TOP 15 best bimetallic heating radiators: Rating 2021-2022 and which model to choose for an apartment

Bimetallic radiators are a type of battery that is made of different metals: internal channels are made of stainless steel, the external heat exchange body is made of aluminum. Stainless steel is resistant to aggressive coolant environments. Aluminum has excellent thermal conductivity and heats up quickly. There are sectional and monolithic structures. Used in central and autonomous heating systems.

When studying the huge range of batteries for heating rooms offered on the Russian heating engineering market, the consumer often has the question of which bimetallic heating radiator is best to choose for an apartment or private house.

The choice of bimetallic radiators is becoming increasingly important today. This happens because in one design of a heating device, the positive qualities of two metals - steel and aluminum - are used to the maximum.

This combination provides a number of advantages compared to devices made from the same material. The frame made of steel water pipes in an aluminum alloy shell is a bimetallic radiator, comparable in thermal power to aluminum and steel heating devices, and in reliability to cast iron radiators.

Which bimetallic heating radiators are best suited for each specific case must be determined individually. A suitable model is selected based on a number of criteria such as the type of bimetal, steel thickness, and thermal power.

The type of model and the calculated pressure are also important. In addition to technical characteristics, the choice of a particular device design is influenced by its cost and attractiveness of design.

Rating of the TOP 15 best bimetallic heating radiators for apartments for 2021-2022

Which company should you choose?

On the Russian heating engineering market, many well-known reputable manufacturers of bimetallic radiators offer their products, such as:

• Royal Thermo. One of the largest manufacturers. It uses European systems, the entire cycle is subject to multi-stage quality control. The products have a wide range.
• Global. A domestic manufacturer that produces radiators fully adapted to the local climate. The structures are easy to install and connect to any heating systems.
• Sira. Products of an Italian company. It is considered the standard of modern design and quality.
• Rifar. A Russian brand that produces radiators adapted to Russian operating conditions. The products come in a variety of designs.

How to choose a good steel radiator?

Externally, a bimetallic radiator is no different from an aluminum one, but its internal design is completely different. Stainless steel elements are inserted inside the device. They are the ones who come into contact with water and protect aluminum from its harmful effects .

Sometimes carbon steel or copper is used instead of stainless steel, but such devices are more expensive, so many users prefer devices with stainless steel inserts.

Bimetallic radiators come in several types:

• By cost . According to this criterion, devices are divided into budget (simple) and expensive. Devices of the first group are also called pseudo- or semi-bimetallic. In them, the steel core is located only in vertical channels. In expensive models, the internal part consists of a solid steel frame. These are the devices that are recommended for installation in apartment buildings.
• By design . Based on this indicator, radiators are divided into monolithic and collapsible. Monolithic radiators consist of non-separable steel pipes, and the number of sections is constant and cannot be changed. At the same time, monolithic radiators are characterized by increased reliability and are recommended for installation in houses where pressure surges in the system often occur. Collapsible radiators consist of several sections connected by threaded metal pipes. Such models are more suitable for autonomous heating systems.

If, due to some characteristics of the area or the house, the sectional heater does not provide the required temperature level, additional segments can be added to it.

There are several points that are worth paying attention to in order to understand which heating radiator is better in a particular case:

• It is better when the size of the heater is maximum, because in this case the energy efficiency of the device is the highest. But it is important that the distance to the floor is at least 12 cm, and to the window sill - at least 10 cm.
• Capacity is one of the most important parameters. The larger it is, the better the radiator heats. Therefore, devices with small volume sections require the highest quality coolant without impurities.
• Monolithic radiators are more suitable for apartments. They are able to withstand sudden pressure surges, while at the same time, cheaper sectional models can be used for autonomous heating systems.

Heat dissipation

In terms of heat transfer, aluminum radiators are seriously ahead of their bimetallic counterparts. Only one section of an aluminum battery is capable of releasing 200 W of thermal energy into the surrounding space. In this case, part of the heat is transferred in the form of infrared radiation, and the second part by convection. The fins present on the inside enhance convection. It should also be noted that aluminum heating devices have minimal thermal inertia. This means that an aluminum battery can provide maximum heat transfer within ten minutes after being put into operation. Thanks to this, owners of private houses can achieve significant savings.

The heat output of bimetallic heating devices is lower than that of aluminum radiators. The fact is that the steel or copper core of the battery is characterized by a lower degree of thermal conductivity than aluminum. As a result of the fact that steel or copper heats up more slowly than aluminum, the thermal inertia of a bimetallic battery will be greater in comparison with the same indicator of an aluminum analogue, which means that when the bimetallic battery is turned on, the owner of the home will have to wait a long time for the premises to warm up.

Which bimetallic radiators are worth paying attention to?

Models with resistance to the chemical composition of the coolant in the range of 6.5-9 pH are considered a good choice. The weight of one section is usually 1.5-2 kg. The average heat transfer rate is 100-185 W. To operate effectively, the structure must withstand a pressure of at least 25 atmospheres.

In a quality product, both the collectors and vertical tubes are made of steel. With a standard placement of window sills, you can choose a radiator with a height of about 0.5 m, but in the case of a lower location, models up to 0.35 cm will be needed.

Here is the best bimetallic radiator to choose, depending on the purpose:

• For use in old-style systems, Global Style 500 will be relevant.
• In small rooms you can get by with the Sira RS Bimetal 500 heating device.
• In houses where low-quality coolant is supplied to the pipes, you can use Rifar Base 500 x
• For autonomous heating, you should consider choosing the Royal Thermo PianoForte 500

What else to consider when choosing

1. Carefully inspect the product - there should be no scratches, abrasions, paint runs or dents on the body. All this indicates low quality.
2. Study the data specified in the heat device passport.
3. Don't go for too much pressure resistance - this is often a publicity stunt.
4. Measure the diameter of the pipes in the room where you plan to install the heater, and compare this indicator with the thread parameters. For foreign models, you may have to buy an adapter.
5. Pay attention to the type of connection - bottom or side. Buy products that fit your existing wiring or universal options.

Modern industry produces many worthy bimetal models. Therefore, you can choose a good option for a city apartment.

Customer Reviews

Mikhail L.

ROYAL Thermo Revolution Bimetall 350

Very high quality. The difference with other radiators is visible to the naked eye. Thicker than a metal wall. Very well made. They heat well. There is no need to worry about high pressure in the system. In my new apartment there were some obviously cheap radiators from the developer, which leaked in the first year. I knew that Global radiators used to be very good, but I decided to check it out. I looked at a lot of radiators and came to the conclusion that nothing better has been done so far. Everywhere there is some kind of rubbish similar to what I am changing. Even in terms of weight, this global turned out to be much heavier than others, because... It has thicker metal walls and is more well made. The Italian approach is immediately visible. By the way, they warm up great. In general, I recommend it.

Gregory

Global STYLE PLUS 500

They dissipate heat well, look great, 3/4 connection. This is the second Rifar monolith at my home. Previously there were inexpensive aluminum batteries. The difference is huge in terms of heat transfer and workmanship. I bought the first one in the store, the second one in the Yandex market. After delivery by courier and unpacking, there were three minor damages under the cardboard on the outer sections. Not significantly, but still not pleasant. A question arises for the seller (Guardiola) - don’t you have 50 rubles for a double layer of bubble wrap? Well, add them to the price of the battery, otherwise how are you going to work for a long time? Well, I can’t advise my acquaintances and friends to buy a battery, and anyone on the Yandex market for this reason. Or are they initially shipped from the warehouse in poor condition, with problematic radiators that were not delivered to stores due to problems? In general, I liked the battery itself. Disadvantages - there is no packaging to protect the radiator during transportation. Two layers of regular film and thin cardboard on the outer sections is not serious. The Chinese buy cheap goods with delivery from China, and it’s better to pack them several times over. But here the radiator costs money.

Susanna

Rifar Monolit 500

In my kitchen, an aluminum radiator leaked and had lasted 3 years, so I urgently had to look for a replacement at the height of the season. To be honest, I didn’t really care what the replacement plumber put in, as long as he did it quickly. Therefore, I entrusted the choice to him. He chose the Rifar Monolit 500. Based on the combination of price and quality parameters, I liked the model. It is not the cheapest, but it demonstrates excellent performance. It warms as well as a fireplace on cold days. The kitchen has now become much warmer and more comfortable with the new radiator. I am completely satisfied with it. Monolithic, class guarantee.

Subject

Royal Thermo Vittoria 350

Graceful. Effective heat transfer and reliable protection against leaks. There is an absolute guarantee, insurance. Effective in heating systems with low coolant temperatures. These radiators are installed in the cafe. They look stylish with a uniform matte finish applied with nano-paints in several layers. The coating is resistant to mechanical damage. The heat from the radiators, due to their structure, evenly warms the cafe premises. They turned out to be very reliable.

Rinat S.

Royal Thermo PianoForte 500

Excellent workmanship. Reputable manufacturer. There are no comments about the batteries themselves. To install the batteries, you need to purchase additional installation kits for fastening the batteries to the walls, as well as for installing pipes to the batteries themselves. So, the kit includes 4 adapter couplings with different thread directions. There should be 2 with the left and 2 with the right. In my kit there were 3 with the left and 1 with the right, which prevented the full installation of the battery. The seller asked me to send them a photo by email and describe the essence of the problem, he said that he would contact me, but he missed the point. I do not recommend this seller.

Alexander M.

Rifar SUPReMO 500

Design, high heat dissipation. Nice appearance, no sharp corners on the front side, price/quality ratio. One of the key advantages of the model is its resistance to external corrosion due to the use of special powder paint. In addition, this design provides visual appeal and aesthetics. It is unlikely that anyone will dispute the fact that the radiator has a modern design and fits perfectly into any interior. And, of course, the high heat transfer should not be underestimated. I stopped using air conditioning a long time ago: one small compact device was enough to provide a comfortable temperature.

Anfisa

Rifar Monolit 500

I live in an old-style apartment (Khrushchev), and all my neighbors have a real problem with radiators. Everyone changes them every now and then, suffers and changes again. Last year, I also couldn’t stand it and decided to replace the conventional sectional ones with innovative bimetallic ones. I liked Rifar’s advertisement, so I ordered from them. The managers recommended the Monolit 500 model. Visually, I liked it. And then, when the delivery arrived and the installation was done, I liked the way it did its job. The battery is good, there were no problems with it during the winter. I don’t know how long it will last, but so far everything is fine. One of the best in its segment. I replaced all the radiators in the apartment with these. So far there are no complaints. All winter with an open balcony)

Yaroslav Zolkin

ROMMER Optima Bm 500

The goods arrived quickly, in 3 days (ordered 09/04/21, arrived 09/08/21), to the Samara region. I received it at the Ozone delivery point, very convenient. The paint is quite good, looks good overall. For 6.2 thousand rubles it’s very good. Disadvantages: Upon leaving the delivery point, I found a rather large impact mark on the cardboard box (see photo, about 5 cm long, 2 cm deep). Most likely, they dropped it, for example, when loading/unloading it on the floor of a car, or hit it on a corner when they were carrying it, for example. Keep in mind that in addition to the cardboard box, the radiator is protected from the inside only by polyethylene with air bubbles. At home I opened the box, thank God, the blow ended up in the back of the battery in the gap with emptiness. On the back side there is a small, slightly bent section of one of the blades, but it’s not critical, it doesn’t affect anything (I hope).

Levi L.

Royal Thermo PianoForte 500

The choice of radiators in Russia is very important, because climatic conditions require 6 months of cold weather. Unlike the Soviet past, when there was no alternative to heavy cast-iron batteries, modern manufacturers offer a wide selection of types of radiators. I settled on bimetal because this is perhaps the only option that combines both reliability and attractive design. A purchase that appeals to all family members, and not just to the one who chose and bought.) A very high-quality radiator. Outwardly reliable, according to the manufacturers, it will last at least 25 years. At least that's the guarantee. Survived the winter, no complaints. We didn’t hear our neighbors through it, but, to be honest, we didn’t listen.) Excellent heat transfer with small dimensions.

Friend O.

Royal Thermo PianoForte 500

Price-quality ratio. Not a bad look, IMHO. The dimensions are standard for this type of radiator. In general, the product is of high quality. The heat transfer does not correspond to the declared one. Increased sound conductivity. Subjectively, there is a feeling that the heat transfer is overestimated by the manufacturer, that is, it heats better but not significantly, although according to the numbers the difference should have been an order of magnitude greater. Also, an important point, the name pianoforte justifies itself - it makes noise like a piano) In the sense that its sound conductivity is clearly excellent, the audibility of neighbors has increased significantly, sometimes you even get the feeling that the neighbors are very close... in the radiator) I have a side connection, therefore, not all sections are heated equally. The temperature difference between the outer sections is about 10 degrees. Overall the impression is good, not a bad radiator for the money. I recommend hanging it on a larger number of fasteners (3-4 pieces) than the manufacturer advises. The radiator is useful. I can’t say anything about reliability - it takes more time.

Georgy Z.

Global STYLE EXTRA 500

Before purchasing, I studied the characteristics of the radiators in detail; I didn’t want to bother with replacement again after a certain number of years. Of the rather long list of radiator companies, Global seemed to me to be the most successful. They can withstand pressure changes, which unfortunately happens in our central heating system; our neighbors’ batteries once burst. There are no complaints about the quality, they are Italian after all. And the price is reasonable, I'm willing to pay for the quality. This is our third winter living with them, the heat transfer is good. Disadvantages: Delivery. I read about the luxurious delivery of Yandexmarket, but now I had to face it myself. The corner of the box is slightly dented. On the radiator itself, a rib was jammed and a corner was found to be chipped. It will not affect the work, but a residue remains. Fortunately, at least on the back. The film is also torn and one plug is missing and the mounting location on the factory line is not painted over. Many have written about this. But these are questions for the manufacturer

Vladimir K.

Rifar SUPReMO 500

They heat 1.5 times better and faster than cast iron ms. They don’t transmit any noise (we don’t hear our neighbors through them, only through the ceiling, like people sneezing at night)) Again, the plus is that the rifar is monolithic and has no gaskets, which means they won’t leak. Unlike the classic monolith, the supremo model has 2 water passage channels, thereby increasing the speed and volume of heat transfer. I’m using it for the second winter and I’m happy with it. The coating did not fade or peel, unlike cheap Chinese Italian brands. Beautiful design, better than clumsy dust collectors. I didn't find any cons. Disadvantages: Probably their disadvantage is the high cost and the fact that competitors of the domestic brand unreasonably criticize the Russian product. I did not encounter these shortcomings in the supremo. I can recommend it to those who freeze, as it copes with heat transfer 100%. I don’t want to advertise, but I don’t regret buying them.

Selecting the distance between the axes

The functionality of different models of bimetal radiators is usually equivalent. But they differ in the distance between the axes of the collectors.

There are models with both standard values ​​(50 and 35 centimeters) and non-standard ones. For example, if radiators of minimum or maximum height are suitable for your purposes, then keep in mind the following points:

• A small distance between the axles (20 centimeters) is found only in models from BiLUX, RIFAR and Sira.
• A large distance between the axles (about 80 centimeters) occurs only in models made by the Italian company Sira.

We can note some advantages of the products of our manufacturer – RIFAR. He makes a line of RIFAR MONOLIT radiators, which have a solid core. Another line - RIFAR FLEX - can be rounded in accordance with the wishes of the customer.

This is convenient in an apartment where the corners are not straight, but rounded. Such a radiator will fit into the design most optimally and will fit perfectly into the wiring.