Most electric stove buying mistakes are sizing mistakes. People buy too much stove for a bedroom, too little for a converted garage, or put it somewhere the heat cannot reach them. This is the working method we use when a customer asks.
Step 1: Start with the room, not the stove
Measure the room and note three things: floor area, ceiling height, and how well insulated it is. A 400 sq ft room with new double glazing behaves very differently from a 400 sq ft room over a garage with single-pane windows. Roughly, 1,500W (about 5,120 BTU) is comfortable for 400–600 sq ft in a normally insulated room, and optimistic beyond about 1,000 sq ft in any room.
| Room | Recommended output | Typical models |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom, home office (up to ~200 sq ft) | 750W / 1,500W dual | Nook |
| Snug, guest room (~300–400 sq ft) | 1,400–1,500W, 4,800 BTU | Brindle |
| Living room (400–600 sq ft) | 1,500W, 5,100–5,200 BTU | Alder, Ashford |
| Open plan, basement, large living (~600–1,000 sq ft) | 1,500W, 5,200 BTU + air circulation | Copperfield, Orchard |
Step 2: Decide what “heating” means in that room
Be clear about the job. Three different jobs, three different answers:
- Ambience plus take-the-chill-off: any model works; buy the one you like looking at.
- Supplemental heat for a room you use daily: match the BTU table above, and prioritise a thermostat.
- Primary heat for a space with no other source: reconsider. One 1,500W unit is rarely enough for a whole floor — two units, or a different heat source, is usually the honest answer.
Step 3: Match the shape to the room
This is where most of the satisfaction comes from, and where a catalogue photo cannot help you. A wide cast-style stove in a narrow room dominates it. A slim 24 cm design like the Ashford disappears into a hallway and looks intentional doing it. A corner stove recovers space that is otherwise dead. A tower stove uses height nobody was using.
If the stove will be seen from two angles — a sofa and a dining table, say — a three-sided glass model solves a problem no flat-front stove can.
Step 4: Placement and clearances
Electric stoves do not need a flue, but they do need airflow and a sensible distance from soft furnishings. As a working rule: 15–25 cm behind and to the sides, and 90 cm clear in front of the heater grille. Keep them off high-pile rugs, and never block the intake.
Heat is directional. Point the grille along the long axis of the room and it will feel far warmer than pointing it at a wall. In open-plan spaces, position it where people actually sit rather than against the emptiest wall.
Step 5: Check the practical details
- Circuit: 1,500W draws 12.5A. A standard 15A circuit is fine; do not share it with a kettle or another heater.
- Controls: a thermostat and timer matter more than a remote control in daily use.
- Flame-only mode: worth having, and free to run.
- Weight: 14 kg moves room to room; 41 kg is a two-person, once-a-year object.
Every model on our electric stoves page lists wattage, BTU, coverage, dimensions and weight for exactly this reason. If you are still unsure, send us the room dimensions through the contact page and we will point you at the right one — including when the right answer is “none of these”.