Does your baby get exceptionally cold at night? The weight of adding a few extra blankets can make your baby uncomfortable. An option you might not have considered is investing in a space heater. But, which is the best space heater for your nursery?
I know what you’re thinking. Is it safe to have a space heater in the baby’s room? The good news is, a quality space heater can safely provide sufficient heat to keep your little angel warm and comfortable while enjoying a good night’s sleep.
If you’re wondering which heater to add to your shortlist of options, read the rest of this article. I’ve done the research for you and all you have to do is pick the best heater for your baby room from the list I’ve reviewed. Trust me, I know something about cold weather as I live in Switzerland which can become quite cold in winter times.
For your convenience, I’ve also added some safety tips for keeping your baby safe while the heater is on. My review list also identifies the safest space heater for your nursery. I’ve included a detailed buyers’ guide to give you some insight as to what you need to look for in a space heater.
- My Top Picks
- Best Overall – Vornadobaby Tempa Nursery Heater
- Best Value – PELONIS Portable 2 in 1 Vortex Heater With Air Circulation Fan
- Most Compact – Lasko 755320 Ceramic Space Heater
- Most Child-friendly – DeLonghi Oil-Filled Radiator Space Heater
- Most Energy Efficient – Honeywell HZ-7300 Deluxe Energy Smart Cool Touch Heater
- What is the Safest Space Heater for a Nursery?
- What is the Best Room Temperature for the Nursery?
- How to Pick the Best Space Heater For Your Nursery?
- Tips for Using a Space Heater Safely in a Nursery
- Final Thoughts
My Top Picks
- Best Overall – Vornadobaby Tempa Nursery Heater
- Best Value – PELONIS Portable 2 in 1 Vortex Heater With Air Circulation Fan
- Most Compact – Lasko 755320 Ceramic Space Heater
- Most Child-friendly – De’Longhi Oil-Filled Radiator Space Heater
- Most Energy Efficient – Honeywell HZ-7300 Deluxe Energy Smart Cool Touch Heater
Best Overall – Vornadobaby Tempa Nursery Heater
This product is designed specifically for baby nurseries and children’s bedrooms. With its advanced features and 5-year guarantee, it’s an ideal all year round solution to regulate your little one’s nursery.
Who It’s For
This model is ideal for to-be parents who require both a fan and heater for their nursery.
Why Should You Consider It?
It has advanced safety settings which include a child-lock, cord storage, two heat settings and fan settings for hot summer days.
Buying this heater means you don’t have to buy a separate fan to cool your baby’s nursery during the summer months. Heating coverage ranges up to 100 square feet and this heater uses the forced air method.
Product Information
- Dimension: 7.5 x 10.1 x 10.9″
- Settings: x 2 heat and x2 fan
- Casing: Cool touch case
- Thermostat: Adjustable
- Power: Energy efficient
Pros
- Dual heat settings and fan settings ensure this is an all year round product.
- Exceptional safety features including child locks, overheat protection, tip over shut-off and cool-touch housing.
- Cord storage feature prevents a trip hazard.
Cons
- Be vigilant that little hands don’t change the temperature.
- Safety lock can be irritating.
Best Value – PELONIS Portable 2 in 1 Vortex Heater With Air Circulation Fan
It takes only 2 seconds to start heating your baby’s nursery with this small and compact heater.
Who It’s For?
Since it’s compact, it’s ideal for a room with limited space.
Why Should You Consider It?
The portable and adjustable tilt design can be easily moved between rooms. The rotating holder easily adjusts the heater up and down to give it a 90° tilting angle. It’s reliable ceramic heater technology provides a consistent and comfortable temperature.
It’s also ideal to move around if your baby spends time in a different room. With its high and low cooling mode it allows for a comfortable heating setting in any room the baby is in. its room coverage is about 100 square feet.
Product Information
- Dimension: 11.92 x 7.63 x 11.1″
- Settings: Fan and heat settings
- Casing: Cool touch casing with portable, adjustable tilt design
- Thermostat: Adjustable with digital control panel
- Power: 900 + 1500 W
Pros
- Fast and efficient heating, able to heat up to 70°.
- Easy to use digital control panel.
- Made from flame-resistant material.
Cons
- Fan is quite loud for about 5 seconds after switching on, which could hamper your baby being able to sleep soundly.
- Only blows out heat at the lowest fan speed.
Most Compact – Lasko 755320 Ceramic Space Heater
With its widespread oscillation, this heater easily distributes heat around the whole room.
Who It’s For?
This compact model is ideal for parents who have a small nursery with limited space.
Why Should You Buy It?
This heater has overheat protection which ensures the space heater doesn’t overheat if accidentally left on for extended periods.
Two quiet heat settings allow for this heater to heat up your baby’s room before setting them down for the night. It uses the convection heating method and gives enough heat for a standard-size room.
Product Information
- Dimension: 7.25 x 8.6 x 23″
- Settings: 3 heat settings
- Casing: Cool touch case
- Thermostat: Adjustable with built-in timer
- Power:1500 W
Pros
- Adjustable thermostat.
- Remote control and built-in-timer.
- Extensive built-in-safety features.
Cons
- Carry handle at the back doesn’t offer much support, easy to drop.
- Digital display is situated on top of the unit so it’s impossible to see the reading from across the room as it would be if it were situated on the front.
Most Child-friendly – DeLonghi Oil-Filled Radiator Space Heater
This child-friendly oil heater is ideally suited for smaller homes such as condos and apartments.
Who It’s For?
It’s perfect for parents with small homes and small nurseries.
Why Should You Consider It?
With its comfort temp technology, your electricity costs are minimized because the unit maintains optimal room temperature. An adjustable thermostat and three heat settings make it suitable for a baby’s nursery.
The DeLonghi has a patented Smart Snap feature which are pre-assembled wheels that make moving it from room to room very easy. You can easily move the heater to the room your baby is sleeping or playing in. The heating method is radiant and gives enough heat for a standard baby’s room.
Product Information
- Dimension: 5.9 x 13.78 x 24.9″
- Settings: Multiple heat settings
- Casing: Cool touch casing
- Thermostat: Adjustable
- Power: Energy-saving
Pros
- Affordable
- Energy-efficient
- Comfort Temp feature maintains room’s temperature
Cons
- Long cord is a potential tripping hazard.
- Night light can be annoying.
Most Energy Efficient – Honeywell HZ-7300 Deluxe Energy Smart Cool Touch Heater
This particular model has two heat settings, a programmable thermostat,and includes tip-over protection.
Who It’s For?
With its compact size, this particular model is ideal for the smaller nursery.
Why Should You Consider It?
Despite being small, its oscillation allows it to cover a bigger room. With its tip-over and shut-off protection there’s a guarantee that the unit will switch off if it’s accidentally knocked over.
With its Digital Energy Smart Technology you’ll be able to minimize your energy usage and reduce your electricity bill. It uses the forced air heating method and the oscillation system gives enough heating for a wide area.
Product Information
- Dimension: 11.34 x 8.15 x 12.91″
- Settings: 2 heat settings
- Casing: Cool touch casing
- Thermostat: Adjustable
- Power: Energy-efficient
Pros
- Energy-efficient.
- Extensive oscillation covers a large room.
- Programmable thermostat makes operation comfortable.
Cons
- Unit is noisy, and might be difficult for the baby to fall asleep.
- Warranty is limited, ensure you read the small print.
What is the Safest Space Heater for a Nursery?
In general, electric space heaters are more expensive to operate than combustible types. But, since they’re the only space heaters that are unvented, it makes them the safest to use inside your baby’s nursery or any other room the baby might sleep in.
The top safest space heaters most suitable for nurseries from this review are the following:
What is the Best Room Temperature for the Nursery?
When it comes to choosing nursery furniture, choosing the best fan and the safest heater should be close to the top of the list. It’s also very important to constantly check the temperature of your baby’s nursery.
A nursery that is too hot could increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS, as it’s commonly referred to. Research done by sleep advisors show that the recommended temperature for any room that the baby sleeps in should be kept between 16 to 20 degrees C.
How to Pick the Best Space Heater For Your Nursery?
Deciding which space heater to purchase can be a bit overwhelming, considering the amount of products on the market. It’s easier when you have some sort of an idea as to what you should be looking for.
Types of Heaters
The most important point to consider is definitely the type of heater you’ll need. Since there are numerous heater styles, you will need to select the one most compatible with a baby’s sleeping space.
The different types can be summarized as follows:
- Conductive Space heaters: these types make use of an internal fan that blows cool air over a heating element and then releases warm air into the room. These heaters are great for room-wide coverage. They’re also reasonably priced if you’re working on a budget.
- Radiant heaters: These heaters are also referred to as oil heaters. They’re designed to produce fast, spot heating in any small space. The heating method uses a liquid which is often oil. The oil heats the exterior of the heater. This heat unfortunately doesn’t last long and doesn’t really heat up a room. This is ideal for warming up your baby quickly.
- Convection heaters: These heaters heat a room quite effectively because they heat the room by making use of convection currents. Since these types of heaters warm the air in a room rather than just the objects, they’re among the most popular used.
- Micathermic panel heaters: These types of heaters are panel heaters and use about 80% convection heat and 20% direct radiant heat. Being lightweight these heaters are easy to move around if the baby is in a different room. Some of these models are also wall mounted which makes it very convenient for smaller nurseries or rooms with limited space. Experts recommend using this type of heater as opposed to putting a heater on the floor where the surface can get too hot.
Safety Features
Purchasing a heater for a room where a baby or toddler is going to sleep requires a thorough look at the safety features. A space heater suitable for your little one’s room must have the following features:
- Cool to the touch: We all know how hot heaters can get and we also know how little ones like to touch and explore everything around them. Ensure that the heater you’re considering is relatively cool to touch.
- Automatic shut off: These days almost every heater has a built-in safety shut off. Double-check this feature to ensure that should the heater be accidentally knocked over, the safety shut off is activated. As the old adage says, “rather safe than sorry.”
- Solid base: In addition to an automatic shut off, opting for a heater with a solid base is another step in reducing the likelihood of it getting accidentally knocked over.
- Closed slats: Some heaters have small spaces in between their parts. And let me tell you, if there’s even the smallest space, your little one will be tempted to stick his or her little finger in there! If possible, try finding a heater with closed slats and casings.
Energy Consumption
We all know any appliance with an element for heating consumes more energy than one without. What you’re looking for here is a space heater that runs on low wattage. By running on a lower wattage, your heater will require much less electricity, making it a good energy-saving option. Not to worry though, it will still provide enough heat to keep your little one warm.
Heating Capacity
Always read the product specifications to determine how much heat the heater and generate and then establish if that will be sufficient for the nursery. Bigger isn’t always better in this instance. If the baby also sleeps in a room different from the nursery, make sure the space heater you’re considering can heat both rooms.
Design
When it comes to the design of your space heater, it’s important to consider the space you have available for it. As a safety precaution, you want to get a heater that isn’t in the way where it can potentially be knocked over or present a tripping hazard.
Don’t limit your options to your traditional conception of how heaters look. There are a wide variety of portable and compact options on the market. Some brands may even include models that can be hung on the wall to reduce floor space.
Noise Level
As you will undoubtedly find out, it can be quite a challenge to get your baby to sleep and then keeping him or her asleep. Noise plays a big factor in keeping the little one sleeping. For this reason, you want a heater that functions as quietly as possible. Usually, heaters with fans are louder than those without.
In addition to providing a quiet environment for a better sleeping baby, a noiseless heater will also protect your baby’s hearing. Research has shown that there shouldn’t be any noises in the nursery above 50 decibels.
Warranty
The warranty on a product isn’t always the best indicator of a product’s quality. However, it does give you an indication of the manufacturer’s confidence in their own product. Buying a heater with a proper warranty will give you peace of mind knowing that should you have a product concern, it will be addressed appropriately.
Budget
When deciding what budget to allocate to your heater purchase, consider the features you’ll require. Some lower-priced heaters will lack the extra features that you might find with the more expensive brands. Ask yourself what is the minimum feature you require and then compare it to the “nicest to have” feature on offer and somewhere in between you’ll find a unit suitable for your baby’s nursery.
It’s important to note that kerosene, gas or paraffin heaters should never be used in a room or home where a baby sleeps. The carbon dioxide they release is very hazardous to a baby. Avoid these heaters at all costs.
Allergens
If you or your baby are subject to allergies, you might want to avoid a heater with a fan. Fan heaters are able to recirculate dust in the baby’s room and might aggravate existing allergies. If you’re concerned about the dust factor, consider a wall-mounted heater. These types of heaters provide the same amount of heat as a floor heater, minus the possible allergens.
To see how easy it is to mount a wall heater, watch this short clip!
Additional Features
There are also a few other special features that could make using your heater easier and more convenient for both you and your little one. A few of these might include the following:
- Remote control: A remote control allows you to switch on/off or adjust the temperature from across the room. This means if you’re nursing or bathing your baby, you won’t have to put the baby down to adjust the heater.
- Timer: This function allows you to pre-set the heater. You can set it to be on for 30 minutes before bedtime and the timer will make sure you don’t forget to leave the unit on.
- Auto-shutoff: The auto-shutoff feature ensures the heater gets switched off even if you forget to switch it off. This nifty feature means there’s one less thing for you to take care of.
- Handles and castor wheels: Both handles and castor wheels are handy for moving the heater to rooms other than the nursery. Moving your heater around shouldn’t be difficult.
- Extended power cord: If your wall socket is a distance away from where you need the heater to be placed, an extended power cord is very handy. It’s important though to ensure that the cord is placed in a manner that won’ cause anyone to trip over it. If I could give you a tip here, it’s to lay a small carpet over the part of the cord that might be in the way. That way there’s no risk of accidentally tripping over it as you rush to the diaper pail!
If you’re still on the fence as to which one you prefer, let me remind you of some of the best features on some of my top picks:
- My best overall is the Vornadobaby Tempa Nursery Heater. This model is specifically designed with your baby’s nursery in mind. With its heater and fan option, it’s the perfect all-year-round opinion.
- The Lasko 755320 Ceramic Space Heater is perfectly suited for smaller rooms or limited space. Just because it’s smaller doesn’t mean it heats less!
- The DeLonghi Oil-Filled Radiator Space Heater for being the best child-friendly option. Oil heaters are ideal for smaller rooms and there’s no risk of inquisitive little fingers touching a fan or heating element.
Tips for Using a Space Heater Safely in a Nursery
A few important safety pointers to pay close attention to when using a space heater in the nursery include the following:
- Place your space heater on a flat, level surface. Never place the heater on a table or cabinet that could cause overheating. Don’t place the heater on a carpet as this could present a fire hazard. Depending on the type of heater you’re going to get, you might need to put something between the heater and the carpet to avoid burning.
- Ensure the heater is switched off when not in use. If your heater has a timer, set the timer for the time necessary to warm the room. This will ensure you don’t accidentally forget to switch it off.
- If you’re using an electric heater, don’t overload the plug. Experts recommend plugging the space heater directly into the wall socket.
- Keep the heater out of high-traffic areas to avoid tripping over them or knocking them over.
- Don’t use any heater to dry or warm clothes or blankets. Even the smallest baby vest draped over the heater could present a fire hazard.
- Keep it at least 3 feet away from paper, linen, or any other bedding. If space is limited in your baby’s nursery, consider getting a wall heater that is hung against the wall.
- Don’t leave the heater on throughout the night. Rather add an additional lightweight blanket to the crib when you switch the heater off. You could also drape a thin blanket or towel over the back of the crib to keep the heat locked in.
- Buy a separate thermostat alarm. This type of device will sound an alarm in the instance where the room temperature rises to more than it should.
- Install smoke alarms throughout your home, and in all areas where the baby sleeps. Test the smoke alarms once a month to ensure that they’re working properly.
- Ensure pets and children don’t play near the heater. If you find little tots constantly wandering toward the heater, consider placing a baby gate in front of the heater. Baby gates are usually available from baby stores and work well in keeping the baby, other toddlers or pets away from the heater.
How do You Baby Proof a Heater in the Nursery?
The golden rule with heaters should always be safety first. As with everything else in your home, it’s necessary to take some safety precautions securing the heater in your baby’s nursery. This is extremely important when your baby becomes a toddler and starts walking or reaching for objects.
Let me share a few baby proofing tips for your heather with you:
- Ensure the heater is out of baby’s reach. Don’t place it too close to the crib.
- Secure the heater to the floor so that it doesn’t accidentally get knocked over. This doesn’t mean you have to drill holes in the floor! Simply use double-sided tape or Velcro on the underside of the heater.
- Ensure the cord is placed out of reach and can not be tugged on by curious little fingers or tripped over by anyone.
- If you have space in your nursery, consider placing the heater behind a baby gate. A fireplace screen is also a great way to keep the heater from being reached or touched by exploring little hands.
Final Thoughts
I hope this extensive look at space heaters will give some insight when it comes to choosing the one that’s right for your baby’s nursery. My safety tips and buyers guide will help you choose the safest space heater for your nursery and how to use it safely!
Taking all these points into consideration will ensure your little one sleeps warm every and comfortable every night! Which one is going to be your favorite pick for your baby’s room?
Last update on 2024-04-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
