How much does it cost to run an oil-filled radiator in the UK?
Price updated 9 July 2026 · Q3 2026 (Jul–Sep)
A typical oil-filled radiator (1,500 W) used 4 hours a day, every day costs about £47.65 a month (£571.81 a year) at 26.11p/kWh.
Oil-filled radiators are popular for heating a single room, and their running cost is entirely down to wattage and thermostat behaviour. A 2kW model on full draws 2 kWh every hour it runs at full power — but because they retain heat and cycle off once the room is warm, real consumption over an evening is usually lower. They are cheaper to run than a fan heater for sustained warmth because the thermostat lets them idle, but like all electric heating they are expensive compared with gas central heating.
Work out your own cost
About £47.65 a month · £571.81 a year
Uses about 2,190 kWh a year. Prefilled with the Ofgem cap of 26.11p/kWh — edit any box for your own figures.
Cost by model power
The same oil-filled radiator can vary a lot between models, so here is the range from a low-power to a high-power example.
| Model | Power | Per hour | Per day | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low-power model | 700 W | 18p | 73p | £22.24 | £266.84 |
| Typical model | 1,500 W | 39p | £1.57 | £47.65 | £571.81 |
| High-power model | 2,500 W | 65p | £2.61 | £79.42 | £953.01 |
What changes the cost
- The wattage setting you use (many are switchable 700W–2.5kW)
- Whether the thermostat is working and set sensibly
- How well insulated and draught-proofed the room is
- Heating one room vs the whole house
Common questions
How much does a 2kW oil-filled radiator cost per hour?
At full power a 2kW radiator uses 2 kWh an hour — a little over 50p at the current cap. With the thermostat cycling it, the real average is usually less.
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