Best Aquarium Heaters

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Best Aquarium Heaters

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How to Choose the Best Aquarium Heater

Getting a heater for your tropical aquarium can be simple! That’s what we’re here for. We’ve put together this guide for the best aquarium heaters on the market right now for tanks of all sizes. You want to make sure that your fish have the environment that they need, and we do too! The secret of how to find the best aquarium heater is no secret after all. Here are some things to keep in mind.

Best Aquarium Heaters

Power: The number of watts that the heater is rated for can actually tell you a lot about what size tank the heater can maintain. This is also important for other electricity considerations around your home.

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Tank Size: This will tell you the range of tank sizes that the heater can keep warm. It’s important to get a heater that matches the size of your tank so that your fish are getting the environment they need.

How to Choose the Best Aquarium Heater

Submersible: A submersible heater goes inside the tank and down in the water in order to deliver heat. There are slight advantages of using this kind over a non-submersible heater, but the choice is ultimately up to you.

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Suction Cups Included: Included suction cups will allow you to securely and immediately attach the heater to the side of the tank. This way it won’t float freely inside the tank and create problems and stress for your fish.

Best Aquarium Heaters

Dimensions: This will tell you how big the heater is so that you have a better idea of where you’re going to put it in the tank. This can be helpful if you have a tank that isn’t square.

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Warranty: A warranty is a guarantee that the company stands behind their product and its manufacturing process. If it stops working within the time frame, you can get a refund or replacement at no additional cost or hassle.

Top 10 Products

With that information, we can move on to our aquarium heater reviews. We’ve done all of our research so that you can only have the best choices, no matter what size tank you have. Our top pick and budget pick are our personal favorites, so make sure to check them out first before swimming down the rest of the list. Your tropical fish are going to love their new home once you get the perfect heater for them!

Hygger Fish Tank Heater

Hygger Fish Tank Heater
Much like a top fin betta aquarium heater, this small tank heater from Hygger is great for keeping your betta and other tropical fish warm. It has an automatic shut-off function if something goes wrong or it falls off of the side of the tank. It keeps the tank at a constant temperature according to what you set, meaning that this is an aquarium heater with thermostat included to make sure even your smallest fish have the perfect environment. It’s durable and compact, and you can use it in salt water and fresh water tanks equally. It’s a waterproof heater that has to be fully submerged in the tank to work, and you can set the temperature with the aquarium heater controller to temperatures every two degrees between 75 and 91 via the dial. We love the exactness and precision behind this fish tank heater, and we’re sure that your fish will love it too.
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ViaAqua Quartz Glass Heater

ViaAqua Quartz Glass Heater
The ViaAqua Quartz glass heater is fully submersible and works best when placed below the water level on your tank. You can visibly see the temperature so you know exactly how to adjust it. It’s simple to install, and it comes with the suction cups that you need to secure it to the side of the tank. You can use this heater in fresh or saltwater aquariums, and it works well in both. Your tropical fish will definitely appreciate a little bit of warmth, especially in the middle of a cold winter. This is a larger heater, at a full 200 watts for a 50-gallon tank, so it can keep quite a few of your tropical fish happy and healthy while you use it. We love that the heater itself is break resistant and won’t harm your fish, either. When it comes to mid-sized aquarium heaters, this one by ViaAqua is definitely worth a second look.
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Aqueon Pro Aquarium Heater

Aqueon Pro Aquarium Heater
The Aqueon Pro heater is the first on our list that is recommended for use with larger tanks. You can use this 150-watt heater inside tanks up to 55-gallons in size. It’s fully submersible and must be placed inside the tank to work. When it’s actively heating, it has an LED indicator light so you know what’s going on with your fish tank. It comes with suction cups that are powerful enough to keep the heater in place without any problem. This is one of the best saltwater aquarium heaters on our list, though it can be used in freshwater tanks as well. That’s partly because it has an automatic safety shut off and advance gravity technology to make sure that your fish are safe if anything ever happens to the heater, such as the suction cups wearing out. It shuts off when it’s getting too warm or when it senses that it’s fallen off of the glass.
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Upettools Aquarium Heater

Upettools Aquarium Heater
This aquarium heater by Upettools is made for tanks between 10 and 20 gallons in size, as it puts out about 100 watts in power. It’s fully submersible and actually must be in water to turn on. If it senses that it has been taken out of the water, it automatically shuts off to avoid a fire hazard. It also automatically shuts off when the water temperature exceeds 36 degrees Celsius to make sure that your fish are always safe. You can change the temperature in a range of about 24 to 32 degrees via the controller on the cord. This way, you can ensure that your fish always have the best environment to live in. This 20-gallon aquarium heater is an amazing device that comes in multiple sizes, so you can get one for a smaller tank or a larger one if that’s the set up you have going on. It’s a great first heater for your tank!
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Hygger Titanium Aquarium Heater

Hygger Titanium Aquarium Heater
Hygger makes this titanium aquarium heater that can put out 100 watts of power. It’s meant for a fish tank between 10 to 25 gallons in size. It includes a thermostat and controller so that you can make sure your fish have the perfect temperature in their environment so they can thrive and grow. When the water reaches the set temperature, it will automatically stop and begin reheating again when it drops below the set temperature. This allows the heater to maintain the perfect climate for whatever tropical fish you are keeping. The thermostat is extremely sensitive and can tell you the temperature inside the tank with a margin of error that is only about 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use this heater in saltwater tanks as well as freshwater tanks and it won’t be ruined. We love the included thermostat and heat adjustment settings to help keep the tank right where you want it to be.
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SZELAM Aquarium Heater

SZELAM Aquarium Heater
This 300w aquarium heater by SZELAM will help you maintain a temperature between 68 and 94 degrees Fahrenheit so that your tropical fish are comfortable and safe. It comes with a thermostat to help measure the temperature so you can make adjustments as needed to the temperature. The heater is shatterproof and shatter resistant, and overall more durable than other heaters on our list. They can be completely submerged in the water, with a plastic protective screen to keep your fish from getting hurt and to make it easy for you to remove it. The suction cups are included and fix the heater securely to the side of the tank, and it can be used in both freshwater and saltwater environments. Get your large tanks the very best, and don’t settle for an inexpensive alternative that doesn’t have the safety features that the SZELAM has. You want your fish to thrive, and we do too!
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Finnex Controller Aquarium Heater

Finnex Controller Aquarium Heater
The Finnex Controller Aquarium heater is the largest on our list, meant to maintain and heat up to 120 gallons of water. Your larger tropical environments will thank you for upgrading to such an amazing heater. The heating tube is made of titanium and Finnex boasts that it is virtually indestructible. There is a heater guard to keep all of your fish safe, as well as suction cups to secure the heater to the side of the tank. You want to make your tank as healthy as you can for your fish, and this is the first step. It maintains water temperature within a couple of degrees of the temperature that you’ve set, so your fish get only the best. The heating tubes are compact and corrosion resistant so you won’t have to worry about keeping an eye on them. It has an LED indicator to tell you when the heater is on so you can see it work.
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Fluval E Electronic Heater

Fluval E Electronic Heater
Fluval is one of the most popular electronic aquarium heaters on the market right now. It has dual temperature sensors to give the most accurate temperature readings, so you know that your fish are as comfortable as they can be. This heater works quickly to heat the water and has a built-in safety shut-off with an integrated fish guard so that your fish and other tank residents are protected from the heating elements. You can change the LCD temperature readout from Fahrenheit to Celsius or the other way around. This is a huge 300-watt aquarium heater, so it’s one of the largest single-sizes that you can get for your largest aquariums. Because of the way that the heater is calibrated, you will have to figure out the best temperature to calibrate your tank. But it’s so worth it! All of your tropical fish will thrive with the best!
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Zacro AH193 Aquarium Heater

The Zacro Aquarium Heater is another small one that works great for betta tanks and single fish. It comes in a protective container so that the fish don’t get burned and your bettas won’t be able to hurt themselves or the heater by ramming it. You can use this heater in a tank up to 16 gallons for best effect. You can use it in your freshwater aquarium and your saltwater aquarium. It’s super easy to set up and start using. The temperature setting is visible on the dial, and you can adjust it to the perfect setting to make your fish comfortable. If your home gets cold during the winter, your tropical fish will definitely appreciate a little extra warmth from this heater. It comes with the suction cups to mount it directly on the side of the tank, and it must be submerged under the water to work properly and heat the tank.
The Zacro Aquarium Heater is another small one that works great for betta tanks and single fish. It comes in a protective container so that the fish don’t get burned and your bettas won’t be able to hurt themselves or the heater by ramming it. You can use this heater in a tank up to 16 gallons for best effect. You can use it in your freshwater aquarium and your saltwater aquarium. It’s super easy to set up and start using. The temperature setting is visible on the dial, and you can adjust it to the perfect setting to make your fish comfortable. If your home gets cold during the winter, your tropical fish will definitely appreciate a little extra warmth from this heater. It comes with the suction cups to mount it directly on the side of the tank, and it must be submerged under the water to work properly and heat the tank.
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Tetra HT Aquarium Heater

Tetra makes this affordable aquarium heater that will keep your tank the perfect temperature for most tropical fish. The internal electronic thermostat is permanently set to 78 degrees, which is right in the comfortable range for most tropical fish. You don’t have to adjust anything yourself, you can be pretty great if you want to keep your fish comfortable without having to mess with it. The heater is fully submersible and must be placed into the water before it is plugged in and ready to go. This small, 50-watt heater is great for tanks between 2 and 10 gallons in size. That’s great for small single-fish tanks as well as a slightly larger setup. The indicator light is red when the water is heating and green when the ideal temperature is reached so that you always know what’s on with your tank. It’s such a small heater that you can easily conceal it inside the tank!
Tetra makes this affordable aquarium heater that will keep your tank the perfect temperature for most tropical fish. The internal electronic thermostat is permanently set to 78 degrees, which is right in the comfortable range for most tropical fish. You don’t have to adjust anything yourself, you can be pretty great if you want to keep your fish comfortable without having to mess with it. The heater is fully submersible and must be placed into the water before it is plugged in and ready to go. This small, 50-watt heater is great for tanks between 2 and 10 gallons in size. That’s great for small single-fish tanks as well as a slightly larger setup. The indicator light is red when the water is heating and green when the ideal temperature is reached so that you always know what’s on with your tank. It’s such a small heater that you can easily conceal it inside the tank!
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About the Author

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Heather Patton

Expert Researcher and Writer

Heather Patton is a lead researcher and writer at GeekWrapped. She has been creating high-quality content for over a decade and covers home, lifestyle, beauty, fashion products and more.

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Article last updated on:

September 29, 2019

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Hygger Fish Tank Heater

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