Portable Heating: Fan vs. Oil

As the cold winter nights start rolling in, now is the best time to get your home ready for the arrival of Jack Frost!

Central heating is often the best solution for heating your home throughout the winter months, but if your home is not fitted with a permanent central heating source or you have certain rooms in the home that are difficult to heat, it may be worth investing in a portable heater to keep your family warm this winter.

With so many different types of portable heaters on the market, it can be difficult to decide which will not only heat your home the most efficiently, but also which will make the smallest increase to your heating and electricity bills. With heating the home accounting for more than 50% of the average household energy usage, choosing the best portable heating solution for your home is essential.

We’re taking a look at the pros and cons of fan heaters VS oil heaters, the two most common portable heaters available on the market. Ranging in price, both heaters are ideal for warming up the home quickly, but how do they compare?

Oil Filled Heaters

Pros

• Oil-filled heaters are usually the cheapest to run out of all ranges of portable heaters, as they stay warm for a long time, even once switched off.

• They generally have a larger surface area, so they are ideal for heating larger rooms in the home.

• Oil-filled radiators are reliable heat sources, quiet in the home and most importantly are long lasting.

Cons

• Oil radiators reach extremely high temperatures, therefore they can be dangerous if you have children in your home, and could cause great harm.

• Some oil-filled heaters can take a very long time to heat up after switching them on, as most are fairly heavy and cumbersome.

• Many models don’t always achieve the power and heat claimed by manufacturers; therefore you might not get the heating power you expect for your home.

Average Cost per Hour

• Oil-filled radiator = 12.2p per hour (Price varies by wattage and electricity prices)

Fan Heaters

Pros

• Fan heaters are relatively quick to heat up and cool down, which makes them perfect for smaller rooms in the home.

• Fan heaters have the added advantage that they blow the heat around the room, which means heat circulation is aided and the air in the room can heat up quickly.

• Fan heaters are light and compact, making it easy to move them from room to room if necessary.

• Many fan heaters have a thermostat and timer, which allows you to adjust the temperature and length of time the heater, is circulating hot air in your home.

• Fan heaters are the best choice for home owners with children as hot air can move freely in and out of the heater – therefor the heater itself does not get too hot.

Cons

• Given that portable electric heating devices use electricity, they are generally not as cost effective as central heating systems running on gas or oil.

• Fan heaters are guaranteed to make noise as the hot air in blown out – the noise level will vary with different fan heaters.

Average Cost per Hour

• Fan heater = 24.2p per hour (Price varies by wattage and electricity prices)7

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