When it comes to buying radiators, there are a couple of options available to you. You can either buy aluminium radiators to warm your property or try steel radiators to heat it.
But which is better? What are the advantages of aluminium radiators? And what are the advantages of stainless steel radiators?
Each has its own unique and useful benefits which we will go through with this guide.
Take this blog as inspiration, as what's best always depends on the individual and how they use their radiator
Advantages of Aluminium Radiators
The Lux Heat Tornado Vertical Radiator provides rapid heat outputs at low prices. It is available in two finish options and a range of sizes.
Rapid Heating
The biggest advantage of aluminium radiators is the fact that they are quick to heat up. As a result, they are more energy efficient as it takes less gas heating from a home's boiler to get the radiator working and warm up a room.
However, that can cause problems. An aluminium radiator is also quicker to cool down, which for some may be an issue. If a room is very hot and you want to turn the heating off to cool it down quickly, then it's a good thing that aluminium loses its heat fast. However, if you want to keep a room warm for longer (which in UK winters is often the case) a slow to cool down radiator may be a better option.
The fact that aluminium radiators heat up quickly does make them better for the environment. Plus, aluminium itself is better for the wider environment too in many ways. Firstly, it can be recycled in a way that steel cannot. Many radiators are in fact, made from recycled aluminium already improving a person's green footprint.
Affordability
Due to the vast amount of aluminium available, it is a more affordable radiator material when compared to stainless steel. So if you looking for a more budget-friendly option, then aluminium radiators are the way to go, but just remember; aluminium radiators have a lower warranty length than stainless steel, ranging from around 5-10 years, so though its initial cost is lower, it might cost more in the future if it needs repairing.
Weight
The Carisa Sophia Mirror Radiator has a central mirror surrounded by heated vertical rails to effortlessly heat your property. It's low in price & very stylish.
Aluminium radiators are also much lighter than steel radiators. As a consequence, they are physically much easier to install, which can be a big consideration depending on where you are installing radiators and how many. Despite how light the metal is, it is durable. This along with aluminium radiators' rapid heat-up times makes them a popular radiator choice for professional radiator fitters.
Aluminium Radiator Style Options
Due to the popularity and effectiveness of aluminium radiators, the range of designs, styles and sizes is vast. You have a choice of more simplistic horizontal radiator designs to designer radiators.
This includes some mirror radiators for added function or designer aluminium radiators that grant waves of style and class by resembling pieces of art.
Not only that but we have a great choice of aluminium towel radiators to choose from if you are looking for a bathroom or kitchen radiator.
Advantages of Stainless Steel Radiators
Longer Heating
The aforementioned ability to hold on to heat is a big advantage to stainless steel radiators. While it does not make them as energy efficient (and it costs more to get them to the right temperature to heat a room), it does mean that once hot, they can continue to do the job of an aluminium radiator even with the heating turned off for a certain amount of time.
Durability & Long Warranties
The Reina Luna Stainless Steel Towel Radiator is low in price, has fantastic heat retention and offers an abundance of towel space.
One of the main advantages of stainless steel is also how strong it is. The high amount of carbon in it makes it very durable and long-lasting - which is key given that many of us only ever want to install a heating system once. Though they can be a little more expensive, stainless steel radiators come with longer warranties, with some having 25-30 years guarantee.
Resistance
Something else to take note of is their resistance. Stainless steel radiators and stainless steel towel radiators are corrosion, rust, stain and peel resistant, they require minimal maintenance and are extremely easy to clean. This makes them highly popular as bathroom radiators, kitchen radiators or pretty much any room that's prone to humidity and rapid heat change. Due to this, we offer more stainless steel towel radiator designs over stainless steel radiators.
Stainless Steel Style Options
Stainless steel radiators are more modern in design, so you won't find any traditional radiator looks here. Instead, stainless steel radiators and towel radiators have unique designs, luxury styles and offer an array of sizes. You also have a wide choice of finishes to choose from with many being brushed or polished metal finishes like polished rose gold or brushed matt black.
Some of our stainless steel radiator designs are exquisite, appearing more like art sculptures than radiators or they include mirrors for added function.
Take a look at our impressive Aeon range. They focus on luxury, offering some incredible modern radiator designs, like the Aeon Abacus Vertical Radiator which is a great addition to children's bedrooms, it is fun and colourful during the day and at night it glows in the dark!
Stainless Steel Towel Radiators
We have such a wide range of stainless steel towel radiators, and because they are one of the more popular materials for bathroom radiators, we’ve added a section specifically for them.
With these stainless steel towel rails, we have a choice of the classic ladder towel radiator design, shelf towel radiators to place folded towels and modern towel radiators with unique styles. Many of these come with long warranties, being around 20-25 years.
See our full selection of towel radiators if you would like more options.
So An Aluminium Radiator Or A Stainless Steel Radiator?
The Carisa Alveole Towel Radiator has a hexagon design and fits beautifully into modern interiors.
Again this depends on how you decide to use the radiator, where you place it, how insulated your property is and so on.
If your property is well insulated or you're looking for a more budget-friendly radiator, then an aluminium radiator might be more for you.
If your property is draughty or you're looking for a radiator which can heat longer, needs less maintenance and has a longer lifespan then a stainless steel radiator would be more suited for you. If you want an ornate-looking radiator that has great heat retention then take a look at our cast iron radiators.
Design-wise… That's completely your choice. As we have such a wide range in both, it's hard to recommend one over the other for style. If you're looking for something a little more simple or has a classic radiator look then aluminium radiators might be more your taste. Whereas, if you're looking for a more modern feature or a dramatic addition then it's probably stainless steel.
Contact Us
If you're struggling to make your decision, then don’t worry! We have a wide range of radiators in other materials too. We also have an amazing range of electric radiators if you're looking at reducing your carbon footprint or saving on heating bills with their energy-saving features.
Visit our sale page for high-quality, budget-friendly radiators and towel rails. We have a wide selection in an array of designs and sizes to choose from.
If you have any questions regarding any of our radiators, warranties or services please contact us right away. Our award-winning customer service team are radiator specialists and can answer any questions you may have.
