Feeling a little chilly?
That extra jumper and house gloves not making as much of a difference as you’d hoped? Maybe you’re feeling nervous about turning up the central heating with the cost of living crisis raging on, or have a room that never gets warm enough? Perhaps you work in an at-home office and the rest of the house is empty during the day – or you’d like to wake up to a warm bedroom to make getting out from under the duvet a more pleasant prospect.
Whatever the situation, there are plenty of reasons why you might want a portable oil-filled radiator that you can plug in and get toasty from wherever you are. In fact, we’ve compiled a list of attributes that make getting one a no-brainer.
Five reasons to get an oil-filled radiator
Best portable oil-filled radiators at a glance
So, now that you’ve decided an oil-filled radiator is exactly what you need to keep you cosy this winter, which one should you invest in? We’ve taken the legwork out of this for you too, by choosing our top favourites below.
VonHaus Portable Oil Filled Radiator 2000W - Black
Best for: quick and efficient heating
This little guy costs just 27p an hour to run and has a 1.5m cable, which means it doesn’t have to be all that close to a power source. It weighs 8kg, so it’s easy enough to move about and take the chill off a smaller room.
It features an adjustable thermostat control dial and an overheat protection system, so you never have to worry about things getting out of hand heat-wise. This is the one for your small office or the bathroom without a radiator.
If it’s the ballroom you’re hoping to heat, go for a bigger model, but for little spaces without a lot of wiggle room, this is your go-to.
Buy now £49.99, VonHaus
Lloytron Staywarm 2000w 9 Fin Oil Radiator
Best for: buying on a budget
An extremely reasonably priced nine-fin, oil-filled radiator, this one has three heat settings, an adjustable thermostat and three power settings: 2000W, 1200W and 800W, so you get a lot of bang for your buck.
It also features a safety tip-over switch, which means it will shut off if it’s knocked over and will also close down if it gets too hot, so you can rest easy. There’s a useful power indicator light, cable storage for when it’s not in use and has wheels to make it super portable. To top it all off, it comes with a peace of mind one-year guarantee.
Was: £69.99
Buy now £54.18, Amazon
Challenge 2kW Oil Filled Radiator
Best for: heating up quickly
If you need heat quickly, this 2000W oil-filled radiator is just the ticket as it will warm up a 20 square metre room (so long as it’s insulated) quickly and efficiently. Reviewers found it cost 80p per hour to heat up and, once at the desired temperature, cost just 50p an hour to run from then on. Not bad when you compare that to heating a whole house with central heating, as an oil-filled radiator is good choice for heating just the room you’re going to be in. This one has three heat settings and an adjustable thermostat, a 1.8 metre power cord, a safety cut-off function if it’s knocked over and caster wheels for easy moving.
Buy now £49.00, Argos
De’Longhi Dragon - 42.5kW Oil Filled Radiator
All the De’Longhi Dragon oil-filled radiators feature hot air convection technology, which means they start pumping out heat as soon as they’re turned on. This one doesn’t make a sound as it warms up the air and, equally, it doesn’t dry the atmosphere.
Due to its clever design, there’s a high heat to surface area ratio, making it super-efficient and powerful enough to heat a room up to an astonishing 50 square metres.
It has three heat settings, a timer, safety cut-out and a sleep-easy 10 year guarantee. Not the cheapest out there, but if you don’t want to feel cold, this one is worth the investment.
Buy now £190.00, Argos
Dimplex 2kW Oil Filled Radiator
Best for: larger homes
A three-year guarantee is available with this oil-filled radiator, so you can rest assured it won’t let you down. It features three heat settings and a 24-hour programmable timer so rooms can be heated to a comfortable temperature before you get to them, doing away with the brrr factor. It’s on caster wheels for portability, has a 1.3-metre power cord, 2000W of power, three heat settings, a safety cut-off and will heat a room that’s up to 25 square metres in size – plenty big enough for the average family home – and can save you turning on the pricy central heating if you’re just using one room at a time.
Was: £112.99
Buy now £96.99, Amazon
PureMate Oil Filled Radiator
Best for: having a built-in 24-hour timer
With a whopping 2500W to call on, this 11-fin oil-filled radiator’s USP is that it heats up quickly and has a 24-hour built-in timer, so you can set it to come up shortly before the alarm is due to go off, meaning your bedroom will be warm by the time you need to rise. It’s just 21cm deep, so it doesn’t take up much room, but still gives off a belting when it comes to making things balmy. There’s a 1.5 metre power cable, three variable heat settings, tip-over shut-off for safety and it’s on wheels for easy positioning. A good choice for a good-sized room.
Buy now £79.99, Amazon
Monhouse Oil Filled Radiator
This is an 11-fin oil-filled radiator with five heat settings, from 400W (which has a fan as well) all the way up to 2900W, with 1000W, 1500W and 2500W in between, so you can take the chill off on a spring or autumn day or really crank it up for those biting winter nights.
Although it’s powerful, because it uses convection heat technology, it’s efficient to run and won’t add scary noughts to your energy bill. It has a useful 24-hour timer, swivel caster wheels so it can turn on a five-pence piece and handy power-cord storage to keep things tidy.
Buy now £79.99, Amazon
De’Longhi TRNS0505M Oil Filled Radiator
Best for: small homes
Don’t expect this little guy to heat the rumpus room, but those of us in little flats who don’t need the oomph (or the bills) that come with a heavy-duty oil-filled radiator, it may be just the ticket.
An unusual, rounded design sets this 500W one apart from the competition. It will comfortably heat a room up to 15 cubic metres and its light weight – just 5.5kg – and compact size (15.16 x 6.81 x 13.39cm) with built-in carry handles means you can pick it up and plonk it down wherever you need to boost the warmth factor. Its diddy construction also means it’s easy to store over summer, so this is a good choice for smaller homes and little rooms.
Buy now £58.99, Amazon
Verdict
The cost-efficiency of VonHaus's nine-fin radiator makes it a hard one to beat. Radiating an excellent level of heat despite being so compact makes it easy to store too.
