The 5 Best Combination Fan and Heaters, Tested and Reviewed

Best Overall

Lasko FH500 Fan & Space Heater Combo Tower

$135 at Amazon $154 $130 at Walmart $135 at Wayfair

We've tested the Lasko Fan and Space Heater Combo twice in the lab and for over a year at home, and it continues to impress us with its consistent performance, cooling an open space or adding warmth whenever needed. Although it is tied for the tallest unit on our list (42 inches), this tower fan's sleek design helps it blend into the room, so we never felt the need to store or hide it.

It has a 13-inch-wide base, so dogs, kids, or robot vacuums will be less likely to knock it over (just keep it out of their reach when the heat is on, as the grill gets hot). We liked the four different fan speeds, and even at the highest setting, the sound was like soft white noise (we recorded it at just 39.9 decibels on low!), so we could still have a conversation or enjoy a movie. 

During our fan testing in the lab, we measured the air circulation from as far as 20 feet, which was reflected in our home testing, where we had the fan on almost constantly to keep us cool while working (or to keep the dog happy). The oscillation setting can be used in cooling or heating mode, and it turns in roughly a 6-inch range to help it circulate the air in larger rooms.

The ETL-listed 1,500-watt ceramic heating component takes up only the bottom third of the unit, but it is powerful, with three different warming settings. The fourth setting on the heater allows the fan (the top portion of the unit) to work simultaneously, so the fan helps circulate the warm air. Also, note that you can only choose a heating setting; you can't pick a desired temperature (or see the current temperature).

We love all of the easy-to-use controls and found the fan’s filter easy to access and remove for cleaning. Plus, this pick has a one to 8-hour timer, so you can set it to shut off automatically. It also has an Eco mode (which adjusts according to the temperature on the thermostat) to help save energy. Just note that while we love that it includes a remote, we found it hard to use at any distance from the unit.

Also, we found that it isn't the easiest unit to move around, nor is it ideal for very small rooms or personal use (because of its tall form and base). There is a handle built into the back, and the fan weighs less than 13 pounds. However, its height makes it a little awkward to carry, but it is not impossible.

_{Dimensions: 41.88 x 12.5 x 12.5 inches | Weight: 11.5 pounds | Oscillation: Yes}

Best Runner-Up, Overall

BlueAir ComfortPure 3-in-1 Air Purifier

View on Amazon View on Blueair.com View on Best Buy

Shopping for an air purifier? We love this new combination unit from BlueAir, which combines three devices into one. After testing it for over a month, we think it’s especially perfect for small spaces (we’ve been using it in a bedroom) because it is compact and looks great, too. This unit does cost more than double the price of our best overall, but if it’s in your budget, we think it’s a worthy runner-up due to all of its great features. 

We tested this combination unit during very unpredictable late fall weather in New Jersey, so we often switched between the fan and heater modes and occasionally just used it as an air purifier. We found the third and fourth fan settings kept our room cool during milder temperatures and provided great white noise at night. Thanks to the control panel, remote, and easy-to-use app, we could customize all of the settings and change them whenever we needed. 

One of our favorite features was the 360-degree oscillation—the unit can turn completely around to provide better airflow, but it offers multiple ranges and speed settings if that works better for your space. This unit also offers great safety features: you can lock the touch-screen control panel to avoid accidentally turning on the heater, plus it stays cool to the touch and turns off automatically if it’s tipped. 

Because it also operates as an air purifier, it requires more maintenance than a typical fan and heater combo. The filter needs to be replaced every year, but we like that the app monitors its life and keeps you updated when it needs to be replaced.

_{Dimensions: 19.8 x 10.3 x 10.3 inches | Weight: 13.5 pounds | Oscillation: Yes}

Best Budget

GiveBest Portable Electric Space Heater

$30 $27 at Amazon

We tested the GiveBest Heater during our space heater testing in the lab and were impressed by its heating abilities, especially given its compact size. Its dual cooling and heating functions make it the perfect addition to any small room (it’s designed for heating spaces up to 200 square feet, about the size of a one-car garage). Plus, at just under 3 pounds, we found it very easy to move around from room to room, depending on where extra heat (or cooling) is needed.

Although it doesn’t offer as many heating and fan settings as our best overall winner, we found the two dials (one for the heater and one for the fan) to be very easy to use. During colder months, adjust the heater dial to the desired amount of heat (from 750 to 1,500 watts) and select either the low or high fan setting.

When you want to cool down, just select the high or low fan setting (no heat needed). While testing the heating function, we felt nice and toasty within just a few minutes of turning the heater on.

This ceramic heater and fan is ETL-tested, meaning it has to have certain safety features, like the automatic shut-off. During testing, we noted that it turned off with just the slightest tip (this feature came in handy when we tested it at home as well, as we accidentally knocked it over several times). We did note that the sides, the top of the heater, or the cord weren’t hot to the touch after use, although the grill was warm.

Also, we found this to be a relatively quiet unit. The manufacturer lists it at 45 decibels on the low fan setting, and we measured it at 69 on high (normal conversation is about 60 decibels, while 42 is about as quiet as a typical library), which sounded like white noise and wasn’t too loud and distracting.

We tested this combination fan heater at home for over six months in a drafty living room and an enclosed porch. We also found it to be a great size to bring to the office for personal use by our desk. We loved how lightweight it was to move, and found the handle made it very easy to lift.

The only issue we found is that the heat only came out of the right side of the unit. Since it does not have an oscillation setting either, we had to move the heater around to get the right amount of heat distribution. However, we have no other complaints about this great little unit.

_{Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.2 x 7.9 inches | Weight: 2.99 pounds | Oscillation: No}

Best Compact

Dreo Atom One Space Heater

$50 at Amazon $50 at Walmart View on Dreo.com

After testing the Dreo Atom One Space Heater, we think it's a great option for small rooms because of its programmable thermostat, extra safety features, and compact size. We found this unit to be very easy to use, with a clear digital display that's visible from a few feet away (similar to a digital alarm clock), a remote control that works up to 8 feet away, and intuitive controls. You can set the exact temperature you'd like between 45 and 90 degrees, and the unit turns 35 degrees in either direction to help circulate the air.

We do want to point out that this unit gets hot, so you'll want to keep it away from children and pets. However, we are impressed with all of its safety features, including an ALCI (Appliance Leakage Current Interrupter) plug that comes in handy in damp spaces. This type of plug is designed to shut off like a circuit breaker if it comes into contact with water or has a short. We also like that it has a timer, so you can program it to turn off automatically.

We used this space heater daily for three months, splitting our testing time between a bedroom (to heat up an attached bathroom) and our office. We love it for smaller spaces in particular because it's effective and efficient—we can use the energy-saving eco mode, where it turns off once it hits your desired temperature and turns back on when it gets below that.

In larger spaces, we found that the heater is not that powerful, and doesn't seem to ever reach the desired temperature, so it runs continuously without shutting off (so the eco-mode isn't useful).

Also, while we found it light and easy to carry around from room to room, we do wish it had a better handle so we could carry it with one hand. It has a built-in groove to lift and carry it, and our fingers would slip occasionally, so we used both hands to work around that small issue.

_{Dimensions: 10.3 x 5.5 x 6.7 inches | Weight: 3.8 pounds | Oscillation: Yes}

Best Features

Dyson HP07 Purifier Hot+Cool

$750 $550 at Amazon $750 at Walmart $750 at Wayfair

Similar to our best runner-up, overall, the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool HP07 offers the benefits of three different small appliances—a heater, fan, and air purifier—all in one sleek, space-saving appliance. We tested this unit for over three months and were most impressed by its features, ease of use, and quiet operation, even on the highest settings. We used it almost daily and loved that it was lightweight and compact enough to bring to other rooms as needed.

Whether you turn on the fan or the heater, this Dyson model purifies and circulates the air. Its HEPA filter captures 99.97 percent of particles as small as 0.3 microns, including pollen, mold, dust, and pet dander. We measured it at only 43 decibels on low (about as quiet as a library) and just 50 on high, so it's one of the quietest units on this list.

The remote worked even from 8 feet away, and we found all of the controls to be intuitive. This unit offers full temperature control and 10 fan settings, so you can customize it for your needs. We also found it sturdy and cool to the touch in heater mode. It's the only unit on this list that rotates almost fully around (350-degree oscillation) to cover a larger area.

We also love that it turns on and off automatically to match the ambient temperature in our room. While we liked that you can control it with an app, we found ourselves mostly using the remote control. Our only complaint is that it takes a few seconds to toggle between settings, but this was a minor issue.

_{Dimensions: 30 x 5.12 x 8.1 inches | Weight: 12.5 pounds | Oscillation: Yes}