The best convector heaters, compared.
Top pick: Ballu NCA1-4.3EF-20 (2 kW) – Highest listing score in this set, 4.8 from 60 reviews, for a fanless 2 kW panel if you will use the app. Best value: BLACK+DECKER BXCV41001GB (2.2 kW) – About £36.89, with 4.2 from 574 reviews and stated steps from 840 W to 2,200 W. Updated October 2026.
A convector heater is a plug-in electric room heater that warms air over an element, usually without a fan. You buy one to heat a single room for a few hours, often because the rest of the heating is off or has failed. Tell them apart by a real thermostat, a timer you can set, a sound 13 A socket and a stated cut-out, not by wattage alone. Panel heaters that heat by convection, including and, sit in the same decision. Two heaters of the same wattage cost the same per hour at full power. Wattage and timers are in the [convector buying guide](/hub/heating/convector/sub/convector-buying-guide). Fan heaters, ceramic blowers and oil-filled radiators do not. It is not a replacement for a boiler. Seller coverage claims cluster around 20 m² at 2 kW, 25 m² for the 3 kW, and 26 m² for the 2.4 kW. A 20 m² claim in a cold conservatory is a common mistake. A lower heat step cuts the draw only when the listing states one. States 840 W, 1,250 W and 2,200 W. The listing also disagrees with itself on whether the top step is 2 kW or 2.2 kW, so read the dial.
A convector heater is a plug-in electric room heater that warms air over an element, usually without a fan. You buy one to heat a single room for a few hours, often because the rest of the heating is off or has failed.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
Where will it run?
Ballu’s NCA1-4.3EF-20 is the fanless 2 kW panel at £149.99 with Wi-Fi, Alexa and Google Home, a touch panel, remote, app schedules, and frost, tip-over and overheat protection in the bullets. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.8 from 60 reviews, and the listing score of 89 is the highest in this set, though that formula is stars plus review count, not a lab test. Coverage prints as 25 m² in one bullet and 30 m² in the coverage field, so treat both as seller guides. The listing claims up to 37 percent energy saving, which is marketing, not a measured UK bill. Wheels or wall mounting give flexibility, and the hedgehog aluminium element is described as fanless convection, which suits a bedroom if you skip the turbo Daewoo. You pay roughly triple the entry convectors for scheduling from your phone; that is justified only if you will use the app rather than a dial you never touch.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A home office or bedroom where you want fanless heat, weekly-style app control, and can pay for smart features you will actually use
Less suitable: One-room emergency heat on a tight budget, bathrooms, or buyers who dislike phone setup
Specifications
Common questions
What smart controls does the listing name?
The Ballu app, a touch panel, a remote, Alexa and Google Home.
Is it fanless?
Yes. The bullets describe fanless natural convection, plus tip-over, overheat and frost protection.
Which room size is stated?
One bullet says up to 25 m². The coverage field says 30 m². The energy-saving percentage in the bullets is a seller claim.
Status lists the CONH-2000WT1PKB as a 2 kW floor convector at £34.99 with three heat settings, an adjustable thermostat, and a timer that is not described as 24-hour or 7-day in the listing. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.8 from five reviews, and the listing has no review text to explain those scores. That star line looks impressive until you compare it with hundreds of reviews on the BLACK+DECKER listing, where 4.2 from 574 is a stronger signal. The unit weighs 7 kg and measures about 52 cm wide, so it is heavier than the Russell Hobbs or HeatLite portables. No IP rating appears, even though bathroom appears as a room type elsewhere in heater listings generally. If you buy it, treat it like any other plug-in convector: a visible socket, a metre of clearance, and no towel drying. The price sits in the entry band, but evidence is thin.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A buyer who accepts a tiny review sample and wants a timer label at entry price
Less suitable: Anyone who ranks review volume over a five-star line, or bathroom installs
Specifications
Common questions
How many reviews are on the listing?
The amazon.co.uk line is 4.8 from 5 reviews. The listing has no review text.
Does the listing give a timer length?
It says there is a timer and an adjustable thermostat. It does not say 24-hour or 7-day.
Is a bathroom IP rating stated?
No. Bathroom appears only as a room type. No IP rating is on the listing.
Dimplex HeatLite is the portable 2 kW dial convector in this set at £49.99, with three heat settings, a rotary thermostat, carry handles, and stated overheat and tilt shut-off. The amazon.co.uk sample is 4.7 from 33 reviews, which is strong on stars but thin on volume compared with the BLACK+DECKER listing. The bullets do not describe a timer, so you switch it off yourself or use a separate plug-in timer if your insurer and the heater instructions allow that. Dimensions are about 62 cm wide and the weight is 3.6 kg, so it moves room to room more easily than a wall panel. Coverage is stated at 20 m², the same cluster as most 2 kW models here, and should be read as a seller guide rather than a guarantee in a cold conservatory. UK feedback in the wider convector set often mentions loose foot screws on similar feet; check them when you first stand it up.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A spare room or office where you want a simple dial convector you can move, without paying for a week programmer
Less suitable: Overnight unattended heat, bathroom use, or anyone who needs a 7-day schedule in the box
Specifications
Common questions
Does this model include a timer?
The bullets do not describe a timer. They describe three heat settings and an adjustable thermostat.
Is it wall mounted?
The listing says floor mount and portable, with carry handles. Wall brackets are not stated.
What safety features are listed?
Overheat protection, a tilt shut-off, and fire-resistant materials.
The Dimplex ML2TSTie7 is a 2 kW convector with an electronic thermostat and a 7-day timer in the listing, plus wall brackets for a freestanding or fixed install at £75.99. Across 106 amazon.co.uk reviews it sits at 4.3 stars, which is a mid-sized sample for this set. UK reviewers often praise steady warmth in a small room, but several say the floor-level display is hard to read and that programming the auto timer takes patience. Feet and bracket screws come up as loose in more than one review, so you may need to re-tighten them after you move the unit. The listing claims about 20 m² coverage and a 13 A load on a 220 V line, with no IP rating for a bathroom. For a bedroom or box room where you want a week schedule without Wi-Fi, it is the simpler Dimplex ML option compared with the 3 kW sibling.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small room where you want a 7-day schedule and optional wall mounting without paying for smart control
Less suitable: Bathroom installs, anyone who cannot bend to a low display, or a large draughty space that needs 3 kW
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing include a timer?
Yes. The title and bullets describe an electronic 7-day timer and an electronic thermostat.
Can it be fixed to a wall?
The bullets say it is freestanding or wall mounted, and that wall brackets are included, with a 1.5 m cable.
Does the listing state a bathroom IP rating?
No. There is no IP rating in the spec table. One UK review describes a bathroom wall mount, which is not a manufacturer rating.
BLACK+DECKER’s BXCV41001GB is the budget volume pick at £36.89, with 2.2 kW in the title, three stated power steps of 840 W, 1,250 W and 2,200 W, plus anti-frost wording and an adjustable thermostat. The amazon.co.uk file shows 4.2 from 574 reviews, which is the largest sample in this comparison and the reason the score weights review count heavily. Several UK reviewers say a unit stopped working after about six weeks or two months, and others report foot screws that will not stay tight, so cheap here does not mean forget about returns. The same bullet mentions five heat settings while naming three watt steps, and the heat-output field also prints 2 kW, so read the dial rather than the table when you set low heat. There is no timer in the bullets, only anti-frost in the title. If you want a low price with the most UK feedback and accept checking the feet and watching for early failure, it is the best value slot in this set on paper.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A supervised evening in one room when you want low heat steps and the strongest review count at under £40
Less suitable: Bedrooms where you need silent trust for months without hassle, or buyers who will not tolerate an early return
Specifications
Common questions
Which power steps does the listing give?
The bullets name 840 W, 1,250 W and 2,200 W. The same bullet also says five heat settings, and the heat-output field says 2,000 W.
Is a timer included?
No timer is described in the bullets. The title does state anti-frost protection.
What do reviews say about reliability?
The listing is 4.2 from 574 reviews. Several UK reviews say a unit stopped working after about six weeks or about two months, and that the foot screws do not hold.
Devola’s DVNDM24 is a 2.4 kW convection panel at £99.95 with a weekly timer, eco half-wattage mode, and an IP24 claim in the bullets, plus tip-over and overheat cut-outs. It lists 26 m² coverage and includes feet and a wall fixing kit. The amazon.co.uk line is 4.0 from 298 reviews, so faults show up in the text as well as praise. More than one UK buyer reports a very hot plug, and one describes a burnt plug, which is a stop-using signal rather than a tweak. The spec table prints 1 A beside 2.4 kW, which does not match how a heater actually loads a circuit; treat the 240 V, 13 A socket rule instead. Zone 3 wording appears on the listing, but that is not permission to stand a plug-in heater beside a bath. If you need a panel shape with a stated weekly schedule and will watch the plug on first runs, it fills a gap the dial convectors do not.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A dry room where you want a slim panel, a weekly timer, and wall-mount option, and you will check the plug after installation
Less suitable: Plugging in by the bath, circuits you already distrust, or buyers who want the highest star average in the set
Specifications
Common questions
What timer does the listing describe?
A 24-hour shutdown timer and a 24/7 schedule, with up to four heating periods a day.
What bathroom claim is on the listing?
The bullets say IP24 and Zone 3. They also say feet, a fixing kit, overheat protection and tip-over protection.
What do reviews say about the plug?
More than one UK review says the plug gets very hot, and one describes a burnt plug.
The Daewoo HEA1137 is a 2 kW convector at £32.99 with three heat settings, a thermostat, and a turbo fan that pushes air when you want faster warm-up. That fan is the main difference from the fanless models in this set, and it is the noisy option if you wanted a quiet bedroom. The listing is 3.9 from 378 reviews. UK buyers say the mains lead is short, which pushes people toward extension reels, which Electrical Safety First warns against. One review describes an overheated plug and socket, and another buyer of two units says neither box had wall brackets despite a wall-mount field on the page. A timer is named but the length is not stated on the listing. At the entry price it can make sense for a utility room you use briefly, but skip it if you need silence, a long cable, or confirmed brackets.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A garage or utility space where you want a fan boost for short use and can plug in without an extension lead
Less suitable: Bedrooms, offices that must stay quiet, or wall mounting when brackets are not confirmed in your box
Specifications
Common questions
Does this convector have a fan?
Yes. The bullets describe a 2,000 W turbo output and a forced fan setting, including a cool setting.
Are wall brackets confirmed?
The mounting field says wall mount. One UK review of two units says neither box contained brackets.
What lead and plug issues appear in reviews?
Reviewers say the mains lead is short. One review describes an overheated plug and socket.
The Dimplex ML3TSTie7 steps up to 3 kW at £84.63 with the same electronic thermostat and 7-day timer story as the 2 kW ML2, plus wall brackets and 25 m² stated coverage. It draws up to 13 A on the 220 V listing, which sits at the UK plug ceiling, so the socket and circuit matter more than on a 2 kW unit. Reviews sit at 3.8 from 119, the weakest Dimplex ML score here, with UK text complaining about a hard-to-read display and fiddly auto timer, and feet described as loose. Failure reports include one unit stopping after about three months and another after roughly 14 months of medium use. The 3 kW amazon.co.uk text includes the Lot 20 occasional-use information sentence, which is worth reading before you rely on it daily. Choose it when a 2 kW model is genuinely short in a medium room, not when you only want headroom on paper.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A medium room that still feels cold on 2 kW, with a sound 13 A socket and tolerance for floor-level controls
Less suitable: Small bedrooms on typical circuits, buyers who struggled with the ML2 display, or whole-home heating duty
Specifications
Common questions
How does this differ from the 2 kW Dimplex ML?
The listing states 3 kW and coverage of 25 m², with the same style of electronic thermostat and 7-day timer.
What do reviews say about the controls?
UK reviews say the display is hard to read and the auto timer takes patience. Feet are described as loose.
What failures are in the review text?
One unit stopped after about three months and was replaced. Another packed up after about 14 months of medium use.
Russell Hobbs sells the black RHCVH2003B at £35.99 as a 2 kW floor convector with 800 W, 1,200 W and 2,000 W steps, a thermostat stated as 7–35 °C, and a 1–24 hour timer with touch controls and an LED display. The amazon.co.uk average is 3.2 from 79 reviews, the lowest in this set by a clear margin. Several UK reviewers say the remote does not work or arrived damaged, and others find the side controls awkward to reach behind furniture. One review describes smoke during use, which means unplug and stop, not adjust the dial. The spec table prints odd temperature figures that clash with the bullet wording, so trust the control panel labels on delivery. Tip-over and overheat protection are stated, and the weight is 3.2 kg with a carry handle. It can work as a black-finish budget option if you ignore the remote, but the review record is harder than on the BLACK+DECKER at a similar price.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A short supervised session in a living room when you want a countdown timer and low watt steps, and you will use the panel not the remote
Less suitable: Bedrooms left unattended, buyers who want a reliable remote, or anyone comparing solely on stars at this price
Specifications
Common questions
What heat settings are in the bullets?
800 W, 1,200 W and 2,000 W, with a thermostat stated as 7–35°C. The spec table instead shows 0.8°C and 2°C.
How long is the timer?
The bullets say a 1–24 hour auto on/off timer, with touch controls and an LED display.
What do reviews say about the remote?
Several UK reviews say the remote does not work or arrived damaged, and that the side controls are hard to reach. One review describes smoke during use.
Nine amazon.co.uk listings are kept. The score is 80 percent of the star rating plus 20 percent from the review count on a log scale. That is how these listing scores were built. It is not a lab test. The highest score is the top pick. Best value is the BLACK+DECKER listing, which carries that badge in the product file: a low shelf price and the largest review sample, with early failures still on the record. Weights sum to 100.
Amazon star rating
80%Stars come from the amazon.co.uk file for that ASIN. They are 80 percent of the listing score. A 4.8 from five reviews is not treated as a stronger verdict than 4.2 from 574. The score is not a lab test and not a Which? result.
Review count
20%The review count is 20 percent of the listing score, on a log scale, so a large sample moves the score more than a handful of stars. Status at 4.8 from five reviews stays behind listings with hundreds of reviews. Early failures in those reviews stay on the record.
A convector is for one occupied room for a few hours, not for a whole house. Match the stated watts to the room, then check whether a thermostat, a timer and a cut-out are actually on the listing. Two heaters of the same wattage cost the same per hour at full power. A higher shelf price spends less only if the timer cuts the hours. This is not a lab test, and a seller coverage line is not a guarantee in a cold room.
A convector heater in this set is a plug-in electric room heater that warms air as it passes over an element. Most of the nine are fanless. The Daewoo HEA1137 adds a turbo fan. Devola and Ballu are panel heaters that still heat by convection, so they belong in the same decision. Fan heaters, ceramic blowers and oil-filled radiators do not. You use a convector for one occupied room for a few hours, when whole-house heating is off or has failed. It is not a replacement for a boiler.
This set is convectors and convection panels. The Daewoo is the only model with a turbo fan. A ceramic blower is a different product. If you wanted silence, skip the fan.
IP24 and the words Zone 3 on the Devola listing do not approve a plug-in heater beside a bath. A short mains lead is not a reason to use an extension reel. Electrical Safety First warns against that.
Status at 4.8 from five reviews is not a stronger verdict than BLACK+DECKER at 4.2 from 574. Early failures in the larger sample stay on the record. A high star line with no review text is a thin signal.
Start with the room, not the biggest number on the box. Seller claims in this set cluster around 20 m² at 2 kW, 25 m² on the 3 kW Dimplex ML3, and 26 m² on the 2.4 kW Devola. About 100 W per square metre is a rule of thumb for a normally insulated room, not a British Standard. A conservatory or a poorly insulated spare room will feel colder than that line suggests. The 3 kW Dimplex sits at the 13 A ceiling of a BS 1363 plug, so choose it when 2 kW is genuinely short, not for spare headroom.
Mounting is a listing fact, not a guess. Dimplex ML bullets include brackets for freestanding or wall use. Devola includes a fixing kit and feet. Ballu has wheels or a wall mount. HeatLite is floor and portable, with carry handles, and wall brackets are not stated. Dimplex and BLACK+DECKER reviews often say the foot screws loosen. A Daewoo review of two units says neither box contained brackets, even though a wall-mount field is on the page.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want fanless heat and you will use an app schedule. The Ballu NCA1-4.3EF-20 is the top pick at about £149.99, with 4.8 from 60 reviews. Skip it if you will not set up the phone controls, or if £149.99 is more than this room is worth.
You want the heater off overnight without an app. The Dimplex ML2TSTie7 states an electronic thermostat, a 7-day timer and wall brackets at about £75.99, with 4.3 from 106 reviews. UK reviews mention a low display and loose feet screws.
You need a plug-in for a few watched hours and you want the largest review sample. The BLACK+DECKER BXCV41001GB is best value at about £36.89, with 4.2 from 574 reviews and stated low heat steps. Several UK reviews report a unit failing within weeks.
The top pick is the Ballu NCA1-4.3EF-20 at about £149.99. It has the highest listing score in this set, 4.8 from 60 reviews, as a fanless 2 kW panel with app control if you will use it. That score is stars plus review count, not a room test. Best value is the BLACK+DECKER BXCV41001GB at about £36.89, with 4.2 from 574 reviews and stated steps from 840 W to 2,200 W. Skip Ballu if you will not use the app. Skip BLACK+DECKER if you cannot accept the early-failure reports in the UK reviews.
Ballu NCA1-4.3EF-20 (2 kW)
Highest listing score in this set, 4.8 from 60 reviews, for a fanless 2 kW panel if you will use the app.
BLACK+DECKER BXCV41001GB (2.2 kW)
About £36.89, with 4.2 from 574 reviews and stated steps from 840 W to 2,200 W.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources named below. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts on these nine listings were taken from the listing files, not a live check on 20 October 2026. Page updated October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are taken from those listings. We did not run a lab test.
