Vanguard Electric Radiators? Or any recommendations?

SavingLouLou

Hi all, 
I have an electric flat and very old, rubbish heaters which I am looking to replace to make them more cost efficient and help keep mould away. 
I am looking at Vanguard Electric Radiators - does anyone know if they are good? (Fischer too expensive and not quite right)
Any tips on electric heaters for a 1 bed flat much appreciated. 
Thanks
Louise

Gerry1

Wrong forum - should be in Energy.

If you use any heater on full price daytime electricity it will cost a fortune, just look at the price you pay per kWh.  If you are all electric, the least worst option is probably clever storage heaters such as Dimplex Quantum.  However, they must be correctly programmed and you need to be on a competitive E7 tariff.

Best solution - move to a place with GCH !

Cardew

No electrical heater will be more efficient than your current heaters. By efficient we mean ALL electrical heaters produce EXACTLY the same amount of heat for the same consumption of electricity - and hence cost.

Gerry1

Cardew said:

ALL electrical heaters produce EXACTLY the same amount of heat for the same consumption of electricity - and hence cost.

That's true, but energy usage can be reduced by switching from an old 'box of bricks' storage heater to a programmable, well insulated clever one with a fan: less energy wasted warming the place unnecessarily while you're asleep or out at work.

Cardew

Gerry1 said:

Cardew said:

ALL electrical heaters produce EXACTLY the same amount of heat for the same consumption of electricity - and hence cost.

That's true, but energy usage can be reduced by switching from an old 'box of bricks' storage heater to a programmable, well insulated clever one with a fan: less energy wasted warming the place unnecessarily while you're asleep or out at work.

Where has the OP stated that he has storage heaters? and where has the OP stated that he is considering fitting storage heaters?

The Vanguard heaters that the OP is considering as a replacement for his 'old rubbish heaters' are just electric radiators NOT storage heaters; neither are the Fischer heaters that he was also considering. Even the most 'rubbish' electrical heaters have an on/off switch and if some measure of automatic control is required they can be connected  via a plug with a timer/thermostat/remote control.  

Gerry1

Cardew said:

Gerry1 said:

Cardew said:

ALL electrical heaters produce EXACTLY the same amount of heat for the same consumption of electricity - and hence cost.

That's true, but energy usage can be reduced by switching from an old 'box of bricks' storage heater to a programmable, well insulated clever one with a fan: less energy wasted warming the place unnecessarily while you're asleep or out at work.

Where has the OP stated that he has storage heaters? and where has the OP stated that he is considering fitting storage heaters?

The Vanguard heaters that the OP is considering as a replacement for his 'old rubbish heaters' are just electric radiators NOT storage heaters; neither are the Fischer heaters that he was also considering. Even the most 'rubbish' electrical heaters have an on/off switch and if some measure of automatic control is required they can be connected  via a plug with a timer/thermostat/remote control.  

You've completely missed the point.  I'm well aware that Vanguard, Fischer, Rointe and any other Magic Dust ones etc are just glorified electric radiators and not storage heaters, which of course is why I warned that "If you use any heater on full price daytime electricity it will cost a fortune, just look at the price you pay per kWh."

Nor did I state that the OP had storage heaters, although it seems the flat is all electric and therefore it's quite likely that the old heaters are storage heaters.

The key issue is that while it's true that X kWh of electrical input gives X kWh heat output, not all storage heaters are the same when it comes to running costs.  That's a general point intended to help all readers.  As I thought I'd made clear, my recommendation for the OP is to consider clever storage heaters for the main heating, and definitely not Magic Dust ones running on daytime electricity.  Depending on the flat's characteristics, a simple panel heater or just a fan heater may be sufficient for the bedroom(s) if they benefit from spillover from the main system.

The old storage heaters dating back to the 1980s and 1970s were often not well insulated, and many were under dimensioned by today's standards: electricity was cheap, so it didn't matter if the property was warm as toast when the occupants were asleep or out at work.  There might well have been a boost in the afternoon (E10, THTC and similar tariffs), or a convector bolted on for manual top ups at daytime rates.

With today's expensive electricity rates and the general withdrawal of Restricted Hours Tariffs, it can be worthwhile upgrading older storage radiators to modern ones with good insulation, programmable controls and a fan.  In a nutshell, the efficiency of the electricity-to-heat conversion is exactly the same but you can target the output so that a comfortable temperature is maintained only when it is needed.

Robin9

https://www.screwfix.com/p/flomasta-flat-electric-towel-radiator-1100-x-500mm-chrome/8470d

Like this  - £95 complete - and with a guarantee