Which power stations can run a space heater?

A portable electric space heater is one of the hardest loads to run from a power station. It is a resistive load: current flows through a heating element and turns almost entirely into heat, so the draw stays near the rated figure for as long as the element is on. Most plug-in heaters sold in the US are rated at 1500 W on high, and many have a low setting near 750 W. Vornado, for example, lists 1500 W on high and 750 W on low for its heaters, and a Lasko ceramic heater is rated at 1500 W.

Because the element does not start like a motor, a heater has no real starting surge. The limit is the continuous AC rating. A station rated below 1500 W will usually shut off or refuse to run the heater on high, although some stations offer a reduced voltage boost mode for resistive loads that lets a heater run at lower output.

Battery capacity is the second limit. A heater on high empties a battery faster than almost any other household load, so check the station's watt-hour capacity before you rely on it for heat. Use the low setting where you can, keep the heater's thermostat set modestly, and heat a small closed room rather than a whole floor. Never run a heater from an extension cord that is not rated for the load.