What to look out for when buying oil filled radiator?

Author: Lance Brown  |  Last update: Sunday, August 17, 2025

Carrying handle: allows for easy handling; this is especially important as these radiators can be quite heavy. Tilt protection: a safety features that limits the risk of your radiator falling over. Adjustable heating power: some models offer you the option to adjust the heating power.

What is the disadvantage of oil-filled radiator?

Portability and Weight

If you want a radiator that you can move freely from room to room, an oil-filled radiator probably won't be the best choice as they are usually heavier due to the oil content. In comparison, oil-free models are lighter and much easier to move around.

What is the best wattage for an oil-filled radiator?

A rule of thumb for sizing oil-filled electric radiators is an average of 100 W per square metre floor space. It's important to note that this is a very general guideline for a standard house with standard insulation and standard ceiling heights.

What kW oil-filled radiator do I need?

Choose between a 1.5kW, 2kW, and 2.5kW model depending on your room size. As a rough guide, you need 100W power for every square metre in your room size. This range of options means you can use these heaters in almost any size room!

How to choose the right oil heater?

With the help of this guide, you'll quickly determine the best oil filled radiator for a comfortable and energy-efficient indoor climate.
  1. Oil filled radiators emit a comfortable heat. ...
  2. Choosing the right power for your oil filled radiator. ...
  3. Length and position of an oil filled radiator. ...
  4. The importance of the right thermostat.

7 Things You Must Know Before Buying An Oil Heater

What to look for when buying an oil-filled radiator?

Oil-filled radiator features and accessories

Adjustable heating power: some models offer you the option to adjust the heating power. Overheat protection: a safety feature that ensures your radiator automatically switches off if it gets too hot. Screen display: very useful for changing modes and settings with ease.

Can I leave an oil-filled heater on all night?

Yes, you can leave an oil heater “ON” overnight. Oil heaters are designed to be very safe, modern electric oil-filled heater comes with lots of additional advanced security features such as built-in-timers, tip-over protection, thermostat, and more.

What is the difference between 2kW and 2.5 KW oil filled radiator?

Choose between a 2kW or a 2.5kW model – whichever suits you best. The 2kW model can comfortably heat rooms of up to 20m², while the 2.5kW model can heat rooms of up to 25m².

How do I know what size radiator to buy?

Explore Your Room Size and Layout

Rooms with a larger surface area with irregular shapes may need larger radiators, ensuring even heating throughout the room. A small radiator will struggle to heat a large room effectively, due to the greater amount of space contained within the area.

Do oil radiators use a lot of electricity?

Wattage and Energy Consumption: Most oil-filled radiators have a power rating between 500W and 2500W. The higher the wattage, the more electricity it consumes. For example, running a 1500W heater for 6 hours a day can cost around £2.16 per day at a rate of 24p per kWh, which adds up over time.

Where is the best place to put an oil filled radiator?

Optimal radiator positioning and practices for different rooms
  • Beneath windows: An effective option, particularly in older homes with single glazing.
  • On exterior walls: Helps with the prevention of heat loss via walls.
  • Away from fixtures and furniture: Ensure an unobstructed heat flow throughout the room.

How much electricity does a 1500 watt oil filled radiator use?

You'll find the radiator's power rating in watts on its label. Estimating Energy Consumption: Multiply the radiator's wattage by the number of hours you plan to use it daily. For example, a 1500W radiator used for 5 hours a day consumes 7.5 kWh.

Does higher watt mean more heat?

The higher the wattage, the more heat—but that also means more energy consumption. And yes, that can lead to a bump in your electricity bills, which no one wants. So, understanding wattage is the key to staying cosy and energy-efficient this winter.

What are the side effects of oil filled heaters?

The primary risks of oil heaters are fires and burns. In both regards, they are generally more dangerous than heat pumps, hydronics, and air conditioning, but less dangerous than electric fan heaters or bar radiators, due to the surface temperature of any given type of heater.

What is the healthiest heater to use?

Convection heaters, such as oil column or panel heaters, are your best choice for a heater you're going to leave on all night – their gentle convection heating is conducive to an easy night's sleep, and they don't get as hot as other types of heaters so they're safer to touch (they compensate for this with the larger ...

Which is better oil-filled radiator or ceramic heater?

However, if on-demand heating is a priority, ceramic radiators stand out thanks to their rapid heat-up times. Both are 100% efficient at point of use and feature precision thermostats that better regulate room temperature. However, oil filled radiators may be less cost-effective if used for sporadic heating.

What to look for when buying a radiator?

To help, we've put together a guide to buying radiators online or in-person in five easy steps.
  • Confirm Your Heat Output Requirements. It is essential you know how much heat you will need as this will determine the size of your radiators. ...
  • Choose the Colour You Want. ...
  • Find a Valve. ...
  • Order Online or From Your Nearest Showroom.

What size of oil filled radiator do I need?

To work out your room's floor area you need to measure and multiply the floor length by its width. For example, a room which is 4 meters long and 3.5 meters wide has an area of 14 square meters. To heat this room effectively you would need the correct size radiator model with a minimum wattage of 1430 watts.

What is the rule of thumb for radiator sizing?

Radiator sizing rule of thumb

As a general rule of thumb, you'll need to work out how big your space is by multiplying the length, width and height of its walls. Once you know how big the room is, you should install one radiator for every 5m³ of space you need to heat.

Can a 2kW oil-filled radiator heat a room?

Powerful 2000W oil filled radiator will effectively heat up any room – ideal for chilly evenings. Enjoy warmth in your home or office using Warmlite's 9-fin oil filled radiator.

How much does it cost to run a 1500 watt heater for 24 hours?

Example (you can use an electric heater running cost calculator below for different wattages/kWh prices): If we assume the price of electricity is $0.1319 per kWh, a 1,500-watt electric space heater will cost; $0.20 to run per hour. $4.80 to run per 24 hours (day). $11.20 to run per week (8h/day).

Are oil-filled radiators any good?

✓ Oil-filled radiators are incredibly efficient thanks to their heat-retentive thermal fluid, even heat distribution and retention, and in-built energy-saving features.

How long does an oil-filled radiator last?

Over time, oxidation of the coil can reduce the radiator's efficiency. However, with proper maintenance and operation at recommended temperatures (750-1000°F), oil-filled radiators can last anywhere from 16 to 20 years.

What is the safest space heater?

Sealed combustion heaters are much safer to operate than other types of space heaters, and operate more efficiently because they do not draw in the heated air from the room and exhaust it to the outdoors. They are also less likely to backdraft and adversely affect indoor air quality.

Is it cheaper to run an oil-filled radiator than central heating?

Absolutely, in many cases. If you only need to heat one room for a few hours, an oil-filled radiator can be far more cost-effective than cranking up the central heating. But for whole-home heating, central heating might be more practical in the long run.

Previous article
Which disinfectant kills the most bacteria?
Next article
Which is better, 3 blade or 4 blade?