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:
- 3 Best Wall Mounted Oil Filled Radiators
- Oil Filled Radiators Buyers Guide
- How To Wall Mount An Oil Filled Radiator
- Current Best Selling Wall Mounted Oil Filled Radiators
- FAQs
3 Best Wall Mounted Oil Filled Radiators To Heat Large Rooms
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 3 options available.
- Simple Installation: The Futura white oil filled radiator electric heater can be installed on any standard home building wall, which includes 4x wall brackets. Power Cable size 1.75m (cable located…
- Energy Saving: The Futura oil heater has 3 heating modes, comfort, economy and anti frost modes, which will help lower costs. The oil heater also enables you to set your desired temperature between…
- Room Coverage: The integral precision thermostat which is accurate to within half a degree, the heater will switch on or off automatically to maintain your set temperature. Coverage up to 20 square…
- Light, flat heaters, filled with ecological oil, in snow-white colour. All our heaters are, by standard, equipped with overheat protection and an electronic thermostat with an LCD.
- Perfect for use in apartments, offices and other rooms where maintenance of cleanliness and warmth is required. The heater is quiet and odour-free: produces a pleasant microclimate without air…
- Such a protection system ensures full safety of one the highest quality for our products is testified to by certificates permitting their use in Scandinavia, where they have been on the market since…
- These electric oil-filled Panel radiators provides quick and easy warmth – an Ideal portable heating solution for the home, workshop or office! The performance of the oil radiator should be selected…
- Highly portable and easy to operate, this oil filled heater is controlled via thermostat. It also features a safety cut-out tip over switch, foot castors and very thin design
- It has an adjustable thermostat, LED display, over heating protection, weekly timer via WiFi smart control
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!
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. If it does, here is a helpful resource.
