If you’ve got a heat pump, there’s a good chance you’ve still run into one specific problem: a room it doesn’t quite reach well, or a space you only use occasionally, a garden office, a converted loft, or a conservatory that doesn’t really justify running the whole system just to warm it up for a couple of hours. This is where a good electric heater earns its place. Used the right way, it’s a sensible top-up tool rather than a heat pump replacement. Worth saying upfront, though: electric resistance heating costs meaningfully more per kWh of heat delivered than a heat pump, so how you use one matters as much as which one you buy.
Why supplement rather than replace?
Heat pumps are far more efficient than electric heaters at warming a whole home continuously; that’s the whole point of them. But that efficiency advantage doesn’t automatically apply to short, occasional bursts of heat in a single room. Extending pipework or running a whole heating zone for a room you use twice a week isn’t always worth the cost or disruption. For low-frequency, short-duration heating, a plug-in electric heater can be more practical and sometimes cheaper overall than either extending your heat pump system or leaving the space cold.
The main heater types
Infrared panel heaters heat objects and people directly rather than warming the air first, which makes them well suited to small, well-insulated rooms. They run silently, with no fan noise.
Oil-filled radiators retain heat well after they’ve been switched off, thanks to the thermal mass of the oil inside. They’re silent and good for slow, steady background warmth, though they take longer to reach full temperature than a fan heater.
Smart panel and convector heaters add app control, scheduling, and, in some models, geofencing, which can pre-warm a space before you arrive rather than leaving it running all day. More on smart heating.
Ceramic and fan heaters heat a room fastest of the four, using a fan to circulate warm air. They’re the least efficient option for sustained use and tend to be the noisiest.
Comparison table
Electric heater types for supplementary heating — August 2026
| Heater type | How it heats | Typical price | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infrared panel (e.g. Herschel Comfort) | Heats objects/people directly via infrared | ~£300–£600 | Small, well-insulated, regularly-used rooms | Less effective in larger or draughty spaces |
| Oil-filled radiator (e.g. VonHaus 11-Fin) | Heats oil reservoir, radiates slowly | ~£60–£150 | Occasional-use rooms, silent background heat | Slower to warm up than fan/ceramic types |
| Smart Wi-Fi panel heater (e.g. AENO Premium Eco, Devola Smart) | Convection + app-controlled scheduling | ~£100–£250 | Garden offices, pre-warming before arrival | Running cost still at resistance-heating rates |
| Ceramic/fan heater (e.g. De’Longhi, Dreo) | Fast convection heat via fan | ~£40–£120 | Quick bursts in conservatories or draughty rooms | Least efficient for sustained/all-day use, can be noisy |
Prices and “efficiency %” claims vary by retailer and model year — check the current listing before relying on exact figures, especially for infrared panels, where manufacturer efficiency claims are common marketing language.
Which type suits which use case?
Which heater type suits which use case
| Space / scenario | Recommended type | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Garden office or outbuilding | Smart Wi-Fi panel heater | Scheduling or geofencing means it’s warm on arrival rather than running unattended all day. |
| Occasional spare room | Oil-filled radiator | Slow, silent background heat suits infrequent, unplanned use. |
| Small, well-insulated room used regularly | Infrared panel | This is the scenario where infrared’s efficiency advantage is most real. |
| Conservatory needing fast heat | Ceramic or fan heater | Quick bursts of heat, accepting the higher running cost for short use. |
Garden office or outbuilding — a smart panel heater with scheduling or geofencing means the space is warm by the time you get there, rather than running unattended all day.
Occasional spare room — an oil-filled radiator suits infrequent, unplanned use well, since slow background heat doesn’t need much forward planning.
Small, well-insulated room used regularly — a home office alcove or box room is where infrared’s efficiency advantage is most real, since the room’s size and insulation play to its strengths.
Conservatory needing fast heat — a ceramic or fan heater makes sense for short bursts, accepting the higher running cost in exchange for speed.
Running cost reality check
Even the most efficient electric heater is still resistance heating, and its running cost per kWh of heat delivered is higher than a heat pump’s. These heaters make the most sense for low-frequency, small-space use and not as a way to reduce reliance on your main heat pump system for regular whole-room heating. If a room needs heating every day for hours at a time, it’s usually worth looking at extending your heat pump system properly rather than leaning on an electric heater long-term.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper to run an electric heater or extend my heat pump system to a new room?
It depends on how often and for how long the space is used. For daily, sustained heating, extending your heat pump system is usually the more cost-effective option long-term. For occasional or short-duration use, a standalone electric heater can work out cheaper overall once you factor in the cost of extending pipework.
Are infrared heaters really more efficient than other electric heaters?
All electric resistance heaters convert electricity to heat at close to the same rate, so the difference isn’t really about wasted electricity — it’s about how effectively that heat reaches you. Infrared heats you and your surroundings directly rather than heating the air first, which can mean less heat lost before it does its job, particularly in a well-insulated, smaller room.
Can I run one of these on the same off-peak heat pump tariff as my main system?
In most cases, yes — heat pump-friendly tariffs generally apply to your whole household’s electricity use, not just the heat pump circuit, though it’s worth checking the specific tariff’s terms, since a few require the heat pump to be the primary heating source metered separately.
Do smart electric heaters need a hub, or do they connect directly to Wi-Fi?
Most modern smart heaters connect directly to your home Wi-Fi via an app, without needing a separate smart home hub. Always check the specific model’s requirements though, as this can vary.
Final thoughts
The right electric heater for you comes down to how often the space gets used, not just which model has the best reviews. A heater running for a couple of hours a week in a spare room is a completely different calculation from one you’d want on a daily basis and worth resisting the temptation to let a “good deal” push you toward daily use it wasn’t really suited for. Used sparingly, in the right room, a good electric heater is a genuinely sensible complement to a heat pump…not a workaround for one.