What makes our oil-filled heaters unique?

Manufactured in the UK, Purmo electric radiators from Thermosoft are built to heat homes during the freezing European winter.

As one of the only true electric radiators on the Australian market, Purmo electric heaters provide the luxury of radiant heating at approximately half the cost of hydronic systems. Their timeless design, energy efficiency, precise temperature control, and safety measures give users peace of mind when switching from oil column heater or fin oil column heater use.

Luxurious radiant heat warms objects directly, instead of just warming the air.

Easy installation takes less than 30 minutes to mount each panel by an electrician or handyman.

Adjustable thermostat and multiple heat settings allow you to control the temperature, ensuring you stay warm in every room.

Built-in timer to use the heater when and how you need it, saving money on bills.

Intelligent controls and complete smart home capabilities. Expanded screen size, Zigbee 3.0 smart home technology and seamless integration with Google Home and Amazon Alexa.

Completely silent operation no ticking, popping or crackling noises, and no noisy fan.

Easy to maintain. Purmo radiators are entirely maintenance free.

Great for bathrooms and drying cupboards thanks to the IP44 splash rating.

Family friendly. Child safety modes to limit surface temperature and maximise protection.

Energy saving features like open window detection and a built-in timer help you save on running costs and stay cosy and warm.

Oil-filled and electric with each unit simply plugging into the wall.

Better for your health. Fully enclosed element for no burning smell or allergens like cheaper convection panel heaters.

Premium cold-rolled steel construction backed by a 10 year panel warranty and two years on electrics.

Stylish designs. Choose from the classic European appeal of our Yali Plus model or the sleek, minimalist design of Parada Plus.

Wide range of sizes to suit all your rooms, from living rooms to bedrooms and bathrooms make our heaters a great choice.

Explore our oil heater range and prices

Looking for hot deals to keep the cold away this winter? Our heaters are designed with a unique blend of style, luxury and functionality. If you're looking for an oil column heater, our wall mounted heaters provide an affordable solution this winter, featuring comfortable, efficient, quiet and cost saving operation to keep you warm.

Choosing an oil heater for winter

Oil heaters are a popular choice for their quiet operation and comfort. The electric element is completely enclosed in oil, so you’ll never get the burning dust smell typical of convection-only panels with an exposed element. They don't get scalding hot, as there’s no naked flame, and there's normally very little risk in leaving them on in a bedroom. For this reason they're also considered a safer option around small children.

However not every oil heater is the same. The differences between portable oil column heaters like Dimplex and the oil filled radiant heaters you'll find in our shop include efficiency, heating time and temperature control, which all impact your level of comfort at home.

Let's delve deeper into the features that separate wall-mounted radiant heaters and oil column heaters, to help inform your next purchase.

How does an oil heater work?

Radiant electric panel heater

Our radiant panel heaters are Purmo radiators, a high quality European radiator that feature true radiant heat without the hassle and cost of a hydronic system. Like oil column heaters they use a heated coil immersed in thermally conductive oil to transfer heat to the quality stainless panel.

The panel then emits infrared heat waves, which directly warm up surfaces and objects in the room, providing comfortable and efficient heating. No turbo fan needed here!

Oil column heater

Oil column heaters, also known as fin oil column heaters, are portable electric heaters that come in two main sizes - either 1200W or 2400W with limited power settings. They work by heating resistive electric elements in an oil-filled casing. The elements heat up, along with the oil, which makes the metal fins warm.

They rely on natural convection, with hot air rising from the fins creating a convection current that moves around the room, rather than radiant heat found in Purmo radiators that warms people and objects very quickly.

A common brand of oil column heater in Australia is Dimplex, although a quick shop around will show others with hot deals, but not so great energy ratings. A column heater with timer can help control when and how you use the heater, saving money on bills.

Keeping the room warm - how do they compare?

Radiant electric panel heater

Our Thermosoft Plus series radiators generate significantly more heat than an oil column heater because of the panel design and thermal mass.

They emit heat instantly and directly, providing rapid and efficient warmth to the area in front of the panel. Our heaters are great at targeting zones within the home, but customers use them as a whole home heating option too, especially when looking for a system to match the quality of hydronic heating.

Oil column heater

The design of the fins or columns means they generate mostly convection heat, instead of radiant heat. Air is drawn up and heated in the space between the fins.

An oil column heater can take some time to warm up the entire room, especially larger spaces.

Moving and installing an oil heater

Radiant electric panel heater

Our heaters are wall-mounted for permanent installation, although are easy to move to others rooms if plans change, especially as they simply plug-in to a power outlet (hard wiring is available). They are sized to the space and wall mounted for optimal performance and efficiency, ensuring smooth operation day-in, day-out for years.

Oil column heater

Oil column heaters like Dimplex are usually freestanding units with built-in castor wheels for easy portability. They require no installation other than plugging into a power outlet.

There is the risk that a column heater can topple over, however some feature a safety tip over switch, that turns the heater off if it tips on an angle, for added protection.

Which oil heater is efficient to run?

Radiant electric panel heater

Wall-mounted radiant heaters are highly efficient, as they emit radiant heat directly onto objects and people in the room, resulting in faster heating and less money wasted.

Our range features a precision adjustable thermostat that holds room temperatures within a mere 0.1 degrees of the set temperature. This means the heater will only use what's needed to hold the room at that temperature.

Programmable timers mean you can set them to run only when they are needed.

Oil column heater

While oil column heaters are effective at heating larger spaces through convection currents, they may take longer to reach the desired temperature, leaving you cold for longer, and can be less efficient for electricity use.

How do they compare for comfort?

Radiant electric panel heater

Our heaters provide instant and even heat distribution, creating a comfortable and cosy environment where you won't feel the cold. Their radiant technology ensures it's warm where it's needed most, providing more comfortable and responsive heating. This increased comfort is due to the high thermal mass - most large column heaters are half the weight of an equivalent Purmo radiator. This means the surface heats up evenly, increasing the spread of warmth in the room.

Oil column heaters

These heaters can warm the whole room once they reach the set temperature. However, their convection method may result in uneven heat distribution and slower response times.

Many column heaters have a much less accurate thermostat, creating large temperature swings and wasted energy.

Which oil heater is best?

If you're looking for the comfort of radiant heat, Purmo-brand oil-filled electric radiant heaters are often considered the best choice.

• They are highly efficient as they produce radiant heat with minimal waste, lowering running costs.
• Radiant heat warms objects and people directly, creating a comfortable and cosy environment. Oil-filled electric radiant heaters provide consistent warmth without drying out the air, ensuring comfort.
• Oil-filled electric radiant heaters operate silently, making them ideal for use in bedrooms, offices and other quiet spaces where noise might be a worry.
• Radiant heat technology ensures even heat distribution throughout the room, eliminating cold spots.
• Our heaters come in a variety of sizes and designs, including wall-mounted options for convenient installation and space-saving.
• No fan required meaning less moving parts to maintain.

It's important to know that some brands with low thermal mass or poor quality thermostats may lead to increased electricity use, so be sure to check the appliance features before settling on a particular brand.

Where can Purmo electric oil radiators be used?

Thermosoft's Purmo radiant panel heaters come equipped with features to help you warm as many rooms as you like.

• Precision thermostats and programmable timers sit within a minimalist design to suit any décor.
• The wall-mounted panel heaters can be used almost anywhere, including in the bedroom, living room, bathroom, caravan, office, shop floor or where you watch tv.
• Installation is simple. Two brackets are screwed to your wall and the panel simply clips on. Installation typically takes around 20 minutes per panel. The panels can also be hardwired by an electrician.