‘I tested two different radiator fans to see which is worth the money’

I reviewed fans from two different brands – and one was my favourite

With energy prices remaining high and Brits battling the depths of winter, staying warm is very much on the agenda. As such, I tried out a couple of radiator fans in 2025 to see if they would make a difference when it comes to heating up the front room as quickly – and cheaply – as possible.

With my living space and dining room all combined into one, it’s the biggest room in the house, and it takes the longest to warm up. I’d spent a fair chunk of cash upgrading the radiators, which did help a lot, but it was still taking longer than other rooms to hit the desired temperature.

So I tried adding radiator fans from a couple of different brands to see if they would make a difference – and they really did. The two products in question are the SmartAir Boost XL Fan Heater (£70 at Argos) and the SpeedComfort radiator fans (prices vary depending on the size but from £49.95 on Amazon). Let’s talk through the two products and the pros and cons…

How do they compare?

The first thing to note is that the design of the products is a bit different. The SmartAir sits on top of the radiator with the fans designed to blow air horizontally out towards the room, meanwhile the SpeedComfort fans fit under the radiator and direct the air upwards.

The good thing about the SpeedComfort fans is that they’re out of sight which is more aesthetically pleasing. Meanwhile the SmartAir is on show, sitting on top of the radiator.

The general premise of the SmartAir is to ensure that the warm air coming off the radiator fins is directed into the room, rather than straight up at the ceiling. It’s designed to reduce wasted energy, and save money in the process, by making the room warmer more quickly – something I’ve found to be the case.

Given that some of the radiators in my house sit close to a windowsill, as they do in many houses, I did wonder if I’d encounter any problems having enough room to fit the fan on the top. But thankfully, there were no such issues.

The SmartAir also has battery function, while the SpeedComfort fans need to be plugged in. I can’t say the battery life is amazing, but it is nice to have the option to run it without ugly wires on show.

They’re both very easy to setup, and were operational in minutes and both feature the ability to detect when a radiator has warmed up or cooled down, turning on or off as appropriate.

Both of the fans did make a difference when it came to warming the room up, but I prefer the way the SmartAir directs the warm air towards the living area, rather than upwards.

What are the cons?

When it comes to the SmartAir, there is one big problem here that will put some people off – the fans are loud. The highest setting is too noisy for me, so I tend to leave them on low, which still comfortably does the job, though even that isn’t quiet.

To be honest, if it’s in a busy room with other things going on, or the TV is on, then I don’t notice it. However, if it was being used in a quiet room, say a bedroom at night, I could see how it could annoy some people.

In my view, it’s a minor inconvenience that’s offset by how warm it makes the room, which is my ultimate goal. In terms of the SpeedComfort fans there is one big problem I can see with these – the price. They’re a good product and do what they claim, but they’re really not cheap and it’s hard to see how they’ll be a viable solution for a lot of people.

I’d envisage the reason a lot of people would look to buy these in the first place would be to save money on their bills, and it’s a difficult one when you have to spend so much up front.

While they may do that, the initial outlay is so expensive that it would take a very long time to recoup that in energy savings. Ultimately, if you were to add these to all the radiators in your house it would cost a fortune. I worked it out roughly and to buy them for every radiator in my house it would cost more than £900 – clearly an amount that’s beyond an average budget.

Another, cheaper, energy-saving product that’s grown in popularity of late is radiator foil, which sits behind the radiator to ensure heat is being reflected back into the room rather than lost to the wall. Amazon stocks some Bubble Insulation Foil for £13.99, while Screwfix has a cheaper option, priced at £5.69.

Which is my favourite?

Having tested them both out, I have to say I think the SmartAir Boost XL comes out on top. The fact that it directs the air out towards you rather than up towards the ceiling seems to make a noticeable difference.

Both products do have their faults but I think the SmartAir is my preferred product for those looking to give their radiators a bit of a boost.

Where to buy

The SmartAir Boost XL Fan Heater is available to buy from several retailers including Argos £70, Yimbly £69.99, and HighStreetTV £69.99.

The SpeedComfort fans range in price depending on how many are required, but they start from £49.95 on Amazon and £49.99 at Currys.