I Struggle To Heat My Open-plan Kitchen, But This Oil-filled Radiator Is A Game Changer
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Ideal Home’s renovation editor tested the VonHaus 2,500W 11-fin oil-filled radiator in a living room and open-plan kitchen-diner for two weeks. In the roughly 22m² kitchen-diner, the reviewer recorded a 2.5°C ambient temperature rise after an hour, but running costs, room conditions and longer-term performance were not independently established.

Ideal Home’s renovation editor reported that the VonHaus 2,500W 11-fin oil-filled radiator raised the ambient temperature in her approximately 22m² open-plan kitchen-diner by 2.5°C in one hour during a two-week home test. The result offers a practical data point for people looking to warm a larger room without keeping central heating on continuously, but it is one reviewer’s test rather than a controlled comparison or guarantee of performance in other homes.

The reviewer, Sarah Handley, tested the heater in the kitchen-diner and living room of her 1970s, three-bedroom home. In an approximately 18m² living room, she measured the temperature rising from 16.8°C to 17.8°C after 10 minutes on the highest setting, to 20.2°C after 30 minutes and 22.2°C after an hour. She said the warmth was distributed evenly around that room. After switching the radiator off, she reported that it continued to give off heat for close to an hour.

In the larger kitchen-diner, the reviewer said it took longer to feel the effect. The ambient temperature had risen by about 1°C after 20 minutes and by 2.5°C after an hour; she could feel warmth from roughly five metres away. These figures describe the reviewer’s rooms and test conditions. Ideal Home’s account does not establish that every room of similar size will heat at the same rate.

The model has three power settings—1,000W, 1,500W and 2,500W—and a thermostat dial and timer. It weighs 10kg, measures 44.2 by 61.8 by 28cm and has wheels for moving between rooms. The reviewer found it straightforward to move on hard floors and carpet, though she said pulling it over a rug was easier than pushing it. The listed recommended retail price is £79.99; actual prices may vary.

At a glance
reportWhen: Review published by Ideal Home; the rev…
The developmentIdeal Home published a hands-on review of the VonHaus 2,500W 11-fin oil-filled radiator, including a temperature test in an open-plan kitchen-diner.

A Measured Boost for Larger Rooms

The review speaks to a common household trade-off: heating a room people are using without running whole-home heating throughout the day. The reported temperature rise suggests the radiator can provide a local heating option in the reviewer’s open-plan space, while its three settings allow users to choose a lower or higher output. Its wheels also make moving it between rooms more practical than carrying a 10kg appliance.

But the test does not show that using the radiator will lower a household’s total energy bill. The source lists estimated running costs of 26–66 pence per hour, but those figures depend on the rate per kilowatt-hour and the setting used. A 2,500W appliance running at full power uses electricity at a rate of 2.5 kilowatt-hours per hour; what that costs depends on the user’s tariff. The review’s temperature measurements are not a direct measure of energy savings or value compared with central heating.

For readers with draughty, high-ceilinged or differently laid-out spaces, room size alone may not predict the result. The review gives a useful test from one home, but not a promise that the radiator will achieve the same temperature rise elsewhere.

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Two Weeks of Home Testing

Ideal Home framed the product as a way to add heat in an occupied room when householders do not want their main heating running constantly. Handley said she tested it for two weeks in two rooms of her own home. She described her work as the magazine’s renovation editor and said she also covers home energy content; that is the reviewer’s stated background, not an independent certification of the test.

The heater is an oil-filled electric radiator. In the reviewer’s account, it took around 10 minutes for the living room to begin warming, while the larger kitchen-diner responded more slowly. The unit’s timer, thermostat and selectable wattages provide basic controls, but it has no smart features or remote control. The reviewer also noted that the wheels require assembly: fitting them took her about 20 minutes, and she thought a second person would make the process easier because the radiator was heavy and awkward to support before the wheels were attached.

Ideal Home’s article also notes packaging that included cardboard, polystyrene and a plastic bag. The reviewer said she would have preferred recyclable cardboard in place of the non-cardboard packaging. This observation concerns the unboxing, not the radiator’s heating performance.

“I could feel the room warming up after just 10 minutes.”

— Sarah Handley, Ideal Home renovation editor, describing the living-room test

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Test Conditions Limit Comparisons

The review gives room areas and temperature readings, but does not provide a complete account of factors such as outdoor temperature, insulation, draughts, ceiling height, radiator placement, thermostat setting or whether other heat sources were operating. Those details matter when comparing results between homes. The reported readings should be treated as one household test, not a standardized performance rating.

The source does not document a side-by-side comparison with central heating or other portable heaters, nor does it quantify the home’s electricity use during the test. Its stated running-cost range is presented per hour and per kilowatt-hour, but the article does not tie a single cost to a specific tariff and setting. It is also not clear how the unit performs over a full winter or how often its thermostat cycles on and off.

The title’s description of the radiator as a “game changer” is an opinion, not a measured finding. What is confirmed by the report is the reviewer’s account of temperature changes in two rooms and her observations about setup, controls and movement. Independent testing, broader user experience and real-world costs remain outside the evidence provided.

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Check Local Costs and Room Needs

Readers considering the model can compare its three wattage settings, timer and thermostat with their room size and heating routine, then check the current retail price and electricity tariff. The reported £79.99 figure is the recommended retail price in the source, not a guarantee of the price currently available. Estimating running cost requires using the selected setting and the household’s own price per kilowatt-hour.

Anyone using a portable electric heater should follow the manufacturer’s instructions, place it on a stable surface with clear space around it, and keep it away from water, fabrics and other combustible materials. Do not leave it operating unattended or use it to dry clothes. The supplied review does not state whether the reviewer carried out further testing after publication, so there is no additional performance update to report.

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Key Questions

How much did the temperature rise in the open-plan kitchen-diner?

The Ideal Home reviewer reported a rise of 2.5°C after one hour in a kitchen-diner of about 22m². She said the temperature was up by about 1°C after 20 minutes. These were readings in her home, not guaranteed results for other rooms.

What power settings does the VonHaus radiator have?

The model has 1,000W, 1,500W and 2,500W settings, plus a thermostat dial and timer. The review says it does not include a remote control or smart features.

What did the radiator cost in the review?

Ideal Home listed a £79.99 recommended retail price. Retail prices can change, and the review’s figure does not confirm the current price at every seller.

Will it reduce my heating bill?

The review does not establish that it will reduce bills. It reports room-temperature changes and gives an estimated running-cost range of 26–66 pence per hour; actual cost depends on the selected power setting and the electricity tariff.

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