Calculators · Cost to run
How much does it cost to run a space heater?
Nearly every plug-in space heater maxes out at 1,500 watts, so it uses about 1.5 kWh per hour — full stop. That's the single most important fact, and it busts the biggest myth: no 1,500-watt heater is meaningfully "cheaper to run" than another, whatever the marketing says. What changes the cost is your rate and how many hours you run it.
Resistive heaters max out near 1,500 W on a standard outlet.
per hour
19¢
per day
$1.50
per month
$45.52
per year
$545.79
Running a 1500W portable space heater 8 hours a day costs about $1.50/day or $45.52/month at 12.46¢/kWh.
Runs entirely in your browser — nothing you type is sent anywhere. Estimates only; your actual bill depends on your usage and includes delivery charges on top of the supply rate.
What it costs per hour, at real rates
Based on a 1,500 W heater on high (~1.5 kWh), priced at three of the utilities we track:
| Utility | Rate | Cost per hour |
|---|---|---|
| PECO (PA) | 10.789¢/kWh | 16¢ |
| BGE (MD) | 14.609¢/kWh | 22¢ |
| ComEd (IL) | 10.399¢/kWh | 16¢ |
Supply rate only; delivery charges are extra. Use the calculator above for your own utility and usage.
Space heater types — all about the same to run
| Type | Typical watts | Cost per hour* | The real difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceramic / fan | 1,500 W | same | Heats fast, cools fast |
| Oil-filled radiator | 1,500 W | same | Heats slowly, stays warm longer |
| Infrared / quartz | 1,500 W | same | Heats objects/people in front of it |
| "Energy-saving" heaters | 1,500 W | same | Marketing — physics caps them at 1,500 W |
*At the same wattage, running cost is identical. Comfort and heat distribution differ; the electricity bill doesn't.
How to cut the cost
- 1
Heat the person, not the house
A space heater pays off only when it lets you lower the central thermostat and heat one occupied room — "zone heating." Run it on top of full central heat and you just add cost.
- 2
Turn the furnace down while you use it
Drop the whole-home thermostat a few degrees and heat the room you're in. That's the only way the math works in your favor.
- 3
Use the thermostat setting, not just "high"
Most heaters have a built-in thermostat — set a target temperature so it cycles off instead of running at 1,500 W nonstop.
- 4
Never run it unattended or overnight
Space heaters are a leading cause of home fires. The cost savings aren't worth the risk of running one while you sleep.
Common questions
- How much does it cost to run a space heater for 24 hours?
- A 1,500-watt heater running continuously uses 36 kWh a day — about $4.70 at 13¢/kWh, or roughly $140 a month. That's why a space heater only saves money if it lets you turn the central heat down, not run alongside it.
- Which space heater is cheapest to run?
- None is meaningfully cheaper than another at the same wattage — a 1,500-watt heater uses 1,500 watts whether it's ceramic, oil-filled, or infrared. "Energy-saving" claims for plug-in heaters are marketing; physics caps them all at the same draw.
- Is a space heater cheaper than central heating?
- Only for heating one room. If you heat the whole house with electric space heaters, it's usually more expensive than a central system — especially a heat pump. The win is zone heating: one warm room while the rest of the house is cooler.
- How much does a space heater cost per hour?
- About 1.5 kWh per hour on high, so roughly 15–25¢/hour depending on your rate. Pick your utility above for the exact figure.
If the winter bill jumped more than usage explains, your rate may have risen too.