Best Bathroom Heater Options Reviewed

Many of us find ourselves in a familiar situation in the morning. We get up from our warm beds, walk into the bathroom only to find a cold floor and cold room. Worse is getting out of the shower in a freezing bathroom. Sometimes we don’t necessarily have the space for a portable heater or we may want something more permanent. This is where bathroom heaters become essential. Our article reviews some of the best bathroom heater options available today.

Our Picks for Top Bathroom Heaters

Bathroom Heater Buying Guide

There are so many different options available in the bathroom heater space. You will want to ensure you make the best choice for your heating needs, your space, and your home. Here are a few things to consider when shopping around for the best bathroom heater for you!

Heating Capacity – You’ll need to determine the size of the room that needs to be heated. Some heaters are known for heating large spaces while others are better for small bathrooms. Measure the size of your room to see how many BTUs you need to make sure your choice will suit the size for your room.
Power Source – You could want a hard wired option. But maybe a plug in model is more your speed. Consider all the options, the safety features of them and the installation costs.
Mount – Having an indescrete heater may be your goal. Some may not mind a more visible, pronounced heater. The good news is there are options for everyone. Figure out if you’d prefer a ceiling or wall mount.
Additional Features – Do you want a thermostat? An auto shut-off? A light, heater, vent combo? These are all options that can be found in a few of our best bathroom heater picks.

Bathroom Heater Mount Types

When you are shopping for a bathroom heater, you may not know that there are different mounting options. Your bathroom may be large enough that you can choose from either of them. Or you may need a specific mount type. Here are the most common options.

Ceiling Mounted Bathroom Heaters

Ceiling mounted bathroom heaters are great options for those looking for an inconspicuous heater. Most of these types of heaters will also be a light fixture. By doing double duty, you won’t need to have two separate fixtures in your bathroom. There are options that are one or two bulbs.

Wall Mounted Bathroom Heaters

Another option is to mount a bathroom heater on a wall. These options are heaters only (I mean who wants a light in a wall). You’ll have to go through the hassle of installing this but they’re viable options. They’re great for those with wall space and those not wanting to mess with their light fixture.

Free Standing / Portable Bathroom Heaters

So maybe you don’t want to go too crazy and install a new fixture. A free standing or portable heater may be the best option. These are typically electric space heaters. There are many different types such as oil filled and infrared heaters. They can be a cost effective solution to making your cold bathroom a little warmer.

Our In-Depth Bathroom Heater Reviews

Stiebel Eltron CK

This electric bathroom heater is able to be mounted on the wall and is very quiet while it’s running. Since it’s such a compact design, it can easily be installed pretty much anywhere. It has a built in thermostat and is 120V and 1500 watts. One other great thing is that it’s extremely lightweight, which eliminates any worry of it being so heavy that it falls off the wall. All of these points makes it rank high on the best bathroom heater list.

It is easily installed.
It can easily be installed over existing heaters.
It has a downdraft that helps prevent cold floors.
It doesn’t have a setting for just circulating air without having heat.
It needs to be hardwired to work as it doesn’t have any type of power cord.

NuTone Deluxe Heat-A-Ventlite

Not only is this product a heater, but it’s also a ceiling light. It has 4 different functions, which are: fan-forced heater, air ventilator, light, and night light. In addition, it’s not very loud and the glass lens is around 8 inches in diameter. It also has auto reset thermal protection and an on/off switch. Finally, this product is 1500 watts and uses a 100 watt bulb for the light and a 7 watt bulb for the nightlight.

The heat can be turned off if you just want to circulate air.
It doesn’t need to be installed on its own breaker.
It comes with different switches for each mode.
The lights for the actual light and nightlight are not included.
It needs to be installed at least 3 feet away from the shower or bathtub.

Panasonic Whisper

This product can heat up to 110 cubic feet per minute and the housing itself is stainless steel. Air is sucked in on both sides of the fan so more air can go in at one time. It is rated to run 30,000 hours through it’s lifetime. It is 1500 watts and needs a minimum 20 amp circuit that is used only for this. Keep in mind, it needs to be installed no more than 8 feet from the floor.

You can choose to install this yourself or have someone install it for you.
The motors are permanently lubricated so you don’t have to worry about taking it apart to oil it.
It only weighs about 20 pounds so you don’t have to worry about it being too heavy.
It doesn’t come with control switches.
It needs to vent outside so it might be hard to install by yourself.

Broan Heater Bath Fan and Light

This product has the option to have professionals come install or you can install it yourself. The fan and heater options can be used one at a time or together, depending on your preference. This heater uses a 100 watt light bulb and is 1300 watts. Keep in mind, it’s best suited for bathrooms that are no bigger than 65 square feet. It also needs to have a 20 amp circuit in order to work.

It can be used with a 3 way switch so you don’t have to use the heat, light, and fan at one time.
The unit is completely enclosed.
You can install it with a timer if you wanted to.
It doesn’t come with a light bulb.
It needs to use duct work and be vented outside so it might be hard to install on your own.

Broan High Capacity Wall Heater

This 1500 watt wall fan can be wired to run on either 120V or 240V. Not only does it have a built in adjustable thermostat, but the motor is also thermally protected. When it’s running it’s quiet and it also has a transverse blower. This unit also has a hang tab that helps with installation. Finally, you don’t have to worry about it sticking out or falling because you install it right into the wall.

Since the heating element is alloy, it warms up very quickly.
Along with a high and low setting, it also has a setting where you can turn it completely off.
The motor shuts off once it hits a certain temperature to help decrease the chance of overheating.
It’ll have issues heating a huge bathroom.

Cadet Wall Heater

This product is another one that ranks high on the best bathroom heater list. It is 1500 watts, 120V, and wall mounted. Since this heater is smaller, it’s not very good for bigger rooms. It can be installed either horizontally or vertically and can also be ceiling mounted if you wanted. Finally, it works well with a built-in thermostat kit.

It can be mounted multiple ways.
It’s perfect for medium or small rooms.
It fits right into the wall so you don’t have to worry about it sticking out.
A thermostat isn’t included.
It isn’t good at heating big rooms.