If you were to try replacing the use of your central heating by putting an electric heater in each room, it will definitely end up costing much more. Keen to optimise home heating? See our advice on boiler controls and thermostats , smart meters , and loft insulation Due to the long list of factors that come into play to calculate your central heating costs, the only way you can confidently compare a heater to your central heating is to install a smart meter. You then divide your weekly heating cost by the number of hours you have it switched on and compare that figure to the cost of running your heater.

As there are no cables involved, you can simply plug it in and forget about it. You won’t have to worry about tripping on any cables with the Handy Heater.

Nearly all have some kind of carry handle for moving about and many have a safety cut-out feature, which will switch off the heater if it gets dangerously hot.

Now on to how the Handy Heater actually performs when you use it in real-world scenarios. I used it in my home office and then took it for a ride to a nearby city and used it in a small motel room. Here are some of the things I found: Central heating is much more effective at maintaining a stable temperature over a longer period, whereas the heat from an electric heater will soon dissipate if the rest of your home is cold. These can still be bought, but they aren't as popular or widely available as fan or convector heaters.

Choose your desired fan speed. ‘Press Fan Speed Button’ to select between High or Low on the digital display. Although the comparison might make your electric heater look cheaper to run, bear in mind that it will only be heating a much smaller area, whereas your central heating will be aiming to heat your whole home. Read our full story on illegal and dangerous plug-in mini heaters for sale on online marketplaces to see those we identified as having serious safety risks.