Amazon stove heater that 'warms living room in minutes' is less than £65

As the nights draw in and the chill starts creeping through the house, it's tempting to reach straight for the thermostat. But if you're not quite ready to commit to full-blown central heating, a portable stove heater could be a cosy, cost-effective alternative. They're a little bit like a space heater, but their design adds a touch of charm to a room.

I've already had my eye on one from Dunelm, but if you're after something with a little more of a classic and versatile look, I think the VonHaus Electric Stove Heater is a great option. Retailing for £64.99 on Amazon, the electric stove comes in black and white and looks just like a traditional log burner, complete with a flame effect, but it simply plugs into the wall. There is no chimney, no installation, just instant heat at the flick of a switch.

Shaped like a classic wood-burning stove, it has two heat settings (900W and 1800W) and a flame-only mode, meaning you can enjoy the warm glow even when you don't need the extra heat. According to the brand, it's ideal for heating smaller rooms, though some user reviews have said it works in slightly bigger living spaces too. Plus, its quaint design will add a touch of country chic to your living space

The fire arrives partially assembled (though you'll need to screw in the legs and door handle), but users have said this is fairly easy to do.

In a review, an Amazon customer said: "Super easy to assemble as just screw on four legs and door handle, plug in to electric and it's done. Heat output is fabulous and warms my medium-sized living room in minutes, and the realistic glow looks lovely on winter evenings, even if you don't want the fan heater on."

With more than 3,000 Amazon reviews and an average rating of 4.5 stars, the VonHaus stove has won fans for both style and practicality.

A shopper review said: "Lovely fire. My dog loves laying in front of it getting warm. It lets out loads of heat and warms the living room within minutes. I love the fact you can change the brightness of the fire. I have it on carpet, and I was concerned about burn marks or melting the carpet, but I had it in for an hour, and the carpet underneath was still cool as the heat blows out the front, not directed to the bottom. Highly recommend."

The freestanding unit has a glass-fronted door and realistic faux logs that flicker like real embers. At 52cm high, 38cm wide, and 26cm deep, it's small enough to move from room to room, ideal if you want to keep the chill out of your bedroom or office.

It also has an auto-shutoff function to prevent overheating, and there is also the option to turn on the flame effect without any heat. You can also adjust the brightness of the flame effect.

However, one shopper said: "It does the job, but the flame effect isn't as realistic as I hoped, and the heater is quite loud on the higher setting."

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