Best Kmart Heaters For Winter

Author: Megan Birot

What heaters does Kmart sell?

Kmart stocks a small, budget range of electric heaters, all priced $85 and under. The range includes oil heaters, radiant heaters, ceramic heaters, and fan heaters − sold under the Anko brand. All Kmart heaters come with a safety tip-over switch, overheat protection, and a 12-month manufacturer’s warranty for added protection.

Best Kmart heaters TO BUY

Here are the best Kmart heaters to buy, based on functionality, features, and price:

• Ceramic Heater: $32 RRP*
• Convection Heater With Timer: $32 RRP*
• Radiant Heater: $65 RRP*
• Convection Heater With Timer: $69 RRP*
• 11-Fin Digital Oil Heater (Black): $85 RRP*

→Related article: How to Limit Heating and Electricity Costs This Winter

Kmart Ceramic Heater − $32

This compact Anko ceramic heater is a dual-purpose model that provides both heating and cooling, using three variable settings − cool (fan), warm and hot. It’s also ultra discreet and stylish and perfect to heat (or cool) an office space or small bedroom, featuring an adjustable thermostat and a maximum power output of 1500W. The heater also has an overheat protection function and safety tip-over switch for extra peace of mind.

Kmart Convection Heater With Timer − $32

This cheap and cheerful Anko convection heater can keep a room nice and warm without too many temperature fluctuations with a power output of 1800-2000W. It features three heat settings with a turbo fan, an adjustable thermostat to select your ideal indoor temperature, a 24-hour fully programmable timer, overheat protection, and a safety tip-over switch for extra peace of mind.

Kmart Radiant Heater − $65

This Anko, heavy-duty radiant heater features three heat settings and three quartz tube heating elements to create heat. It has a maximum power output of 2400W, which is powerful enough to heat a small to medium-sized room like a bedroom, bathroom, or office. It also has a safety tip-over switch that turns off the heater if it gets tilted sideways, which is ideal if you have pets and kids at home.

Kmart Convection Heater With Timer − $69

This convection heater with a fully programmable timer is ideal to regulate indoor temperatures during colder months. It features four heat settings, including auto and frost protection modes, an LED digital display, a 24-hour timer, a fan, and remote control. It also comes with a safety tip-over switch and noiseless operation. This model features a white and black modern design.

Kmart 11-Fin Digital Oil Heater − $85

This digital oil column heater comes with three adjustable heat settings (fast heating, energy-saving & anti-freeze) and a temperature range of 5-35°C to keep your room nice and consistently warm throughout. It also has an LED display, multi-function remote control, and a 24-hour automatic on/off timer for extra peace of mind. This model comes with a chrome black finish to suit most modern homes.

Compare power providers

The downside of cheap heaters, is they don’t tend to be energy-efficient. So, they can cost you an arm and a leg in power. So to help limit the damage, it’s crucial you get a great deal on your power.

A great way to start finding the best power provider is by checking out Canstar’s latest Star Ratings awards, which rate NZ power companies for customer satisfaction and value for money. See the table below for some of the results, or click on the button below for the full results of our survey.

Canstar Blue’s latest review of NZ power companies compares them on customer satisfaction. The table below is an abridged version of our full results, available here.

Compare Power Companies

Kmart heaters TO AVOID

Based on online reviews, these are the Kmart heaters you may want to avoid buying:

• Fan Heater: $18 RRP*
• Oscillating Fan Heater: 27 RRP*
• 5-Fin Oil Heater: $39 RRP*
• 11-Fin Oil Heater (White): $65 RRP*

Kmart Fan Heater − $18

This cheap Kmart Anko fan heater tends to emit a burning smell if in use for too long, according to online reviews. This is less than ideal and not something to overlook, at the very least for safety reasons. Besides that, it’s said to do the job well. This compact model comes with all the basic features you’d expect including two heat settings, overheat protection, a power light indicator, and a safety tip-over switch. It has a power output of 2000W which can heat a small room.

Kmart Oscillating Fan Heater − $27

This Kmart Anko oscillating fan heater isn’t a bad buy as such, but online reviews suggest it’s quite noisy, so not ideal for light sleepers or working spaces. Other than that, it does the job. This model features two heat settings, including a fan only function, plus an adjustable thermostat and power indicator light. It has an oscillation function to help distribute heat evenly in the room and overheat protection as well as a safety tip-over switch.

Kmart 5 Fin Oil Heater − $39

This small oil column heater is only suitable for small rooms like a bathroom, office, or laundry. Online reviews suggest this Anko heater is not the quietest operator and can sometimes emit an odd musty smell if it’s kept on for too long. It features three heat settings, an adjustable thermostat, a power indicator, and basic safety functions like overheat protection and tip-over switch protection.

Kmart 11-Fin Oil Heater − $65

Kmart’s cheapest oil column heater has pretty basic functionality and doesn’t offer much beyond that. It can also be quite noisy if it’s been on for a few hours, according to online reviews. Although, oil column heaters aren’t designed to run for extended periods of time. It features three heat settings, an adjustable thermostat, electronic controls with a digital display, a power indicator, and detachable caster wheels.

→Related article: Cheapest Electric Blankets For Winter

Which room heater is best?

Choosing which heater to buy will largely depend on the size of the room(s) you want to heat. Here’s a quick summary below.

• Oil heaters: These are better suited to small and medium-sized rooms. Oil column heaters can be slower to heat up initially but tend to retain heat quite well. That’s because the oil inside the reservoir tends to stay warm even after the appliance is switched off. This means you can turn your heater off before bed and still enjoy some warmth for a few hours after.
• Fan heaters: Fan heaters blow air over a heating element to provide direct close heating, perfect to place under desks or near your feet to keep warm. These only provide direct heating and aren’t too good for heating living spaces.
• Radiant heaters: Can heat both small and larger rooms quickly, using a combination of heating elements and infrared radiation. However, radiant heaters tend not to retain heat once turned off. They also have exposed heating elements, so keep pets and children at bay.
• Ceramic heaters: These are best for small spaces like home offices or bathrooms. Ceramic heaters use electricity to warm a ceramic plate which then radiates heat to warm a room. They are also silent operators, which is a bonus.
• Convection heaters: Can heat smaller living spaces instantly. Convection heaters use a heating coil to produce hot air and a fan to circulate heat.

Kmart heaters: what’s the verdict?

Bargain price aside, Kmart Anko heaters are said to warm small spaces efficiently but don’t offer much else beyond that. So, if you’re looking for a heater with nifty features and enough power to heat larger rooms, it’s best to stick to big-name brands and/or pay a bit more for something that can do a better job. Or, look into installing a heat pump, which provides efficient and cheap heating (and cooling).

Compare heat pumps with Canstar Blue

*Prices taken from Kmart website, correct as of June 2022.

About the reviewer of this page

This report was reviewed by Canstar Content Producer, Andrew Broadley. Andrew is an experienced writer with a wide range of industry experience. Starting out, he cut his teeth working as a writer for print and online magazines, and he has worked in both journalism and editorial roles. His content has covered lifestyle and culture, marketing and, more recently, finance for Canstar.