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Plug-in heater vs fan heater

Updated: 21 October 2026

A heater that plugs straight into the socket and a box that says 2 kW are not two sizes of the same thing. A plug-in heater vs fan heater decision is about where the heat has to land. Choose the 500 W plug-in when you want air on your hands from a high socket. Choose a cabled 1–2 kW fan heater when a small room, not just your sleeve, has to warm up. Both sides are in our [mini fan heater comparison](/hub/portable-heaters/mini-fan-heater). Listings and the Ofgem unit rate were read on 19 October 2026. No heater was metered. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

A heater that plugs straight into the socket and a box that says 2 kW are not two sizes of the same thing. A plug-in heater vs fan heater decision is about where the heat has to land.

Our top picks

DREO Dreo DR-HSH004 ceramic heater

Best overall

DREO Dreo DR-HSH004 ceramic heater
8.4/10about £62.71
View offer
Amazon Basics Amazon Basics 1800 W ceramic

Best value

Amazon Basics Amazon Basics 1800 W ceramic
7.9/10about £9.90
View offer
Russell Hobbs Russell Hobbs 500 W plug heater

Alternative

Russell Hobbs Russell Hobbs 500 W plug heater
7.0/10about £25.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Two different heaters
  2. 2.What an hour costs if it stays on
  3. 3.What each one will not do
  4. 4.Safety is not the same objection
  5. 5.Which to buy

Two different heaters

The plug-in side is the Russell Hobbs RHPH2001, 500 W, no lead, about 18 cm high, 4.0 from 6,510 reviews. Many returns were sockets that sat too low. A tip-over switch is not stated, and you cannot move it into the room. A cabled heater can: the Amazon Basics at 1,800 W and about £9.90, the Pro Breeze at about £29.95 with a claimed 900 W step, and the Dreo at 1,500 W and about £62.71. Shared checks are on the mini fan heater buying guide.

What an hour costs if it stays on

Ofgem’s Direct Debit average for 1 October to 31 December 2026 is 26.32p per kWh. If the element stays on, 500 W is about 13p an hour and 2,000 W is about 53p. The Dreo’s 1,500 W is about 39p. A thermostat changes the average only. The lower draw helps only when you do not then run the bigger heater as well.
DREO Dreo DR-HSH004 ceramic heater

Testsieger

DREO Dreo DR-HSH004 ceramic heater
8.4/10about £62.71
View offer

What each one will not do

The Russell Hobbs will not heat a bedroom the way a cabled fan heater can. It also fails a low socket. Dunelm states 20 cm below the socket. Reviewers cite more than 30 cm from the floor. If every socket is at the floor, buy a cabled model. A 2 kW heater will not be a small bill because it cost £9 to £15, and it will not be a bathroom heater. A 2 kW load is about 9 A at 230 V. If you are heating your feet, the heater for under a desk page is the next decision.

Safety is not the same objection

OPSS has reported BS 1363 plug-face failures on some 500 W plug-in fan heaters, including an Alpha unit (2403-0079) and an OnBuy unit (2212-0176) whose power exceeded the stated 500 W. None of those reports is the Russell Hobbs RHPH2001. Check the plug face, and do not use a cracked body. Serious CUQOO reviews describe sparking, a tripped consumer unit, and one explosion. Status reviews include smoke, sparks and a hot plug. The Warmlite WL44002 claims overheat protection and does not state a tilt switch. The Amazon Basics listing states a tip-over switch and says it is not for bathrooms. One buyer still reported a European plug.

Which to buy

Buy the Russell Hobbs RHPH2001 if the socket is high enough and the heat you want is beside you. If you cannot keep the clearance, buy a cabled heater with a stated tip-over switch: the Amazon Basics at about £9.90, after you check the plug, or the Dreo at about £62.71 if you want a remote. Skip the Warmlite WL44002 when a tilt switch matters. It is about £9.00 and does not state one. Neither side of this page is a 3 kW garage boost or overnight heat.

Common questions

Which will warm a small bedroom?
A cabled 1–2 kW fan heater, used while you are in the room, is the side that can move enough heat. The Russell Hobbs states 500 W and up to 10 square metres, and reviewers say a living room is too much. A very small, well-insulated box room may feel less cold beside the plug-in heater. Switch either heater off before you sleep.
Are plug-in heaters the recalled ones?
Some unbranded 500 W plug-in fan heaters have OPSS reports for plug-face failures, including units linked to Alpha and OnBuy. Those reports are not the Russell Hobbs RHPH2001. They are a reason to inspect the plug face, and a reason not to use a cracked no-name unit. They are not a recall notice for this listing.
Does the Russell Hobbs have a cable?
No. The RHPH2001 is a plug-in body, which is why socket height decides whether it fits. Dunelm states 20 cm of clearance below the socket, and amazon.co.uk reviewers cite more than 30 cm from the floor. If you need the heater in the middle of the room, you need a cabled model.
What if every socket is at the floor?
Buy the cabled fan heater. A plug-in body needs the socket itself to be high enough, and skirting sockets usually are not. Do not rest the Russell Hobbs on a box. The Amazon Basics at about £9.90 and the Dreo at about £62.71 both use a lead. Lead length on the Dreo is not stated, so check it will reach.
Is 1,500 W a middle option?
Yes. The Dreo DR-HSH004 states 1,500 W, about 39p an hour at the current cap rate if the element stays on, between 13p at 500 W and 53p at 2 kW, at about £62.71 with a claimed remote. It is still a cabled room heater, and still the wrong thing to leave on overnight. If you only need your feet warm, use the plug-in heater on a high socket, or a low cabled setting such as the Pro Breeze’s claimed 900 W.

Related pages

How to use a fan heater safely

Best mini fan heater UK

Mini fan heater

Mini fan heater buying guide: watts, plug, cut-out

Best heater for under a desk: your feet, not the room

Sources

Public UK sources for the plug, bathroom use, fire clearance, BS 1363 plug failures and the unit rate. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in this set.

  1. Electrical Safety First — Portable heaters (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. Electrical Safety First — Bathrooms (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue — Portable heater safety (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. Humberside Fire and Rescue — Winter electrical fire safety 2025 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. OPSS — Alpha plug-in fan heater 2403-0079 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. OPSS — Portable fan heater sold via OnBuy 2212-0176 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. BSI — BS EN 60335-2-30 room heaters (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  9. SELECT — BS 7671 section 701, bath or shower (retrieved 21 October 2026)