October 25th, 2022 by Sarah Miles

Although we are in the height of Summer, it is never too soon to start thinking about the colder months, after all living in the UK the weather can change sooner than you would expect. The increasing energy prices also mean a lot of us are now trying to find the most efficient ways to stay warm without the increasing prices. 

The good news is modern plug-in heaters are very different from the electricity-guzzling units from years ago. Many are highly energy-efficient (look out for LOT20 compliant), have great heat output, and look really stylish. For many, they’re not a second-best to central heating, they’re actually a preferred option.

If you are considering buying electric heaters, whether that’s to replace or supplement your central heating, it’s useful to know about the different types and how they work. Here’s an overview of some of the most common ones and their benefits.

Panel Heaters

Panel heaters are electric heaters that pass an electric current through a heat conductor to warm it. This heat is usually then dispersed into the room via a fan. Two of the most common types are ceramic and aluminium, because these are the materials used for the heat conductors.

Ceramics is a very heat-efficient material. It heats very quickly, minimising the amount of energy needed, and then retains that heat for a long time. This means it can heat your room for a long time based on just a few minutes of power. It’s regarded as one of the most efficient heat conductors on the market.

Aluminium also conducts heat well (though perhaps not quite as well as ceramic) and is very light so these heaters are really easy to move around from room to room.

Many panel heaters come with a range of useful features, such as thermostats, timers, open window detection, and IP ratings, which mean they can safely be used in bathrooms. They tend to be very slimline and can often be wall-mounted, which makes them easy to fit into any room and rather than the functional, ugly metal boxes they used to be, are now designed to be stylish and enhance your décor, rather than take away from it.

If you want total control over your heating, choose a panel heater with smart technology. These heaters can be controlled via a smartphone app which allows you to adapt usage to your specific schedule. Going to be late home? Delay the heating. Coming home early? Turn it on ready for your return to a warm home. This means you’re always warm when you’re at home and not wasting any heat when you’re not.

MYLEK Slimline Wall Mounted Electric Panel Heater 1KW

Price: £89.99

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Oil-Filled Radiators

Oil-filled radiators use some of the same principles as panel heaters, using thermally conductive oil as the heat conductor rather than ceramic or aluminium, but they don’t use a fan. On the downside, they tend to be bulkier than panel heaters and they can’t be wall-mounted. They may not have the same features and functions as a panel heater either. However, they do have some advantages over panel heaters. Firstly, they use a combination of conductive heat and radiant heat. Panel heaters use conductive heat, which means they heat the air in the room. Radiant heat warms objects in the room so will including walls, furniture, and even people. Using a combination offers great heat efficiency. The oil also heats very quickly so it’s almost instant. The radiant heat function means that you won’t lose as much heat if the room isn’t as well insulated as it could be (if a heater warms air and the air is allowed to escape, the heat escapes with it).

MYLEK Black Oil Filled Radiator with 24 Hour Timer and Thermostat 2KW

Price: £79.99

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Fan Heaters

Fan heaters tend to be small, portable units but you can also get large industrial fan heaters, suitable for warehouses, and air curtains, which are mounted over the top of doors and are common in shops and restaurants. Obviously, they use a fan to disperse heat. They take cold air in and pass it through a resistive heating coil. This converts electric energy into heat energy, warms the air and then blows it back into the room using the fan.

They are commonly used in outhouses, garages, sheds, and caravans but are really suitable for any space that just needs a little extra heat.

MYLEK Premium Remote Control Over Door Heater with Timer & Thermostat 2kW

Price: £79.99

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