A recent cold snap across the country has some people reaching for the portable heaters — but what is the most energy-efficient way to heat your home this winter?
Consumer New Zealand’s James Le Page shared some of the best options to heat your home that won’t break the bank on Breakfast this morning.
For a larger space
Le Page said the best option for a living room is “probably still a fixed option like a heat pump or a wood burner”.
“Not all of us have that [though], and if you have a wood burner it takes what feels like about 6 hours to heat up and you can’t do that in the mornings.”
He recommended a tower heater as they often oscillate and have a fan that can disperse heat toward everyone in a living or dining area.
“They do a really good job of spreading heat evenly around the room and spreading it quickly as well, so that’s probably my go-to in a living space.”
He said all electric heaters were “pretty much the same” in terms of how much electricity they use.
“It’s more about the way they deliver heat, so this one blows it by a fan, whereas in a bedroom you want something without the fan.”
For the bedroom
![An example of a panel heater attached to a wall in the bedroom.](https://tvnz-1-news-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/an-example-of-a-panel-heater-attached-to-a-wall-in-the-bedro-564UGGS2JNCZTDC6FA5536U3VE.jpg?auth=6a617a22b24a180c2bfdc66c14cf31fde52c154ea1bd7d2e54d2d8f9ebd84467&quality=70&width=767&height=431&focal=546%2C215)
Le Page said an oil column heater or a panel heater fixed to the wall is the best option for heating bedrooms.
“They heat up by convection, so they shoot the warm air up to the ceiling, and then it filters down to you.”
He said it was important to utilise the ceiling fan, if your home has one, to prevent heat being trapped in the ceiling.
“We tested in our lab with an electric heater running, that when we ran a ceiling fan in winter mode, so that actually runs slowly in reverse and creates a bit of turbulence in the air.
“That mixes all the heat that sits in the ceiling around with the rest of the room.”
He said this method makes a “massive difference” and can save over 50% of the power usage of the heater.
For the home office
![An example of a plug in heater perfect for an office space.](https://tvnz-1-news-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/an-example-of-a-plug-in-heater-perfect-for-an-office-space-AI4DMMN5ZJA6TKVR6UVTPJXHWE.jpg?auth=7b41a1f93a5da5f525c2871e4557157dd78eb3ec0f1775b87095c056cb4d5f69&quality=70&width=767&height=431&focal=960%2C540)
Le Page said for the home office or smaller space you can “probably just pick up any old tiny fan heater that will sit behind the desk and blow directly on your legs.”
He also recommended a fleece blanket called a “heated throw” that was described as essentially a portable electric blanket.
“It’s just super, super efficient. So instead of paying all that money to heat the whole room, you just heat you.
“I feel great right now,” he laughed.
Le Page said a blanket with heated elements uses only 5% of the power of an electric heater.