When the winter is really cold, your central heating system can really do with a little help to keep you warm. At the same time, your central heating may not be designed adequately to heat up every room of the home. Regardless of the reasons, you’ve realized that a baseboard heater is an excellent inexpensive and energy-efficient way to keep yourself and your family warm and cozy. But with so many products available, it can be tough to find which baseboard heater is the best option for your home or office.
That’s why we scoured the market to bring you the top baseboard heater options with different specifications, so that you can find the one that’s just right. All of our top picks are energy efficient and durable, but do vary in price, heating capacity, and additional features, which will help you see which one is best suited to your unique needs and preferences. Make sure to also read out buying guide at the end of the article, where we share some essential buying advice on how you can make the right choice!
Picture | Name | Price | Heating Capacity | Warranty | Features |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dimplex PC6025W31 Wireless Heater | $$ | 8530/6398 BTUs | 10 year/elements and 1 year for unit | - Wireless baseboard heater - Energy efficient - - Built-in electronic thermostat | |
Fahrenheat PLF1004 Hydronic Baseboard Heater | $$$ | 3410 BTUs | 1 year | - 100% energy-efficient design - Hydronic baseboard - Overheat protection | |
Cadet Manufacturing 09956 Baseboard Heater | $ | 5115 BTUs | 1 year | - 25 Gauge Steel - UL Listed Heater - 20 Gauge Junction Box With Ground | |
Picture | Name | Price | Heating Capacity | Warranty | Features |
1. Dimplex PC6025W31 Wireless Heater : Best for Most People
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“The Dimplex is powerful, space-efficient, and comes with additional features that make this unit unique and highly practical!”
Our top choice for a baseboard heater is the Dimplex PC6025W31, because it’s powerful, space-efficient, and comes with additional features that make this unit unique and highly practical. Plus, the Dimplex is easy to install and backed by an excellent warranty. We recommend this product for use in large rooms, such as living rooms or offices.
Pros:
The Dimplex provides the most heat relative to its size out of all the models we reviewed. While it’s 42% shorter than most traditional baseboard heaters, it still has the power to heat large spaces. If you have a cramped living room and are pressed for space, this heater is sure to keep you warm without taking up a large portion of the floor.
In addition to being powerful, the performance and safety of this product are CSA certified, so you won’t have to worry about burnouts or any other unpleasant surprises.
This baseboard heater is a great energy-efficient option, which makes it cheap to operate and good for the environment. The energy-saving setting allows the Dimplex to heat a room while using 33% less energy. Plus, the epoxy and polyester power coating is eco-friendly!
The Dimplex also offers great value for your money as it’s equipped with additional features that are hard to come by in its price range. For instance, it features a built-in electronic thermostat which will increase your comfort level by giving you control over the exact temperature of the room. The unit is also compatible with wireless temperature controls and wall mounted controllers, so that you can get these additions for even greater leisure.
“This baseboard heater is a great energy-efficient option, which makes it cheap to operate and good for the environment.”
This unit is quite durable. The coating is resistant to fading, and the CSA certification will allow you to relax about the quality of the product. The Dimplex is backed by an excellent warranty of 10 years on elements, and 1 year on the unit.
Cons:
The Dimplex is quite powerful, so you may find the heat a bit overwhelming in smaller rooms.
Another possible drawback is that if you do want to use a remote control, you’d have to buy that separately.
Also, when you first activate the heater, it may release some strong fumes, so try running it outside for a couple of hours before bringing it inside the home or office.
Lastly, some customers have found the controls a bit difficult to operate, and, while installation is quite simple, the user manual is typed up with a very small font, which may be a bit of a bother to read.
2. Fahrenheat PLF1004 Hydronic Baseboard Heater : Best Hydronic
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“We recommend the Fahrenheat for households with pets and children.”
Our favorite hydronic baseboard heater is the Fahrenheat PLF1004, thanks to its sleek design, gentle heating performance, and durability. As hydronic baseboard heaters employ fanless operation, they’re a great choice for allergy sufferers as they won’t spread dander and allergens in the air. We also recommend the Fahrenheat for households with pets and children.
Pros:
The Fahrenheat is the best choice for households with pets and children thanks to its gentle performance. While the unit has enough power to comfortably warm a small to medium-sized room, the heater itself remains cool, so that no pet or child can get burned by touching it.
Hydronic baseboard heaters are the ideal fit for people with allergies. As the Fahrenheat doesn’t use a fan to operate, there is no blower or exhaust fan that will spread allergens, dust, or dander around the room. This also means that your eyes won’t feel dry or dusty!
“Hydronic baseboard heaters are the ideal fit for people with allergies.”
The Fahrenheat is well-designed in several ways. To begin with, it features a sleek, elegant design that prevents the unit from looking out of place in any room of the home or office. Another great perk of the Fahrenheat is that it operates quite quietly – it starts and stops without making any popping or pinging noises that can commonly occur with most traditional baseboard heaters. This additionally makes the Fahrenheat a good choice for use in the bedroom. Lastly, this heater is designed for safe operation on any type of flooring, be it tile or carpet.
This option also features safety features that will keep you free of any worries. In addition to the cool-touch function, the unit has overheat protection, reducing the potential risk of fires.
Lastly, the Fahrenheat is a durable option. It comes with a 1-year warranty on the unit and a 10-year warranty on the elements.
Cons:
This unit is not powerful enough for heating large spaces.
Additionally, although it’s not very expensive, it’s still the priciest recommendation on our list.
Lastly, there has been some concern over the quality of the packaging, so make sure that all the parts are undamaged when you receive this unit.
3. Cadet Manufacturing 09956 Baseboard Heater : Best On A Budget
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“While it’s inexpensive, the heater is built with strong, high-quality materials that ensure durability.”
The Cadet Manufacturing 09956 baseboard heater is an excellent budget-friendly option that offers a lot of value for your money. While it’s inexpensive, the heater is built with strong, high-quality materials that ensure durability. It’s also our favorite portable option, so if you think you’ll want to move your new heater around, you’ll love the Cadet.
Pros:
The Cadet comes with a low cost, both at purchase and over time. It’s our cheapest recommendation, costing just about $60, and it’s also quite energy-efficient, so it’s sure to reduce your electricity bills.
“The lightweight design will allow you to easily transport the Cadet from one room to another based on where you would like to use it.”
This model is also the lightest baseboard heater on our list. As it weighs about 13 pounds, you can easily transport the Cadet from one room to another based on where you would like to use it.
The Cadet offers a lot of value for your money as it has a strong build and features excellent performance. It’s made of 25 gauge steel, which is sure to extend the lifespan of this product. Additionally, it’s UL listed, or in other words, it’s designed for safe operation. In terms of performance, the Cadet transmits a continuous wave of heat, so that you won’t feel cold for a single minute.
We also love how easy it is to install this unit. The instruction manual is quite user-friendly and easy to follow, and you won’t need any professional help to set it up and get it running!
Lastly, as with our other recommendations, Cadet offers a 1-year warranty on the unit.
Cons:
The warranty for parts on this unit is much shorter than our other recommendations, as it lasts only 90 days.
Another possible drawback is that the Cadet requires a thermostat to run, but as a thermostat is not included in the purchase, you’ll have to buy one separately.
While the Cadet spreads heat quite consistently, it does take a while to warm up.
Lastly, although the Cadet is lightweight, it is a bit bulky so it does take up more space than some users would like.
Conclusion
Our favorite baseboard heater for most people is the Dimplex, as it combines powerful performance with an affordable price. The Dimplex comes with the biggest number of additional features (such as a built-in thermostat) that are sure to increase your comfort. The Dimplex’s high heating capacity makes it suitable for use in large spaces, and at the same time, its compact design allows it to do so without taking up too much room. You’ll love this product for warming up your office or living room!
The Fahrenheat is the best hydronic baseboard heater on the market, as it’s durable as well as gentle in performance. The fanless operation makes it a great choice for allergy sufferers, and the cool-touch body of the unit makes it ideal for homes with pets and children. If you’re looking for an unobtrusive heater for your living room, you’ll love the Fahrenheat, as its sleek design will fit right into any space and style.
The best budget-friendly option on the market is the Cadet, as for a price of $60 you get a baseboard heater with high heat output and consistent operation. The Cadet is also one of the best options for a portable baseboard heater, as it’s quite lightweight. The Cadet is one of the top customer favorites on Amazon, as the build of this model is quite high-quality for the price.
Shopping for the Best Baseboard Heater
To help you out a bit more in shopping for the best baseboard heater for your unique needs and preferences, read on to our buying guide to find out which factors are the most important to keep in mind when choosing.
Heating Capacity
“Make sure that the heater you choose has enough capacity to heat those spaces.”
Consider what size are the rooms you want the baseboard heater for. Make sure that the heater you choose has enough capacity to heat those spaces. While some are too powerful for small rooms, others are too weak for large ones. At the same time, double-check that their dimensions fit the dimensions of the rooms.
Budget
“Price doesn’t always determine quality, but in the case of baseboard heaters, it does affect the warranty of the products.”
The prices of recommendations range from $60 to $166, so think about how much you are willing or able to spend before settling on a baseboard heater option. Price doesn’t always determine quality, but in the case of baseboard heaters, it does affect the warranty of the products. The Cadet, our cheapest option, is $60; the Dimplex, our favorite choice for most people, is about $140; and the best hydronic option, the Fahrenheat, is also the priciest, costing about $166.
Warranty
“All of our recommendations come with a 1-year warranty on the unit.”
Purchasing a product with a good warranty can make you feel more confident about making the right choice. While all of our recommendations come with a 1-year warranty on the unit, the Fahrenheat and Dimplex come with a 10-year warranty on the parts, while the Cadet comes with only a 3-months warranty on parts.
FAQ
Q: Are new baseboard heaters more efficient?
A: New baseboard heaters are not necessarily more efficient than old ones. The case with most electric heaters is that they manage to convert 100% of electricity into heat, so paying too much attention to the year of manufacturing of the product won’t make much of a change in energy efficiency. Rather, pay attention to the individual specifications of the products to find a more efficient option.
Q: Do hydronic baseboard heaters save money?
A: Hydronic baseboard heaters do save money. Still, you would need to pay attention to how you operate the heater. Firstly, as they use heated water (1), they maintain warm temperature longer. Secondly, as with other types of baseboard heaters, using them individually will allow you to save on heating bills for other rooms.
Q: Is electric baseboard heat efficient?
A: Electric baseboard heat is efficient. All forms of electric heating offer 100% efficiency. The case is the same with baseboard heaters – they convert all of the electricity they consume to produce heat.
What’s Next?
We hope that our reviews and our buying guide were helpful in your search for the best baseboard heater for your home. By now you should have a better idea of what you’re looking for! For more information about each of our recommendations, follow the title links to find out their price, in-depth specifications, and customer reviews.
Meanwhile, make sure to visit our homepage to see the best heating, cooling, and comfort appliances. You can also drop by our contact page to share any questions, comments, or other feedback with us.
Enjoy the warmth!