Ceramic radiator buying guide

Ceramic radiators are some of the most efficient electric heaters available though they are a relatively recent addition to the market. These radiators work to store heat before releasing it gradually and evenly throughout the room.

A ceramic radiator operates using fairly straightforward technology. The radiator heats up via an electric heating element which transfers heat to a core material where it is stored and released progressively back to the room. A thermostat can be used to stop and start the heating element according to a set temperature.

Depending on the model, these radiators can feature one or two solid cores. A radiator with two ceramic cores will use the first plate to store the heat produced by the element while the second plate is designed to heat up a room more quickly when required. The whole system is controlled by a thermostat.

The level of comfort provided and the amount of energy consumed varies widely from model to model depending on the type of equipment used (i.e. one or two cores, thermostats, etc.) and the type of material that makes up the core.

Benefits of ceramic core radiators

The type of thermal comfort provided by a ceramic radiator is similar to that produced by central heating. These radiators may be called many different things such as dry inertia radiators, ceramic core radiators or even modern storage heaters. Ceramic radiators are known to produce:

• gentle warmth;

• sensitive heating;

• low surface temperatures.

The heat output of these radiators is limited to approximately 50°C making them safe for use around children.

Installing a ceramic radiator is easy and doing so can help you make significant energy savings if your radiator is set up in the right spot in a well-insulated room.

Main advantages of ceramic radiators

• Easy installation.

• Low maintenance.

• Low energy consumption.

• More control over energy costs.

• Range of models available.

• Optimal thermal comfort.

• Even heat distribution.

• Air quality maintained.

• Quiet operation.

Ceramic radiators come with a lot of benefits and don't require costly installation as is the case for central heating which involves setting up pipework, a boiler and so on. However, it is always a good idea to call on the help of an electrician to hardwire an entirely new system to ensure your property can handle the extra load.

Main disadvantages of ceramic radiators

• These radiators are slow to heat up. However, some similar models do offer faster heat-up times such as oil-filled radiators and aluminium core radiators.

• While these heating devices are generally heavy, some models are lighter than others.

• They are bulkier than convector heaters, though it is possible to find more compact models.

• These radiators heat up on both sides; to stop the wall behind the radiator from heating up, you will need to use reflective radiator foil.

• They are more expensive than other heaters to purchase. However, as they don't use up a lot of energy, you will save money in the long term.

Ceramic radiators with a solid heating core may be referred to as dry inertia ceramic radiators. The main advantage of these radiators is that they are able to store a lot of heat – more so than oil-filled radiators – which helps to limit energy consumption and reduce electricity bills. While traditionally made of ceramic (hence the name 'ceramic radiator') this solid core can actually be made up of a number of heat-storing materials such as:

• soapstone;

• ceramic;

• lava stone;

• fire brick;

• aluminium;

• and cast iron.

Soapstone core radiators

Soapstone is a very dense, natural rock that has an excellent capacity for storing and releasing heat which can help you to make significant savings on your energy bill. However, these radiators are more expensive to buy than other models and are slow to heat up.

Ceramic core radiators

Ceramic provides good performance. While it has a very decent capacity for storing and emitting heat, it is not as efficient as soapstone. However, it is quicker to heat up.

Lava stone radiators

Lava stone is derived from volcanic magma. Traditionally used to heat saunas, this volcanic rock has an extraordinary capacity for heat storage and distribution. It is quicker to heat up than soapstone but boasts similar performance.

Fire brick radiators

Fire brick is more widely known for its use in bread ovens or barbecues. It is comparable to ceramic in terms of heating performance, but doesn't perform as well as soapstone or lava stone. It is also quite heavy.

Aluminium core radiators

Aluminium is a highly heat conductive material with high thermal inertia. This means it is able to distribute and store heat well. It is fairly quick to heat up and releases heat well but it is not able to store heat for as long as other materials.

In order to maintain a set temperature, the heating element has to operate more frequently making these radiators more expensive to run. However, these radiators offer good thermal comfort and are lightweight.

Cast iron core radiators

Cast iron is a carbon and iron alloy with an excellent capacity to store and release heat. These radiators can retain heat for a long time and work to release it gradually for more energy savings. The downside of these models is that they are on the heavier side.

Unlike a dry stone radiator, the heating element of an oil-filled radiator is held within a heat transfer liquid such as glycol or oil. The element heats up the liquid circulates the warm liquid within a hydraulic circuit.

These radiators provide an excellent level of thermal comfort and a similar type of warmth to central heating at a lower purchase cost. However, they consume a fair bit of electricity and they are not as efficient at storing heat as solid core radiators.

As they are quick to heat up modern oil-filled radiators aren't a bad choice for bathrooms as long as they radiator is only used as an additional heat source.

Another option for a bathroom would be to install a towel radiator with a ceramic core and a fan to combine the benefits of this type of heating with quicker heat-up times thanks to the fan system.

A basic calculation

In order to calculate how much power you need to heat a room, here is a good starting point – you'll need roughly 100 W per 1 m² for rooms with a ceiling height of 2.5 metres. If you have a very well-insulated home, you can probably get by with about 60 W per square metre.

If your ceilings are higher than 2.5 metres, your calculations should be based on the volume of the room (L x W x H):

• 0.4 kW / m3 for homes with good insulation

• 0.024 kW / m3 for homes with excellent insulation

For a bathroom, account for about 100 to 130 W per m² and, if possible, choose a heated towel rail designed specially for bathroom use.

It's possible to choose from a range of formats and sizes to match your heating needs. Here are the main types of ceramic radiator:

• horizontal: wider than they are tall;

• vertical: taller than they are wide;

• portable: generally oil-filled radiators designed to be plugged in;

• heated towel rails designed for bathroom use.

In addition to a thermostat, most modern radiators will feature a programming system. This system can be used to set daily or weekly schedules and adjust set temperatures.

A programmer shouldn't prevent you from manually adjusting the temperature of the radiator or to change a certain setting whenever you like. However, it can be used to make additional savings.

It is possible to centralise a network of radiators and set out a few zones with different temperatures. To so do, each radiator needs to be fitted with a pilot wire, smart heating control or an RF programmer designed for this purpose.

Once you've decided on the type of radiator you want, and the heat output and format you need, it's time to think about the quality of various models in terms of features, designs and warranties. Here are a few additional features and options to consider when comparing different ceramic radiators.

• LCD display for better control over features and programming.

• Room temperature display.

• Manual thermostats: accurate to 2°C

• Electronic thermostats: accurate to 0.5°C

• Digital thermostats: accurate to 0.1°C

• Thermostat accuracy.

• Motion sensor: automatically switches on the radiator when movement is detected.

• Open window detection: turns heating off if the room temperature drops dramatically.

• Child lock: ideal for young kids.

• Anti-tip protection: for portable models.

• Energy monitors: to follow energy consumption in real time.

• Remote control: to adjust settings and programme from a distance.

• Smartphone or computer control: to adjust the heating from your phone or laptop.

• European standards: as these modern radiators are usually made in Europe, look out for European standard labels.

• An energy efficient label: look out for ratings of A and upwards for good energy performance.

• A long warranty period indicates a high-quality product and a reliable brand.

More information on heating

• Oil filled radiator buying guide

• Electric panel heater buying guide

• Electric fireplace buying guide

• Electric heater and radiator buying guide