Guides4Homeowners Useful Information & Guides
Oil-filled radiators are a sought after alternative to the traditional radiator, no longer are they bulky stand-alone units, now you can get oil-filled radiators that look just like normal radiators and can even be wall-mounted.
Oil radiators appeal to many, and not just those that live off the grid. They offer a cheap alternative as they are excellent at retaining heat and cool down much slower than traditional alternatives.
In this article, we go into depth with answering all the common questions people have about oil-filled radiators, take a look at how to mount one on a wall, some of the current best sellers and a break down of your top options.
It’s a rather long article, so if you have a particular section you’re more interested in, click one of the links below:
- Oil Filled Radiators Buyers Guide
- How To Wall Mount An Oil Filled Radiator
- Current Best Selling Wall Mounted Oil Filled Radiators
- 6 Best Wall Mounted Oil Filled Radiators
- FAQs
Oil Filled Radiators Buyers Guide
In this section, you will find some of the most common questions and queries around oil-filled radiators, most about their efficiency and whether they are any good. Keep reading to find out more before choosing which wall mounted oil-filled radiator is best for you.
What is the most efficient oil-filled radiator?
All oil-filled radiators on the UK market should be highly energy-efficient and there generally a lot more efficient than other counterparts. That being said, you can increase the energy efficiency of an oil-filled radiator by going for one that has a timer and thermostatic controls, this allows you to have the radiator running on a schedule so you don’t have it on as often and can control its energy efficiency to a T.
Are ceramic heaters better than oil-filled?
There’s no straight forward answer to this question, it depends on you personally and what you want out of your radiators. Oil-filled radiators take longer to heat, but they heat more evenly and will maintain the heat for a much longer period when switching it off, so you don’t tend to need to leave them on as long. Ceramic, on the other hand, heats quickly, but they can often be patchy in the areas they heat and they’ll lose heat a lot quicker.
You should consider buying an oil-filled radiator if
- Your looking for a long term heating solution for a medium to large-sized room
- If you prefer the room to be quiet, as they operate very quietly
- If you have allergies these are better as ceramic heaters have fans to disperse the heat
You may prefer a ceramic heater if you want to heat a smaller room instantly, there also safer for children because they don’t hold the heat as long, so you have more control.
Do oil-filled heaters use less energy?
Yes & no, technically speaking no, because the heating element uses just as much electricity as any other heater. Where they differ however is that the oil creates a heat sink which results in the oil heater using a lesser amount of electricity over a longer period of time than a normal heater would.
Are oil-filled radiators cheaper to run than electric counterparts?
The heating element of an oil-filled radiator is the same as described in the aforementioned question. Most models also have a low energy setting as well, but typically speaking if you pay the average electricity rate which is around 12p in the UK, you’ll pay around 8p per hour that the heater is running at the lowest setting.
It’s exactly what you would pay for traditional radiators, however, you may need to run the heater for less time due to the heat retention being far superior.
Are oil-filled radiators any good? (Pro’s & Con’s)
Still can’t make up your mind as to whether an oil-filled radiator is for you? Well, there are certain pro’s & con’s that may help you make that decision. They’re not for everyone, so to answer the question are they any good, would depend on your personal circumstances.
To help you decide, here are the pros & cons:
Pros
- Reduced chance of fire – it has no exposed heating panels or filaments
- There’s no noise
- It’s much better at spreading heat around the room evenly
- Larger heating surface
- Maintains heat for longer
Cons
- Long heat up time
- Slow at circulating the heat
- Generally heavier and larger design (although you can get ultra slim versions)
- In cold weather the pipes can freeze
How To Hang An Oil Filled Radiator
Oil-filled radiators are slightly easier to hang than standard radiators as there is no need to worry about the pipes. Here’s a quick step by step:
- Make a centre point using a spirit level to make a straight line
- Measure the height from the ground
- Make your base line
- Measure the radiator to the support brackets
- Make the lines from your brackets
- Fix the brackets to the wall by screwing them in – allow for a little bit of flexibility
- Hang the radiator
A lot of the radiators come with the brackets, but if not you might need to buy some. It’s fairly straight forward and easy to do so you shouldn’t have an issue!
Current Best Selling Wall Mounted Oil Filled Radiators
There are constantly new radiators that are more efficient and better than their prior counterparts, so the research and findings of the best wall mounted oil-filled radiators may not necessarily include some of the most recent to market options.
Below you can find what the current best sellers are at this exact moment:
- Simple Installation: The Futura white oil filled radiator electric heater...
- Energy Saving: The Futura oil heater has 3 heating modes, comfort, economy...
- Room Coverage: The integral precision thermostat which is accurate to...
- Easy to use 24/7 Timer: The Futura oil electric heater has a 24/7 timer...
- 2 Year Warranty: All our Futura electric radiators wall mounted are covered...
- 【Control & Adjustment】 The electric radiator equipped with LED display...
- 【Timing Function】 The electric radiator has a function of timer. It...
- 【High Quality Material】 Made of high quality aluminium, good thermal...
- 【IP24 Waterproof】The oil filled radiator has IP24 waterproof rating and...
- 【Widely Application】 900W radiator is suitable for a space below 20m²...
- Light, flat heaters, filled with ecological oil, in snow-white colour. All...
- Perfect for use in apartments, offices and other rooms where maintenance of...
- Such a protection system ensures full safety of one the highest quality for...
- Power - Dimensions (W x H): 700W - 900mm x 600mm (13.5Kg) 800W - 1380mm x...
- 2 Years Manufacturer's Warranty. Please note: During the first use when the...
6 Best Wall Mounted Oil Filled Radiators
Want to find out what the best wall mounted oil-filled radiators available are? I’ve done the research so you don’t have to. Looking into the descriptions, features, efficiency, reviews and importantly price, I’ve narrowed down the top 6 options available.
Without further ado, here are my picks:
Product Description
This Ultraslim oil-filled radiator is available at a fantastic price and if you’re looking for a thin radiator to not protrude too much, then this is the one for you with only 6cm thickness. It’s available to have as a freestanding radiator or you can wall-mount it & you’ll be glad to know that brackets are supplied.
The Eco-friendly design runs at only 800W and has an adjustable thermostat as an additional feature, it also has window open detection, and a 24 hour or weekly timer, meaning it can achieve temperature perfection. If you have children you’d be glad to hear that it has a child lock safety option, is quiet in operation and furthermore has a anti-frost function.
It’s got a water-resistant design so it’s suitable for any room, including a bathroom. No pipes or pumps making it extremely easy to mount on a wall and it’s energy-saving features also make it a great cost-efficient option.
It weighs 8.15kg and is 550mmx950mmx60mm (HxWxD) if you are to wall-mount it.
Main Features
This fantastic Ultraslim oil-filled radiators comes with some great features, and we’ve highlighted them for you below:
- Only 6cm thick
- Freestanding or wall mount option (brackets supplied)
- Eco-friendly 800W
- Adjustable thermostat
- Window open detection
- Hourly or weekly timer so you can have more control
- Anti-frost function
- Child lock safety
- Water resistant
- 8.15kg in weight
- 550mm (H) x 950mm (W) x 60mm (D) when wall mounted
Product Description
This is a small heater compared to some of the others, but on the listing, there are a few different larger options by the same brand. This is an oil-filled panel heater by the brand AMOS, and will heat a room up with compact 400W radiator.
It’s an ideal heating source for small to medium-sized spaces, and just like the others can either be wall-mounted or portable depending on what you require, as it’s originally on castor wheels.
It looks great in any room with it’s slim but traditional design and can heat the room quickly due to its small size. It’s got an adjustable thermostat and switches that allow you to customise the settings to your requirements. It also comes with integrated safety features and overheats protection to ensure if anything goes wrong it will automatically shut off.
This AMOS model is also energy efficient and environmentally friendly with its heat-conducting oil, and even on a lower setting it will heat the oil relatively quickly in comparison to some of the other models on here, but will just like them maintain the heat well after being shut off.
Main Features
Want to find out more about this compact AMOS heater at a glance? Here are some of it’s main features:
- 400W compact design
- Suitable for small to medium size spaces
- Adjustable thermostat
- Customisable heat setting switches
- Safety features including overheat protection
- Can be wall mounted or easily portable with it’s castor wheels
- 61cm (H) x 49cm (W) x 25.5cm (D) – with wheels, slightly smaller without
Product Description
This product is a top-quality fast heating oil-filled radiator by the company HUBER. As you can see it’s a little bit more expensive, but this is quality and features. They are wall-mounted only, so don’t have a portable option like some of the others, and they look very similar to your traditional style of radiator – giving it a very nice design and finish.
This HUBER radiator has a wireless control timer which is essentially the thermostat and is very easy to control with it’s remote, which is operated simply by battery. The remote has a variety of functions including the ability to start and stop it & set a timer to your specific requirements. You can also use this to set a particular room temperature so you can keep the heating as efficient as possible, only ensuring it gets the required temperature.
A cool feature of this radiator as well, if you have multiple of them in a room, they can all be programmed to use the same remote and tuned to the same time.
There are a few different options you get to choose from as well, ranging from the highest 1000W to 500W. It also comes with a bracket system that is rather clever and allows the HUBER convectors to be reversible so you won’t have issue with power supplies.
A slight downside to this product, which may involve an additional cost, is that they recommend using tradesmen as there is some simple wiring that needs to be done, but this could add to an already costly product.
Main Features
Interested in this HUBER oil-filled radiator? Here are a few of the main features for you to skim over at a glance:
- Top quality traditional panel wall mounted oil-filled radiator
- Electronic thermostat
- On/off switch
- Overheating protection
- Anti-asthma & allergy
- Power cable can come from both sides of the radiator
- Open window detection
- Adaptive start
- Wireless 24h / 7 day timer
- Range of choice including 500W, 700W & 1000W (featured)
Product Description
This oil-filled radiator that’s made it into the list is a product by Hausmaster. It comes in several different Watt options, you can choose from 400W, 600W, 800W and the one we have selected is the 1000W.
No matter which option you choose, this heating solution is perfect for a wide range of different rooms and room sizes, providing quick and easy warmth. It’s easy to operate which you can do using the thermostat, and although you can wall-mount it with the included brackets, you can choose to have it portable as well with foot castors. It also has a safety cut out tip-over switch features as well as an adjustable thermostat, overheating protection, weekly timer, and an adjustable thermostatic display.
Along with all the features, as you can clearly see, it is a thin and elegant design, fitting the style of a traditional radiator meaning it doesn’t stand out or look out of place in any room.
Main Features
Interested in the Hausmaster? If you want this oil-filled radiator in your home, here are some of the main features at a glance:
- 400-1000W options available to suit all room sizes
- Very easy to operate
- Wall mount with the included brackets
- Safety cut-out tip over switch
- Adjustable thermostatic display
- Protection from overheating
- Weekly adjustable timer
- Wonderful slick traditional design
Product Description
Lastly, I’ve featured a more expensive option again with the Bismo, a modern, chunky design oil-filled radiator that packs the heating punch with 1800W. Despite the larger appearance, it does really blend into the room with the contemporary design.
This wall-mounted oil-filled radiator measures 577x937mm and has been rated IP24. You know you’re getting quality with this radiator as the manufacturer offer a 2-year guarantee on the product.
This radiator is efficient and comfortable, easy to use, and can cater for all sizes of room. On its slimline design, it contains an easy to use LCD thermostat which also has soft-touch buttons, it also has a timer which is 7-day or 24h, has a temperature range of 7 to 35 degrees, frost protection settings, 5 different heating modes, a lock function on the LCD timer, aluminium body and most importantly is very easy to install.
Main Features
Are you wanting to buy this Bismo radiator? I don’t blame you, it’s fantastic. If you’re just skimming on through, here are some of the main features you can look out for:
- 1800W radiator – the most powerful in the list
- 577mm x 937mm in size
- IP24 Rated
- 2-year guarantee from the manufacturer
- LCD Thermostat
- Frost protection settings
- 5 Different heating settings to choose from
- Lock function for the LCD timer
- Aluminium body
- Easy to use timer for 7 day or 24 hour setting
FAQs
Still got a lasting question about oil-filled radiators? I’ve pulled together some of the most commonly searched ones and answered them for you below:
Can oil-filled radiators be left on overnight?
Generally speaking, oil-filled radiators are pretty safe, but if you’re going to leave them on overnight, make sure they have some kind of protection like a tilt switch that should anything go wrong with the heater, it shuts off automatically.
Do all oil-filled radiators come with timers or thermostats?
No – some of the basic models won’t come with timers or thermostats attached, so if you want more control over your heating and maximise efficiency you should go for a slightly more expensive model that includes these features.
Do oil-filled radiators cost a lot to run?
No, they are cheap to run. They take a long time to heat up, sometimes in excess of 20 minutes, but they maintain heat better than most radiator options and the oil doesn’t need to be replaced.
Do oil-filled radiators give off fumes?
There are no dangerous fumes, however, on the first few uses of an oil-filled radiator it can give off an odour, but this doesn’t last forever and after a few uses it shouldn’t smell anymore.
