How to use an electric infrared heater
Updated: October 2026
You already have a radiant heater, or the box is still in the hall, and you want it on without a fire, a taped safety pin, or an all-night glow. This is how to use an electric infrared heater: give it a metre, a hard surface if it has a tip-over pin, and pull the plug when you leave or when a smell does not fade. The listings behind that advice are in our [electric infrared heater comparison](/hub/portable-heaters/electric-infrared-heater), from amazon.co.uk on 15 October 2026. Products Compared did not test them in a lab. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Outdoor leads belong on the [electric infrared patio heater](/hub/portable-heaters/electric-infrared-heater/sub/electric-infrared-heater-patio) page.
You already have a radiant heater, or the box is still in the hall, and you want it on without a fire, a taped safety pin, or an all-night glow.
You already have a radiant heater, or the box is still in the hall, and you want it on without a fire, a taped safety pin, or an all-night glow. This is how to use an electric infrared heater: give it a metre, a hard surface if it has a tip-over pin, and pull the plug when you leave or when a smell does not fade. The listings behind that advice are in our electric infrared heater comparison, from amazon.co.uk on 15 October 2026. Products Compared did not test them in a lab. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Outdoor leads belong on the electric infrared patio heater page.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Tip-over | Surface | Watch for | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  Warmlite Warmlite WL42013 carbon tower | Not named | Floor tower | Light case, heat stays in a beam | 8.4 | about £56.46 | View offer |
| Alternative |  SONBION SONBION LSG13 800 W quartz | Named | Freestanding | Grille hot enough to ignite a blanket | 6.4 | about £39.95 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Status STATUS QH-800W quartz heater | Cut-off named | Hard surface or small table | Pin fails on carpet | 5.4 | about £14.99 | View offer |
On this page
Before you switch it on
Put the heater on a level surface, or on the wall fixings that arrived, and keep at least one metre from paper, furniture and curtains. Electrical Safety First and the London Fire Brigade both use that clearance. We did not measure a different gap on these models. Do not dry clothes or a blanket on the grille or the panel. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue say to unplug before you sleep or go out, and not to use an extension lead.
One SONBION review shows why the cover rule is not decorative: the grille was hot enough to ignite a blanket and singe cat fur, with the switches where a hand meets that heat. A towel on the 450 W Könighaus, which reviewers call very hot, is the same mistake. Check for a UK 3-pin plug and a lead that is not trapped under the stand. If you are still deciding whether a fan should warm the air instead, that comparison is the infrared heater vs fan heater page.
Carpet and the tip-over pin
A quartz bar that cuts out on carpet is often doing what the pin is for. The STATUS title names a tip-over cut-off. In the first 50 UK reviews the pin will not hold the heater on carpet, because it does not close, and the base is called flimsy. Those reviews say it runs on a hard surface or a small table. An Igenix manual for a different 400/800 W quartz heater warns against deep-pile carpet for this class of switch. That booklet is not the STATUS manual.
Do not tape the pin, wedge it or weigh the base so the switch stays closed. Defeating it leaves a glowing bar free to lie against the carpet. SONBION also states tip-over protection. SOUTHEATIC states it on two UK reviews, which is not enough to trust the switch. The Warmlite names overheat protection and does not name a tip-over switch, and reviews call the case light and wobbly, so there is no pin to rely on. If the only floor is carpet, move the bar onto a board.
Smell, glow, and how long
A short smell on the first heat can be residues burning off. Surya’s note for their own bars says to contact the retailer if it continues after a cool-down and a restart. That page is not these manuals. A smell that returns is not ordinary. UK reviews of the Byekalt and the 450 W Könighaus describe burning plastic, and one 450 W unit later flashed and smelt of burning after three months. STATUS reviews describe tubes that spark.
Unplug if the smell comes back, if you see sparks, or if the plug is hot. Do not leave a glowing bar on overnight. Electrical Safety First says not to run a portable heater overnight, and STATUS and SONBION tubes fail when the hours pile up. Let the case cool before you move it. The London Fire Brigade make that point because the grille stays hot after the glow drops.
When you stop and who you call
Stop for a hot socket, a sparking tube, a wet case, or a smell that returns after one cool-down. A damaged socket is an electrician’s visit. Do not open the housing to fit a tube. STATUS reviewers who looked for a replacement did not find an easy one. A wet patio case is the same stop.
Bathroom-zone wiring is the other stop. A new circuit, and work in a bathroom zone, is notifiable in England under Approved Document P. This page does not describe how to hard-wire a panel. If the listing has no IP figure, that check is in the electric infrared heater buying guide. One Byekalt UK review says a plug-in bathroom install is not allowed.
Common questions
How far from curtains and the sofa?
Keep at least one metre from paper, furniture and curtains. Electrical Safety First and the London Fire Brigade both state that clearance. Use it with these listings, because we did not measure a different gap. A sofa pulled closer is how fabric meets a hot grille. One SONBION review describes a blanket on the front. Cool the heater before you move it nearer.
Can I dry a towel on the panel or the bar?
No. Do not dry clothes, towels or bedding on the heater. Electrical Safety First and the London Fire Brigade both say so. One SONBION review describes a grille hot enough to ignite a blanket and singe cat fur. The 450 W Könighaus reviews call the panel very hot. A towel rail in that box is not a reason to drape the face of the panel.
Why does the quartz heater switch off on carpet?
On the STATUS, UK reviews say the safety pin will not close on carpet, so the cut-off opens. That is the switch working. The base is also described as flimsy. Use a hard surface or a small table. Do not tape or wedge the pin. If you cannot give it a hard board, this class of bar is the wrong heater for that floor.
Is a smell the first time normal?
A short smell on the first heat can be residues, and it should stop after a cool-down and one restart. A smell that returns is not that pattern. UK reviews of the 450 W Könighaus and the Byekalt describe burning plastic, and one 450 W unit later flashed and smelt of burning after three months. Unplug if the smell persists, if you see sparks, or if the plug is hot.
Can I leave it on overnight?
No. Electrical Safety First says not to run a portable heater overnight, and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue say to unplug before you sleep or go out. STATUS and SONBION reviews describe tubes that fail on longer spells. A panel is still a hot surface in an empty room. Use it while you are there, then pull the plug. An app timer is not a reason to leave the house with it live.
What do I do if the tube sparks or the plug is hot?
Unplug it and leave it off. A sparking tube, a bar that flashes and blackens, or a hot plug is a stop, not a lower setting. STATUS reviews describe sparking tubes, and reviewers did not find an easy spare. A wet patio case is the same stop. A damaged socket needs an electrician. Do not open the housing, and do not keep using the heater to see if it settles.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources for infrared heat, the plug, bathroom zones and clearance. Listing prices, stars and review counts are from amazon.co.uk on 15 October 2026.
- Energy Saving Trust — Infrared heating explained (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Ofgem — Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 2016 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Electrical Safety First — Portable heaters (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- London Fire Brigade — Portable heaters, gas fires and open fires (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- IET — Section 701, locations containing a bath or shower (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Approved Document P — Electrical safety in dwellings (retrieved 15 October 2026)
- Energy Institute — Electric heaters compared (retrieved 15 October 2026)