Radiator and towel rails

Any of us still prefer to stick with radiators for our kitchen heating; it's usually a cost-effective choice and avoids extra disruption and installation costs.

 Vertical radiators generally provide the best use of space and can make a feature of even a narrow amount of clear wall space.

 Fit a new radiator with thermostatic valves to maintain an even temperature and avoid the necessity of turning the radiator on and off. The other advantage of a radiator, while not terribly glamorous, is having somewhere to dry damp tea towels.

Myson have introduced the Innoko kitchen towel rail that works from a sealed electrical unit and which is independent of any central-heating system and in normal use, consumes less power than a light bulb.

If the wall space is available, consider your kitchen radiator to be a decorative as well as a practical item and look at unusual designs, such as those from Bisque, Jaga, Aeon and Vasco - metal and painted finishes abound, in colors to match your cabinets or kitchen appliances.

Panel radiators (plain, smooth surfaces rather than tubular style or ribbed) often suit a kitchen setting, echoing the shape and proportion of cabinets.  

FINISH IN STYLE

Stainless-steel radiators offer high corrosion resistance and look stylish in the kitchen. They are available with matt and polished finishes, and some manufacturers, such as Aeon, give 20-year guarantees.

Cheaper chrome or 'silver finish' radiators may suffer from corrosion and flaking surfaces after a relatively short time, and the steamy cooking conditions in a poorly ventilated kitchen may have an adverse effect.  

HOT OR COLD 

Another straightforward choice for kitchens is a plinth heater - which can also be used as a cooling fan in hot weather. These heaters are affordable (from around E,135), can be installed in the plinth space beneath a kitchen cabinet with just an electrical connection and can quickly add a boost of heat to the kitchen on a cold morning.

Choose from electric models, central-heating models, or a dual-fuel model, such as the Kickspace heater from Myson, which can run on electricity if the central heating is off. Plinth heaters can be costly to run, and should be considered as a heat booster, rather than the main source of heat in the room.