Electric radiators are the simplest way to heat a room without pipes, a boiler or a flue. They suit flats without gas, extensions, garden rooms and homes moving away from old storage heaters. They are also the most expensive way to heat a home per unit of heat, and a lot of the marketing around them blurs that point.
This guide covers the main types, what smart controls are worth paying for, honest running costs against gas and heat pumps, how to size one, and the rules for fitting. If you have a heat pump and only want occasional top-up heat in one room, our guide to the best electric heaters to supplement a heat pump is the better starting point. For water-filled radiators on a boiler or heat pump, see our central heating radiators guide.
The short version
- Every electric radiator is equally efficient: one unit of electricity gives one unit of heat. Ceramic, oil and “low consumption” claims change how heat is delivered, not how much it costs.
- Running costs are high: at the October 2026 price cap, electric heat costs about 26p per kWh, against roughly 9p for a gas boiler or a typical heat pump.
- Good controls are where savings come from: heating only the rooms you use, when you use them.
- Prices: roughly £160 to £550 per radiator for named brands with proper controls.
- Best for: single rooms, extensions, small flats and occasional-use spaces. For a whole house, look at a heat pump first.
How electric radiators work (and the efficiency myth)
An electric radiator passes current through a heating element, which warms either the air directly or a material inside the radiator, such as oil, a ceramic or stone core, or an aluminium body. That material then gives heat out to the room.
All of the electricity ends up as heat in the room, so every electric radiator, cheap or expensive, is effectively 100% efficient. No type turns 1 kWh of electricity into more than 1 kWh of heat; only a heat pump can do that. When a manufacturer says its radiator is “energy efficient” or “low consumption”, what it really means is that the controls are good at not heating when heat isn’t needed. That’s genuinely useful, but it’s a controls benefit, not a magic element.
The main types
| Oil or fluid-filled | Dry stone or ceramic core | Aluminium (fast response) | Storage heater (high heat retention) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| How it heats | Element warms sealed fluid, which warms the body | Element warms a solid core that holds heat | Light aluminium body heats and cools quickly | Charges a heavy core overnight, releases it during the day |
| Warm-up | Medium | Slow | Fast | Planned the night before |
| Heat after switch-off | For a while | Longest | Briefly | Designed to |
| Feel | Gentle, even warmth | Gentle, even warmth | Quick, responsive | Steady background heat |
| Tariff | Standard | Standard | Standard | Needs an off-peak tariff such as Economy 7 |
| Best for | Living rooms, bedrooms | Rooms used for long periods | Rooms used in short bursts, home offices | Homes already on off-peak tariffs |
All four are equally efficient at turning electricity into heat. The differences are in comfort, response time and which tariff suits them.
Older storage heaters had a poor reputation because they gave out most of their heat in the morning and ran cold by evening. Modern high-heat-retention models are much better insulated and controlled, and for a home already on an off-peak tariff, they can be cheaper to run than electric radiators on the standard rate. If you’re replacing storage heaters, compare both before assuming radiators are the upgrade.
Smart controls: what’s worth paying for
Since 2018, new electric heaters sold in the UK have had to meet Ecodesign rules, which in practice means an electronic thermostat and at least basic timing as standard. “Smart” models go further. The features that save money are:
- A proper weekly schedule, so each room is only warm when it’s used.
- Open window detection, which cuts the heat when it senses a sudden temperature drop.
- Adaptive start, which learns how long the room takes to warm and switches on just early enough.
- Energy monitoring in the app, so you can see which rooms are costing the most.
App control, voice assistants (Alexa, Google, Apple Home) and geofencing are convenient, but they save money only if you use them to heat less. Check whether a radiator works only with the maker’s own app and whether several radiators can be grouped into zones. Our guide to smart thermostats and controls covers zoning in more detail.
Running costs: the honest comparison
The fairest way to compare heating is the cost of one kilowatt-hour of heat delivered to the room. At the October 2026 price cap, electricity costs about 26.3p per kWh (domestic electricity is zero-rated for VAT from October 2026 to March 2027) and gas about 8p per kWh.
| Heating | Efficiency | Cost per kWh of heat | A room needing 1,500 kWh of heat a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric radiator (any type) | 100% | About 26p | About £395 |
| Gas boiler | About 90% | About 9p | About £133 |
| Heat pump | About 300% (SCOP 3) | About 9p | About £132 |
| Storage heater on off-peak | 100% | Your night rate, plus any heat used at the day rate | Depends on your tariff |
Standing charges are not included. Your actual cost depends on your tariff, how warm you keep the room and how well it’s insulated.
That gap is why electric radiators work best in rooms that aren’t heated all day, or in homes where there’s no cheaper option. A home office used three days a week, or a small, well-insulated flat, can be run sensibly on electric radiators. A whole family house heated to 20°C all winter usually can’t.
Two ways to bring costs down: improve insulation first (our home insulation guide covers the cheap wins), and check whether a time-of-use tariff suits your routine. If you’re replacing electric heating across the whole home, an air-to-air heat pump can cut running costs by around two-thirds and now qualifies for a £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant.
How to size an electric radiator
A radiator that’s too small will run flat out and still leave the room cold; one that’s much too big just cycles on and off. A simple rule of thumb is to multiply the floor area in square metres by:
- 60 watts for a well-insulated room
- 70 watts for average insulation
- 100 watts for a poorly insulated room
So a 12 square metre bedroom with average insulation needs roughly 840 watts, and a 1 kW radiator would be a sensible choice. Add around 10% for a north-facing room, and allow less for a flat surrounded by heated neighbours. For high ceilings, large windows or a whole house, a proper room-by-room heat loss calculation is worth the effort.
Fitting: plug-in or hardwired
Plug-in radiators just need a wall bracket and a socket. That’s fine for one or two rooms, but avoid extension leads, and don’t run several large heaters off one double socket.
Hardwired radiators connect to a fused spur, which looks tidier and stops them being unplugged. In England, adding a spur to an existing circuit is not usually notifiable building work. A new circuit from the consumer unit is notifiable, so use an electrician registered with a competent person scheme. In bathrooms, work near the bath or shower is notifiable, and the radiator needs a suitable IP rating for its position. The rules differ slightly in Wales.
Whole-house installs need more thought. Several 1 to 2 kW radiators running at once add up quickly, so ask an electrician to check your consumer unit and supply before you buy, especially if you also have an electric shower or EV charger.
What to check when buying (including online)
- Output for the room, using the sizing rule above.
- The controls you’ll use, especially scheduling and open window detection.
- Warranty: two years is the minimum; better brands offer longer on the body and element.
- Size and fixing: measure the wall space, and check whether feet are available for freestanding use.
- Delivery and returns: radiators are bulky, so check return costs before ordering online.
As a guide, named brands with proper controls cost roughly £160 to £550 per radiator (October 2026). You are mostly paying for build quality, controls and warranty rather than any difference in heat output, since every electric radiator turns the same electricity into the same heat.
Our picks on Amazon
These are well-reviewed models across the main uses, sized using the rule of thumb above. All meet the Ecodesign rules for thermostat and timer control.
Rointe Kyros 990 W Electric Radiator
- 990 W: suits a room of up to about 14 m² with average insulation
- Aluminium body from a well-regarded Spanish maker
- 840 x 580 x 98 mm
A quality wall-mounted radiator for a smaller room. Check the listing for the control version and any Wi-Fi option before you buy.
Check price on AmazonElnur RX12E Plus 1500 W Thermal Radiator
- 1500 W: suits a room of up to about 21 m² with average insulation
- 24/7 digital programmable control
- Holds heat for a while after switching off
A good choice for rooms used for long spells, where a gentle, even warmth matters more than a fast warm-up.
Check price on AmazonDevola 1500 W Wi-Fi Panel Heater
- Wi-Fi and Alexa control, thermostat and timer
- Wall-mounted or on the floor stand
- Meets the Ecodesign (Lot 20) rules
A low-cost way to get app scheduling in a spare room, home office or rental. Lighter build and a shorter warranty than the premium brands.
Check price on AmazonPrices change often, so check the current price on Amazon. You can also browse the Rointe, Elnur, Haverland and Dimplex ranges on Amazon. These are affiliate links: if you buy, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
When electric radiators make sense
Good fit: flats without a gas supply, extensions and loft rooms where extending the central heating is awkward, garden rooms and home offices, holiday lets, and replacing worn-out storage heaters where a heat pump isn’t practical.
Think twice: heating a whole family house, replacing a working gas boiler, or any home where a heat pump would fit. In those cases the running costs above will outweigh the low installation cost within a few years. If you want a cosy focal point rather than main heating, see our guide to modern electric fires.
Frequently asked questions
Are electric radiators cheaper to run than gas central heating?
No. At the October 2026 price cap, heat from an electric radiator costs about 26p per kWh, against about 9p from a gas boiler. Electric radiators can still work out reasonably for rooms used only some of the time, because you heat just that room.
Are ceramic or oil-filled radiators more efficient?
No. All electric radiators turn electricity into heat at the same rate. Ceramic and oil-filled types hold heat for longer after switching off, which can feel more comfortable, but they don’t use less electricity for the same heat.
What size electric radiator do I need?
Roughly 60 to 100 watts per square metre of floor, depending on insulation. A 12 square metre room with average insulation needs about 840 watts.
Can I plug electric radiators into a normal socket?
Most are supplied with a plug and can be. Hardwiring to a fused spur is tidier and safer for permanent use. Avoid extension leads.
Should I replace my storage heaters with electric radiators?
Not automatically. If you’re on an off-peak tariff, modern high heat retention storage heaters can be cheaper to run. Electric radiators give better control. If the whole home is electrically heated, compare the cost of a heat pump too.
Do smart electric radiators save money?
Only if you use the features to heat less: scheduling, open window detection and adaptive start. App control on its own doesn’t reduce your bill.
Sources: electricity and gas prices from Ofgem’s price cap for October to December 2026; sizing rule of thumb from ManoMano’s electric radiator sizing guide; price range from AirCon Centre, checked 8 October 2026; VAT from HMRC Revenue and Customs Brief 10 (2026). Heat pump figure assumes a seasonal efficiency (SCOP) of 3.