At the U.S. average of 18.44¢ per kWh (May 2026), a 1,500-watt space heater costs about $0.28 an hour. Put in your own heater, hours and state below and we'll show you the arithmetic.
Interactive Tool
Six in-stock radiators, picked on their controls. Every 1,500W heater makes the same heat.
What one plug-in heater can and can’t do in a big room, and when you need two.
Why the thermostat and timer save more money than the heater type does.
Our overall picks across oil, ceramic and infrared heaters.
May 2026 rates
| Heater Type | Monthly Cost | Best For | Efficiency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas Furnace | $19–$22 | Whole home, where gas is available | 80–92% AFUE |
| Heat Pump | $21–$33 | Whole home, also provides cooling | Seasonal COP 2.0–3.2 |
| Propane Heater | $43 | Off-grid, garages | 80% AFUE |
| Electric Space Heater | $66 | Small rooms | 100% (resistance) |
| Infrared Heater | $66 | Spot heating a person, not a room | 100% (resistance) |
How these are worked out. Every row delivers the same 1.23 million BTU of heat per month — the output of a 1,500 W electric heater run 8 hrs/day for 30 days. Rates used: electricity 18.44¢/kWh (EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A, May 2026); natural gas $1.44/therm (EIA, winter average, November 2025 - March 2026 (US); December 2025 - February 2026 (by state)); propane $2.55/gal (EIA, heating-season average, October 2025 - March 2026). Electric space heaters and infrared heaters cost the same to run because every electric resistance heater turns ~100% of the electricity it draws into heat — the difference is where the heat goes, not how much you buy. Your own cost depends on your utility rate, your equipment and how much of the house you heat.
A heat pump moves heat instead of making it, so it buys the same warmth for roughly a third of the electricity a resistance heater uses. Swapping one resistance heater for another does not change the bill.
Each state page uses that state's own electricity and gas prices, not the national average. The figure beside each state is its residential electricity price (May 2026); the U.S. average is 18.44¢.
Compare all statesEdited by SK Kutubuddin. A former aviation professional with over two decades of hands-on expertise in aero-engine maintenance, inspection, and tool management.
Read our methodologyEvery product claim comes from the manufacturer’s own listing. If they don’t publish it, we don’t say it.
Every pick we add or update is checked against Amazon’s own product data: in stock, sold new, and the model the page names.
Every cost uses one formula and published EIA energy prices, listed with their reporting period on our Methodology page.
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