Ceramic and fan heaters are two of the most popular appliances used to help heat your home.

Buying an energy-efficient heater is a great way to keep your home cosy while saving money on heating bills. Here, we’re going to cover the differences between a ceramic heater and a fan heater, so you can decide which heating appliance is best suited to your specific needs and preferences.

How Ceramic Heaters Work

Ceramic heaters are made using metal and plastic, as well as ceramic. They use resistive heating to generate heat, which is when a device passes an electric current through a conductor to create the heat. In this case, the conductor is the ceramic plates on the appliance.

The ceramic heater collects cool air and passes it through the heating elements, to then blow out hot air, and therefore make the room feel warmer.

How Fan Heaters Work

Fan heaters on the other hand use an electric current to heat up metal coils within the device, and when cold air is passed through, the built-in fan blows the hot air across the room. This is a simple but extremely effective method of quickly heating up a room.

Safety

Fan heaters

One of the typical concerns users have about fan heaters is around safety, particularly the risk of overheating or the appliance being left on accidentally. However, our electric fan heaters at Dreamland are equipped with lots of safety features, so you can relax when heating your home.

Our fan heaters have innovative auto switch-off timers, meaning you can choose a duration for the fan heater to operate, and then it’ll turn off. Our Silent Power Protection Fan Heater has an IP21 protection degree and anti-drop, anti-dust cover, which helps with risks from vertical water splashes. This means it can even be used in your bathroom.

Ceramic heaters

Ceramic heaters are generally regarded as one of the safest types of portable electric heaters. Their ceramic heating elements regulate themselves, meaning they don’t reach the extremely high surface temperatures associated with some other heater types. 

Because the element stays relatively cool to the touch, there’s far less risk of accidental burns, making them a reassuring option for households with children or pets.

Energy Costs

Fan heaters

Fan heaters can be energy-efficient in the right scenarios, particularly when used for short periods in smaller spaces, as they heat up a room quickly and only when needed. Our Silent Power Eco Fan Heater uses cutting-edge technology to give users a large 35% energy savings compared to traditional climate control systems, therefore saving you money on your heating bills.

Ceramic heaters

Ceramic heaters are energy efficient in smaller spaces. However, because they take longer to heat a space and retain heat after being turned off, they may use more energy initially compared to a fan heater – which can be turned off once the desired temperature is reached.

Warm-Up Time

Fan heaters

Time to heat up is one of the biggest benefits of this type of heater. Fan heaters are perfect for quickly heating up a room in your home. At Dreamland, our electric fan heaters will warm up your room within minutes, making them ideal to use when you first wake up on a cold morning.

Ceramic heaters

Ceramic heaters tend to focus on delivering a steady, consistent warmth, rather than instant heat. They may not provide the instant heat to your room that fan heaters excel at, especially in larger spaces or for use in short bursts.

Noise Level

Fan heaters

Sometimes, a downside to using fan heaters instead of ceramic heaters is the noise they produce when in operation. This prevents users from using fan heaters when studying, or trying to sleep.

However, our electric fan heaters at Dreamland operate with minimal noise, giving you a tranquil environment, whilst still offering high performance. 

Ceramic heaters

The main reason most fan heaters produce noise is due to the fan. This means ceramic heaters that don’t operate with a fan are typically quiet when in use.

Price

Fan heaters

Fan heaters are generally more affordable than ceramic heaters, which is why many people choose them for occasional or short-term use. It’s still worth considering a quality made model, as better build quality can offer greater reliability and reduce the need for repairs or early replacement.

Ceramic heaters

Ceramic heaters usually come with a higher upfront cost, reflecting the materials and technology they use. For people who mainly need quick bursts of heat in smaller spaces, the additional expense may not always feel necessary, but for regular use they can offer advantages in control, comfort and durability.

Heat Distribution

Fan heaters

Fan heaters are effective at evenly distributing heat over large spaces. The fan helps to push warm air across the room, reaching every corner much faster than a non-fan-assisted heater. If your home has an open-plan space that you struggle to keep warm efficiently, a fan heater is a great choice.

Ceramic heaters

Although ceramic heaters are good for projecting heat, without the fan to circulate the air, the heat may not reach every part of a room as quickly, particularly in larger spaces. It's worth checking what the model includes before purchasing.

Size and Portability

Fan heaters

Dreamland’s fan heaters are compact, lightweight, and portable, making them easy to move from room to room, and can be easily stored when not in use. They’re also designed to blend into your home, so they don’t look out of place when keeping your room warm.

Ceramic heaters

Some ceramic heaters are available in portable models, but they can be bulkier due to the ceramic elements.

Durability and Maintenance

Fan heaters

Modern fan heaters are designed to be durable and require minimal maintenance. If you look after your fan heater and regularly clean it, you’ll have a long-lasting device that always performs at optimal levels.

Our fan heaters come with a 2-year warranty, meaning if you experience any problems in the first couple of years after purchase, we’ll fix or replace your appliance free of charge.

 Ceramic heaters

Maintenance costs for ceramic heaters can vary, but repairs may sometimes be more involved because of the internal components used in their design. That said, many users find that ceramic heaters require little ongoing maintenance, especially when used and cared for properly.

Air Quality

Fan heaters

The Silent Power Pure Air Fan Heater uses exclusive IONISER technology, which effectively captures pollutants in the air, such as bacteria, pollen, dust, and smoke. This process purifies the air in your room, resulting in a cleaner and fresher environment.

Ceramic heaters

While ceramic heaters maintain the current air quality well, they lack features to improve the standard of the air in the room they’re operating in.

Buy Your Fan Heater at Dreamland

A fan heater is the perfect purchase for those looking for a portable, high-quality, and energy-efficient way of heating rooms in their home. 

Our Dreamland fan heaters use innovative technology to ensure they deliver a safe and optimal performance whenever you need to heat your home. Whether you’re looking to warm up a small bedroom, a cosy living room, an office space, or even your bathroom, our Dreamland fan heaters are designed to provide instant heat with minimal energy consumption.

Explore our full range of amazing products made to keep you warm in your home. Check out our heated mattress toppers, heated throws, electric heatpads, and underblankets.

FAQs

What are the disadvantages of ceramic heaters?

While there are times when using a ceramic heater can be effective, here are some downsides that you should consider:

• Struggle to completely heat large spaces

• Take a long time to heat a large room, which increases your energy bill

• Can be expensive to fix/maintain

• Lack air purifying features which improve the quality of air in your home

Are fan heaters expensive to run?

Fan heaters are extremely energy-efficient and are a cost-effective method of heating a room in your home for a short period of time.