Lasko 9" Tabletop Ceramic Space Heater with Thermostat - Dark Gray - 754201

Why it's worth it

The Lasko is a 9-inch box with two heat settings and a dial thermostat, and that's the entire feature list. For a small office where you want warm air at your feet within seconds of flipping a switch, it's all you really need.

You flip it to high, and warm air arrives before your machine finishes booting. There's a dial for the thermostat, a switch for high, low or fan-only, and a carry handle. No display, no remote, nothing to pair. For a lot of people that's the appeal, because there's nothing on it that can stop working.

The safety basics are all here. Lasko builds in a tip-over switch, overheat protection and a cool-touch shell, the same three-part list the pricier units carry. Reviewers treat those as non-negotiable for a heater sitting near cables and a stack of paper. Skipping the display and the app doesn't mean skipping the protection, and that's the trade worth making if you're spending as little as possible.

From our review of 7 ceramic heaters for home offices

What we like

• +You flip it to high, and warm air arrives before your machine finishes booting
• +The safety basics are all here
• +At under three pounds it goes wherever you go

What to know

• –There's no timer, no remote and no digital readout, so setting a precise temperature is guesswork
• –Small fan, small grille, and no published noise rating