good value column radiators (milano windsor?)

[OC75]

Hi, we are currently trying to source radiators for a new build. We have found the Milano Windsor range on the 'best heating' website. They seem to be about the only column rads in our budget range. Has anyone any experience of them?. We are a bit concerned about buying online. There is a similar priced range sold by Screwfix called Acova. Again I can't find any independent reviews. Your advice would be much appreciated.

It would be great to hear if anyone has any experience of these ranges.

Is there another range we should be looking at??

There is a big difference between different calculators so do an average of a few. You also need to check that you are comparing the same output values on the radiators (T50 or T60 I seem to remember).

Unless you want a specific traditional look, you may want to look at the Kartell Aspen double radiator range as they had a high btu output and were cheaper than other designs. We found ours on Ergonomic designs and may have had a discount code to use.

I've checked several BTU output calc tools but none state whether they are based on T30, 50, 60 or whatever.

So what figures do people use when shopping around for rads, especially when the tools give a big difference in output required.

I am considering Milan windsor rads with best heating.com so I used their online calculator but I am nervous that I will be well short on temp required. The further details give T30 & T50 BTU that are much lower than the headline BTU listed.

Please let me know your thoughts...

I looked at those but went with Forza in the end on the recommendation of our fab heating engineer. Forza were the only ones I could find who gave us enough BTUs for the size of our rooms in the space we had for the rads.

Definitely make sure you calculate the BTUs correctly and go for over rather the under. It's made a massive difference to the warmth of the rooms.

Our rads come with brackets but you have to buy valves separately. Get thermostatic ones.

Sorry for delay in replying. This is the valve we bought, also available in different finishes. Doesn't have numbers on it though, so getting the right setting takes a bit of trial and error. Looks great though. www.bestheating.com/milano-windsor-traditional-thermostatic-angled-radiator-valves-satin-pair.html

I'd include a pic if I could be arsed to get out of bed! I'll try and remember tomorrow.

Thanks for all the advice.

For those of you who bought from bestheating.com - did you use their online calculator when selecting your radiators???

I have used their calculator and then selected radiators based on the recommended BTU for each room, but comparing with other online calculators their recommended BTU seems low, which leaves me nervous.

Another related point, the product description gives a BTU for each radiator, but then in the additional information section for each radiator BTU levels are also listed for T30, & T50, which are much lower. I know these are referring to different system operating temperatures - does anyone know what the online calculator is based on??? I am guessing that it is pointless unless they are all using the same scale.

I phoned bestheating.com to query it and the guy said that their calculator tool gives T65 readings which are the headline BTU (i.e. not the T30 & T50) but he wasn't that convincing.

Can any of you good people advise?? does that make sense? Should I just ignore the lower T30 & T50 BTU ratings??

I've dug out my spreadsheet and found that I looked at Best Heating, Guyser, B&Q and Trade Radiators (and for some reason took 15% off the total for them - possibly because we have aircrete blocks giving additional insulation, I can't remember). I looked for an average of the three - but was lucky enough to find the Kartell Aspen and their sizes/output/price worked for me.

These links give a bit more information about which BTU figure you should be paying attention to when choosing the radiators: www.stelrad.com/news-events/blog/the-importance-of-delta-t-in-calculating-heating-output/

www.onlyradiators.co.uk/blog/radiator-delta-ratings-explained/

The calculator works out the overall requirement in BTU's. Where you see the BTU output on the radiators at T60, the extra BTU's that could be possible will be no use to you unless your boiler has the same output. If it's a bog standard boiler you're using, you would be best to compare the radiators using their T50 BTU output.

I know this is an old thread, but I'm now buying replacement radiators and was wondering how all the above radiators fared.