Portable heaters are a common cause of home fires. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) publishes advice on choosing and using them. This guide repeats its points and does not rate any product.

This guide is based on the public sources listed at the end. We have not tested the products or services mentioned.

This is a short reference page. The full guide is Home Safety Buying Guide: Heaters, Smoke and CO Alarms, Cords, Candles, Furniture and Smart Devices.

How to use a heater (CPSC, January 2023)

  • Keep it at least three feet from anything flammable, such as curtains, furniture or bedding.
  • Plug electric heaters directly into a wall outlet, not an extension cord or power strip.
  • Do not run a heater while sleeping or leave it unattended. Overheating can be deadly for infants, older adults, children and people with disabilities, so do not leave one running in a small space around them.
  • For fuel-burning heaters, turn off and let cool before refuelling.
  • Check products at cpsc.gov/recalls. If one is recalled, stop using it and contact the manufacturer.

A newer CPSC release (23 January 2026, number 26-217) gives CPSC estimates for 2020 to 2022 of about 1,600 fires a year involving portable heaters, including electric space heaters, with an average of 70 deaths and 150 injuries a year. The advice above is unchanged in that release.

What to look for when buying

An older CPSC blog (2017, archived and described by CPSC as outdated, so a secondary point) says to buy a heater with a mark from a nationally recognised testing lab such as UL, and to put it on a level, sturdy surface where it cannot be bumped over. It also advises checking now and then whether the plug, cord, outlet or wall plate feels hot, and having an electrician look if so.

The 2023 release does not mention certification marks.

Before you order

Check the listing for the testing mark, the cord length (so no extension is needed) and the maker's clearance instructions. Opened and used heaters are often non-returnable, so read the return policy. See warranties vs your legal rights and extension cords and power strips.

Last checked: 15 October 2026. Sources: US CPSC, release 23-084 on space heaters, furnaces and fireplaces (January 2023); US CPSC OnSafety blog, your space heater needs space (2017, archived).