The Best Baseboard Heater
1. Cadet Manufacturing White 05534 120-Volt Baseboard Heater
Key Features
25 gauge steel
1000W
20 gauge junction box with ground – metal, and powder coated
UL listed baseboard heater
BTUS: 3415
Made in the USA
48 x 6 x 14 inches
One of the best electric baseboard heaters on the market is Cadet Manufacturing White 05534 120-Volt Baseboard Heater. It does not have a power cord and requires hardwiring, but installation is made easy thanks to the pre-punched knockouts set at 1-inch intervals and universal wiring available at either end. Its heating element is sheathed in steel and has aluminum fins. It also has nylon bushings for quiet operation, with no creaking to keep you awake at night. It has a sleek, modern look that blends well with any room and warms up quickly and evenly, producing a generous amount of heat for its size. One important thing to note is that this baseboard heater does not come with a thermostat – this needs to be bought separately.
Pros
Requires hardwiring, but quick and easy to install
High-temperature safety shutoff feature
Heats quickly
Durable
Cons
Thermostat has to be purchased separately
No on/off switch
Slight chemical smell when first used
Can’t be moved from one room to another
2. Cadet Manufacturing White 05532 120-Volt Baseboard Heater
Key Features
25 gauge steel
750W
20 gauge junction box with ground – metal, and powder coated
UL listed baseboard heater
Made in the USA
36 x 6 x 14 inches
If you’re looking for an efficient way to heat your room on a budget, then one of the best baseboard heaters for you is Cadet Manufacturing White 05532 120-Volt Baseboard Heater. It does not come with a power cord and can be wired in from either end. Pre-punched holes in the case make it easy to install and the steel-sheathed heating element features nylon bushings which cut down on noise and allow it to run almost silently – perfect if you are going to use it to heat a bedroom. It is safe to use and will shut off at high temperatures. Its modern look will suit any room and its tough powder-coated finish is resistant to nicks and scratches. This heater works quickly, leaving your room nice and toasty and representing great value for money!
Pros
Requires hardwiring, but installation is quick and easy
High-temperature safety shutoff feature
Warms the room quickly and efficiently
Resistant to scratches or nicks
Cons
You need to buy the thermostat separately
No on/off switch
Chemical smell when first used
Not portable – needs to be used in a fixed position
3. Fahrenheat FBE15002 Portable Baseboard Heater
Key Features
1500W
High-impact Lexan end panels
Built-in handles for portability
White exterior
Made in USA
45 x 6 x 7.5 inches
100% energy efficient
Fahrenheat FBE15002 Portable Baseboard Heater can easily be moved from room to room, as it doesn’t need to be hardwired and come with a power cord to plug into an outlet. Ideal for bedrooms, dens, and basements, these baseboard heaters are 100% energy efficient and feature high impact end panels. The built-in handles make them easy to move around and – at only 9 pounds – they are relatively lightweight too. The white exterior has a clean, modern look that will look good in whichever room you use it in and operation is almost silent.
Pros
Thermostat is built-in
Easy to move from room to room as needed
Lightweight
No installation required – just plug and play!
Low profile, unobtrusive design
Cons
No on/off switch – has to be unplugged
Can be slow to heat fully
Can be noisy
Strong smell when first used
Its length makes it unsuitable for some rooms
Edges are sharp before legs are fitted
4. Heat Wave 1,000 Watt Convector Baseboard Heater
Key Features
2 heat settings: low (500 watts) and high (1,000 watts)
Adjustable thermostat control
Designed to provide supplemental heat up to 400 square feet
25.2 x 8.7 x 5.2 inches
The best baseboard heater in terms of value, Heat Wave 1,000 Watt Convector Baseboard Heater has 2 heat settings and an adjustable thermostat, allowing you to get your room to the perfect temperature! If the heater happens to overheat, the thermal cut-off safety feature will shut it off- and if it tips over, the tip-over switch automatically cuts off the power. These safety features are good to have, particularly if you have young children or pets who may bump into the heater. It can keep spaces of up to 400 square feet nice and warm, meaning that it’s perfect for small rooms or for personal use. Although it’s advertised as a baseboard heater, this model can safely be used in an elevated position too, so it’s very versatile.
Pros
Thermal cut-off protection and tip-over switch
Very lightweight – only 5 pounds
Easy to move from room to room
Very quiet
Heats quickly
Even temperature
Cons
Can only heat a small area
Plastic components are fragile
Only disperses heat from the top, not the sides
5. Marley 2512NW 120V 2′ Baseboard Heater
Marley 2512NW 120V 2′ Baseboard Heater works by natural convection, with no blower or fan, and quickly heats the room to an even temperature. It has a large wiring compartment so it can be hardwired quickly and easily, plus it features dual knockouts and a built-in cable clamp. The heater’s overheat protection system gives you peace of mind by shutting off the unit if the air intake becomes blocked for any reason. This is only a small electric baseboard heater, so it is perfect for spaces like bathrooms, small workshops, or small home offices.
Pros
Energy efficient
Large wiring compartment with dual knockouts and built-in cable clamp
Overheat protection feature
Very quiet
Very lightweight – just 4.85 pounds
Can be installed on wall or directly on flooring
Durable powder coat finish
Cons
Can’t be moved from room to room
No thermostat
Only suitable for heating very small spaces
No pre-drilled holes for mounting
6. Fahrenheat PLF Liquid Filled Electric Hydronic Baseboard Heater
Key Features
Hydronic – liquid filled – design
1000W
8 x 3 x 46 inches
Energy efficient
Stays cool to the touch
UL-listed unit
Fahrenheat PLF Liquid Filled Electric Hydronic Baseboard Heater is ideal for use around children and animals. Thanks to the safety grille and hydronic design, it stays cool to the touch whilst still radiating warmth to heat the room. And because it’s so cool to the touch, it’s safe to install carpeting around it. Designed with energy efficiency in mind. This baseboard heater doesn’t keep cycling on and off. When a hydronic baseboard heater warms up, the liquid retains its heat for quite some time, cutting down on the amount of electricity you use. This makes hydronic heaters more popular with many people than standard baseboard heating. This unit is also very quiet and doesn’t make the popping noises that people complain about with other electric baseboard heaters. It will shut off if it overheats and also has a mechanism to cut off the power if it gets knocked over.
Pros
Very safe around children and pets
Can be mounted to any wall, or directly on wood or tile floor
Carpet can be installed around it
Durable
Overheat protection feature
Puts out plenty of heat
Very quiet
Cons
Hardwired so can’t be moved from room to room
Control dials can be stiff
Installation can be time-consuming
Numbers on control dials may wear off
Electrical connection knock-outs may be hard to remove
7. Lasko 5622 Low Profile Silent Room Baseboard Heater
Key Features
Hydronic design
Digital display with thermostat and timer
1500W
39.7 x 5.4 x 9 inches
Thermostat
Lasko 5622 Low Profile Silent Room Baseboard Heater will blend easily into any room, warming it slowly but surely using convection heat. This unit has lots of great features, including an auto-off timer (1 to 8 hours) and a thermostat that can be adjusted from 60 to 85 degrees F, so can heat the room to the temperature you want, when you want. Unlike some of the other baseboard heaters in our review, this unit is not hardwired so it’s perfectly portable. It’s also reasonably lightweight and has carry handles, so moving it around your home is a breeze. An automatic overheat and tip-over safety mechanism means that you can use this heater with complete confidence, and it runs nice and quietly, circulating the warm air via convention instead of with a fan.
Pros
Overheat and tip-over safety mechanisms
Auto-off timer
Carry handles for portability
Heats evenly and radiates from both sides
Runs quietly
Works well in larger spaces
Cons
Can take a while to fully warm a room
Setting the unit can be complicated
Red light by the controls can be annoying at night
Can get hot to the touch on top
8. Comfort Zone Thermal Digital Baseboard Heater
Key Features
Will heat up to 1,000 square feet
Built-in adjustable digital thermostat
2 heat settings – 1,500 watts (high heat) and 750 watts (low heat)
Energy-efficient heating element
28.5 x 5.5 x 9 inches
1-year limited manufacturer’s warranty
A built-in, adjustable digital thermostat and two heat settings make it easy to warm your room just the way you like it with Comfort Zone Thermal Digital Baseboard Heater. It has good safety features, including a tip-over mechanism to stop it working if it’s knocked over, automatic shut off if it overheats and cool-touch housing, making it safe to use around children and pets. At under 9 pounds, this baseboard heater is reasonably lightweight and easy to move from room to room and the 6-foot cord makes it easy to place it in the best spot in your room. It also has a sleek, polished look that complements your decor.
Pros
Works quietly
Includes a timer
Compact size so fits in most rooms
Long 6′ cord
Heats up quickly
Lightweight enough to move around
Cons
Cannot be used on carpets or rugs
Temperature control can be confusing
No carry handle
9. King Electric KP1215-ECO Dual-Wattage Baseboard Heater
Key Features
Dual Wattage 750/1500W Element
Portable
60 x 5 x 7 inches
UL listed baseboard heater
1-year warranty
ECO-indicating lights
The best baseboard heater in the premium category is the King Electric KP1215-ECO Portable Baseboard Heater with its dual wattage element. It comes with a 6-foot power cord so you can move it around your home as needed and pick the perfect position to place it in your room. At 12 pounds it’s relatively lightweight for portability, and a convenient carry handle on the back makes it even easier to move around. This baseboard heater uses EcoStat technology, which means that it will automatically use the lowest amount of wattage it needs to warm up your room. This is a great feature, designed to save you money and cut down on energy consumption. The EcoStat feature also stops the temperature of the room from fluctuating too widely. It does this by heating a cold room rapidly, using full power. Once the room is warm enough, it then drops to the lower wattage to maintain a consistently comfortable temperature.
Pros
EcoStat feature, saving money and energy
Generous 6-foot power cord
Sleek design
Easy to move around your home
Safety tip-over switch
Safety cutout if heater becomes too hot
Cons
Slow to warm up
No digital display to tell you the exact temperature the heater is running at
Indicator light can be annoying at night time
May produce a chemical odor when first used
Features To Consider With Baseboard Heaters
Cleaning
Electric baseboard heaters can easily become clogged up with everything from dust to pet hair, so it is important to make sure you can clean them properly. A dirty baseboard heater may become unsafe and will also operate less efficiently - costing more to run and sometimes failing to heat the room effectively. To clean a baseboard heater, make sure you first shut off the power and let the heating element cool down completely. Once cool, you can remove any debris you can see and use a handheld vacuum cleaner with a soft brush to clean inside the heater (best space heaters).
Installation
There are two main kinds of electric baseboard heaters - those that need to be hardwired into an electrical circuit and those that have their own power cord that you simply plug into an outlet. If you are not comfortable with hardwiring an electric baseboard heater, you may need to hire an electrician to do it for you, so the extra cost of that is something to consider. That being said, an experienced electrician should be able to install baseboard heating very quickly. Something else to think about with a hardwired heater is the fact that it will need to stay in a fixed position - you won't easily be able to move it to another room. If you are looking for a more portable option - a heater that you can move around your home as needed - then you need to look for baseboard heaters that you can simply plug in. These don't require any installation at all and are ready for use. They often have other features that make them more suitable for moving around - they tend to be lighter in weight, for example, and will often come with a convenient carry handle.
Size
When it comes to baseboard heaters, size is very important. First, you need to make sure that the heater is adequate for the size of your room. The specifications of your baseboard heater will often state the square footage for which the heater is suitable. The only problem with baseboard heating is that it can take up a fair bit of wall space. The more heat you need, the longer the unit will need to be. This is something to take into account when you think about what room you will be using it in. Something else to consider is that electric baseboard heaters need a minimum of a foot of clearance in front of them to work safely and efficiently. This means that the heater can't be too close to drapes, beds, or other furniture or objects.
Minimum/Maximum Temperature
Most electric baseboard heaters are controlled by a thermostat or dial on the heater itself, although some baseboard heaters don't come with a thermostat and you would need to buy it separately. Sometimes using a separate, wall-mounted thermostat is a good idea anyway, because it can be far more accurate and quicker to respond than a thermostat located directly on the heater. The minimum and maximum temperatures of many baseboard heaters are listed in their specifications and it's a good idea, once you've chosen your heater, to set the thermostat so that it runs as economically as possible. Although you may require maximum temperatures during the day, experts say that you can save up to 10% on your energy bills by setting your baseboard heaters to 16°C at night and when you're out. That might sound cold, but you will probably find it's an adequate heat level at night when you are wrapped up in bed!
