I always thought oil-filled radiators looked a bit dated, but this impressive Morphy Richards one definitely bucks the trend

With cooler temperatures taking hold, now is the time to ensure you are set up to stay comfortable warm throughout the autumn and winter months.

Whether or not you have put your central heating on yet, having one of the best oil-filled radiators available can help keep you warm in the room you are in, especially when you don't want to heat your whole home unnecessarily.

I've recently been testing the Morphy Richards HeatFlux 2.5kW digital oil-filled radiator in my own home. This is how it fared in our tests and whether I ultimately think it's worth your money.

In a nutshell

The Morphy Richards HeatFlux 2.5kw Digital Oil Filled Radiator is designed to heat medium to large rooms up to 25m2. It offers three different heat settings, low, medium and high, as well as an eco mode, with a customisable thermostat from 5-30°C, giving you complete control over your comfort levels.

It's also got a LED display, with touch buttons, plus a remote control for easy operation.

Available in both grey and white, it has an RRP of £99.99.

How I tested

Sarah Handley

As well as being Ideal Home's Renovation Editor, I also look after all of the websites Home Energy content, which means I'm well versed in what it takes to keep your home warm in winter and how you can do that in the most energy efficient way possible. I tested the Morphy Richards HeatFlux 2.5kW digital oil-filled radiator with remote control in the kitchen diner and living room of my 1970s three-bed home for two weeks. Find out more about how we test electric heaters.

Specification

• Type of heater: Oil-filled radiator
• RRP: £99.99
• Weight: 9.9kg
• Dimensions: (W x H x D): 46.4 x 63 x 24.5cm
• Wattage: 2500W
• Running costs per hour: 26-66p/kWh
• Room size suitability: Up to 25m2
• Smart features? None
• Dual functionality? None
• Timer? Yes
• Remote control? Yes

Unboxing, setting up and first impressions

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It took me less than 5 minutes to get from opening the cardboard box to the Morphy Richards HeatFlux 2.5kW Digital Oil-Filled Radiator plugged in and ready to use.

While it arrived in largely cardboard packaging, there is a recyclable plastic bag and some polystyrene in the mix.

In the box, you get the radiator itself, an instruction manual, the remote control as well as two sets of wheels and the bolts needed to attach them.

While I've found it a bit fiddly to attach the wheels to other oil-filled radiators I've tried, fixing the wheels to this Morphy Richards model was a doddle. Firstly, the U-bolt needed is already fitted to the radiator itself, which means it stays in place, and frees your hands up to hold one of the wheel bases steady while you attach the bolts. For the second wheel base, there are predrilled holes and all you need to do is line up the holes on the wheel base, then attach the screws.

At 9.9kgs, it's not the lightest to turn upside down to fix the wheels in place, and then turn right way up again, but I did find it manageable.

I was a bit surprised that the battery for the remote control wasn't included. It's a flat circular battery that I don't tend to have spare versions of lying around the house, but fortunately, I have reviewed other Morphy Richards products with remove controls with the same battery so I was able to swap them over. Alternatively, you could buy the CR2025 batteries for a couple of pounds from Amazon.

In terms of appearance, the Morphy Richards HeatFlux 2.5kW digital oil-filled radiator looks more modern than other oil-filled radiators on the market, with it's LED digital display screen, and stylish grey colourway.

What’s it like to use?

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My first thought when using the Morphy Richards HeatFlux 2.5kW digital oil-filled radiator was just how user friendly it is. The touch buttons on the LED display are clear and easy to press (and a beep sounds even time a press is registered so it's simple to tell you've pressed the touch button correctly, although you can turn this off if it'd bug you).

I found it pretty intuitive to use, but the instructions in the manual are also clear to follow. I also liked how you can achieve exactly the same functionality with the remote control as you can with the on-board controls.

The display clearly illustrates which mode you are in, whether it's low, medium, high heat mode or on the eco setting, which adjusts the power based on your target temperature and the ambient temperature in the room.

First up, I used it in my living room, that is around 18m2 in size, in high heat mode and found that I could feel the heat from about 2.5m away after 10 minutes or so. My thermostat also measured that the ambient temperature in the room had risen by almost a whole degree in those first 10 minutes. After an hour, it had risen by about 3.5°C, and after two hours, it was 5.2°C warmer than the starting temperature.

When I used it in my larger kitchen diner, that measures around 22m2, it did take a little longer to warm up, raising the ambient temperature by 2°C in two hours. However, I could feel the cold edge being take off the room, wherever I stood in it, after about 30 minutes.

A feature I particularly liked was the On/Off timer functionality. It was so easy! A couple of presses on the remote and I could set the radiator to turn on or off after 1-24 hours. Compared to those oil-filled radiators that have physical dials with tiny little plastic notches that represent 15 minute segments, this was a breeze, and definitely much more my preferred way to set a timer.

Once turned off, the radiator carried on kicking out heat for about 15 minutes, which is nice, but it's not quite as impressive as some other oil-filled radiators we've tested.

In terms of noise, it's virtually silent. There was a bit of a crackling sound for a couple of minutes the very first time I used it, which the instruction manual told me was completely normal. But after those first few minutes, I couldn't hear anything at all. And it didn't happen on subsequent uses.

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When it comes to manoeuvrability, the wheels glided smoothly across both my wooden floor and my thicker rug so it required very little effort to move around. But I'd definitely wait until it's cool to move it about. After a couple of hours use, the handle gets quite hot, so while you could make minor adjustments to the positioning, I'd wait until it's cooled down before trying to move it.

As with all oil-filled radiators, they do tend to be heavier than some of the best electric heaters around, so this probably isn't a heater I'd want to be lugging up and down stairs on a regular basis. Although when it's cool, it's doable.

How much does it cost to run?

The Morphy Richards HeatFlux digital oil-filled radiator will cost up to 66p/hour to use (based on the October 2026 energy price cap), but the cost will depend on the mode you use.

Using the eco mode will be the most cost effective, allowing you to set a target temperature and when that's reached, the radiator will cycle on and off to maintain that temperature. That means it won't be using energy unnecessarily.

There are other ways to ensure you use an oil-filled radiator more efficiently, including choosing a suitably powered appliance, positioning it correctly and using it to complement, rather than replace, your central heating.

Cleaning and maintenance

You won't need to do much to keep this oil-filled radiator in good working order. Keeping it dust-free is advised, and while a dry microfibre cloth will get the job done, you can also use a vacuum cleaner with the nozzle attachment to remove any stubborn dust between the fins.

When you're not using it, there's a handy cable tidy you can wrap the power cord around to keep it from getting damage or being a trip hazard.

Who should buy this oil-filled radiator?

If you are looking to heat a room up to 25m2 and ease of use is your primary concern, then the Morphy Richards HeatFlux 2.5kW digital oil-filled radiator will be right up your street. The on-board control panel and remote control are both intuitive to use, and the LED display makes it clear exactly what settings are in play.

But if the radiator's power and heat output is more of a concern, then Vonhaus' 2500W 11 fin oil-filled radiator may be more suitable. Despite having the same wattage, it felt more powerful in testing, warming a larger space more quickly. It also offered better heat retention, keeping warm for close to an hour after it was turned off, compared to around 20 minutes for the Morphy Richards. The downside? It's timer is definitely not as easy to use as the Morphy Richards model and it doesn't look as modern.

If you're trying to heat a much larger space, then the De'Longhi Dragon 4, which can heat spaces up to a whopping 50m2, will be best.

After a quicker boost of heat? Then instead of an oil-filled radiator, I'd recommend an electric heater than will kick out heat instantly. The Dreo Atom 316 is a favourite here at Ideal Home, making quick work of heating spaces up to 20m2, while the Duux Threesixty 2 evenly heats larger spaces up to 30m2.