How we test electric heaters and oil-filled radiators at Ideal Home
We review every electric heater and oil-filled radiator we recommend to you, testing them in real homes. This is how we do it and why you can trust us
Here at Ideal Home, we've been recommending the best products for your home for more than 100 years. As Ideal Home's Renovation and Home Energy Editor, a huge part of my remit is sharing advice on how you can keep your home warm in the most energy efficient way possible. That includes reviewing a whole host of electric heaters and oil-filled radiators.
Along with my team of expert reviewers, hours and hours are spent testing these products in real home environments, paying close attention to every detail. After all, if we are recommending the best electric heaters or oil-filled radiators, we want you to be able to trust those recommendations so that you make the right decision for your home.
How we test electric heaters and oil-filled radiators at Ideal Home
There are various factors that we are looking to assess when we test electric heaters and oil-filled radiators:
- Unboxing and set up
- Looks
- Specification
- Ease of use and effectiveness
- Cleaning and maintenance
- Running costs
- How it compares with other products
How we assess unboxing and set up
If you are buying an electric heater or oil-filled radiator online, then how it arrives at your home matters. We carefully assess how effectively the appliance is packaged, and double check that it arrives in pristine condition. Sustainability is important too so we check the packaging itself and determine whether it all feels necessary and how much of it is recyclable.
We also pay close attention to how easy the heater or radiator is to get out of the packaging and set up single handedly. We also time how long it takes from getting the item out of the packaging to when it's up and running so we can give you a realistic expectation of how long it might take you.
How we assess looks
While electric heaters and oil-filled radiators are primarily functional appliances, when they are on display in your home, then their appearance will be a key part of your decision making.
That's why we make sure we test a broad range of heaters, from tiny personal plug heaters and space-saving tower heaters all the way through to modern bladeless models and characterful stove options.
How we assess the specification
We carefully track the specification details, including price, dimensions, wattage, room size suitability and additional features, of every single heater we test.
This not only means we can readily compare similar heaters to save you the hassle of having to do it yourself, but it also ensures we can check the manufacturers claims against our real world experience of the product.
How we assess ease of use and effectiveness
After we've assessed initial set up of the heater, we test the on-board control panel, as well as any remote or app controls, to determine just how intuitive they are to use.
We also look at the nuances of the controls, like switching between different heating modes or selecting different temperature outputs to see how easy it is and how quickly the heater responds. And rest assured we check every single mode and temperature scale so we fully understand the heater's full capacity.
Once it's running, we measure how long it takes to feel the benefit of the heat output, any temperature changes, as well as how long it takes to cool down once switched off. We also use a decibel meter to measure how much noise the heater makes when in us.
As heaters of this nature are also expected to be portable, we also try moving it around to different locations, paying close attention to the weight, bulk and any handles.
How we assess running costs
We understand how valuable to know how much heaters cost to run, so we make sure that we give you accurate running cost data based on the appliance's wattage and current prices under the energy price cap.
To keep those costs as low as possible, we also make sure to draw your attention to any energy monitoring capabilities and the effectiveness of any eco modes the heater may have.
How we assess cleaning and maintenance
Effective cleaning and maintenance is essential in order to keep your heater in most efficient working order. And so this is an important part of our testing process.
We check manufacturer guidelines and see how often we need to clean the heater during out initial testing window of at least two weeks.
How we compare with other products
A huge benefit of putting all of the electric heaters and oil-filled radiators through the same rigorous testing process, is that it enables us to compare them on a level playing field and helps you have real confidence in our recommendations.
We have a small group of testers, who each review a specific type of electric heater or oil-filled radiator. That means we're well-versed in these types of products and have clear understanding of what works well and what needs improvement.
We compare these heaters on a range of points, including their price, spec, running costs, wattages and overall appearance, as well as any additional features they may have such as oscillation, app control or dual purpose.
On top of that, we also assign each item we review a dedicated star rating, which is a key factor in determining whether a heater we've reviewed is impressive enough to make it into our best of the best buying guides.
This is how our star ratings work:
- 5 stars - a supremely impressive electric heater that exceeds our expectations and cannot be faulted in any way.
- 4.5 stars - an impressive electric heater, but it leaves us wanting a bit more, so it doesn’t quite hit the 5-star mark.
- 4 stars - a high-quality electric heater that is worth your money but may need some fine-tuning before it suits every customer and every home.
- 3 stars - a good electric heater that works well but doesn't blow us away with its specs or price tag. In some cases, it may not heat a room as effectively as competitors.
- 2 stars - an affordable electric heater that will suit all budgets but is under-specced and lacks key heating features.
- 1 star - we would not recommend this electric heater, as it is underwhelming and does not work as intended.
Our reviewers
As Ideal Home's Renovation and Home Energy Editor, I'm in charge of all of the site's heating and cooling content, which includes our electric heater and oil-filled radiator reviews. A seasoned pro when it comes to product reviews, I'm a stickler for effective products that offer great value for money.
A homes journalist with more than 20 years experience, Natasha has an exceptional eye for detail which makes her incredibly thorough when it comes to product testing in her own home.
Another experienced homes journalist, Amy has a analytical approach that means she's well placed to put these heaters through their paces and assess their effectiveness as well as who they are best suited to.
Lauren may be Ideal Home's Certified Vacuum Expert, but she's also spent countless hours testing electric heaters and oil-filled radiators for the brand. Lauren also leads on our air care content, which includes air purifiers, so she's a key reviewer for any electric heaters with air purification capabilities.
Jenny spent years testing all matter of small appliances for the House Manual section of Idealhome.co.uk, including electric heaters and oil-filled radiators. She now focuses on putting dehumidifiers and air purifiers through our rigorous testing process.
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You'll find full details of the Ideal Home review process on our how we test page, including how we put mattresses, air fryers, vacuum cleaners and more, through their paces to bring you our top recommendations.