TyrnixHeating the room you are in, not the whole house
On a cold evening most of a home sits empty while one room is in use. A portable heater lets you warm that room on its own. Here is how to choose one, place it and use it safely.
10 September 2026
When it makes sense
Warming one room can be sensible when you spend long stretches in it, such as a study during the working day or a living room in the evening, while the rest of the home stays cool. Whether it costs less than running your central heating depends on your heating system and your energy prices, so compare your own figures rather than relying on a rule of thumb.
Match the heater to the room
| Room | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom or study, up to about 20 m² | Tower ceramic heater | Oscillates to spread warmth, 12-hour timer, 800 W or 2000 W |
| Living room, up to about 30 m² | Electric fireplace heater | 1800 W with a thermostat from 17 to 27 °C, and a flame effect |
| Large or open-plan space | Either, near where you sit | One portable heater will not warm a big open room evenly |
Room sizes are the manufacturers’ guide figures. High ceilings, single glazing and draughts all make a room need more heat than its floor area suggests.
Where to put it
- On a flat, firm floor, not on a deep rug, a bed or a chair.
- With at least a metre of clear space in front, away from curtains, bedding and furniture.
- Out of walkways, with the cable along the wall rather than under a rug.
- Near where you actually sit, so the warmth reaches you before it reaches the ceiling.
Use the controls
Let the heater warm the room on its higher setting, then drop down once it is comfortable. The fireplace heater’s thermostat does this for you, switching off at the temperature you set and back on as the room cools. On the tower heater, the lower 800 W setting, the ECO mode and the timer do the same job; set the timer so it switches itself off when you are likely to have left the room.
Keep the warmth in
- Close the door of the room you are heating.
- Draw the curtains as it gets dark.
- Block draughts under doors, and put a rug down on a bare floor.
The safety rules that matter most
- Plug the heater directly into a wall socket, never an extension lead or adapter.
- Never cover it, and never dry clothes on or over it.
- Turn it off when you leave the room or go to sleep, unless the timer is set.
- Do not use it in a bathroom or anywhere it could get wet.
- Check the cable and plug now and then, and stop using a heater with a damaged cable.
Tip-over and overheat cut-outs are there as a backup, not as a reason to place a heater carelessly. The manual supplied with each heater has the full safety instructions and always takes priority.
See both heaters side by side in the warm range: the tower at €69.99 and the fireplace at €79.99, delivered free and paid in card at the checkout or cash at the door.