The Smartair Boost Radiator Fan is currently 10% off at Yimbly.
The Smartair Boost Radiator Fan is 10% off at Yimbly(Image: Viktoriya Skorikova via Getty Images)
With fresh autumn days and chillier winter nights in the not-too-distant future, and energy prices expected to rise not once, but twice before the end of January, households are once again looking at ways to keep warm while minimising energy bills. New-build houses have been built to maximise energy efficiency, and are excellent at holding onto heat, but for many families living in older homes, keeping the house toasty over winter can be costly.
With that in mind, gadgets that maximise the heat in the main rooms the family spend time in can be much more cost effective than heating the entire home throughout winter. The Smartair Boost Radiator Fan is designed to redirect rising heat into the room, to avoid it escaping through chilly exterior walls and windows.
Another popular solution for chilly homes are foil radiator reflector panels (£43.99 on Amazon for a 25m roll) – designed to reflect heat behind the radiator back into the room, to prevent it escaping through external walls.
Buy the Smartair Boost Radiator Fan
The Smartair Boost Radiator Fan is 10% off at Yimbly now with code AUTUMN10.
The Smartair Boost Radiator Fan is currently 10% off at Yimbly, an online retailer owned by this site’s parent company Reach plc, with code AUTUMN10, bringing the price down from £49.99 to £45. According to Smartair, the energy-efficient Radiator Fan system improves the circulation of warm air, heating living spaces faster and more efficiently.
Explaining the technology, the manufacturer writes: “Four energy-efficient, axiel fans drive your radiator’s heat through sealed air-conducting funnels into your room where you want and need it. Use either manual mode for control or automatic mode for maximum efficiency: easily change between the two modes with the flip of a switch. Use either manual mode for control or automatic mode for maximum efficiency.”
According to Smartair, the device costs less than a penny per hour to run, and can be used with mains power or by charging the built-in power bank for up to fourteen continuous hours of use. It can also be used to help dry clothes faster by directing warm air right onto the clothes airer. No installation is required: simply place it on the radiator, no need for a plumber or electrician.
Features include an intelligent auto-shut-off safety system – if the radiator gets too hot and reaches 70C, the device will turn itself off until the radiator cools to 65C. According to Smartair, it fits virtually any radiator, including double convector tubular, double tubular, single, cast iron style, and with the included stability feet, it even works on single convector radiators.
Other radiator fan designs are available, like the Speed Comfort Discrete Radiator Fan at QVC, which comes as a double pack for £79.96. The Speed Comfort fans are rated highly by shoppers, with one shopper hailing it ‘a fantastic bit of kit,’ and awarding it five stars in their review.
They wrote: “Small, discrete and perfect. What a difference it has made to the cold room I used to hate. There is a slight hum when it kicks in (rad has to get hot before it does it’s magic). What a godsend. I’m now deciding if to get another one for my bedroom as I do get cold. You also need a convenient plug socket near by but most rads are close to one. It has strong magnets that hold it in place on the underside of the rad. Great purchase.”
The Smartair Boost Radiator Fan has more than 3,000 reviews on Amazon, with shoppers praising how well it circulates heat around the room.
One five-star reviewer wrote: “I bought this Smart Boost to help distribute heat from my radiator more efficiently, and after using it for a bit, I’m genuinely impressed with the difference it makes.
“The biggest plus is how much faster the room warms up. Instead of heat just rising straight up from the radiator, this unit pushes warm air outward, which helps the temperature feel more even and comfortable much sooner. I also really like that it turns on automatically once the radiator reaches a certain temperature — no need to manually switch it on or off.
“Noise is minimal. I was worried it might be distracting, but once it’s running, it’s barely noticeable, even in a quiet room. I can’t comment on battery life since I keep mine permanently plugged in, but for my setup that hasn’t been an issue at all.”
Another added: “This is very good and useful set of fans. We have a large conservatory and had difficulty getting it warm. With this device you can set it on auto to come on when the heating does and now the conservatory can be used even on freezing mornings.
“I chose the six fan option which is good but I think for a large conservatory next time I will choose the eight fan version. You get used to the fan noise as it’s no different to any other sort of room fan. Because it’s portable with a built in battery it means you can move it to another room that might need a boost without having to have a plug nearby. Very useful and would buy again.”
Some users were left disappointed by the battery life, and reported the fans being too noisy for their liking, with one shopper writing: “If you are buying this because it is rechargeable and you don’t have a socket nearby, save your money. The battery life is nowhere near sufficient for a standard day of heating. However, if you have a mains socket close by and don’t mind a noisy fan, the running costs are impressively low.”
Meanwhile, another shopper declared the fan ideal for rooms with high ceilings, adding: “It comes on automatically when it reaches temperature, it has made a noticeable difference warming the room quicker than leaving the radiator to do it itself. I live in an old building with high ceilings and find the heat is redirected straight through the fan rather than going straight to the ceiling.”
The Smartair Boost Radiator Fan is 10% off at Yimbly now with code AUTUMN10.
