Baseboard Heater vs Space Heater: Which Costs Less to Run?
Homes with electric baseboards often wonder if plug-in space heaters would be cheaper. Both are resistance heat, so the per-kWh price of warmth is the same — the difference is control.
Baseboard Heater · per month
$68.58
8 hours/day · 500–2,500 W
Space Heater · per month
$68.58
8 hours/day · 750–1,500 W
Verdict
A draw on raw rates, but space heaters often win in practice because you place them where you are and switch them off when you leave, while baseboards heat whole rooms on wall thermostats. Best answer: keep baseboards low for baseline, spot-heat occupied rooms carefully. Never run a space heater unattended or overnight.
Side by side
| Baseboard Heater | Space Heater | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical power | 500–2,500 W | 750–1,500 W |
| Typical usage | 8 hours/day | 8 hours/day |
| Energy per month | 365 kWh | 365 kWh |
| Cost per month (US avg) | $68.58 | $68.58 |
| Cost per year (US avg) | $823 | $823 |
| Cost per month in Hawaii | $170 | $170 |
Rates as of April 2026. Adjust the assumptions on each appliance's page: Baseboard Heater · Space Heater.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to run: a baseboard heater or a space heater?
At typical usage and the current U.S. average rate (18.8¢/kWh), the baseboard heater is cheaper: about $68.58/month versus $68.58/month for the space heater — a difference of 0.0¢ per month.
How much could I save per year by choosing the baseboard heater?
About 0.0¢ per year at typical usage and average rates. In Hawaii (46.6¢/kWh) the annual gap grows to roughly 0.0¢.
Do these numbers apply to my state?
The ratio between the two stays the same everywhere, but the dollar gap scales with your rate — from North Dakota at 12.4¢/kWh to Hawaii at 46.6¢/kWh. Open each appliance's page for the exact cost in your state.