Being able to have some designer items at home is a luxury most of us think we can’t afford. One area people are often surprised to learn has designer options is that of the humble radiator. While it sits there and idly works away to keep rooms around the home toasty, if you’re not utilising your radiators as a design feature of the room, you might be missing a trick.

While it is easy to think that designer radiators are going to be an expensive item to shop for, let me tell you the truth about designer radiators and how to get a better deal when shopping for one. It’s much simpler than you think, especially when you utilize a radiator outlet. It’s much simpler than you think.

Tip 1: Learn about materials

For most designer radiators you’ll find that the primary difference is due to the material the radiator is made from. Most radiators are made from steel as it is reliable and cheap. Designer brands sometimes opt for aluminium. It’s a lighter material and can help create more unique shapes. While it doesn’t retain heat as long as steel, it has a quicker rate of conduction and will warm up faster.

If you ever see two identical designer radiators side by side and wonder why one may be more expensive, check to see what the listed material is.

Tip 2: Look for local Trade providers

You might be buying one or two radiators for the home, but where do tradespeople go when they need a dozen or more radiators for construction? Enter your local trade store. These hidden gems are where you’ll be able to get a better price in comparison to your local DIY/hardware store. And the best thing about it is that they’re all online nowadays.

I’m based in the UK and found that Trade Radiators is an example of these trade stores where designer radiator names (which, let’s be honest, are not that common) will be on offer for a better price than the big store you’d drive to. And with them delivering to your door, you can avoid that cumbersome journey of figuring out how to get radiators in the back of the car for the drive home.

Tip 3: Look for smaller radiators

Harkening back a bit to materials, with many designer brands using aluminium, it can lead to higher heat output if you pick a radiator that is the same size. Figure out how much heat a room needs using a heating calculator (you’ll find one quickly if you Google “heat calculator”) and then compare it with the heat output of smaller designer radiators.

It is often the case that many designer brands offer the same heat output at a smaller size because of the quality of materials used.

Tip 4: Understand seasonality

I’m not referring to seasonality as trends in shopping or the literal changing of the season, but in terms of radiator brands having seasons. Just like most other home products, brands will develop new iterations of products over time.

Use this to your advantage. Start searching and shopping around for “old” radiators from designer names. Many trade websites, just like clothing stores, will have clearance sections where you’ll find limited stock of last season’s radiators. It is ideal, especially when you are only looking to pick up one radiator, as stores want to get rid of stragglers to get new stock in.

Are you about to replace your radiators?

Thanks for reading, but before I go there is one added tip I want to show you. Most people will use the opportunity of radiators off the wall as a chance to paint what would usually be one area they can’t get near. If that sounds like something you’re about to do, read this article on Secret Interior Painting Techniques And Tips You Need To Know. It’ll help you avoid making simple mistakes.