How much does it cost to run a fan heater in the UK?

Price updated 9 July 2026 · Q3 2026 (Jul–Sep)

A typical fan heater (2,000 W) used 2 hours a day, every day costs about £31.77 a month (£381.21 a year) at 26.11p/kWh.

Fan heaters heat a room quickly and cheaply to buy, but they are among the more expensive electric heaters to run for any length of time because they usually lack a good thermostat and blast at full power. A 2kW fan heater costs the same per kWh as any other heater, but without thermostatic cycling it tends to draw full power the whole time it's on. They are best used for a quick blast of warmth rather than sustained heating.

Work out your own cost

About £31.77 a month · £381.21 a year

Per hour52p
Per day£1.04
Per week£7.31
Per month£31.77
Per year£381.21

Uses about 1,460 kWh a year. Prefilled with the Ofgem cap of 26.11p/kWh — edit any box for your own figures.

Cost by model power

The same fan heater can vary a lot between models, so here is the range from a low-power to a high-power example.

Based on 2 hours a day, every day, at 26.11p/kWh.
ModelPowerPer hourPer dayPer monthPer year
Low-power model 1,000 W 26p 52p £15.88 £190.60
Typical model 2,000 W 52p £1.04 £31.77 £381.21
High-power model 3,000 W 78p £1.57 £47.65 £571.81

What changes the cost

  • Rated power (often 2–3 kW on full)
  • Lack of a good thermostat means full-power running
  • How long you leave it on
  • Room size and insulation
Save money: Use a fan heater only for short bursts to take the chill off. For sustained warmth an oil-filled radiator with a thermostat usually costs less overall.

Compare it

Related appliances

Share this: