The Best Conservatory Heaters For Year-Round Comfort
Wall panels and freestanding heaters that take the chill off a glass room through winter.
Our quick verdict
Our pick of the best conservatory heater is the Wärme Designer Electric Wall Heater, because it sits neatly on the dwarf wall and simply plugs in, with no electrician to book and nothing to service. For a large, cold conservatory, go for the Dimplex FuturRad Portable Eco Radiator, the most powerful heater here and one you can switch on from your phone before you head out.
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Our Picks At A Glance
- Check price of Wärme Designer Electric Wall Heater
Best Wall Mounted
Wärme Designer Electric Wall HeaterWall mounting in medium conservatories with a socket close by
- Check price of Dimplex FuturRad Portable Eco Radiator
Best Free Standing
Dimplex FuturRad Portable Eco RadiatorMid to large conservatories that need a powerful heater on the floor
- Check price of MYLEK Aluminium Electric Panel Heater
Best Aluminium
MYLEK Aluminium Electric Panel HeaterSmall to medium conservatories wanting a remote-controlled panel heater
- Check price of FUTURA Eco Electric Panel Electric Heater
Best All-Rounder
FUTURA Eco Electric Panel Electric HeaterConservatories with doors that get opened to the garden in winter
- Check price of Pro Breeze® Mini Ceramic Fan
- Check price of Adax NEO Conservatory Heater
Get the output right for the size of the room first, as a low-wattage panel won't keep up in a large conservatory. After that, spend your money on control, because every electric heater costs the same per hour at the same wattage. A decent thermostat and timer cut the hours it runs, and WiFi lets you warm the room before anyone walks in.
Space is the last check, since a dwarf wall leaves little room for a wall heater once the clearances are allowed for. Wall panels, a freestanding radiator and a small fan heater all feature in the six below.
How We Tested These Conservatory Heaters
Several of the rental properties we manage have conservatories, and keeping them usable through winter has meant trying a range of oil-filled and electric heaters over the years. The photo under the title shows the kind of room we're heating, with glass on three sides and a panel heater fixed low on the dwarf wall.
We judged each heater on how well it warmed conservatories of different sizes and how easy it was to operate day to day. The smart heaters with digital displays and WiFi control impressed us most, because you can have the room warm before anyone walks into it. Plenty of people don't need that, so we tried budget heaters alongside them.
When a brand releases a new version of a heater we use, we swap it in to see whether it's an improvement. Every heater in this roundup was scored on the same points:
- Heat: how quickly it warmed the room and whether it held a steady temperature as the sun went down
- Controls: how easy the thermostat and timer were to set and change
- Safety: overheat protection, tip-over switches and child locks
- Installation: wall fixing, clearances and how close it needs to be to a socket
- Extras: WiFi, app control and open window detection
- Value: the price against the warranty and what the heater does
The Best Conservatory Heaters We Recommend
The list covers wall panels, a freestanding radiator and a small fan heater, and two of the panels can go either way.
Best Wall Mounted
Wärme Designer Electric Wall Heater
Best for: Wall mounting in medium conservatories with a socket close by
Check Price On AmazonThe Wärme Designer is a slim wall heater that plugs into a standard socket, so there's no wiring to arrange and nothing to service once it's up. At 2,000W it has the output for a medium conservatory, and a digital thermostat, instant heat mode and built-in safety sensors make it easy to live with. Wärme also describes the casing as waterproof.
All the fixings for the wall come in the box. Before you choose a spot, allow 30 cm of clearance above and below and check there's a socket nearby, because a conservatory's dwarf wall doesn't leave much space to play with.
The one frustration in our testing was the timer. Setting up a schedule took more fiddling than it should, though once it's done you can leave it alone for the season.
What we like
- 2,000W heat output
- Digital thermostat with an instant heat mode
- Built-in safety sensors
- Waterproof casing according to Wärme
- Plugs into a standard socket
- Wall fixings supplied in the box
- No servicing or maintenance needed
What to know
- Setting and scheduling the timer wasn't straightforward in our testing
- Needs 30 cm of clear wall above and below
Our verdict
The Wärme Designer suits anyone who wants heat that's fixed in place and then forgotten about, up on the dwarf wall rather than underfoot. The timer took some fiddling to set in our testing, so allow time with the manual. A big conservatory needs the extra power of the Dimplex FuturRad.
Best Free Standing
Dimplex FuturRad Portable Eco Radiator
Best for: Mid to large conservatories that need a powerful heater on the floor
Check Price On AmazonDimplex makes a wide range of portable heaters, and the FuturRad is its freestanding model with app control. It's the most powerful heater in this roundup at 3,000W, and Dimplex pitches it at rooms of around 18 to 25 square metres, so it's the one we'd put in a mid to large conservatory that needs a proper boost through the cold months.
You can control it from Dimplex's smartphone app, so the heat can come on before you head out to the conservatory, and the controls on the unit are simple to set up. The 1.8 metre cable gives you some freedom over where it stands, and Dimplex backs it with a 10-year guarantee.
It costs more than anything else here, and as a floor-standing heater it takes up space a wall panel wouldn't.
What we like
- 3,000W output, the highest in our roundup
- Controlled from the Dimplex smartphone app
- Easy to set up and use
- Backed by a 10-year guarantee
- Long 1.8 metre power cable
What to know
- Most expensive heater in our roundup
- Takes up floor space where a wall heater wouldn't
Our verdict
The Dimplex FuturRad is the heater for a large, cold conservatory where output matters most, and the app control and long guarantee help justify the price. If floor space is tight, the Wärme Designer fixes to the wall instead. For a small conservatory, the FuturRad is more than you need, and the Pro Breeze Mini is far cheaper.
Best Aluminium
MYLEK Aluminium Electric Panel Heater
Best for: Small to medium conservatories wanting a remote-controlled panel heater
Check Price On AmazonMYLEK builds this panel heater with an aluminium body, and aluminium conducts heat well, so the panel warms up quickly and passes that heat into the room. You can fix it to the wall or stand it on its feet, which helps in a conservatory where wall space is limited.
It's one of the more feature-packed heaters here for its size. You get a remote, so you can change the heat without leaving your chair, along with a programmable LCD display that shows the current room temperature, three heat modes including frost protection and a child lock. Outputs run from 600W through 900W and 1,200W to 1,500W.
That top figure is lower than the 2,000W Wärme and FUTURA panels, so it's a better match for a smaller conservatory than a large one.
What we like
- Aluminium body warms up and gives off heat quickly
- Remote control and programmable LCD display
- Three heat modes including frost protection
- Shows the current room temperature
- Child lock
- Wall-mounted or freestanding
What to know
- Tops out at 1,500W, below the Wärme and FUTURA panels
- Costs more than basic panel heaters of a similar wattage
Our verdict
The MYLEK suits a small to medium conservatory where you'd like a remote and a frost setting to keep plants safe overnight. It's well equipped for the price. For more heat from a panel, the FUTURA Eco goes up to 2,000W, and a large conservatory is better served by the Dimplex FuturRad.
Best All-Rounder
FUTURA Eco Electric Panel Electric Heater
Best for: Conservatories with doors that get opened to the garden in winter
Check Price On AmazonThe FUTURA Eco costs less than the Wärme and does a similar job, fixing to the wall or standing on the floor. FUTURA offers it in six outputs of 600W, 1,000W, 1,200W, 1,500W, 1,800W and 2,000W, so you can match it closely to the size of the room.
The feature that suits conservatories best is open window detection. If the room temperature drops by 5 degrees or more in a short time, the heater switches itself off, which saves you heating the garden when someone leaves the patio doors open. There's a thermostat with a timer, a digital LCD display and a two-year warranty.
In our testing it was slightly noisier than the other heaters we've used, which you'll notice more in a quiet room in the evening.
What we like
- Six output options from 600W to 2,000W
- Wall-mounted or floor-standing
- Open window detection switches it off when doors are left open
- Thermostat with a built-in timer
- Digital LCD display
- Two-year warranty
What to know
- Slightly noisier than the other heaters we've tested
Our verdict
Open window detection is the feature that makes the FUTURA Eco a good fit for conservatories with patio doors, and the six outputs mean there's a size for almost any room. It's cheaper than the Wärme and works on the wall or the floor. The catch is that it runs a little noisier than the other heaters we've tested.
Best Small
Pro Breeze® Mini Ceramic Fan
Best for: Small conservatories and quick bursts of heat on a budget
Check Price On AmazonThe Pro Breeze Mini is the little fan heater in our testing photos, and it's a handy option when a small conservatory needs warming quickly. The ceramic element heats up fast and the fan pushes warm air out as soon as it's switched on.
There are four modes, made up of two heat settings and two oscillation settings, and the 60 degrees of automatic oscillation spreads the warmth around the room. A built-in thermostat holds the temperature, and overheat and tip-over protection switch it off if something goes wrong. It's light enough to carry from room to room.
The 2,000W maximum sounds generous, but a fan heater this size struggles to keep a larger glass room warm for long, so it's best kept to small conservatories.
What we like
- 2,000W maximum output
- Overheat and tip-over protection
- Light enough to carry between rooms
- Four modes with two heat and two oscillation settings
- 60 degrees of automatic oscillation
- Built-in thermostat
What to know
- Only up to warming a small conservatory
Our verdict
The Pro Breeze Mini is right for a small conservatory you use now and then, or as a quick top-up while a wall heater gets going. It's cheap and easy to move. For a room you use every day, a fixed panel such as the FUTURA Eco gives steadier heat, and larger conservatories need the Dimplex FuturRad.
Best Smart
Adax NEO Conservatory Heater
Best for: Small conservatories where a slim WiFi heater saves space
Check Price On AmazonThe Adax NEO is the heater to look at if you want proper smart control. It's WiFi enabled, with an LCD display and digital thermostat, and the design is clean enough to look at home in a modern conservatory. Adax offers it in white or lava grey.
What earns it a place here is the low-profile body. It sits close to the wall, which matters in a small conservatory where every bit of floor counts. There are five outputs of 600W, 800W, 1,000W, 1,200W and 1,400W, and Adax backs it with a five-year guarantee.
You pay a premium for the WiFi, and the top output is lower than the Wärme or FUTURA, so a larger room would need two.
What we like
- WiFi enabled for app control
- Low-profile body that sits close to the wall
- Five output options from 600W to 1,400W
- LCD display with digital thermostat
- Available in white or lava grey
- Five-year guarantee
What to know
- You pay extra for the smart features
- Top output of 1,400W won't heat a large conservatory alone
Our verdict
Space is the reason to buy the Adax NEO, as its slim body sits close to the wall in a small conservatory, and the WiFi control and five-year guarantee add to the appeal. You do pay a premium for the smart features, and at 1,400W it won't heat a large room alone, where the Dimplex FuturRad is the stronger choice.
Choosing A Heater For A Cold Conservatory
Conservatories swing between hot and cold faster than any other room, so the right heater is one that reacts quickly and keeps an eye on the temperature for you. A few things decide which heater suits your conservatory.
Matching The Wattage To The Room
Output is measured in watts, and a larger or draughtier conservatory needs more of them. Dimplex pitches the 3,000W FuturRad at rooms of around 18 to 25 square metres, which gives you a feel for the top end. A small lean-to can get by with one of the lower-output panels, such as the MYLEK or a smaller FUTURA, while a big room with a polycarbonate roof needs the most powerful heater you can fit, or two heaters at either end.
Running cost follows wattage and hours. Every electric heater turns electricity into heat at the same rate, so no model is cheaper to run per hour at the same output. The savings come from thermostats and timers that stop the heater running when the room is already warm.
Wall Mounted Or Freestanding
A wall heater stays out of the way and can't be knocked over, which suits a conservatory used as a playroom or dining space. The catch is the dwarf wall, which leaves little room once you allow for clearances and a nearby socket. Freestanding heaters can go wherever there's a plug, and the MYLEK and FUTURA panels give you the choice of both.
Thermostats And Smart Controls
A good thermostat matters more in a conservatory than anywhere else, as the sun can push the temperature up quickly and switch a basic heater off for hours. Look for a digital thermostat with a timer at the least. WiFi heaters such as the Adax NEO and Dimplex FuturRad let you warm the room from your phone before you use it, and a simpler heater can do something similar on a schedule if you pair it with one of the best smart plugs.
Safety Around Children And Pets
Conservatories double as playrooms and dog rooms, so check for tip-over switches, overheat cut-outs and child locks. Keep the clearances the manufacturer gives, and never drape washing or blankets over a heater to dry, however handy it seems on a cold day.
Stopping The Heat Escaping
Any heater works harder in a room that leaks warmth. Thermal blinds on the roof, draught-proofing on the doors and a rug on a cold floor all help, and our guide to floor insulation explains what's possible under a solid or suspended floor. Conservatories also suffer with condensation on cold glass, and running one of the best dehumidifiers alongside the heater keeps the windows clearer and the room feeling warmer.
Conservatory Heating Questions We Get Asked
What is the cheapest way to heat a conservatory?
The cheapest way to heat a conservatory is a heater with a good thermostat and timer, so it only runs when the room needs it. All electric heaters turn electricity into heat at the same rate, so the savings come from control. Cutting heat loss with roof blinds and draught-proofing also reduces how long the heater has to run.
What size heater do I need for a conservatory?
The heater size you need depends on the floor area, the roof type and how much glass the conservatory has. A small lean-to can manage with a lower-output panel heater, while larger rooms need one of the more powerful models. Dimplex aims its 3,000W FuturRad at rooms of around 18 to 25 square metres, and very large conservatories are better with two heaters.
Can you leave a conservatory heater on overnight?
A wall-mounted panel heater with a thermostat, overheat protection and a frost setting can be left on overnight to stop plants and the room getting too cold. Set it low and keep the clearances clear. Fan heaters and other portable heaters shouldn't be left running unattended, so switch those off before you go to bed.
Are oil-filled radiators good for conservatories?
Oil-filled radiators work well in conservatories because they give a steady heat and keep radiating warmth for a while after the thermostat switches them off. They're slower to warm up than a fan or panel heater, though, and take up floor space. For a room you only use now and then, a faster heater such as a panel or ceramic fan suits better.
Which heater would you choose for a conservatory with patio doors?
The FUTURA Eco, because of its open window detection. If the room temperature drops by 5 degrees or more in a short time, it switches itself off, so you aren't heating the garden when someone leaves the doors open. The one trade-off is that it ran slightly noisier than the other heaters we've used.
Is the Dimplex FuturRad too much heater for a small conservatory?
Yes, for a small room it's more than you need. At 3,000W it's the most powerful heater in our roundup, and Dimplex pitches it at rooms of around 18 to 25 square metres. It's also the most expensive. A small conservatory is better served by the Pro Breeze Mini Ceramic Fan or a lower-output panel.
Is the timer on the Wärme Designer really that fiddly?
It took more fiddling than it should in our testing, so allow time with the manual. Once a schedule is set up you can leave it alone for the season. The rest of the Wärme Designer is simple, with a digital thermostat, an instant heat mode and a plug that fits a standard socket.
Is the Adax NEO worth the premium for WiFi control?
Only if space and smart control matter to you. The Adax NEO sits close to the wall, comes with a five-year guarantee and offers WiFi control, but you pay a premium for it. Its top output is 1,400W, so a larger conservatory needs two, or the Dimplex FuturRad instead.
Our Verdict On Conservatory Heaters
The Wärme Designer Electric Wall Heater is our pick for most conservatories, as a slim plug-in panel that keeps the heat coming without taking up any floor space. For a larger room that needs serious output, the Dimplex FuturRad is worth its higher price.
On a tight budget, the FUTURA Eco gives you a wall panel with open window detection for less, and the Pro Breeze Mini is a cheap way to warm a small conservatory in a hurry.
Richard has spent years renovating properties and turning them into rentals and Airbnbs. Like a lot of people he started out as a beginner, and these days there isn't much DIY he won't take on.