Beldray Oscillating Halogen Heater review: the cheapest way to heat a room this winter

Price on writing: £28 | Buy now from Amazon

How I tested

I tested the Beldray Oscillating Halogen Heater at home during winter, over the course of two weeks. Testing all three heat levels, oscillation and its auto-shut off feature, I took detailed notes on warmth, heat-up speed and ease of use. Using an infrared thermometer gun, I took accurate readings of the temperature in front of the heater after 10, 30 and 60 minutes on maximum heat.

Read next: Best halogen heaters

My verdict

If you're looking for a quick, affordable way to heat a small space, a halogen heater is a great option. This one from Beldray has three heat levels, auto-shut off if it gets tipped over and it oscillates to spread heat evenly.

As with any halogen heater, it gets to work immediately. Even on the lowest heat setting, it provides a comforting glow and kicks out enough steady heat to make a chilly room start to feel cosy. At its highest setting with oscillation on, it spreads an impressive amount of heat effectively around the room, and after just ten minutes on the space in front of the heater had reached 38.9°C.

Where the Beldray Oscillating Halogen Heater really shines is the value for money it offers. At only £28, it's one of the cheapest heaters on the market - and it's also one of the cheapest to run, ranging from 10p per hour on the lowest setting, up to 36p per hour on high, which is still cheaper than most other heaters.

The only heater than competes on cost per hour is an infrared panel, like the INVO Curved Freestanding Infrared Heater. Crucially though, this retails for £130 - more than four times the upfront cost of the Beldray.

The Beldray can also heat a space rather than just one person. It provides both targeted heat (when oscillation is turned off) and a gentle warmth that spreads around a small room effectively.

While it's not the best looking heater aesthetically, I did find the warm glow of the halogen panels comforting and cosy. The safety features give me peace of mind - it's very light and easily knocked over, so it's good to know the heater will completely shut off if it's tipped off balance even a little bit.

The drawbacks of this heater? It's a budget option and this is reflected in the look, feel and quality of its materials. It's lightweight but feels flimsy and wobbly with it, and I found the oscillation sometimes stopped working (it always started working again eventually). The power cord is also quite short - at 1m long it makes placement of the heater quite restrictive.

On balance, the effectiveness and energy efficiency of the the heater more than makes up for the quibbles about aesthetics and quality. This is a great little heater to have around - it's brilliant value to buy and to run, and will be worth its weight in gold in emergencies like pipes freezing. It's also a great option for cheaply heating a small room or one person without turning on your central heating.

Read next: Best electric heaters

Can the Beldray Oscillating Halogen Heater keep you warm?

This heater provides instant, silent heat. It has three replaceable halogen bars which can be used in any combination, rather than levels of heat settings - so you can get the heat just right without running down one bulb quicker than the others.

Heat comes from only the front of the halogen heater, so it's great for providing targeted heat by pointing it at yourself. The heat also spreads into the space around the heater, so it can keep a small room warm - turn on the oscillation for best heat distribution, or off to keep just yourself toasty.

It's worth noting that the heat fades very quickly once this heater is turned off, so if you're looking to heat a medium room effectively, an oil-filled radiator would be a better bet as oil-filled heaters hold onto their heat for longer.

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Is the Beldray Oscillating Halogen Heater safe?

The heater does get very hot very quickly, so you'll need to keep it out of reach of children. However, the heater shuts off immediately if knocked off balance, and the residual heat fades quickly. To get it working again, you need to secure it in an upright position.

The back of the heater is heatproof, with an integrated handle, so it's safe and easy to pick up and move around even while hot. When you lift it off the ground, it automatically shuts off until it's back on a flat surface, too.

Related: Best heated gilets

Is the Beldray Oscillating Halogen Heater good value for money?

This is the cheapest combination of upfront and running costs you can get from an electric heater. A heated throw like the Mia&Coco Heated Throw will cost less per hour to run, but they can't heat a room.

If you want a back-up option but don't want to spend over the odds, this is an excellent heater to keep for emergencies - it's also very compact, so great for storage. Equally, if you're after a cheap and cheerful way to take the edge off while working from home, this is a great option.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She researches and reviews the products Mumsnetters swear by, with a particular focus on home essentials.

From a highly recommended retractable washing line to the best quiet fans money can buy, and Mumsnet's favourite dehumidifier to the steam generator iron that'll cut your ironing time in half, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the very best products on the market.