‘I tried a radiator booster to see if they work – it made my room so hot I wanted a fan’

There’s nothing more frustrating than feeling cold in your own home, whether it’s due to high energy bills or inefficient heating systems. This winter, I embarked on a mission to improve the heating in my house.

After spending a fair whack upgrading several radiators, I’ve noticed a substantial difference. However, the front room, which combines the living room and dining room, remains the most difficult to heat. As the largest room in the house, it takes the longest time to warm up, while the hard flooring adds to the chilly atmosphere.

While it becomes comfortable once the radiators are fully firing, it takes longer than desired and is not ideal when you return from the cold outdoors seeking immediate warmth. There are numerous devices on the market that promise to enhance home heating, so I was curious when given the opportunity to test the radiator fans.

They pledge to warm up the room in “”. But how did they perform when put to the test?, reports .

Setting them up

Setting them up is straightforward and only takes a few minutes. It involves adjusting the magnets on the fans and organising the wires. Once plugged in, they’re ready to use.

The instructions aren’t exactly stellar – they’re not awful either – but all you receive is a diagram on a box. However, they are not difficult to set up; they simply adhere to the underside of your radiators with the provided magnets and as soon as they’re plugged in, they’re ready for use.

I had two sets of the radiator fans to test on the two double radiators in my living room, they connect together via a wire so only one plug is required for each fan set.

Do they work?

Since installing the fans, I’ve noticed that the room .

Previously, it felt like there was a delay from turning on the thermostat to the room feeling warm, that time is definitely shortened with the fans running. The living room now warms up quicker and, if you leave them running for a while, I’ve found it can become unbearably hot.

After a recent dog walk, upon returning home, it was so hot I contemplated reaching for a fan. When standing near a radiator, there’s certainly a warmer air current rising that’s noticeably stronger than usual.

While the original set-up was capable of adequately heating the room, what the fans have achieved is a significant reduction in the time it takes to reach a comfortable temperature. A temperature sensor attaches to the fans, meaning they automatically activate when the radiators heat up, and then shut down when the heating is turned off.

This feature of the product functions effectively, meaning there’s no need for any manual on or off switching, keeping things straightforward. Additionally, they’re quite economical to operate which is a bonus, and they come with the security of a ten-year guarantee.

What’s not so great?

There’s one significant issue – the cost. While they are good products that deliver on their promises, they’re far from inexpensive, making it hard to see how they could be a feasible solution for many people.

The fans are available in three sizes: A set of one, a set of two and a set of three. Many people might consider purchasing these to save on their bills, but the high initial investment makes this a challenging proposition.

Although they might help reduce energy costs, the initial expense is so high that it would take a considerable amount of time to recover that through energy savings. If you were to install these on all your home’s radiators, it would cost a small fortune.

I did a rough calculation and found that equipping every radiator in my house with these would cost over £900 – clearly beyond an average budget. If you require a boost in one or two rooms, then they’re a viable option, but when it comes to improving an entire house, the price seems like a real obstacle.

You also need to have a power socket within reach of the radiator to plug the fans in.

Visible wires may not be to everyone’s taste as they can appear unsightly. Despite efforts to conceal them, it’s a factor worth considering before purchasing.

The fans also produce a little bit of noise, but in a room with a TV or music playing, this won’t pose an issue.

Where to buy

On the whole, the radiator fans are a robust product that significantly enhances the heat output of radiators.

While the price might deter some from making it their go-to solution for reducing bills, if you’re seeking to optimise the heat from your existing radiators, it’s certainly worth considering. They offer a noticeable boost and could be the ideal solution for a single problematic room.

However, due to their cost, they may not be the most economical solution if your entire house is cold. The fans’ prices vary based on size (ranging from £49.95 to £139.95) and can be purchased from , , or directly from .

What else is out there?

There are alternative products on the market that claim to enhance your radiators. One such product is the , priced at £94.98 on Amazon, which boasts the benefit of being cordless when charged.

These devices are placed on top of your radiators and work by redirecting the warm air into the room. The fans “prevent heat from instantly rising to the ceilings. Instead, it accelerates the warm air forward, boosting and improving the heat distribution more effectively”.

Another cost-effective energy-saving product that has recently gained popularity is radiator foil. This is positioned behind the radiator to ensure that heat is reflected back into the room rather than being lost to the wall.

, while Screwfix provides a more .