I Live in a Drafty Apartment, and This $30 Portable Space Heater Is My Secret to Staying Warm in the Winter

When I moved to the Windy City, I knew I wanted to live in a charming two- or three-flat brick apartment that's unique to Chicago. I found exactly that in a three-story tan brick apartment building that was built in 1879. But old homes and apartments come with a few drawbacks, one of which is poor insulation or a lack of central heating.

While the heating in my apartment effortlessly warms my living room, it tends to neglect my bedroom, which has a poorly sealed door leading to a balcony outside—not ideal when the temperatures drop below 30 degrees. But I found the perfect solution in the form of this portable space heater that's also backed by over 17,000 Amazon shoppers.

The Andily Electric Space Heater is only about 8 inches tall and 5 inches wide, but it effectively heats my bedroom in under five minutes—I only need to run it for 30 minutes at a time to stay warm for the day. The ceramic coils instantly heat up in just two seconds, so I never stay cold for long.

It has an adjustable thermostat and three fan settings: high, low, and fan-only. The heater operates quietly with a soft hum that never disrupts me at work or while I'm sleeping, and it even has a convenient handle that allows me to carry it from room to room. Plus, it comes with several safety features that automatically shut off if it overheats or tips over, giving me peace of mind when my roommate's golden retriever wanders into my bedroom. Note: I always plug the device into an outlet instead of an extension cord for an additional precaution, and the power indicator light reminds me to unplug it when I'm done using it.

To buy: $30 (was $40); amazon.com.

The already affordable space heater is currently 25 percent off at Amazon, bringing down the price to just $30. And I can't help but agree with shoppers who call it a "godsend" for small spaces.

"I was looking for a small space heater to warm up my home office and this compact heater does not disappoint," one shopper said. "Do not be fooled by its small size, it puts out heat quickly and powerfully enough to heat up a room three times the size of my office. I absolutely love it and would highly recommend!"

Another reviewer with a similar situation to mine said, "I live in an old house with drafty windows so my bedroom is usually 10 degrees colder than the rest of the house. To my surprise, [the heater] brought the chilly temperature in the room up 10 degrees after only being on for 30 minutes. It's small, quiet, but really gets the job done. It's also light enough that I can carry it around to other rooms if necessary. It's better than the big tower space heater that I have, and half the price."

If your home could use an additional heat source, head to Amazon and grab the portable space heater I can't get through winter without, for 25 percent off.