Nine heaters below were checked on Amazon on October 10, 2026. Wattage and features come from the Amazon titles and listings. The old Heat Storm Deluxe 1000 watt listing is out of stock, and the Beurer IL50 is a light therapy lamp, not a room heater, so both were dropped from the picks.
Infrared heaters have a loyal following, and the reviews show why: you sit in front of one and feel warm in a minute. Here is what the technology does, what it costs to run and which nine models are worth a look.
Table of Contents
What Infrared Heaters Actually Do
Regular fan heaters warm the air, and the air warms you. Infrared heaters send out radiant heat that lands on skin, clothes and furniture, the same way the sun does. That is why a small infrared unit can make a spot feel warm even when the room is chilly. Some models, like the Dr. Infrared line, also use a fan and a heating element to move warm air.
Two things are worth knowing. First, all 120 volt plug-in heaters top out near 1,500 watts, which is about 5,100 BTU per hour. Second, an infrared label does not mean lower power use. It means the heat feels different. For a longer look at the types, see our guides to infrared heaters and radiant heaters.
Looking ahead, infrared heaters are moving toward smarter controls. Wi-Fi thermostats, motion sensors and room-by-room schedules are showing up on mid-priced models, because people want to heat the one spot they sit in, not the whole house. The catch is that more features mean more parts that can fail, and a long cord on a 1,500 watt heater is still a long cord on a 1,500 watt heater.
9 Infrared Heaters on Amazon
Prices and ratings were checked on Amazon on October 10, 2026.
Price on Amazon: $104.99 | 4.5 stars from 28,337 ratings (checked October 10, 2026)
The Dr. Infrared DR-968 is the long-time favorite, with over 28,000 ratings on Amazon. It is a 1,500 watt cabinet style heater, so it needs no install and plugs into a normal outlet.
Price on Amazon: $134.86 | 4.4 stars from 1,530 ratings (checked October 10, 2026)
The DR-968H is the same style with a built-in humidifier tray. It helps if winter air makes the room dry. The tray needs rinsing, or it can get slimy.
Price on Amazon: $104.99 | 4.5 stars from 2,961 ratings (checked October 10, 2026)
The LifeSmart LifePro is an infrared quartz heater with six elements and a remote, per the listing. It has close to 3,000 ratings.
Price on Amazon: $149.99 | 4.4 stars from 13,954 ratings (checked October 10, 2026)
The Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX-WIFI mounts on a wall, so it takes up no floor space, and works from a phone app. It has almost 14,000 ratings.
Price on Amazon: $295.00 | 4.4 stars from 695 ratings (checked October 10, 2026)
The Airnmore Comfort Deluxe uses a copper PTC element with a remote and an ETL listing, per the listing. It costs more than most 1,500 watt units, so compare it with the Dr. Infrared before buying.
Price on Amazon: $76.56 | 4.2 stars from 3,910 ratings (checked October 10, 2026)
The Amazon Basics heater has a remote, a thermostat, an energy-saving mode and a wood-look case. It is a plain 1,500 watt unit from a store brand.
Price on Amazon: $62.33 | 3.7 stars from 631 ratings (checked October 10, 2026)
The Optimus H-5511 is a low-cost quartz heater. Its rating is the lowest in this list at 3.7 stars, so read recent reviews first.
Price on Amazon: $199.88 | 4.1 stars from 1,819 ratings (checked October 10, 2026)
The Briza is sold as an indoor and outdoor infrared heater that can sit on a stand or mount to a wall or ceiling. Check the listing before using it in a damp spot.
Price on Amazon: $104.19 | 4.3 stars from 4,378 ratings (checked October 10, 2026)
The Dr. Infrared DR-988 is a 240 volt, 5,600 watt heater for garages and shops, with a thermostat and a wall or ceiling mount, per the listing. It needs a matching 240 volt circuit, so plan on an electrician.
The risk to watch is the myth that infrared costs less to run. A 1,500 watt heater uses 1.5 kilowatt-hours every hour no matter what the box says. Expect more bold claims about saving 50 percent on bills, and check the wattage instead. Used in the right spot, infrared feels warm fast. Used to heat a big room, it just runs longer.
What It Costs to Run
Take the watts, divide by 1,000 and multiply by your price per kilowatt-hour. A 1,500 watt heater at 17 cents per kWh costs about 25 cents an hour, or around $2 for eight hours. A 5,600 watt garage unit costs about 95 cents an hour. Use our space heater wattage calculator with your own rate, and read how much electricity space heaters use for the monthly picture.
Safety Rules That Matter
- Clearance. Keep at least 3 feet around the front and sides. Fire safety groups link space heaters to most home heating fire deaths.
- Outlet. Plug it into the wall. Skip extension cords and power strips.
- Shutoffs. Look for tip-over and overheat protection and a safety listing from a lab such as UL or ETL.
- Never unattended. Turn it off when you leave the room or go to bed.
- Dust. Dust on the element smells and can burn. Clean it as the manual says. See how to keep a space heater clean.
How to Choose
- Match the room. A rough rule is 10 watts per square foot, so 1,500 watts suits about 150 square feet. Use our guide to how to choose the right size space heater.
- Pick the spot. For a desk or couch, an infrared cabinet works well. For a bare wall, a wall-mount unit saves floor space.
- Check the controls. A thermostat and a timer keep the bill down.
- Read recent reviews. Look for reports of smells, noise and the unit shutting off.
FAQ
Are infrared heaters cheaper to run?
No. They use the same power as other heaters of the same wattage. They can feel warmer for a person sitting close, which lets you keep the thermostat lower.
Are infrared heaters safe?
They are as safe as any space heater when used with clearance, a wall outlet and safety shutoffs.
Can an infrared heater heat a whole house?
No. Plug-in units are for rooms or zones.
Can you leave one on overnight?
Fire experts advise against running any space heater while you sleep.
Final Word
Pick an infrared heater for the spot where you sit, not for the whole house. The Dr. Infrared DR-968 is the safe starting point, and the wall-mount Heat Storm is the pick if floor space is tight.
What happens next: expect more tip-over and overheat sensors as standard, and more rules from retailers on tested safety marks. For most homes, one good infrared unit for a desk, couch or bathroom corner, plus a thermostat turned down in empty rooms, is the plan that saves the most.
Related Guides
Keep going with infrared heaters, radiant heaters, how to choose the right size space heater, space heater wattage calculator and how much electricity space heaters use.
