How much does it cost to run a space heater?
A space heater's cost is just its wattage, the hours it runs, and your electricity rate. Pick your state for the current rate, or type your own from the bill.
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| Per hour | |
| Per day | |
| Per month (30 days) | |
| Per heating season (150 days) | |
| Cost per million BTU |
Why a space heater is the most expensive heat in the house
Electric resistance is 100% efficient and still the costliest way to make heat almost everywhere, because electricity is an expensive form of energy per BTU. At 17¢ per kilowatt-hour a resistance heater delivers a million BTU for about $50; oil at $3.70 is about $32, gas about $17, and a heat pump on the same electricity about $20. A space heater makes sense for one cold room while the rest of the house is turned down. It does not make sense as a way to avoid running the furnace.
The 1,500-watt figure matters: that is the maximum a standard 15-amp household circuit will safely carry, which is why nearly every plug-in heater tops out there regardless of what the box promises about "heats 1,000 square feet."
See how electric resistance ranks against every other fuel in your state in the main calculator.