We’re struggling for space to put a radiator and are looking at flat panel vertical ones. There are slimline double ones which seem to give off enough heat on paper, but are they any good in the real world?

Radiators are only 1/3rd radiant heat (2/3rds convective) so shape isn’t necessarily a draw back.

A properly sized vertical rad will be better than an undersized horizontal one.

Can’t see why it would make a difference, for a given surface area the outputs are exactly the same

Read the spec – you’re not going to fit a radiator without calculating the rooms heat loss, so as long as the output is >= heat loss, you’ll be fine.

Yes, I have a fancy panel one in a kitchen, no wall space for regular one. Works great.

I don’t understand all the technical stuff above but we had a similar problem with our bathroom design. A plumbing mate told us to go for an aluminium flat radiator which we did. Even though the surface area is smaller than the one it replaced it kicks out more heat. I’m sure someone will be along soon to tell me why.

I got one from Screwfix for our kitchen. Looks pretty smart and does kick out plenty of heat. Works just as well/bad as a conventional rad.

The alu one will just be more efficient – better convectors, better heat transfer etc.

When I said for a given surface area I meant like for like, obviously if you change teh type it will make a difference (hence why kickspace heaters are tiny but belt out so much heat as they have fan assistance)

From personal experiance.. I have now stoped fitting the “towie rads” in customers homes due to constant issues… Mostly people who live in pre fabs or new buids want them and have issues with them dropping or fixings comming loose unless patress fitted beforehand.

Not to mention the inflated costs of the panels and the fact the sludge overtime builds up in the bottom due to the flow configuration internally. Yes normal rads can have this issue but its a horizontal fill if you will… Check btu rating and fit heat reflective mats behind to help…. No matter how big a rad or how good a system you have shite insulation will put all plans out of the window… Heat reading gun your friend here.

Had a customer who id fit rads for 4 seperate occasions…. Hed done his math (ex bae engineer) and he was sure he needed bigger and bigger rads… Found out there was one piece of kingspan had dropped down in his loft… Put it back and his room was like a oven.

I’ve fitted two, kick out plenty of heat.

A 6000 BTU flat panel will output the same heat as a 6000 BTU ‘conventional’ radiator.

Buy the correct rating for your room size / type. The size / shape is irrelevant.

Thanks for the advice everyone.
It’s kind of a final option for us, so hopefully if we can fit a slimline double it’ll put out enough heat?
Will do my calcs and check, but much more confident that it’s now do able.

WE have one in the office, in winter I’m often to be found gently toasting myself in front of it, lovely. Get 2 and put them facing each other, and a turntable.