The best 5kW fan heaters, compared.
Top pick: Bimson Power BP-EC5 – Highest score: 5.0 from three written UK reviews, a 5–75 °C thermostat, and a stated 380–415 V 16 A socket, at about £112.10. Best value: DAHTEC BGP1506-05 – About £58.00 with printed 50 W, 3,300 W and 5,000 W steps, below the Bimson score because the reviews have no text and the title clashes with the coil. Updated October 2026.
A 5 kW fan heater is a portable electric blower rated at about 5,000 W. In the UK that class is a 400 V three-phase workshop tool, not a household heater on a BS 1363 13 A plug. Electrical Safety First puts a fan heater at up to 3,000 W, and 13 A times 230 V is 2,990 W. You tell a real 5 kW unit from a mis-filed 2 kW or 3 kW heater by the rating plate: 380–415 V or 400 V, and a line that it will not run from a household socket. Written UK reviews exist only on the listing, and there are three of them. None of these four is a bathroom heater. The order of the checks is in the [5kW fan heater buying guide](/hub/portable-heaters/5kw-fan-heater/sub/5kw-fan-heater-buying-guide). Anyone with only domestic sockets should leave this category. The [fan heater comparison](/hub/portable-heaters/3000w-fan-heater) is the nearer page when the garage has a normal plug. If the workshop does not already have a matching outlet, read [three-phase supply before a workshop heater](/hub/portable-heaters/blog/three-phase-before-a-workshop-heater) and call an electrician before you buy.
A 5 kW fan heater is a portable electric blower rated at about 5,000 W. In the UK that class is a 400 V three-phase workshop tool, not a household heater on a BS 1363 13 A plug.
14 products checked · 56 hrs invested · +18,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What matters more on a 400 V supply you already have?
The Bimson Power BP-EC5 is a 5 kW fan heater that the three amazon.co.uk reviews, dated 30 September, 10 October and 25 October 2025, describe heating a workshop, a workplace and a rented lock-up from a 380–415 V three-phase 16 A socket. Reviewers mention a solid stand, two rotary controls they can turn with gloves on, and heat without the fumes of a propane blower. Every review repeats that it will not run from a normal 13 A plug, and one says it needs clear space in front so the airflow can throw the heat. The listing states a 5–75 °C thermostat, automatic overheat protection, a carry handle and a claimed 100 m³ coverage, but it does not print the lower of the two heat settings, a fan-only wattage, a cable length or an IP code. The metal legs arrive unfitted; those three reviews call the fitting straightforward, and none describes a breakdown. At 9.05 kg it is the heaviest unit here, though the same reviewers still call it movable, and the shelf price is £112.10. Three five-star reviews are the only written UK comments in this comparison, which is too small a set to read as a long-term reliability record.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A workshop, workplace or lock-up that already has a 380–415 V 16 A three-phase socket, where you want the only listing in this set with written UK reviews.
Less suitable: A garage with only 13 A sockets, a damp space, or a buyer who needs a printed IP code, a stated lower wattage, or a larger review sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Will this Bimson heater run from a normal UK plug?
No. The listing says it needs a 380–415 V three-phase 16 A socket and is not compatible with a standard 3-pin 240 V household socket.
Does the BP-EC5 have a thermostat?
Yes. The spec fields give 5 °C to 75 °C, and the bullets also claim automatic overheat protection.
What do the UK reviews say about setup?
All three reviews say the legs arrive unfitted and are straightforward to attach. None of them describes a fault.
The DAHTEC BGP1506-05 is listed at £58.00 as a 5,000 W fan heater that needs 400 V three-phase power and will not run from a 220–240 V household socket. The printed steps are 50 W fan only, 3,300 W and 5,000 W, with a thermostat from 5 °C to 85 °C and overheat protection. It weighs 4.32 kg, with a steel housing and a carry handle, and the bullets tell you not to cover it and not to use it in damp areas. The amazon.co.uk line is 3.5 from three reviews, and there is no review text on the listing, so heat, noise and faults are not described by buyers. The title calls the heater ceramic while the element field says coil, and no IP code or cable length is printed. Coverage is claimed as 516 sq ft, an area figure, not a volume you can set beside a cubic-metre claim.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A dry workshop that already has 400 V three-phase power, where a printed middle heat step and a £58.00 price matter more than review text.
Less suitable: A damp garage or greenhouse, a household 13 A socket, or anyone who wants written UK reviews before they buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Can this DAHTEC 5 kW heater use a household socket?
No. The bullets say it needs a 380–400 V three-phase supply and is not suitable for a 220–240 V household socket.
What heat settings does the yellow DAHTEC list?
50 W fan only, 3,300 W, and 5,000 W, with a stepless thermostat. The spec fields print 5 °C to 85 °C.
Is the yellow 5 kW model marked for damp rooms?
No IP code is printed. The bullets say not to use it in damp areas and not to cover it.
The silver DAHTEC IFHO2-50H uses the same model number as the black listing, with the same 40 W, 2,500 W and 5,000 W steps, IP24 mark, 1.60 m cable and 793 m³/h airflow claim, at £101.15. This listing alone prints 12.5 A and a maximum temperature setting of 25 °C, while a heat-output field on the page still says 70 °C. That 12.5 A figure is 5,000 W divided by 400 V, which is not the current per phase an electrician would use for a balanced three-phase load. The indoor field remains indoor, and the coil note of about 5–10 minutes matches the black page. No review line is on the listing. You are looking at a colour of the same heater, not a second design, and it still will not run from a household socket.
Pros
Cons
Best for: The same dry workshop job as the black IFHO2 if you want the lower of the two colour prices and you have checked the 25 °C line against the booklet in the box.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a clear thermostat range, written reviews, or a domestic 13 A plug.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the silver IFHO2 a different heater from the black one?
The model number is the same, IFHO2-50H, and the bullets match. This listing alone prints 12.5 A and a maximum temperature setting of 25 °C.
Will the silver 5 kW heater run on a 13 A plug?
No. The bullets say it cannot be used on a 220–240 V household socket and needs 380–400 V three-phase power.
What protection and cable does the silver listing state?
IP24, overheat protection, a heat-insulated handle, non-slip feet, and a 1.60 m cable. No review line is on the listing.
The black DAHTEC IFHO2-50H is listed at £119.00 for a 400 V three-phase fan heater with steps of 40 W, 2,500 W and 5,000 W. The same page states IP24, a 1.60 m cable, a heat-insulated carry handle, non-slip feet and an airflow claim of up to 793 m³/h. The maker says the coil element warms more slowly than ceramic and usually takes around 5–10 minutes to a comparable effect. The usage field still says indoor, so the IP24 line is not a licence for a bathroom or for rain. There is no customer-review line and no review text on the listing. The thermostat is called adjustable, but this colour does not print the setpoint range, and the shelf price is the highest of the four.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A workshop buyer who wants IP24 and a stated cable length on the listing, and who can accept a purchase with no UK reviews.
Less suitable: A damp greenhouse, a 13 A garage, or anyone who wants written reviews or the lower price of the yellow DAHTEC.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the black IFHO2 use a 13 A plug?
No. The listing says it needs 380–400 V three-phase power and cannot run on a 220–240 V household socket.
What ingress protection does the black listing state?
IP24. The indoor/outdoor field still says indoor, and the same model is also sold in silver.
How long is the cable on the black IFHO2?
1.60 m. The bullets also claim an airflow of up to 793 m³/h and a coil element that warms more slowly than ceramic.
Four amazon.co.uk 5 kW fan-heater listings were scored from the written UK review text and the star line, from whether the page prints the workshop fields, and from the shelf price against those fields. This is not a lab test. A coverage claim is not scored as a measured room, and a listing amp is not scored as phase current. The four weights below sum to 100.
Review evidence
30%Written UK review text comes first, then the star line, with a hard deduction when fewer than 20 reviews sit behind it. A star line with no comments scores below written reviews. No review line scores lower still.
Stated workshop fields
35%Credit a printed 380–415 V or 400 V three-phase supply, a rejection of the 13 A socket, heat steps in watts, fan-only, a thermostat range, overheat protection, an IP code, and cable length. A middle step around 2,500–3,300 W is credited. An unpublished second setting is not.
Listing consistency
20%Deduct a ceramic title against a coil element, a 25 °C maximum on one colour only beside a higher heat-output field, an indoor usage field next to IP24, and unfitted legs. Listing amps are not credited as phase current. A coverage or airflow claim is not a tested room.
Price against stated fields
15%Price-performance is the shelf price against the fields the listing actually prints, not the lowest price alone.
Choose on the supply first, then on whether a middle heat step is printed, then on IP, the thermostat range, and whether any UK review text exists. Prices below are the shelf figures in this set on 19 October 2026.
A 5 kW fan heater blows air over an element rated at about 5,000 W. In the UK the four listings kept on this page are 400 V three-phase workshop tools. They are not household heaters for a BS 1363 13 A plug. At 230 V, 5 kW is about 21.7 A. Electrical Safety First puts a fan heater at up to 3,000 W, and 13 A times 230 V is 2,990 W.
At 230 V, 5 kW is about 21.7 A. A BS 1363 13 A socket is about 2,990 W. Every listing here rejects a 220–240 V household socket. If that is the only outlet, this is the wrong category.
The Bimson claims 100 m³. The DAHTEC pages claim 516 sq ft, about 48 m², not 48 m³. Neither figure was tested here, and they are not the same size of room.
13.16 A and 12.5 A match 5,000 divided by 380 and 5,000 divided by 400. A balanced 5 kW load at 400 V is about 7.2 A per phase. Do not hand the listing amp to an electrician as the design current.
Supply is the first check, because a 5 kW element will not run from a UK 13 A socket. At 230 V, 5 kW is about 21.7 A. Electrical Safety First puts a fan heater at up to 3,000 W, and 13 A times 230 V is 2,990 W. All four listings here need 380–415 V or 400 V three-phase and say they are not for a 220–240 V household socket. The usual connector for this class is a red five-pin BS EN 60309 plug. These pages do not all name that plug.
Water and the thermostat are separate from the wattage. IP24 is printed on both IFHO2-50H colours, with a 1.60 m cable. The indoor usage field on those pages still says indoor, so IP24 is not a bathroom or rain rating. The yellow DAHTEC prints no IP code and says not to use it in damp areas. The Bimson prints no IP code. A stated thermostat range is 5–75 °C on the Bimson and 5–85 °C on the yellow DAHTEC. The black IFHO2 calls the thermostat adjustable and does not print the range.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You already have a 380–415 V 16 A three-phase socket and you want the only listing in this set with written UK reviews. The Bimson Power BP-EC5 at about £112.10 states a 5–75 °C thermostat and overheat protection. The lower wattage is not printed, the legs arrive unfitted, and there are only three reviews.
You have 400 V three-phase in a dry workshop, and a printed middle step matters more than review text. The DAHTEC BGP1506-05 at about £58.00 lists 50 W, 3,300 W and 5,000 W. The title says ceramic and the element field says coil, and there is no IP code.
You want IP24 and a stated cable length, and you can accept a listing with no UK reviews. The silver DAHTEC IFHO2-50H at about £101.15 prints 40 W, 2,500 W and 5,000 W and a 1.60 m cable. This colour also prints a 25 °C maximum beside a 70 °C heat-output field, so check the booklet.
The top pick is the Bimson Power BP-EC5 at about £112.10. It has the highest score in this set: 5.0 from three written UK reviews, a thermostat stated as 5–75 °C, and a 380–415 V 16 A three-phase socket. The lower wattage is not printed, there is no IP code, the legs arrive unfitted, and three reviews are a small sample. On 19 October 2026 the live amazon.co.uk offer at that price was used stock. The best value is the DAHTEC BGP1506-05 at about £58.00, with printed steps of 50 W, 3,300 W and 5,000 W. A 3.5 from three reviews with no comment text, a ceramic title against a coil, and no IP code keep it below the Bimson score. The two IFHO2-50H colours state IP24 and a 1.60 m cable, and neither has a review line. None of these scores is a lab test.
Bimson Power BP-EC5
Highest score: 5.0 from three written UK reviews, a 5–75 °C thermostat, and a stated 380–415 V 16 A socket, at about £112.10.
DAHTEC BGP1506-05
About £58.00 with printed 50 W, 3,300 W and 5,000 W steps, below the Bimson score because the reviews have no text and the title clashes with the coil.
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 for the supply limit, clearance, marking, and the unit rate. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in this set, checked 19 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk with the 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 the UK listing lines in this set. We did not run a lab test.
