For additional protection, look for a space heater equipped with an appliance leakage current interrupter (ALCI) plug, says Samantha Ostrander, who oversees CR’s space heater tests. These bulky plugs—similar to those seen on hair dryers—safeguard against differences in current and can also protect against a dangerous electrical shock. Like GFCI outlets, ALCI plugs typically feature a “test” and “reset” button.
ALCI plugs are somewhat uncommon in space heaters, however. Only two of the more than 80 models in our space heater ratings offer this protection. (On our model pages, space heaters with any plug with a resettable circuit breaker are designated as having GFCI protection.) Those models are listed below.
“Essentially, the models we’ve highlighted contain a plug device that has a reset, which will trip as a circuit breaker in your home would—preventing the user from electric shock or worse,” Ostrander says.
Even with built-in protection, keep your heater clear of puddles and splash areas, and out of the way enough that someone won’t inadvertently touch it. Keep vulnerable pets and people (such as children and older people) safely away from these areas.
Below, listed in alphabetical order, are both heaters we tested that have an ALCI/GFCI plug. On this list, safety takes precedence over performance; only this Dreo space heater ranked above average in our ratings. The other space heater, a Lasko model, has a decent room-heating rating but a dismal spot-heating score. For Overall Score, it’s the lowest-rated Lasko heater in our ratings, but its excellent portability and ALCI plug make it safer for use in bathrooms. It has an excellent fire safety rating, despite not having a tip-over switch (it still shut off in a little over a minute, and got top scores in our overheat and drape tests).
You’ll find higher-performing models in our review of the best space heaters, as well as those good for spot-heating a home office.
