Morphy Richards HeatFlux Oil Filled Radiator review: compact, powerful and efficient

RRP: £120 | Buy now from Amazon

How I tested

I used this radiator daily over three months during winter in my fairly chilly work-from-home office. It’s a converted garage that never quite warms up, even when the central heating is turned off in spring.

I focused on how quickly it could make the space feel comfortable, especially first thing in the morning when the room was properly cold. I also tested the timer and thermostat functions to see if they actually made life easier, and used the remote control regularly to check whether it felt like a gimmick or something I’d genuinely rely on.

I moved it around the house a few times too, to see how practical it is to shift between rooms.

Related: Best electric heaters

My verdict

This is one of those products that earns its keep pretty quickly. Within a couple of days, it had become part of my daily routine.

The standout is how quickly it takes the chill off. I could feel warmth around my feet within about a minute and a half, which is exactly what you want when you sit down at your desk first thing. It doesn’t blast heat in an aggressive way, but it builds a steady, comfortable warmth that makes the room feel nice and cosy.

Size-wise, it hits a sweet spot. It’s compact enough to tuck under my desk, which makes a huge difference when you're pushed for space. Despite its compact size, it's still powerful enough to make a noticeable difference.

The remote control turned out to be more useful than I expected. Being able to tweak the settings without getting up, especially during meetings, is a small thing that makes a difference. The timer is equally handy if you want the room warm before you get in.

It’s also easy to live with. The wheels glide well, and the handle stays cool enough to move it safely even while it's still hot. At just under 10kg, I could lift it between rooms without too much effort.

That said, it’s not designed to heat a large room, and it's not lightweight enough to be conveniently carried with you from room to room. It’s much better suited to a single room it can have a permanent spot in during the colder months.

Read next: Best oil filled radiators

Is the Morphy Richards HeatFlux Oil Filled Radiator good for heating a room?

For a small to medium room, yes. In my office, which tends to be freezing cold until the sun hits it in the afternoon, it made a clear difference within minutes and kept the space consistently comfortable once it got going.

It works particularly well for popping under a desk. Because it fits underneath, the heat rises around you rather than getting lost in the room, which makes it feel more effective than you might expect from its size.

If you’re trying to avoid putting the central heating on all day, it’s a practical alternative. I found I could rely on this alone to keep me warm during my working day, only switching the main heating on in the evenings when my family returned home.

How energy efficient is the Morphy Richards HeatFlux Oil Filled Radiator?

The manufacturer positions this as an efficient way to heat a single space, and in practice that checks out. Instead of heating the whole house, you’re focusing energy where you actually are.

The thermostat helps here. Once the room reached a comfortable temperature, it cycled on and off rather than running constantly, which is what you want if you’re trying to keep energy use under control.

The timer adds another layer of control. I could set it to come on just before I started work, rather than leaving it running all morning. Oil filled radiators hold onto heat a lot more than fan or halogen heaters. Over time, that kind of targeted use makes a noticeable difference compared to central heating.

It’s still a 2.5kW appliance, so it’s not negligible to run, but used sensibly for one room, it feels like a more efficient option than heating an entire house for one person.

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Does the Morphy Richards HeatFlux Oil Filled Radiator offer good value for money?

With an RRP of £120 (and a price of £76 at the time of writing this review), it sits in the mid-range for oil filled radiators. It’s not the cheapest option out there, but it doesn’t feel overpriced once you’ve used it properly.

Compared with the De’Longhi Dragon 4, which I’ve also tested, the Morphy Richards HeatFlux is more compact and better suited to tighter spaces like a home office. The Dragon 4 didn't fit under my desk and the chimney feature means it's best suited to larger rooms, but it also takes up more space and comes at a higher price point depending on the model.

What you’re paying for here is convenience and usability. The remote control, timer and the ease of moving it around all add up to something that fits neatly into everyday life.

If your goal is to heat a single room efficiently and without fuss, it earns its price. If you need something for bigger spaces, you might get more from a larger unit like the De’Longhi.

About the author

Poppy O'Neill is a Content Editor at Mumsnet and a mother of two. She researches and reviews the products Mumsnetters swear by, with a particular focus on home essentials like steam irons, vacuum cleaners and heated throws.

From a highly recommended retractable washing line to the best quiet fans money can buy, and Mumsnet's favourite dehumidifier to the steam generator iron that'll cut your ironing time in half, she loves to deep-dive into research and find the very best products on the market.