Every 1,500 W electric heater costs the same per hour to run. What differs is how fast you feel the heat and how well the room holds it. Here's how ceramic heaters, oil-filled radiators, electric fireplaces and infrared panels compare, with the running-cost math.

Short answer: every plug-in electric heater turns electricity into heat at the same rate, so a 1,500 W space heater, a 1,500 W electric fireplace and a 1,500 W oil-filled radiator all cost the same per hour to run. What differs is how fast you feel the heat, how evenly the room holds it, and how much it costs to buy. Pick by the room, not by the running cost.

The running-cost math

A heater's wattage is its cost. At full power a 1,500 W unit uses 1.5 kWh every hour. Ontario's regulated time-of-use rates (Ontario Energy Board, prices effective November 1, 2026) are 9.1 cents per kWh off-peak, 14.6 mid-peak and 18.9 on-peak before delivery charges, so that works out to roughly 14 to 28 cents an hour. Eight hours a night through a 30-day month at the mid-point is about $50. Rates vary by province and utility, so check your own bill, but the ranking between heater types never changes: same watts, same cost.

The only way one heater is "cheaper" is if it reaches your target temperature and then cycles off. That is where thermostats, timers and the right type for the room earn their keep.

Side-by-side comparison

	Ceramic / fan space heater	Oil-filled radiator	Electric fireplace	Infrared panel
How it heats	Fan pushes air over a hot element	Element warms sealed oil; heat radiates and convects	Fan heater hidden behind a flame display	Radiant heat on people and objects, not air
Time to feel warm	Minutes	15–30 minutes	Minutes	Almost instant, in its line of sight
Heat after switch-off	None	30–60 minutes	None	None
Noise	Fan hum	Silent (occasional ticking)	Fan hum, optional crackle sound	Silent
Surface temperature	Hot grille	Warm to hot fins	Cool glass, hot vent	Warm panel
Best for	Quick heat in an office, bathroom or workshop	Bedrooms and rooms you keep warm for hours	Living rooms where the look matters	Drafty spots, garages, patios
Typical new price	$40–$120	$70–$180	$200–$600	$100–$300

Ceramic and fan heaters: fast, cheap, loud

The $50 box from the hardware store. It heats the air in front of it within minutes and stops the second you switch it off. Good for a home office you use four hours a day, a cold bathroom in the morning, or taking the edge off a basement workshop. Weak for a bedroom, because the fan runs all night and the room cools the moment it cycles off. Look for a tip-over switch, overheat cut-out and a thermostat that actually holds a temperature rather than just high/low.

Oil-filled radiators: slow, silent, steady

The oil never needs topping up; it is a sealed heat reservoir. Radiators take a while to warm up but then hold the room at an even temperature with no fan noise, and they keep radiating for up to an hour after the thermostat clicks off. That cycling is why many people find them cheaper to run in practice: the element is off a large share of the night. They are the right choice for bedrooms, nurseries and any room you keep warm for long stretches. The downsides are weight (10–15 kg) and a slow start.

Electric fireplaces: a fan heater with a view

Inside almost every electric fireplace is a standard 750/1,500 W fan heater. You are paying for the LED flame, the cabinet or insert, the remote and the crackle sound, not for better heat. That is fine if you want a focal point for a living room or a condo without a real fireplace; just don't expect it to heat more than the one room it is in. Inserts that slide into an existing firebox are the cheapest route if you already have the opening. Flame effects run on about 10 W, so leaving the display on with the heat off costs almost nothing.

Infrared and radiant panels: heat the person, not the room

Infrared heaters warm whatever is in front of them directly, the way sun through a window does. In a drafty garage, a covered patio or a workshop with high ceilings, that is far more effective than trying to heat all the air. Indoors, wall-mounted panels work in hallways and bathrooms, and plug-in radiant floor mats under tile do the same job from below. They are not good at warming a whole room evenly.

Three rules that cut the bill more than the heater type

1. Use the thermostat and a timer. A heater that holds 19°C and cycles off costs far less than one running flat out on "high".
2. Heat the room you are in and turn the furnace down. Zone heating only saves money if the central thermostat drops a few degrees at the same time.
3. Stop the draft first. Weatherstripping and a $20 door sweep do more than upgrading from one 1,500 W heater to another.

Safety, briefly

Plug portable heaters directly into the wall, never into a power bar or extension cord. Keep a metre of clearance from bedding, curtains and furniture. Choose units with a tip-over switch and overheat protection, and switch them off when you leave the room. These apply equally to new and open-box units.

What to check on an open-box heater

• Run it on high for five minutes. Fan heaters should push warm air without a burning smell after the first minute; radiators should be warm to the touch within ten.
• Test the tip-over switch by tilting the unit. It must cut out.
• Check the thermostat cycles: set it below room temperature and confirm the element switches off.
• On fireplaces, confirm the flame effect, heat and remote each work. A missing remote is common; if the unit has panel controls, it is a price break rather than a fault.
• Inspect the cord and plug for heat discolouration.

Open-box prices

Prices checked October 22, 2026. Every unit is a single item, so a link below may show as sold; the heaters & radiators collection always shows what is in stock today. At the time of writing, open-box heating in our stock includes:

• Dreamflame 30-inch electric fireplace insert, 750/1,500 W with remote and timer, new, about $208
• Nobo 240 V wall-mounted electric radiator, 375/500 W, used – good, about $54
• HEATIT 90 sq ft radiant floor heating mat for tile, like new, about $87
• ThermoMate 1,500 W infrared tower heater, indoor/outdoor, like new, no remote, about $165

Every unit is one of a kind and tested before listing. See what is in right now in heaters & radiators and appliances & climate. Free pickup in Etobicoke, free shipping in Ontario over $150, 30-day returns.

Sources

• Ontario Energy Board, Electricity rates: time-of-use prices of 9.1 (off-peak), 14.6 (mid-peak) and 18.9 (on-peak) cents per kWh, effective November 1, 2026.

FAQ

Is an oil-filled radiator cheaper to run than a space heater?

Not per hour at the same wattage. It often costs less per night because it holds heat and cycles off more, while a fan heater runs continuously.

Does an electric fireplace heat a whole house?

No. It is a 1,500 W fan heater and will warm one room of up to about 35 m². Treat it as zone heating with a nice flame.

Can I leave a heater on overnight?

An oil-filled radiator with a thermostat and tip-over switch is the type most people are comfortable running overnight. Keep clearance and plug it straight into the wall. Fan heaters are better switched off when you sleep.

What size heater for my room?

A rough rule is 10 W per square foot of floor, so 1,500 W covers about 150 sq ft (14 m²) comfortably in a typical insulated Canadian room. Drafty or high-ceiling rooms need more, or a second unit.

Keep reading: Open-box space heater deals in Canada · Is it safe to buy open-box?

Tags

buying guide canada heaters open-box winter

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