We put Lidl’s tall Tronic fan heater through weeks of everyday use to see if a budget box can genuinely warm real rooms. What follows is a plain-spoken look at design, heat, safety, energy costs and who will feel the biggest benefit this winter.
What this tower actually is
The Tronic is a slim, 103 x 28 x 28.5 cm tower heater sold by Lidl. It comes in black or white. There is no visible rotor, so fingers and paws stay away from moving parts. A magnetic remote snaps onto the body. A soft LED light ring offers five colours for mood lighting. The finish feels robust yet discreet, so it blends into bedrooms, living spaces and small offices.
Key spec at a glance: 2,000 w peak output, 20 fan levels, four oscillation angles, three modes, 12‑hour timer, thermostat.
Setup is instant. Slot the base together, place it on its anti-slip feet, and plug in. No tools. No separate panels. No fiddly guards to assemble.
Heat where you sit, not where you don’t
Power, airflow and angles that matter
At full tilt the unit draws 2,000 w and moves a steady column of warm air. Oscillation can be set to 30°, 60°, 90° or 120°. That lets you sweep heat across a sofa zone or limit it to a desk corner. The 20 speed steps help you trim noise and intensity for the time of day.
Three modes simplify choices. Nature smooths the ramp-up to warmth. Sleep keeps output gentle for nights. Power hits cold snaps fast. A programmable timer runs up to 12 hours, so you avoid leaving it on by accident. The thermostat lets you pick a target and maintain it without constant fiddling.
In a mid-size living room, warmth became noticeable within ten minutes, with no hot spots or harsh draughts.
Noise, safety and day-to-day use
Airflow noise stays unobtrusive at low to mid levels. The anti-tip cut-out reacts when the body tilts. Overheat protection shuts the element down if temperatures climb too high. A frost setting prevents a space from dipping below a low threshold. The absence of an exposed rotor makes cleaning simple and safer in homes with children or pets.
Price, returns and why the value stacks up
How far €89 really goes
The ticket sits at €89, including a €0.58 eco-contribution. For the kit on offer—remote, thermostat, multi-angle oscillation, timer and safety—it undercuts many rival towers. Heat arrives quickly, which reduces the temptation to run it for hours. Build feels solid enough for daily winter use.
€89 with 30‑day free returns gives buyers a low‑risk trial while temperatures and needs fluctuate.
If you order online, standard home delivery is available. Returns are free within 30 days, so you can test it in your coldest room. Lidl also flags battery collection schemes, which matters if you eventually recycle the remote’s cell.
Energy use: real‑world costs and savings
Targeted heat beats whole‑house waste
This is not a full replacement for central heating. It shines when you heat the space you occupy, not unused rooms. A home office, a lounge corner, a child’s play zone for an hour after school—those are ideal scenarios. The timer and thermostat prevent runaway use. Oscillation reduces hot and cold pockets, so you can step output down sooner.
Running cost depends on your tariff and settings. The figures below assume continuous full power for illustration; thermostat cycling usually lowers average draw.
| Duration at 2,000 w | Cost at 28p/kWh | Cost at €0.20/kWh |
|---|---|---|
| 30 minutes | £0.28 | €0.20 |
| 60 minutes | £0.56 | €0.40 |
Use the Nature or Sleep modes for longer sessions. Combine with door seals and closed interior doors to keep heat where you want it. In practice, many users will run below full power and on a cycle, cutting the hourly cost.
Design choices that improve daily comfort
Looks, lighting and placement
The slim tower disappears beside a TV unit or bookcase. Black blends with industrial or contemporary schemes. White suits minimal rooms. The LED ring adds a gentle glow on dark afternoons. It doubles as a night light for bedrooms or hallways. Place it on a flat surface with clear airflow in front and above.
- Use 30° or 60° oscillation to focus heat on a sofa or desk without warming the whole room.
- Set the timer to switch off 15 minutes after bedtime to avoid night-time waste.
- Rotate the tower by a few degrees if a draught meets your seating position.
- Wipe the intake area regularly to keep airflow smooth and noise down.
- Keep soft furnishings at a safe distance to maintain ventilation and safety.
Who benefits most—and who might not
Homes and habits that suit a tower heater
Families with young children gain from the enclosed design and tip protection. Students in underheated flats get fast warmth without touching the landlord’s boiler schedule. Remote workers can heat a home office from 8 to 10 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. without firing the whole system all day. Occasional-use rooms—guest spaces, hobby corners, garages—also fit the brief.
If your home already holds steady at 20°C on efficient central heating, a tower adds little. If you need to heat multiple large rooms at once, zoning with radiators or a heat pump will be more economical hour by hour.
What we liked, and the caveats
Standout strengths
- Fast perceived warmth, especially with oscillation set wide.
- 20 speed steps and three modes keep control simple yet precise.
- Thermostat and 12‑hour timer reduce accidental overuse.
- Magnetic remote is easy to store and hard to misplace.
- No visible rotor helps with safety and cleaning.
- Price (€89) plus 30‑day returns lowers the risk for first‑time buyers.
Points to weigh
- At full power, any 2,000 w heater can raise bills if run for long periods.
- Tall design needs stable placement; use the anti-slip feet on a flat floor.
- As with all fan heaters, very large open‑plan spaces may need multiple heat sources.
Extra context to help you choose
How to size a room for 2,000 w
A rough winter rule of thumb is 70 to 100 watts per square metre in a reasonably insulated room. On that basis, 2,000 w can support spot heating in a 20 to 28 m² area. Insulation quality, ceiling height and air leakage will shift this up or down. Use the lower modes once the chill lifts; they often feel better than a constant blast.
A simple two‑week plan to test it properly
Day 1–3: run Power for 10 minutes, then step down to Nature for 20 minutes. Note comfort and noise. Day 4–7: use Sleep in bedrooms with a 45‑minute timer. Day 8–10: workday routine in a home office with 30° oscillation. Day 11–14: weekend family use in the lounge at 60° to 90°. Keep a quick log of runtime and perceived comfort; adjust settings based on your notes.
Targeted, timed sessions deliver comfort where people sit, while trimming the kWh you would waste elsewhere.
If you plan to combine this heater with central heating, lower the boiler set‑point by 1°C and top up with the tower where you gather. That small change can trim energy use across the season, while the local heat keeps bodies comfortable at the sofa, desk or breakfast table.
