The Cheapest Ways to Heat a Room in Australia This Winter

Energy prices have made every Australian winter a maths problem: how do you stay warm without dreading the next power bill? The good news is that heating a room cheaply is mostly about matching the right heater to the right job – plus a few free tricks that most households skip. Here’s the practical rundown.

First: Understand What Heating Actually Costs

Electric heaters convert power to heat at the same efficiency, so cost comes down to wattage and how long the heater actually runs. At Australia’s average rate of about 30c/kWh:

• A 2000W heater on full = roughly 60c per hour
• The same heater with a thermostat cycling at half duty = roughly 30c per hour
• A 100W heated towel rail = about 3c per hour

That second line is the key: a thermostat is the single cheapest “upgrade” in home heating, because it stops the heater running when the room is already warm.

The Free Tricks That Cut Costs First

• Heat the person, not the house. Closing the door and heating one room costs a fraction of whole-home heating.
• Stop draughts. A rolled towel under the door and closed curtains at dusk can hold several degrees of warmth.
• Let the sun in. Open north-facing curtains during the day; close them before dark to trap the gain.
• Use timers. Warm the bedroom for 30 minutes before bed instead of running a heater all evening.

The Cheapest Heaters to Run, Ranked by Job

1. Short bursts in small rooms: ceramic tower (~$75)

For warming a bedroom or study fast, a 2000W oscillating ceramic tower is the budget champion: cheap to buy, fast to heat, and the built-in thermostat and timer keep run-time short.

2. All-night warmth: oil column

For overnight heating, an 11-fin oil column heater is the economical pick – the hot oil keeps radiating after the element cycles off, so it often runs at well under half duty while you sleep. Full comparison in our oil column vs ceramic guide.

3. Large rooms: energy-efficient panel

Open-plan spaces punish small heaters – they run flat-out and never catch up. A 2200W graphene panel heater heats evenly across up to 25m², reaching set temperature faster and cycling off sooner.

4. The bathroom cheat: heated towel rail (3c/hour)

A 100W heated towel rail won’t heat the room, but warm dry towels make a cold bathroom dramatically more bearable for about 3 cents an hour – and they stop that damp-towel mustiness.

What to Avoid

Running an unflued gas heater indoors (a safety risk, not just a cost one), heating rooms nobody is in, and buying a heater too small for the space – an undersized heater on max all evening costs more than a right-sized one cycling on a thermostat.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest heater to run in Australia?
For one person in one room, a small ceramic or panel heater with a thermostat, used in short bursts. For all-night use, an oil column heater on a low thermostat setting.

Is it cheaper to leave the heater on all day?
No. Heat constantly leaks out of a room, so maintaining warmth all day costs more than reheating the room when you actually need it – unless your home is exceptionally well insulated.

How much does it cost to run a heater overnight?
A 2000W heater with a thermostat typically costs $2.40–$3 over 8 hours at 30c/kWh – roughly half the cost of running flat-out.

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