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Which Space Heater Brand Wins?
We compared 12 space heater options head to head. Dreo Tower came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Winner
Dreo Tower
Price shown in test: $90
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Runner-up
Dyson
Price shown in test: $440
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Budget pick
Lasko
Price shown in test: $47
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The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Scroll sideways to see all measurements. Products are listed in the order they finished.
| Product | Weight | Made In | Heat Settings | Noise Low | Noise High | Thermostat Noise | Spot Heating Center Increase | Spot Heating Total Increase | Oscillating Total Increase | Tip Over Test | Overheat Test | Power Draw Low | Power Draw High | Overall Ranking | Features | Wattage Claim | Claims | Noise Low High | Wattage | Noise | Spot Heating Increase | Oscillating Spot Heating | Spot Heating Final Placement | Spot Heating Non Osc | Spot Heating Osc | Fuel Type | Test Setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Dreo Tower (DREO Tower)$90 | 6.9 lb | Vietnam | three heat settings plus eco mode, adjustable 41 to 95F | 37.7 dB (low heat, about the same as Dreo Small) | 48 dB (high heat) | 53.8 dB | 73.6F to 90.3F center thermometer after 5 minutes | 18.1F combined across three thermometers (moved into the lead at that point, later passed by Real Smart at 20.9F) | 7.7F combined (2nd place oscillating per closing recap) | powered off heating element just over 1 second after tip-over, alarm sounded, fan continued to cool, did not melt plastic | powered down heating element at 24 seconds, peak temperature 190F, best (safest) result of all heaters tested | 900 W | no energy spike, peaked at 1648 W then settled at 1536 W (highest sustained wattage of all heaters on high heat) | average finish of 1.9, best overall, named winner | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 2Dyson$440 | 11.69 lb (heaviest of all heaters tested) | Malaysia | not tested | 47 dB (lowest fan speed) | 55 dB (highest fan speed) | not tested | not tested | 15.5F combined non-oscillating; only 6.5F combined in oscillating mode (too much heat directed left/right of the thermometers) | not tested | performed very well, powered down quickly, no damage to plastic (no exact time given in transcript) | did not power down until 5 minutes 7 seconds when covered in pillowcase, slowest of all heaters, but peak temperature only 320F | 1265 W (most heat produced on low heat of any unit) | no energy spike, settled at 1518 W (2nd highest sustained wattage on high heat) | average finish of 3.7, runner-up | air multiplier technology, doubles as cooling fan and air purifier, oscillates up to 350 degrees, remote control, no thermostat clicking noise | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 3QQT$23 | 1.6 lb | China | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | center thermometer +1.2F to 71.4F after 5 minutes | not tested | not tested | powered down immediately, did not melt plastic | began humming at about 53 seconds, powered down at about 1 minute 15 seconds, fabric reached 356F before shutdown | 787 W | spiked to 1371 W then dropped to 1191 W at 30 seconds | not tested | not tested | 1200 W, two heat settings, no thermostat | overheat protection, tip-over protection, quiet claim under 30 dB | 53.9 dB on both low and high (fan speed does not change with heat setting); ambient room noise about 35 dB | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 4Amazon Basics$24 | 2.68 lb | China | not tested | 54 dB | 54.1 dB | 57.3 dB clicking | center thermometer +4.1F, no change to other two thermometers | not tested | not tested | powered down before heater face contacted plastic, no melt | powered down in close to 1 minute 20 seconds, fabric reached about 297F | 913 W | spiked to almost 2010 W (narrator notes this might trip a breaker), settled to about 1434 W after 30 seconds | not tested | not tested | not tested | tip-over protection, overheat protection, power indicator light | not tested | 1500 W high, 900 W low | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 5Aikoper$26 | 2.56 lb | China | not tested | not tested | not tested | 56.8 dB | not tested | not tested | not tested | powered down immediately but grill became extremely hot and melted plastic on contact | smoke visible, did not shut down promptly, finally powered down after 2 minutes 12 seconds at 437F, worst overheat result of the video | 743 W | spiked to 1762 W, settled to about 1494 W after 30 seconds | not tested | not tested | not tested | tip-over protection, overheat protection | not tested | 1500 W, low/medium/high plus fan-only mode, has a thermostat | 56.6 dB, loudest yet at that point (single fan speed for all heat settings) | center +1.5F, left +0.4F, right +0.2F | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 6GiveBest$26 | 2.13 lb | China | not tested | not tested | not tested | 62.9 dB, loudest thermostat yet | not tested | not tested | not tested | powered down immediately, did not melt plastic bag | powered down at close to 55 seconds, fabric reached 330F | 791 W | spiked to 1823 W, settled at 1472 W after 30 seconds | not tested | not tested | not tested | adjustable thermostat 41 to 95F, quiet claim under 45 dB, tip-over protection | not tested | 750 W and 1500 W heat settings | 57.7 dB, loudest yet at that point (single fan speed for high/low) | starting 71.2/71.2/71.1F; center +2.7F after 5 minutes, left and right totaled +0.3F | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 7JIBUFI$28 | 3.21 lb | China | not tested | not tested | not tested | 61 dB | starting 71.2/71.2/71.4F; center reached 87.6F (by far the most progress of any unit at that point), left/right each +0.4F | not tested | not tested | took about 1 second to power down after tip-over, sounded an alarm, fan continued running to cool, did not melt plastic bag | powered down at just under 1 minute 20 seconds, fabric reached 347F | 690 W | spiked to 1805 W, settled at 1461 W | not tested | 70 degree rotating/oscillating feature, remote control | not tested | not tested | not tested | up to 1500 W, three heat settings plus fan-only | 53.3 dB, quietest yet at that point (single fan speed) | not tested | starting 72/71.8/72F; combined increase of 8F across all three thermometers, best oscillating result of the video | 3rd place non-oscillating spot heating at 16.9F combined, per closing recap | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 8Black and Decker$32 | 2.75 lb | China | not tested | not tested | not tested | 59.4 dB | not tested | starting all three at 73.4F; total increase 14.7F, moved into 4th place behind Jabufi/JIBUFI at that point in the recap | not tested | powered down as soon as the bottom of the heater lifted off the table, did not melt plastic | fan did not power down but heating element did; peak 319F; narrator states test was ended at 2 minutes 56 seconds (exact heating-element shutdown time not stated separately) | 770 W | spiked to 1783 W, settled at 1467 W | not tested | not tested | not tested | overheat protection, tip-over shutoff | not tested | 750 W and 1500 W heat settings, plus fan-only | 57.8 dB, loudest yet at that point | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 9Dreo Small (DREO Small)$45 | just over 4 lb | Vietnam | not tested | 37.8 dB, quietest yet at that point | 43.7 dB | 51.5 dB, quietest thermostat yet at that point | starting 72.7/72.5/72.5F; center reached 85.8F after 5 minutes, left/right each +0.5F | not tested | 7.4F combined, 3rd place oscillating per closing recap | powered down heating element in about 1 second, sounded alarm, fan continued to cool, did not melt plastic | powered down heating element around the 1-minute mark, peak temperature 356F, alarm sounded at 1 minute 24 seconds | 989 W | peaked at 1832 W then dropped to 1490 W at 30 seconds | not tested | remote control, thermostat, 70 degree oscillation, modes: high/medium/low/eco/fan-only | not tested | not tested | not tested | up to 1500 W | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
| 10Lasko$47 | just under 4 lb | China | not tested | not tested | not tested | 58.4 dB | not tested | not tested | not tested | needed 1.3 seconds to power down, plastic survived without damage | quickest to power down of the electric heaters at 24 seconds, peak temperature 291F (3rd best safety result, behind Dreo Tower and Real Smart) | 868 W | spiked to 1878 W, settled at 1443 W | not tested | optional widespread oscillation, adjustable thermostat | not tested | overheat protection | not tested | 1500 W high, 900 W low | 52.6 dB, quieter than average (single fan speed) | not tested | not tested | not tested | starting 73.2/73.9/73.4F (short tower fan); center +8F after 5 minutes, no progress left or right | starting 73.2F all three; center +4F, left +0.2F, right +0.4F | not tested | not tested |
| 11Mr. Heater Little Buddy$60 | 5.75 lb | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | total temperature increase of 4.1F across all three test zones, weakest spot-heating result (no fan to move air) | not tested | not tested | propane flame maxed out the thermal imaging camera at well over 752F; heater was sitting in a bucket of water which extinguished the flame quickly after narrator says it 'created a major problem'; narrator concludes 'definitely not the safest space heater' | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | 3800 BTU, 5.6 hours run time at maximum heat on a 1 lb cylinder, tip-over protection, designed for indoor use | not tested | not tested | quietest space heater tested since it has no fan, around 35 dB | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | propane, unlike all other heaters tested which are electric | 45 degree angle, placed on floor to direct heat toward thermometers |
| 12Real Smart$100 | 8.32 lb | China | not tested | not tested | not tested | 52.7 dB | starting 74.8/74.8/74.1F; center reached 95.5F, most center-thermometer progress of any unit tested | 20.9F combined, best (1st place) spot-heating result of the video, moved into the lead | not tested | heating element continued running for just over 15 seconds once tipped face down, plastic did not melt | powered down at just under 12 seconds, peak temperature 212F, 2nd best (safest) overheat result behind Dreo Tower | 950 W | peaked at 1891 W, settled at 1516 W (3rd highest sustained wattage on high heat) | not tested | fireplace-style unit with full screen display and claimed realistic 3D flame | not tested | overheat protection, tip-over protection, quiet claim under 38 dB | not tested | four heat settings: 850 W, 1500 W, flame-only, heating-only | 48.3 dB on both low and high heat | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested | not tested |
How it was tested
- noise level in decibels on low and high heat, plus thermostat clicking noise
- spot heating / heat broadcast test (36 in distance, three thermometers 20 in apart, 5-minute run, non-oscillating and oscillating where applicable)
- tip-over safety test (power-down response time, plastic melt test)
- overheat protection test (heater covered in pillowcase/fabric or, for the propane unit, set in a bucket of water; time to shutdown and peak temperature)
- power draw in watts on low and high heat settings
- weight
“the Dreo tower space heater came out on top with an average finish of 1.9, which is extremely good”