Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

Radiant heater running cost

Updated: 21 October 2026

A title that says cheap to run is usually a 400 W switch, not a discount on the unit rate. Radiant heater running cost is the kilowatts you will leave on, multiplied by your price per kWh. Fan, quartz, halogen and carbon at the same watts cost the same per hour. The settings are on the [radiant heater comparison](/hub/portable-heaters/radiant-heater). Peter F. used the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, the Centre for Sustainable Energy, and energy.org.uk. This is not a quote from your bill. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

A title that says cheap to run is usually a 400 W switch, not a discount on the unit rate. Radiant heater running cost is the kilowatts you will leave on, multiplied by your price per kWh.

Our top picks

Warmlite Warmlite WL42013 carbon tower

Best overall

Warmlite Warmlite WL42013 carbon tower
8.8/10about £56.46
View offer
Daewoo Daewoo HEA1893 ceramic bar

Alternative

Daewoo Daewoo HEA1893 ceramic bar
8.6/10about £24.49
View offer
Warmlite Warmlite WL42005 3-bar halogen

Alternative

Warmlite Warmlite WL42005 3-bar halogen
8.2/10about £21.45
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.The rate to use this quarter
  2. 2.Pence for the settings in this set
  3. 3.What the sum does not prove
  4. 4.Figures that do not belong in the hour

The rate to use this quarter

Ofgem's average unit rate for electricity paid by Direct Debit, from 1 October to 31 December 2026, is 26.32p per kWh. The standing charge is 54.83p a day, and it does not belong inside a pence-per-hour figure. Ofgem says there is no VAT on electricity in this window. Divide the watts by 1,000, then multiply by 26.32. A 400 W bar is about 10.5p for one hour. Your tariff may not be 26.32p. Which? put prepayment electricity on the same cap at 25.52p per kWh. Northern Ireland is outside this Great Britain cap. Prefer Ofgem, then use the number on your bill. Which wattage to buy is the buying guide.

Pence for the settings in this set

One hour at 26.32p per kWh is about 10.5p at 400 W, 13.2p at 500 W, 15.8p at 600 W, 21.1p at 800 W, 26.3p at 1,000 W and 31.6p at 1,200 W. That is arithmetic, not a smart-meter line. 400 W is one bar on the Warmlite three-bar, the Geepas, the Status title and the Staywarm. 500 W is the carbon tower's low setting. 600 W is the Daewoo's. The SONBION lists 800 W and two settings, and a lower watt is not stated. At a rounded 26p, the Centre for Sustainable Energy's 1.2 kW example is about 33p. At 26.32p that hour is about 31.6p. Do not multiply the Status table's 3,000 W. The stated 6.67 A at 240 V is about 1,600 W, which matches neither printed power.
Warmlite Warmlite WL42013 carbon tower

Testsieger

Warmlite Warmlite WL42013 carbon tower
8.8/10about £56.46
View offer

What the sum does not prove

energy.org.uk is blunt: the same wattage uses the same electricity per hour. A radiant heater is not cheaper per hour than a fan heater at 800 W. You might be comfortable on 400 W instead of 800 W because the beam hits your legs. That lower setting is the saving. The element type is not a discount. An hour at 800 W is still about 0.8 kWh. Two hours at 400 W is about 21p, the same as one hour at 800 W. The three-bar against the carbon tower is halogen versus carbon.

Figures that do not belong in the hour

A 95 per cent conversion line on the SONBION is not a unit rate. Coverage of 1000 cm, or 270 with no unit, does not change the draw. Add the 54.83p standing charge once a day if you are sketching a bill. The lowest stated hour here is 400 W, about 10.5p. Full power on the three-bar or the Daewoo is about 31.6p. Until the Status plate is checked, about 79p an hour is not a running cost for that heater.

Common questions

What does 400 W cost for an hour?
At 26.32p per kWh, 400 W is 0.4 times 26.32, about 10.5p for one hour. That is the low setting on the Warmlite three-bar, the Geepas, the Status title and the Staywarm. It is one bar aimed at a person. It excludes the 54.83p daily standing charge.
What does 800 W cost, and 1,200 W?
800 W is 0.8 times 26.32, about 21.1p an hour. 1,200 W is 1.2 times 26.32, about 31.6p an hour. The 1,200 W settings in this file are the Warmlite three-bar on full and the Daewoo on full. Your own unit rate replaces 26.32p if the bill shows a different number.
Is a radiant heater cheaper per hour than a fan heater at the same watts?
No. energy.org.uk treats equal wattage as equal hourly electricity. An 800 W radiant bar and an 800 W fan heater both use about 0.8 kWh in an hour. The radiant heater can be more comfortable at a lower setting because the beam hits you. The saving is the lower setting, not a cheaper kind of watt.
Does the standing charge belong in the hourly figure?
No. Ofgem's 54.83p a day is charged for the day, not for each hour the bar is on. Leave it out of the 10.5p or 31.6p. If you are adding up a day, include it once. Splitting it into the hourly cost makes a short blast look dearer than the unit rate.
Why do older pages still say about 36p for 1,200 W?
They are using a higher unit rate than this quarter's 26.32p. At 30p per kWh, 1.2 kW is 36p. The Centre for Sustainable Energy's example at a rounded 26p is about 33p for 1.2 kW. At 26.32p the hour is about 31.6p. Use the current rate, not a screenshot from a previous cap.
The Status listing says 3,000 W. What do I multiply?
Do not multiply 3,000 W. The title says 400 W and 800 W. The current figure of 6.67 A at 240 V is about 1,600 W. Those three numbers disagree. Check the plate on the unit. Until then, about 79p an hour is not a running cost for this heater.
If I only feel the heat in the beam, am I using fewer units?
You use the units of the setting, not the units of how warm the hallway feels. An hour at 800 W is still about 0.8 kWh. You use fewer units if you switch to 400 W or switch off sooner. Feeling heat quickly can help you do that. It does not halve the draw of the setting you left on. The SONBION states 800 W and two settings, without a lower watt printed.

Related pages

How to use a radiant heater

Radiant heater

Best radiant heater UK: the top pick and the skips

Radiant heater buying guide: element, watts, safety

Halogen vs carbon infrared heater: glare and watts

Sources

Public UK sources for clearance, the hourly arithmetic, and the room-heater standard. Listing prices, stars, and review counts are from amazon.co.uk.

  1. Electrical Safety First — Portable heaters (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  2. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service — Heaters (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  3. Norfolk County Council — Portable heaters (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  4. GOV.UK — Fire safety in the winter (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  5. Ofgem — Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  6. Centre for Sustainable Energy — Room heaters (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  7. energy.org.uk — Electric heaters compared (retrieved 21 October 2026)
  8. BSI — BS EN 60335-2-30, room heaters (retrieved 21 October 2026)