Oil Filled Radiators vs Convection Heaters

[Smokeahontas]

I have heating issues at the moment, which will be solved by an oil fired central heating to gas conversion in the new year. To tide me over until then (no DC so don’t worry!), I’m looking at buying either some oil filled radiators or convection heaters.

From anyone that’s used them, which is better? I wouldn’t be using them too much, only in the mornings / bedtime.

We had oil filled radiators for a time. They had a timer on them so could come on to heat up before we got out of bed. They kept us toasty and warm.

DM has recently bought a little one, it really does throw out a lot of heat. I’ve never used convection heaters though so can’t give you a comparison I’m afraid.

I've had both and oil-filled are many many times better than convector heaters.

Oil filled def
Much safer too and can be left on their own, never want to leave a convection for fear of fire

Oil filled, for sure!

Personally I prefer convector heaters. Oil-filled radiators take a while to warm up, whereas convectors chuck out heat immediately. Also convectors are cheaper to buy.

The common confusion is over one being cheaper to run than they other. Any electric heater consuming 1kW of lecky left on for one hour will produce 1kWh of heat and cost the same as any other.

Thanks - I didn’t know you could get them with timers so that would be really handy!

Another vote for oil filled radiators. I never found they took very long to heat up, and it's great being able to leave them on when you are out, and to be able to set them to come on before you get home.

I bought a 2Kw oil filled radiator to see how it was and I’m quite surprised at the heat it gives off! I think I’ll buy another so I have one upstairs and one downstairs. Hopefully it’ll be ok if the temps drop any further. Thanks for your replies

Please could you post a link OP?

@Thedogisdrivingmemad this one

www.bmstores.co.uk/products/blaupunkt-9-fin-oil-filled-turbo-radiator-2400w-359767

I'd just like to repeat that all 2kw electric heaters consume 2kw of electricity and emit 2kw of heat! A 2kw convector will give off exactly the same, and so will any brand of 2kw oil-filled radiator.

(I'm ignoring the fact that you've linked to a 2.4kw device )

It’s 2.4 if you turn the fan on, which I haven’t.

Features:

3 Heat Settings: 800W, 1200W, 2000W
+400W Extra Power with Turbo Fan

I get that it has the same output, I bought it as it seems a bit sturdier than a convection heater. That’s all.

It looks really good, and quite possibly safer than convectors too.

I know this is an old thread but in case somebody else might come across this and do excuse me for being a bit nerdy.

The oil in the heater holds the heat and so once it has heated up, it uses less electricity to keep at a certain temperature. Yes, the cost in using electricity of 1 kwh is the same for all heaters but the convection heater is likely to use 1 kwh more frequently in an hour to keep the same temperature than an oil-filled heater.