The influence of nozzle selection and consequent impact of momentum thickness is rarely investigated in heated horizontal plane jets. In the present work an experimental study is performed using a two dimensional converging nozzle and then by attaching a channel to the nozzle with air issued at a moderate Reynolds number of 4000 and at an inlet temperature of 60 °C. A hotwire anemometer is used to measure velocity and temperature fields. The ratio of heat to momentum transport is 1.33 for nozzle jets and 1.4 for channel jets. Half widths based on mean excess temperature and velocity is higher for channel jets. The influence of buoyancy is negligible for the present case. But the spread of temperature as a scalar is important in the transport process. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.