluntary safety standard (CPSC). 900 W is the low setting on Lasko ceramic heaters (Lasko). 1,200 W is a smaller De'Longhi oil-filled radiator (De'Longhi). 750 W is the bottom of the CPSC range for convection, fan-forced and quartz heaters (CPSC).

In energy terms, a 1,500 W heater on for 6 hours a day uses 9 kWh a day, or 270 kWh over a 30-day month.

Space heater running costs in the UK

UK heaters are often bigger. The Centre for Sustainable Energy lists convector, fan and bar heaters at 2 kW on their highest setting, oil-filled radiators at 1.5 kW and halogen heaters at 1.2 kW (CSE). Retailer listings show 2 kW convectors with 750 W and 1,250 W settings, and fan heaters with a 1,000 W setting (Designrhome, Pickbest).

At the price cap unit rate of 26.32p/kWh (Ofgem, 1 October to 31 December 2026, Great Britain average, Direct Debit), at full power:

You also pay the electricity standing charge of 54.83p a day, but you pay that whether or not the heater is on. So it isn't part of the heater's running cost.

Space heater cost in every US state

Prices vary a lot by state. This table uses each state's average residential price for August 2026 (EIA), at full power, 6 hours a day and 30 days a month.

Per-hour figures are rounded to the nearest cent, so a 750 W cost is not always exactly half the 1,500 W cost in the table.

The spread is wide. The same 1,500 W heater costs about $34.34 a month in Nevada (12.72¢/kWh) and about $127.39 in Hawaii (47.18¢/kWh), using the same 6 hours a day.

The thermostat effect: why your real cost is usually lower

The wattage on the label is the maximum. Many heaters have a thermostat. It runs the heater at full power until the room reaches the set temperature, then switches to a lower-wattage level or cycles on and off to hold it (IECL Magazine).

Most heaters also have lower settings. Lasko's 1,500 W ceramic heaters drop to 900 W on low (Lasko). De'Longhi's 1,500 W oil-filled radiators run at 700 W, 800 W or 1,500 W (De'Longhi). At the US average price, 700 W costs about 13¢ an hour (0.7 kWh × 18.16¢ = 12.71¢), against 27¢ on full.

How much of the time a heater spends at full power depends on the room, the insulation and the weather, and we found no measured average. A simple way to see the effect: halving the hours in the calculator below gives the same result as a heater that spends half its time at full power.

Work out your own heater's cost here. Use the wattage on its label:

What wattage is your heater?

Check the label or the manual. As a guide, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission lists these ranges, from a 1998 document, so treat them as rough (CPSC):

• Convection and fan-forced heaters: 750–1,500 W, often with a low and high setting
• Ceramic heaters: 350–1,500 W
• Quartz radiant heaters: 750–1,500 W
• Parabolic radiant heaters: about 1,000 W
• Oil-filled and water-filled radiators count as convection heaters, usually without a fan

The type of heater doesn't change how much heat you get per watt. Electric room heaters turn all their electricity into heat, so cost is simply proportional to the kW rating (CSE). Two heaters of the same wattage cost the same per hour at full power; what differs is how they spread heat and how their settings and thermostats behave.

UK heaters can be bigger than US ones. In the UK, plugs for appliances rated 700–3,000 W take a 13-amp fuse, and 3,000 W is the maximum rating of a wall socket (Electrical Safety First). That leaves room for 2 kW heaters, which use a third more electricity per hour than a 1,500 W model: 2 kWh against 1.5 kWh.

Is a space heater cheaper than central heating?

Only if it lets you heat much less of the home. A portable heater lowers your annual bill only if you use it in the room you're in and turn down the central thermostat for the rest of the house (IECL Magazine).

In the UK, electricity is around four times more expensive than gas per unit, says the Energy Saving Trust (EST). On the October to December 2026 cap, electricity at 26.32p/kWh is about 3.3 times gas at 7.97p/kWh (Ofgem). EST says the high running costs of direct electric heating are especially noticeable when heating a whole home or a poorly insulated one, and "might not matter as much" in a very well insulated or small property. It also lists heating one room at a time, or topping up other heating, as a benefit of electric heaters.

In the US, the Department of Energy says electric heat can cost more than other fuels, and that if electricity is your only choice, heat pumps are preferable in most climates (DOE Energy Saver guide, 2022). Heat pumps can cut electricity use for heating by about 50% compared with electric furnaces or baseboard heaters. Ductless mini-split heat pumps can heat individual rooms.

Portable heaters are common. In 2020, 25.08 million US households used them as secondary heating and 3.03 million as their main heating (EIA RECS 2020). If a space heater is your main heat source, it's worth getting quotes from qualified installers for a heat pump or mini-split. In the UK, EST also points to storage heaters, which use cheaper off-peak rates, and heat pumps as cheaper-to-run electric options.

How to cut the cost

• Heat the room, not the house. Use the heater where you are and turn the central thermostat down elsewhere. DOE says turning your thermostat back 7°–10°F for 8 hours a day can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling (DOE).
• Use the thermostat and low settings. Set the lowest temperature you are comfortable with. A 1,500 W heater on a 900 W low setting costs about 16¢ an hour at the US average instead of 27¢, but it also gives out less heat.
• Look at long-term options if you rely on electric heat all winter. Heat pumps are about three times more efficient than standard electric heaters (EST). Get quotes from qualified installers before deciding.

FAQ

How much does it cost to run a space heater all night?

For 8 hours at full power: a 1,500 W heater uses 12 kWh, about $2.18 at the US average of 18.16¢/kWh (August 2026). In the UK, a 2 kW heater uses 16 kWh, about £4.21 at 26.32p/kWh (October to December 2026). A thermostat will usually bring that down.

How much does a space heater cost over a whole UK winter?

UK households report a mean heating season of 5.6 months, mostly October to March or April (EFUS 2011). A 2 kW heater at full power for 6 hours a day over 168 days (5.6 × 30) uses 2,016 kWh. At 26.32p/kWh that's about £531. The cap changes every quarter, so the real figure will move with it. We don't have a US heating-season figure.

Sources

1. Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A – U.S. Energy Information Administration
2. Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges – Ofgem
3. EFUS 2011 Secondary Heating (BRE for DECC)
4. EFUS 2011 Main heating systems (BRE for DECC)
5. Investigation Guideline – Portable Electric Space Heaters, Appendix 63 (CPSC)
6. Lasko 9" Ceramic Space Heater CD09250
7. Lasko 23" Ceramic Tower Space Heater
8. What are the power settings on my oil filled radiator? – De'Longhi US FAQ
9. Room heaters – Centre for Sustainable Energy
10. Best Energy Efficient Electric Convector Heater – Designrhome
11. Energy saving electric heating – Pickbest UK
12. Plugs and fuses – Electrical Safety First
13. Can a portable electric space heater help cut your winter heating bills? – IECL Magazine
14. Electric heating – Energy Saving Trust
15. Tips on Saving Money and Energy in Your Home (Energy Saver Guide 2022) – US DOE
16. Home Upgrades – US Department of Energy
17. 2020 RECS Table HC 6.1 – EIA

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