What Do Infrared Heaters Cost, and What Are the Monthly Running Costs?

Infrared heaters are becoming ever more popular as a modern, efficient and visually appealing heating alternative. Unlike conventional convection heaters, which primarily warm the room air, infrared panels use radiant heat. This warms the walls, ceilings, furniture and, of course, the people in the room directly. The principle is similar to the warming rays of the sun on a cold winter’s day. But despite all these advantages, the most important question for consumers remains: what does the purchase really cost, and how high are the monthly running costs?

In this detailed guide we break down all the cost items transparently, show example calculations for different living situations and clarify when such a heater makes economic sense.

1. Purchase costs of an infrared heater

One of the biggest plus points of infrared heaters is the comparatively low initial cost. While a classic gas or oil heating system (or even a heat pump) quickly runs into five-figure sums, an infrared system can be realised with a much smaller budget.

The exact prices depend heavily on the design, output, material used and manufacturer. Here is an overview of the most common models:

Standard infrared panels (white, metal or powder-coated)

These are the functional entry-level models. They are usually plain white and can be mounted inconspicuously on a wall or ceiling.

• Cost: between 100 € and 300 € each (depending on wattage).
• Output range: approx. 300 to 1,000 watts.

Picture or glass heaters

These panels double as a decorative element. They can be printed with individual motifs, often behind an elegant layer of glass.

• Cost: between 300 € and 600 €.
• Special feature: ideal for living rooms, where the heater is meant to look like an ordinary work of art.

Mirror heaters

Particularly popular in the bathroom. They take up no extra wall space, do not mist up when you shower and radiate pleasant warmth.

• Cost: between 300 € and 550 €.
• Area of use: bathrooms, hallways, cloakrooms.

Natural stone heaters (marble, granite)

The premium category. These heaters are made of solid natural stone, which not only makes them an eye-catcher but also slightly increases their heat storage capacity.

• Cost: from 600 € to over 1,200 €.
• Weight: these models are very heavy, so a solid load-bearing wall is needed.

Installation and accessories

A huge financial advantage: no pipes have to be laid, no chimneys cleaned and no boilers serviced. The panels are simply screwed on and plugged into a normal socket (or connected directly). For control you also need thermostats (socket, radio or smart-home thermostats). These cost about 30 € to 120 € per room.

Summary of the initial investment: For an average 70 m² flat, depending on the design, you should expect purchase costs of between 2,000 € and 4,500 € (incl. thermostats).

2. The monthly costs of an infrared heater

Because infrared heaters run 100% on electricity, the running costs depend directly on your electricity tariff, the daily running time and the insulation of your home. To assess the economics objectively, if you are interested in detail in the costs of an infrared heater, these factors must be analysed carefully.

How to calculate electricity consumption

The mathematical basis is simple: Output (in kW) x heating time (in hours) = energy consumption (in kWh)

From this the costs follow: Energy consumption (in kWh) x electricity price (in €) = cost per day

Practical example calculation for a moderate room (15 m²)

Let us assume an ordinary study or bedroom on a typical winter’s day.

• Heating output needed: with average insulation (e.g. built in 2000) you need about 60 watts per square metre. For 15 m² that makes 900 watts (0.9 kW) in total.
• Actual heating time: with a thermostat an infrared heater does not run 24 hours a day. Once the room temperature is reached, it switches off. Realistically, on cold days that is about 6 hours of activity.
• Daily consumption: 0.9 kW * 6 h = 5.4 kWh per day.
• Electricity price: we calculate as an example with 0.35 € per kWh. The actual unit price depends heavily on tariff and region – use the value from your electricity contract in your own calculation.

Daily cost calculation: 5.4 kWh * 0.35 € = 1.89 € per day.

Monthly heating costs (in the peak heating season for this room): At 30 days a month, the electricity cost of heating this room is 56.70 €. Note that this sum arises only in the coldest core winter months (December, January, February). Averaged over the whole year, the monthly amounts are considerably lower, since the heater stays off completely in summer.

💡 The Kosten.org tip: want to work out precisely what the electricity bill will be in your specific situation? Use our free kWh calculator. There you can enter any output values and your personal electricity price.

3. Cutting electricity costs: three decisive levers

There is often a rumour that heating with electricity is generally “too expensive” and leads people into a cost trap. It does not have to be so. If you want to run an infrared heater economically, you have three strong levers:

A) House and thermal insulation

An infrared heater develops its true potential in well-insulated rooms. While in an uninsulated older building (need approx. 120 watts/m²) you would have to run the heater almost continuously, in a modern passive house (need only approx. 20 to 40 watts/m²) hardly any significant electricity is needed. In poorly insulated houses we strongly advise against infrared as the primary heating for cost reasons.

B) Smart thermostat control

Anyone who simply leaves their panels “on” wastes a massive amount of energy. Digital, programmable smart-home thermostats ensure that rooms are heated only when they are actually used. The bathroom for 2 hours in the morning, the living room in the evening. Lowering the temperature by just one degree can save up to 6% of heating energy!

C) Photovoltaics (solar power)

The absolute premier class! Anyone who feeds their infrared heater with electricity from their own roof heats almost for free. Even if electricity has to be bought in during the very dark winter months, the monthly costs fall massively on an annual average. The combination of a solar system and electric heating is considered one of the most efficient and future-proof models for homeowners.

4. Who is the infrared heater worth it for? Pros and cons compared

To be able to make an informed decision, we have summarised the most important arguments for and against this heating system.

Advantages:

• Low purchase costs: extremely cheap compared with heat pumps, gas or oil.
• No maintenance: there is no wear, no pipes that can leak and no service contracts with the chimney sweep or heating engineer. That saves up to 300 € a year in incidental charges!
• Less air circulation: because the room air is barely circulated, less dust is stirred up – many allergy sufferers find this pleasant.
• Warm wall surfaces: because the infrared radiation warms the walls, less moisture can condense on them. This does not replace regular ventilation, though – mould can also occur with infrared heating.
• Design freedom: disguised as a mirror or picture, it blends seamlessly into the room design.

Disadvantages:

• High running costs in older buildings: electricity is more expensive than gas. With poor building insulation, consumption eats up the saved purchase costs extremely quickly.
• Heat storage: when the panel is switched off, the room cools down relatively quickly (unlike with solid cast radiators or underfloor heating).
• Hot water heated separately: an infrared heater only warms its surroundings. For hot water in the bathroom or kitchen you absolutely need separate instantaneous water heaters or boilers, which in turn cost electricity.

5. Conclusion: a calculation game with clear rules

Infrared heating systems are not a magic solution for every cost problem, but they are an excellent alternative for clearly defined areas of use.

As primary heating: highly recommended in new builds, passive houses or in combination with your own photovoltaics. Here the monthly running costs are negligible, while you save huge investments in a piping or boiler system. In poorly insulated older buildings, however, we advise against converting to it as the main heating.

As supplementary heating: perfect! Anyone who needs heat at certain spots in an otherwise normally heated house (for example at the desk in a home office or a cold hallway) is well served by an infrared panel. It heats up straight away to a comfortable temperature, exactly where and only when it is needed.

Take out the calculator, estimate your exact square-metre requirement and the costs of an infrared heater, compare that with your home’s year of construction and then decide rationally whether this system meets your needs. If in doubt, prior advice from a local energy consultant is a worthwhile investment.