I used an electronic temperature gauge and timer to see how long it took each heater to warm a room by five degrees. The oil also makes the heater heavy and they can be difficult to lift or move around, although many are equipped with wheels to make them more portable. By their nature, oil-filled radiators aren’t as quick to respond as other electric convector heaters. Apart from the thermostat the only controls here are a three-step power dial and an old-fashioned 24-hour timer divided into 15-minute segments that you pull out for ‘on’ and push in for ‘off’.

It looks like you’ve already got some idea of the sort of product you’re inserted in, as you’ve landed on this SWAN SH60010BN Oil-Filled Radiator review. Portable and a far cry from clunky designs of the past, oil radiators are a great home heating solution in particularly cold weather or heating a single room without turning the central heating on.In addition, oil-filled heaters are up to 99% energy-efficient because they directly convert all the electric energy into heat energy with barely any losses. If you’re sitting a few feet away from this not particularly handsome oil-filled radiator, initially it’s underwhelming. They’re also safer than some portable heaters because there is no element that could be a fire hazard and are very quiet, so won’t disturb you while you try to meet deadlines or are just trying to relax in front of the telly. Standing knee-high, it can be plugged in anywhere, but you won’t be moving it around much: at 50kg, it takes two people to lift and does get very hot.

Oil filled radiators are brilliant at retaining heat and will continue to emit heat once switched off - this is because oil cools down very slowly. They all look pretty much the same, in fact many are the same product with different branding, but the Russell Hobbs version seems to be the one people want. It’s clearly doing quite a lot of work as it oscillates back and forth, but there’s an Eco Plus mode which can switch between 1. This 2000 W radiator comes with thermostat controls and three different heat settings, ideal if you want to warm your room. While the chrome knobs look good from a distance, they’re made from thin plastic, again letting down the retro looks.They use an electrical current within thermal oil, heating the oil and circulating it around the heater, a bit like water in a radiator. Smaller 1000W and larger 2000W versions are available but the 1500W one I tried was just right for warming up a bedroom, office or kitchen where it would look - I can’t believe I’m saying this about a heater - highly desirable. Due to their exposed and portable nature, pil filled radiators may not be the best choice if you have pets or young children.