For a number of years, I used a fan operated space heater in my bedroom during the winter.  I like sleeping with it cool, so I’d have to turn this heater on in the morning.  The problem was that it was freezing cold in the room for about 15 minutes before the heat would fully circulate.  Then a friend mentioned she’d been using a couple of oil filled radiator heaters to warm up her bedroom and office.  I’d never heard of an oil radiator heater before, but it sounded perfect for my bedroom situation.

I’ve used one in my bedroom for the last two winters, and I love it.  Oil filled radiator heaters are energy-efficient, so I haven’t noticed any increases in my heating bill at all.  In fact we had one of the harshest winters here in the northwest, and my bill was actually the same as last year even though I had my DeLonghi oil radiator heater turned on throughout the night.

What makes oil filled radiator heaters different from other heaters is that they have heat conserving oil inside the coils of the radiator.  The oil warms up but never burns.  As the oil circulates through the coils and fins of the radiator, air around the heater warms up and begins moving throughout the room.  When the room reaches the temperature you set on the unit, the heater shuts off until it’s needed again.  The coils do become warm, so if you have babies, or small children you’ll want to keep the heater away from them.  Otherwise the heater is much safer than ceramic heaters.  Oil radiator heaters are also extremely quiet.

The oil in the radiator heater does not need to be refilled or replaced.  These are perfect space heaters for rooms that you use a lot, such as bedrooms, offices, and main living areas.  They take up little space, and fit nicely against the wall.  In fact, I’ve got three of them now.  One is in the bedroom, another in the office, and another in the main living room.  After using one in the bedroom the first year, I bought a couple more for the other rooms.

If you’re looking for a space heater, I’d recommend one of these DeLonghi oil radiator heaters.  I looked through some reviews before I bought mine, and noticed that the taller units had better reviews.  The smaller heaters seem to break down more frequently.  I haven’t had one of those, but I can say that the taller oil filled radiator heaters have worked great for me. Also, I chose the DeLonghi brand.  Reviews on them seemed pretty positive.  I know I’ve been happy with mine.   Truthfully I don’t expect small appliances or electronics to last for years anyway.  In this day and age it seems you just throw them out and buy a new one.  I wish that wasn’t the case, but what do you do.

I recommend comparing prices on Amazon, or trying your luck on eBay.