Did you know that three of the most popular states for tiny living, Colorado, New York, and Utah, are also part of USA.com’s top 12 snowiest states? If you are in these areas, you might want to think about how to keep your home warm during the cold winter months. The easiest way to do this is to buy an electric heater to warm up your tiny house.
There are several electric heaters that are perfect for your tiny house, depending on your needs. These heaters are affordable, can keep you comfortably warm, and are safe to use. They will not take up too much floor space, and some are designed beautifully to complement your tiny home’s aesthetics.
Before we discuss anything else, here are our recommendations for the best tiny house electric heaters.
Lasko 751320 Ceramic Tower Space Heater
Lasko Portable Heaters on Amazon
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One of the things that most people hate about electric heaters is that they are not pleasing to the eyes. Manufacturers often put function above all else, and what you get is a clunky, boring device that just heats up your place.
Another common complaint is that their heaters take up too much floor space and can get in the way. There are times when you would bump into it, and it gets toppled over easily.
But not the Lasko 751320 Ceramic Tower Space Heater. This heater has a plastic shell that covers the ceramic heating element inside. The tower design takes up only a very small area of your floor. This product has a base that measures 7.25 by 7.4 inches (18.4 by 18.8 centimeters) and stands 23 inches (58.4 centimeters) tall.
If you’re worried about the heater tipping over, then you should know that the Lasko 751320 Ceramic Tower Space Heater has a weighted base that makes it difficult to knock over. It also has a carry handle, so it’s very easy to transport from one room to another.
More than the design, this product gives you 1,500 watts and can heat up to 300 square feet (27.9 square meters) of space. It has two heat settings, low and high, so you can control how toasty and warm your tiny house would be.
This product comes with a wireless remote that allows you to control things from across the room. The high air velocity distributes the heat fast while the oscillation ensures that every part of the room is warmed up.
The Lasko 751320 also has a timer that shuts off the heating when time runs out, plus a programmable thermostat that keeps things comfortable. Other features that you would love about this heater includes:
- Automatic overheat protection: Turns the heater off when it’s been in use for quite some time.
- Cool to the touch: There is no danger of getting burned when you touch its surface. The plastic case stays cool even when the heater is running.
- Convenient controls: The controls are placed on top of the heater, making it very easy to read and change.
Pros
- Designed to take up a smaller floor space than other heaters
- Stable base
- A number of safety and convenience features
- Stays cool to the touch
Cons
- No automatic switch off in the rare event that it tips over
- Plastic and rubber tabs used for the feet can leave a stain on hardwood floors
GiveBest Portable Electric Space Heater
The GiveBest Portable Electric Space Heater is a compact product that looks more like a radio than a space heater. There are two temperature options, 750 watts and 1,500 watts, which the manufacturer claims will be able to warm a room as big as 200 square feet (18.6 square meters).
You can turn the fan on to distribute the warmth all over the room. You can choose your desired level of comfort from normal wind to up to 158° Fahrenheit (70° Celsius). The included thermostat will turn the heater on and off, depending on the room’s temperature.
You can also use this product as an ordinary fan. This means that it’s usable all year round.
This heater measures 7.4 by 10 by 4.3 inches (18.8 by 25.4 by 10.9 centimeters), so it doesn’t take up a lot of floor space. This is also a quiet heater rated at 44.5 decibels.
The manufacturer reveals that normal conversation is at 60 decibels, while the average home will register 50 decibels of noise. Having this heater turned on is just a bit noisier than a quiet library so that you can sleep comfortably.
The GiveBest Portable Electric Space Heater has safety features such as:
- Overheat protection that shuts down the heater when it gets too hot
- Tilt and tip-over protection that automatically turns off the unit when it accidentally falls over.
Pros
- PTC heating element doesn’t eat up too much electricity
- Can shut down automatically when tipped over, tilted, or when it gets too hot
- Can be used all year round
- Very quiet and can be used while sleeping
Cons
- The protective net can get hot when the heater is working
- Some buyers complained that it didn’t take too long before it stopped working
DeLonghi Oil-Filled Radiator Space Heater
Why would you want to buy an oil-filled radiator? For one, it retains heat, so you don’t waste electricity trying to heat a room. You can even unplug it, and it will still continue to give off heat for some time because the oil cools down slowly.
Because you’re not using as much electricity, it can save you a lot of money compared to other heaters that you have to keep plugged in.
The DeLonghi Oil-Filled Radiator Space Heater is an oil-filled radiator that you can take from room to room. It has a six-feet (1.8 meters) long cable that allows for some flexibility in where you put it.
It measures 14 by 6 by 25 inches (35.5 by 15.2 by 63.5 centimeters) and weighs only 24 pounds (10.9 kilograms). There are three power settings that you can use with this heater:
- Minimum: 500 watts
- Mid: 700 watts
- Maximum: 1,500 watts
On top of these settings, there is the ComforTemp feature that helps you save more money.
And if you’re concerned about replacing the oil inside this heater, don’t be. The diathermic heat transfer fluid will not need replacing for the life of the product.
Other things that you need to know before deciding on this product:
- You don’t need to assemble anything as it comes ready to run right out of the box.
- This heater produces heat, but the surface is not hot to touch.
- It has a slightly rounded design and a thermal shutoff mechanism that prevents the unit from overheating.
- It has a metal casing that is resistant to rust.
- It works silently.
Another feature that you would love about this device is that it has an anti-freezing feature. The DeLonghi Oil-Filled Radiator Space Heater automatically turns on when the room temperature goes below 44° Fahrenheit or 6.7° Celsius.
Pros
- Doesn’t use too much power to keep your room warm and comfortable
- Maintenance-free for life
- Three heat settings to choose from
- Has cost-savings, safety, and comfort features
Cons
- Might smell the first few times you use it
- Some customers complained about poor quality control with some units leaking oil or not working right out of the box
AmazonBasics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater – Wood
If you are looking for a heater that isn’t an eyesore, then you should check out the AmazonBasics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater – Wood. This product has an exquisite wood finish that can match your room’s decor.
This AmazonBasics Portable space heater has an LED that is easy to read. It also comes with an electronic thermostat that allows you to control the level of warmth around your house.
It weighs 23.5 pounds (10.7 kilograms) and measures 13 by 12 by 16 inches (33 by 30.5 by 40.6 centimeters). This product delivers either 750 watts or 1,500 watts of power with four heating elements.
You can adjust its temperature setting from 65° to 85° Fahrenheit (18.3° to 29.4° Celsius). It’s enough to heat rooms that measure up to 1,000 square feet (92.9 square feet).
Pros
- Has an ECO-Smart setting that helps you save power
- Features sensors that can shut it off when it starts to overheat
- 12-hour timer that can shut the unit down
Cons
- Has a buzzing sound even when it’s turned off
STANLEY ST-222A-120 Electric Heater
This is a powerful room heater that can heat up to 165 square feet (15.3 square meters) of space. It provides 5,100 BTUs of heat using 1,500 watts of power.
The STANLEY ST-222A-120 Electric Heater has two heat settings, plus a fan-only option, which means that you can use it in the hotter months as an ordinary air blower. It also has a safety switch that turns the heater off automatically when you accidentally tip it over.
The heater has an easy-lift handle that makes it easy to move from room to room. It measures 8.5 by 5 by 10 inches (21.59 by 12.7 by 25.4 centimeters) and weighs only 3.8 pounds (1.7 kilograms).
Pros
- Lightweight and portable, but can deliver enough heat for an average-sized tiny house
Cons
- Looks like an old transistor radio with the recognizable Stanley logo and the black and yellow colors
- Some complaints about the device being a fire hazard and not durable
Stiebel Eltron 074057 Wall Mounted Electric Fan Heater
If your tiny house is more spacious than most, then you will need something that delivers more heat like the Stiebel Eltron 074057 Wall Mounted Electric Fan Heater.
This wall-mounted heater allows you to have more floor space in your tiny home. It delivers enough heat to warm up a room as big as 200 to 215 square feet (18.6 square meters to 20 square meters) using 2,000 watts of power.
This heater pulls in cool air through its top vent and then blows out warm air at the bottom. As such, it works fast as it decimates the colder air, and it gives you a warm breeze at the same time. What’s more, it moves 106 cubic feet of air per minute.
The Stiebel Eltron 074057 Wall Mounted Electric Fan Heater is made in Germany, you can expect excellent designs for the product. It measures 18.1 by 13.25 by 4.75 (46 by 33.5 by 12.3 centimeters) and weighs only eight pounds (4.4 kilograms). With its plastic and metal body, the nichrome wire heating element is safely hidden away.
This heater comes with a thermostat that you can set to temperatures ranging from 41° to 86° Fahrenheit (5° to 30° Celsius). It also has a frost protection setting, where the heat automatically kicks in when temperatures around your tiny house drop to 45° Fahrenheit (7° Celsius).
For all its awesome features, this heater works quietly, registering a noise level of 49.7 decibels, which is roughly the same as having a normal conversation inside the room.
Pros
- Sleek and modern looking design
- A quiet fan at only 49.7 decibels
- Top-quality materials throughout
- Can warm up a bigger room
Cons
- More expensive than other products in this list
- Doesn’t include a cord so you will have to hardwire it
- Not portable
PELONIS Oil-Filled Radiator Heater
If you’re partial to radiator heaters but are turned off by how ugly and unwieldy they are, then you should consider the newly redesigned PELONIS Oil-Filled Radiator Heater.
This product has three heating modes and allows you to choose any temperature from 65° to 85° Fahrenheit (18.3° to 29.4° Celsius). This guarantees that you are always comfortable during the colder months.
It has a LED screen that shows you the status of the heater, as well as a 10-hour timer and remote control to make it easier for you to operate the machine.
This product is very quiet, even when it’s drawing 1,500 watts of power to heat up your entire tiny house or any room that measures up to 162 square feet (15.1 square meters).
What’s more, the PELONIS Oil-Filled Radiator Heater has two designs that set it apart from the boring white that’s associated with radiators. You can choose between the classic silver style and the luxurious gold redesign.
It also comes with four swivel caster wheels that make it easier for you to bring the heater anywhere.
Pros
- Very portable
- Eye-catching design
- Whole-room heating
Cons
- Some complaints about the durability of the product as well as an inaccurate thermostat
- Reports of leaking oil and terrible customer service
How to Choose the Best Electric Heater for Your Tiny House
Tiny houses are all about sustainability. When it comes to heating, you can save a lot because you only need to heat a smaller area.
With homes in the United States occupying an average of 2,400 square feet (222.97 square meters), spending for natural gas, electricity, and other utilities tends to be very high. Needless to say, America’s carbon footprint also surged.
The tiny house movement seeks to curb the wasteful consumption of energy. According to Australian electricity company Click Energy, tiny houses can be anywhere from less than 100 to 400 square feet (nine to 37 square meters), averaging at around 186 square feet (17.28 square meters).
Technically, however, tiny houses average around 200 square feet (18.6 square meters) per inhabitant, according to the Tiny House Handbook.
Things You Should Consider
Looking at our list of recommended electric heaters, you can see that these are very affordable and portable units. You don’t really need a big system for your tiny house.
You just have to make sure that the space heater you choose delivers on the BTUs. Plus, it needs to offer safety features that help bring you peace of mind. For instance, timers can ensure that the heater turns itself off even when you forget that you left it running. Automatic shutdown mechanisms will also help prevent burns and injuries when they are accidentally knocked over.
Furthermore, these electric heaters should not take up too much space in your tiny house. This is why we chose products that are wall-mounted or that have a compact size. There are products that function only as an electric heater, allowing you to store them during the summer months. But there are also those that you can use all year round: as heaters in the colder months and as electric fans the rest of the year.
Lastly, while electric heaters are not known for award-winning designs, there are selections that add a touch of elegance and beauty to your tiny home interiors.
What Size Heater Do You Need?
With a smaller area to heat, tiny houses need less energy for you to be comfortable in the colder months. Just imagine, you can heat up to 13 average tiny houses with the amount of heat you need to warm up the same area as an average-sized home.
But how do you know if the electric heater you want to buy can adequately heat up your tiny house? You have to consider several things, such as:
- The size of your tiny house
- The height of your ceiling
- The insulation condition of your house, such as whether there are leakages or a lot of windows
- How many people are typically inside your house
- The amount of sun exposure your tiny house gets, such as whether it gets a lot of shade or whether it gets a lot of direct sunlight through your windows
- The current climate
The good news is that there are BTU calculators available that can help you figure out the amount of heating that your tiny house will need.
How Many BTUs Do You Need for Your Tiny House?
In general, most space heaters give you 5,100 BTUs or around 1500 watts. Such a product will be able to heat an area measuring 144 square feet (13.4 square meters).
If you’re going by wattage, here’s the general rule, according to SFGate.com: For every square foot (0.09 square meters) that you want to heat up, the heater should consume 10 watts of power. Also, a watt of power produces 3.4 BTUs of heat.
However, you might need a more powerful heater if:
- You have a lot of windows, which might make the room extra drafty.
- Your tiny house doesn’t have proper insulation, and it gets extra cold.
- You have tile or cement floors, which will feel colder.
- Your tiny home has high ceilings.
On the other hand, you might be able to get away with a less powerful heater if:
- You often have more people occupying the room at the same time.
- Your house has lower ceilings or no windows.
- Your house is well insulated.
Two Main Types of Electric Heaters for a Tiny House
There are two main types of electric heaters that you can use for your tiny house:
Forced Air
Forced air heating systems make use of fans to spread the heat throughout the room. The main advantage of choosing a forced air system is that the fans can promote air circulation throughout the room. Plus, if you also want to cool your tiny house in the summer, you can use the same system.
It also heats the room fast. If you’re out somewhere, you can turn the unit off so you can save electricity. When you come back, you can enjoy the warmth almost as soon as you turn the heater on.
However, this system is very inefficient because of air leakage. It’s also possible that the air distribution is uneven, so some parts of your room are warmer than the other parts. The fans can also be very noisy.
If you suffer from allergies, you might want to avoid a forced air system because the air can easily stir up the allergens already present in the room. Heat loss is also very possible because the hot air travels through ducts before it gets blown into the room.
Radiant Heating
Radiant heating, on the other hand, warms your room by heating the air around it. As such, it can take a long time before your tiny house gets toasty.
Radiant heat is 30 percent more efficient than a comparable forced heat system. It’s also very quiet and can save you a lot of electricity if you are more of a homebody, and you spend a lot of time at home.
Benefits and Disadvantages of Electric Heaters
Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of using electric heaters can help you decide on it over other types of heaters, such as those that are powered by gas or open fire, among other types of fuel.
Why should you buy an electric heater for your tiny home when there are several other types of heaters available? According to The Tiny Life website, there are three things to consider when you’re deciding on the perfect heating system for your home:
- Access to the grid
- Your lifestyle
- The required size
For an electric heater, you will need to be on the grid to get the most out of your heating system.
If you choose to go off the grid, you should know that electric heaters require a lot of electricity. This translates to an expensive array of solar panels or other alternative power sources to have enough electricity to power your heater.
Electric heaters are very convenient to use. Unlike a wood stove, for instance, that will require you to wake up early and stoke the fire so that you don’t start your day in the miserable cold. You also need to chop or buy wood. With electric heaters, you only need to plug in the unit and enjoy the warmth.
While you would need to spend a significant amount of money to operate an electric heater, the unit itself is affordable. When it comes to electric heaters, you also have several options to choose from, depending on your needs and preferences. For one, you can get an electric heater that delivers the right BTU size to be comfortable in your home.
Pros
- A wide variety of electrics are available
- No installation needed
- There are a lot of affordable electric heaters out there
Cons
- You’re pretty much forced to be on the grid with an electric heater
- Requires a lot of electricity to power
- Off the grid options are quite limited and impractical
Get the Best Tiny House Electric Heater Today
Now that you know what characteristics to look for and have a better understanding of the terms and concepts that surround electric heaters, you will be able to choose the perfect product for your tiny house. If you are having problems because of the sheer variety of electric heaters that are available today, you can rely on our list of recommended products to help narrow down your choices.
Our recommended electric heaters are perfect for any tiny home. These are safe, affordable, and powerful heaters that can help you reduce your power bills while keeping you warm even in the coldest days.