APPLIANCE RUNNING COSTS · OCT–DEC 2026

How much does an electric fan heater cost to run?

A fan heater turns electricity into heat almost one for one, so a 2 kW heater uses about 2 kWh for each hour it runs at full power. At the GB average price-cap electricity rate of 26.32p per kWh for October–December 2026, an electric fan heater costs about 53p an hour at full power, or £1.05 for a typical 2-hour evening.

Last updated 11 October 2026GB average price-cap rate, October–December 2026, Direct Debit, 0% VAT

PER HOUR

53pat 2,000 W, full power

PER EVENING

£1.054.00 kWh over 2 hours

PER WEEK

£7.377 evenings a week (assumed)

PER YEAR

£3841,460 kWh at the assumed use

Work out your own cost

Choose your region or type in your own unit rate, then change the wattage and hours to match your appliance and how you use it. It starts with a week at our assumed use, averaged to hours a day.

Estimated running cost£7.37

28 kWh over 7 days · about £1.05 a day

How much electricity it uses

Typical portable fan heaters are rated at 2 kW, such as the Dimplex flat fan heater, and most have a lower setting: the Igenix IG9022 runs at 1,200 W on low and 2,000 W on high.
The Energy Saving Trust says portable electric heaters warm a single room but can be expensive to run, because the electricity they use costs more per unit of heat than main heating systems. It puts electricity at around four times the price of gas per unit.
With a thermostat, the heater cycles on and off once the room is warm, so real use can be below the full-power figure.

**Electric fan heater: running cost by power rating**At 26.32p per kWh (GB average price-cap rate, October–December 2026, Direct Debit, 0% VAT). Weekly use: 7 evenings of 2 hours (assumed).
Example	Rated power	Per hour	Per evening	Per year
Lower	1,200 W	32p	63p	£231
Typical	2,000 W	53p	£1.05	£384

Usage assumption: Two hours a day on the 2 kW setting. This is our illustration, not a measured average; change it in the calculator.

What drives the cost

Power setting and hours of use.
Thermostat setting and how quickly the room loses heat.

How it compares

**Cost per use compared**Typical figures from each appliance’s page, at 26.32p per kWh.
Appliance	Typical use	Energy	Cost
Electric fan heater	1 evening, 2 hours	4.00 kWh	£1.05
Oil-filled radiator	1 evening, 3 hours	6.00 kWh	£1.58
Convector heater	1 evening, 2 hours	4.00 kWh	£1.05
Electric blanket	1 night, 1 hour	0.15 kWh	3.9p

Ways to spend less

Heat only the room you are in, with the door closed, and use the thermostat and timer so the heater is not on at full power longer than needed.

Unit rates vary by region: this period they run from 25.36p per kWh in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and Northern Wales. See every region’s rate →

Questions

How much does an electric fan heater cost to run per hour?

At 26.32p per kWh (the GB average price-cap rate, October–December 2026, Direct Debit, 0% VAT), an electric fan heater rated at 2,000 W costs about 53p an hour at full power. Models from 1,200 W to 2,000 W cost 32p to 53p an hour.

How much does an electric fan heater cost to run a year?

It depends on how much you use it. Our assumption is two hours a day on the 2 kW setting. At 26.32p per kWh that comes to about £384 a year (1,460 kWh). Change the hours or uses in the calculator to match your own.

Is it cheaper to use an electric heater than central heating?

For warming one room for a short time it can be, because you avoid heating the whole house. Per unit of heat, though, the Energy Saving Trust says electric heaters cost more than main heating systems, and electricity costs around four times as much as gas per unit.

Does the cost depend on where I live?

Yes, a little. Price-cap electricity unit rates for October–December 2026 range from 25.36p per kWh in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and Northern Wales. Pick your region in the calculator, or enter the unit rate from your bill if you are on a fixed or time-of-use tariff.

About these figures

Running costs are energy used × unit rate. They exclude the daily standing charge, which you pay whether or not the appliance runs. Costs per hour assume the appliance draws its full rated power the whole time; many appliances cycle on and off, so real use is often lower. Power ratings and energy figures are examples from the sources below, not a measured UK average.

Other appliances

Sources

Dimplex flat fan heater 2kW ↗2,000 W with two heat settings.
Igenix IG9022 2kW fan heater user manual (PDF) ↗Low 1,200 W, high 2,000 W.
Energy Saving Trust: electric heating ↗Running costs of portable electric heaters compared with main heating.
Ofgem: energy price cap unit rates and standing charges ↗GB average electricity unit rate and VAT basis, October–December 2026.

Last updated 11 October 2026. Figures are dated benchmarks taken from the sources above. How we use sources →