Winter verdict
Oil radiator vs heated airer vs electric blanket
Heat the person, dry the washing, or heat the room. They are not the same buy.
Top picks
We earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an eBay Partner Network affiliate and an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Links we earn from are marked “affiliate link”. Used and refurbished eBay listings are labelled as such. Full disclosure.
- Oil-filled radiatorDe'Longhi Dragon 4
De'Longhi Dragon 4
Warms the room you sit in, and keeps radiating after the thermostat clicks off.
- Heated airerDry:Soon 3-tier
- Heated throwDreamland IntelliHeat throw
Silentnight Comfort Control Electric Underblanket
Photographed listing — tagged buy buttons go to the retailer, not another article.
Room
Oil-filled radiator
1,500–2,500W
Washing
Heated clothes airer
About 200–300W
Person
Electric blanket
About 60–150W
01
Heat the room
De'Longhi Dragon 4
Why we like it
A 2kW oil-filled radiator with three power levels, a thermostat and castors. De'Longhi has made this shape for years, so you know how it behaves. Oil keeps radiating after the thermostat clicks off.
The cons
Slow to take the chill off an empty room. Two kilowatts flat out is about 50p an hour at 25p per kWh before the thermostat cycles. A 2,500W 11-fin unit covers a larger room and costs more to run at full power.
02
Dry the washing
Dry:Soon 3-tier
Why we like it
About 300W, folds flat, and is built to hold a load. Three hours is about 23p. This is the winter job most UK flats actually have: uniforms and towels that cannot go outside.
The cons
It will not make the room feel warm. A cover, which the Lakeland airer includes, dries faster than open rails. It puts moisture into the room, so a dehumidifier still earns its place on laundry day.
03
Warm the person
Dreamland IntelliHeat throw
Why we like it
Six heat settings and a timer, in a throw that works on a sofa or a single bed. Dreamland is a blanket brand. The job is to warm the person, then switch itself down.
The cons
A throw slides. It will not stay fitted on a double mattress, and it will not dry clothes or warm the kitchen. For the bed itself, buy Silentnight's underblanket instead.
Oil radiators you can buy now
Direct to the retailer who still has it. We earn a commission if you buy; they get a high-intent click.
Turbo fan for faster warm-up
WiFi smart app control + digital thermostat
We earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an eBay Partner Network affiliate and an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Links we earn from are marked “affiliate link”. Used and refurbished eBay listings are labelled as such. Full disclosure.
Heated airers you can buy now
Direct to the retailer who still has it. We earn a commission if you buy; they get a high-intent click.
230W energy-efficient
We earn a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. As an eBay Partner Network affiliate and an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Links we earn from are marked “affiliate link”. Used and refurbished eBay listings are labelled as such. Full disclosure.
Best electric blankets · Best heated clothes airer · Winter tracker
Which winter buy is which
- Is an oil-filled radiator cheaper to run than an electric blanket?
- No. A 2,000W oil radiator run flat out for three hours uses about £1.50 of electricity at 25p per kWh. A heated throw is usually under 150W, so the same three hours is about 11p. The radiator heats the room. The blanket heats the person. They are not the same job.
- Should I buy a heated clothes airer or turn the heating up?
- Buy the airer when the problem is wet washing, not a cold room. A 300W heated airer run for three hours costs about 23p at 25p per kWh. Drying the same load on a radiator means the room heater stays on longer.
- What is the one winter buy if I can only afford one?
- An electric blanket or heated throw, if the aim is to feel warm without heating the whole house. Add a heated airer when indoor drying is the weekly problem. Add an oil-filled radiator when a room itself is cold and you will sit in it for hours.
About Our Reviews
UK Air Con Tracker is an independent buying guide and stock checker. We don't sell air conditioners; we show which ones partner retailers have in stock. Recommendations are based on live availability across the products we track on Amazon and eBay UK, checked about every 2 hours. USB fans merchandised as mini AC are not treated as air conditioners.
We never accept payment for editorial ranking. Products earn their position through data: stock availability, buyer ratings, price competitiveness, and verified performance specs. Affiliate commission and labelled brand ads are separate — they do not buy a #1. Brands: advertise with us.