While some heaters benefit from smart controls, I’m not fully convinced here. Princess has covered all the basics, but remember that this device is about heating people directly, rather than the room. There’s less point in, for example, scheduling it to come on before bedtime if it’s not going to result in a toasty bedroom when you retire for the night. I wonder if the Smart Infrared Heater might benefit more from a movement sensor similar to the one used by Meaco’s Motion Eye 1.8kW. This would allow it to detect when you’re near, and switch on for a predefined time. Performance From the app, you can set the heat mode (high or low), temperature target and toggle standby mode. The app also gives you schedules, so you can set the Princess Glass Smart Panel Heater up to work much like a smart thermostat. The majority of infrared heaters are panel-based models, and most of them are designed to be professionally installed against a wall or on a ceiling. Indeed, many homeowners these days are opting for infrared panels instead of standard radiators. Like its panel counterparts, the Kiasa works just as well for radiating heat to where it’s needed most, and for relatively little outlay. Similar in appearance to the radiators you’ll find in your home, these portable versions generally heat and circulate oil instead of water to generate their warmth.

If we find any major problems with how well the products function, they don’t make it onto our list.Timers and thermostats: These give you more control over how long your heater is on for and the warmth it’s emitting. Setting a timer and thermostat also means you can use your fan more efficiently, as it will turn off once it's been on for a set period of time or when the room reaches your desired temperature – much better than guessing or leaving it on for longer than necessary! If you’ve got a cold room that needs a bit of a boost, the Princess Glass Smart Panel Heater is a smart way of adding comfort. Wall-mountable or freestanding, this plug-in heater has smart controls so that you can remote control it from your phone or use your voice. These heaters circulate air throughout the unit and into the surrounding space, meaning they are generally quiet and better at evenly warming an entire room. Like radiators, they can take a while to warm up. Fan heaters The infrared panel heater is designed to fit seamlessly into your home decor. With the option to mount it on the wall or use it as a standalone unit, you have the flexibility to place it exactly the way you want. With the integrated timer function up to 24 hours, this heater allows you to effortlessly program heating schedules according to your daily routine. Set it to automatically turn on in the morning, ensuring a cozy and warm environment when you wake up. Likewise, you can program it to turn off when you leave for work, saving energy during the day. The timer function offers you the flexibility to customize your heating preferences, making it a convenient and energy-saving feature. The housing is splash-proof (IP44) and can be used indoor as well as outdoor. With the Princess Glass Smart Panel Heater on maximum setting, I measured the middle of the panel at 58C and the top at 78C, with the controls sub 25C. That’s good, as you won’t burn yourself if you need to adjust the temperature and don’t want to use the app.

Foibles aside, this is an exceptional heater that’s marginally more energy-efficient and much more capable of distributing heat than an oil-filled model. Therefore, we have no compunction in giving it a solid recommendation. Yes, infrared heaters are very energy-efficient, generally costing less to run than conventional fan heaters, most ceramic fan heaters, and even oil-filled radiators. In fact, very few infrared heaters draw more than 1.3kW, while some models such as the portable Princess model featured below are as low as 350 watts. Many professionally installed wall and ceiling-mounted models consume even less electricity – as low as 160 watts. The heater can shut off automatically by setting time schedules in the app or using the timer function If you’ve ever been to the Alps in winter, you will have experienced the sudden warmth on your body when the sun peeks through the clouds. One minute it’s freezing cold, the next you’re unzipping your skiing clothes because it almost feels like a summer’s day on the Costa del Sol. That, in a nutshell, best describes how infrared heating works.

This means removing and refitting two screws, but on my sample one of them was seized – I stripped the head trying to remove it, and ultimately had to make do with simply resting the heater in one of the feet. There’s no handle to help move it around, although this is a light heater and my sample never got too hot to touch during use. This model comes with two heat settings, 500W and 1,000W, a thermostat with a wide temperature range up to a maximum temperature of 65°C, and oscillation to spread the warmth far and wide around a room. Infrared heaters made with marble are fast gaining popularity, because of this material’s remarkable heat-retaining and distribution properties, along with the ability to remain warm for quite a while after being turned off. Some portable, stand-mounted models, such as the Klarstein HeatPal we review below, use raw, unpolished marble to help radiate the heat generated by the internal coil, while companies such as Elith produce beautifully polished slabs of high-quality marble with infrared coils behind them. Polished marble panel heaters aren’t cheap to buy or install, but they’re unquestionably the most elegant way to heat a home. This plain-white, safety glass-fronted model from Herschel serves as a towel rail, too, and comes with two chromium towel holders that make it the perfect model for bathrooms. The Select XLS is IP44-rated for low-velocity water sprays, but it will need to be professionally installed. Infrared bar heaters are another popular choice. These types are also usually mounted to a wall or skirting board area, but they’re not the most attractive. Finally, there’s the halogen or carbon option most often used for outdoor patio heating. These types of heaters are extremely efficient at producing direct heat, but the tubes do get extremely hot, so you will need to give thought to where you place them. Are infrared heaters energy-efficient?