Appliance Running Cost Calculator
What your immersion, dryer, shower and heaters really cost to run.
Room Heater Running Cost Picker (Ireland)
“Cheapest way to heat a room” is one of Ireland’s highest-volume winter questions, and the heater-marketing pages won’t give you the honest answer. Here it is: every electric heater is 100% efficient, so what you pay for is how much space you heat. This tool compares the real cost per evening of each heater type at your unit rate — and shows how much cheaper it is to heat the person, not the room.
Reviewed 23 jul 2026
The tool
Open the tool full-screen ↗Use it right here — nothing is saved, and there’s no sign-up.
This tool may link to relevant products and services to keep it free. Affiliate links are marked and are placeholders during this early phase — see our affiliate disclosure
What to know
Because all electric heaters turn electricity into heat at the same efficiency, an “eco” heater cannot cost less than a basic one to deliver the same warmth — that’s a marketing myth this tool refuses to repeat. The cost belongs to the room: its size and how well it’s insulated. A 2kW heater costs the same to run whatever badge is on it; the only lever is how big a space you’re trying to warm.
The real saving comes from a change of target. Heating one person with an electric blanket or a heated throw costs pennies an evening; heating a whole room can cost a couple of euro. When no plug-in heater can match the room cheaply, the tool says so rather than faking a saving — and it keeps welfare and safety routing deliberately unmonetised.
How this tool works
No sign-up, nothing saved — here is what it does with your answers.
- Enter your room size, insulation level and your electricity unit rate.
- The tool compares the cost per evening of each heater type, and of heat-the-human options.
- You get a ranked, honest cost list — including when heating just yourself wins by a mile.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the cheapest way to heat a room?
For a small, insulated room a low-wattage panel or oil-filled radiator on a thermostat is efficient — but heating the person with a throw or blanket is far cheaper than heating any room.
Are “eco” heaters cheaper to run?
No. Every electric heater is essentially 100% efficient, so two heaters of the same wattage cost the same to run. “Eco” branding doesn’t change the physics.
Is it cheaper to heat myself than the room?
Almost always. An electric throw or blanket draws a fraction of the power of a room heater, so heating the human can cost an order of magnitude less per evening.
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These tools give honest indications using current published rates and guidance, not professional advice. Rules, prices and provider terms change — always confirm the current figures with the relevant official body, provider or qualified professional before you commit.