The Essentials in 30 Seconds

An electric radiator is not used like a bathroom heater: it is used as supplementary heating to maintain a temperature, not to raise it in a hurry. In practice: between 20 and 21 °C in rooms where you are awake, 15 to 17 °C at night, and turn it off or turn it down when the house will be empty for more than 4 hours. If your model is ceramic (Kuba or Haven), leave it on in ECO mode during the day: the core's thermal inertia means it uses less energy than when starting up again. If your model is the CBHX20-B convector, it works best in 1- to 3-hour blocks using the timer. In all three cases, setting the thermostat to 28 °C does not heat the room faster; it simply keeps heating for longer.

How Many Hours Should I Leave It On?

The question "How many hours should I leave it on?" has no single answer because it depends on how the appliance generates heat. And here, the three CIARRA models behave differently.

The ceramic models store heat in a high-density ceramic core that continues to release heat after the heating element switches off. This means the appliance does not run continuously: it reaches the set temperature, stops, and the core continues releasing heat into the room for quite some time. That is why they are suitable for long heating sessions: a full morning of working from home, an afternoon on the sofa, or an evening in the bedroom.

The convector heats the air as it passes over an X-shaped aluminium element. There is no thermal mass to store heat: when it switches off, the room cools at the rate at which the house loses heat. It heats up very quickly in the first few minutes and is highly effective for heating a specific space for a while, but not for maintaining the temperature for 12 hours straight.

Situation Recommended Model Operating Time
Bedroom, all night CBHT/CBHTD (ceramic) 7–8 h in ECO or night mode
Living room, afternoon and evening CBHT/CBHTD 5–6 h, switching to ECO when going to bed
Working from home, 8 h in the office CBHT/CBHTD (if it is the main room) · CBHX20-B (if it is a small room) 6–7 h using an hourly programme
Bathroom before a shower CBHX20-B 20–30 min beforehand, then switch off
Guest room or weekend home CBHX20-B 1–3 h, timer 0–8 h
Quickly heating a cold room when you arrive CBHX20-B 30–45 min at high power, then lower the set temperature


A useful benchmark: in a room of around 12–15 m² with double-glazed windows, a 1,500 W ceramic electric radiator usually takes between 30 and 45 minutes to reach 20 °C from 16 °C. After that, energy consumption drops considerably because the appliance only replaces the heat being lost. The first hour is the expensive one; the following hours are cheaper.

What Temperature Should You Set? The Table That Works

IDAE recommends 19–21 °C during the day and 15–17 °C at night, and estimates that each additional degree increases the energy bill by around 7% (Endesa, using IDAE data). Applied to an electric radiator, this recommendation translates as follows:

Room Daytime Setting Nighttime Setting Note
Living room / dining room 20–21 °C 17 °C Where you spend the most waking hours: comfort is worth prioritising here
Bedroom 18–19 °C 15–17 °C Sleeping above 19 °C can worsen sleep and increase energy consumption
Home office 20–21 °C — If you are sitting still, you need one degree more than in the living room
Bathroom 21–22 °C 17 °C Only while in use; it does not need heating for the rest of the day
Hallway / passage areas 15–17 °C — Not heating hallways is one of the most cost-effective energy-saving measures


There is a minimum temperature you should not go below. The WHO identifies 18 °C as the recommended minimum indoor temperature for healthy, adequately dressed adults (WHO Housing and Health Guidelines, 2018). That is why nighttime temperatures of 15–17 °C only make sense with suitable bedding: if your home drops below 15 °C, the problem is not the electric radiator but the insulation.

Three details make a difference in practice:

1. ECO mode does not mean "less heat"; it means "heat with a delay". On Kuba and Haven, ECO automatically maintains a temperature 3.5 °C below the comfort setting (which is why the ECO range is 1.5 to 25.5 °C). If comfort is set to 21 °C, ECO keeps the room at 17.5 °C: enough to prevent the house from getting cold while you are away, and much cheaper than switching it off and reheating it.

2. Setting it to 28 °C does not make it heat faster. The thermostat is a switch, not an accelerator: the appliance heats at the power it can deliver, not the power you request. Setting it to 28 °C only guarantees that it keeps heating when the house has already reached 22 °C. If you are in a hurry, increase the power (the CBHX20-B has H mode for high power) and lower the set temperature when you arrive.

3. Use the colour indicator like a traffic light. On the panel models, the temperature colour on the display changes according to the set temperature: green up to 19 °C, amber between 19 and 24 °C, and red above 24 °C. If you see red in a bedroom, you have an energy-bill problem, not a comfort problem.

Can You Leave It On All Day?

Yes, but under certain conditions. The short answer is: leave it on if the appliance is ceramic and the house is reasonably well insulated; switch it off or turn it down to 16 °C if it is a convector or if the house loses heat everywhere.

The argument for leaving it on is not a marketing myth; it is thermodynamics: whenever a room cools completely, the heat that has escaped must be replaced at maximum power, and that peak consumption is paid in full. That is why, in poorly insulated homes with thermal-inertia heaters, maintaining a base temperature of 16–17 °C is often cheaper than switching the appliance off and reheating twice a day. In a well-insulated home, however, switching it off does save energy: the house can go for hours without losing much temperature.

The argument against leaving it on has two parts:

  • Standby consumption is negligible, but the energy used to maintain the temperature is not. All three models consume less than 1.5 W on standby (0.37–0.42 W depending on the model and measurement): leaving them plugged in on standby costs cents per year, not dollars. What affects the bill is maintaining 21 °C in an empty room for 10 hours.
  • Heating an empty house makes no economic sense. If you leave at 8:00 and return at 19:00, three hours of heating help nobody. Programme a reduction to 16–17 °C during that period.

The practical rule: absences of less than 4 hours → switch to ECO rather than turning it off. Absences of more than 4 hours → lower it to 16 °C or switch it off. At night → 15–17 °C in the bedroom; never switch it off completely in cold or poorly insulated homes, because condensation and mould cost more than electricity.

Programming Guide for CIARRA Electric Radiators

Kuba (CBHT10E / CBHT15E / CBHT20E) · Haven (CBHTD10A-W / CBHTD15A-W / CBHTD20A-W) · CBHX20-B Convector

This guide is the technical companion to the usage guide: rather than explaining what temperature you should heat to, it explains how to programme each model, button by button and screen by screen. All three appliances support 24-hour × 7-day weekly programming, but the steps required to set it up differ for each one.

CBHT10E / CBHT15E / CBHT20E CBHTD10A-W / CBHTD15A-W / CBHTD20A-W CBHX20-B
Programming on the panel Yes (P1/P2/P3 + P9) Yes (P1/P2/P3 + P9) Partial (mode, set temperature, timer)
Hourly weekly programming Yes, from the panel Yes, from the panel and app App only
App — Tuya Smart / Smart Life Smart Life
Built-in clock Yes Yes Yes, synchronises with the app
Programme precision 1 hour 1 hour 1 hour
Modes Comfort, ECO, Anti-frost, Pilot Wire Comfort, ECO, Anti-frost, Pilot Wire L, H, ECO
Off timer No No Yes, 0–8 h


Before You Touch Anything: Five Concepts That Appear on Every Screen

Set temperature. The temperature you request. The appliance heats until it reaches this temperature and then maintains it through heating cycles. It is not an accelerator: requesting 28 °C does not make it heat faster; it simply extends the heating time.

Comfort / ECO / Anti-frost. On Kuba and Haven, ECO is not a different power level: it is an automatic set temperature 3.5 °C below the comfort setting. If comfort is set to 21 °C, ECO operates at 17.5 °C. Anti-frost maintains the room at around 7 °C and cannot be adjusted.

Hourly programme. The programming unit is one full hour. For each hour of the day, you choose one of the three states above (Comfort, ECO or Anti-frost). There are no 15- or 30-minute intervals: if you need precision, you must choose the nearest full hour.

Pilot Wire (P mode). If your installation has a pilot wire connected to a central programmer, the appliance follows that programmer rather than its own clock. P mode must be selected explicitly; if you do not have a pilot wire, ignore it.

Memory after a power cut. All three models retain the mode and temperature, but lose the time. This is the detail that ruins the most schedules and the one almost nobody checks.

Button Guide (Kuba and Haven)

Both models use the same five buttons on the control panel, although the icons may vary slightly between revisions. What matters is the function, not the symbol:

Button Name Used in This Guide Purpose
Settings icon SET Opens menus and changes the time, day and temperature
Power icon ⏻ (standby) Switches the appliance on and off without unplugging it
Mode icon M (mode) Cycles through Comfort → ECO → P1 → P2 → P3 → P9 → P → Anti-frost
Confirmation icon OK Confirms each selection and moves to the next field
+ and − +/− Increase or decrease the value flashing on the screen

Button combinations used throughout this guide:

  • SET + OK for 2 seconds → opens the time and custom-programme menu.
  • Hold the lock button for 2 seconds (or use the combination indicated on the front panel) → locks or unlocks the keypad.
  • In standby, press two adjustment buttons simultaneously → activates or deactivates open-window detection, depending on your unit's manual.

Note on the icons: on some panel revisions, the confirmation button is identified by a checkmark symbol and the settings button by a clock symbol. The button sequence is always the same; if your unit differs, follow the button positions (the two central buttons are for settings and confirmation) rather than the symbols.



Part 1 · Kuba (CBHT10E / CBHT15E / CBHT20E)

Kuba does not have Wi-Fi. Everything is programmed from the control panel, which has one advantage: it does not depend on the cloud or an account. The trade-off is that you need to set it up once, carefully.

1.1 Getting Started and Setting the Clock

The clock is the foundation of everything else. Without the correct time, P1/P2/P3/P9 will run at the wrong times.

  1. Plug in the appliance. The screen automatically displays the clock-setting menu, with the day of the week flashing first.
  2. Use +/− to select the day according to the numbering: 1 = Monday, 2 = Tuesday, 3 = Wednesday, 4 = Thursday, 5 = Friday, 6 = Saturday, 7 = Sunday.
  3. Press OK to confirm. The day is set, and the hour (00–23) starts flashing.
  4. Use +/− to select the hour and confirm with OK. The minutes (00–59) now flash.
  5. Use +/− to adjust the minutes and confirm with OK. The screen returns to the main display.
  6. If you make a mistake, there is no need to unplug the appliance: enter the clock menu by holding SET + OK for 2 seconds and repeat steps 2 to 5.

Estimated time: less than one minute. Effect: from this point on, any programme you activate will run at the correct time.

 


1.2 Selecting the Operating Mode

  1. Press M repeatedly. The sequence is always the same: Comfort → ECO → P1 → P2 → P3 → P9 → P (Pilot Wire) → Anti-frost.
  2. As you cycle through each mode, the corresponding icon appears on the screen alongside the associated set temperature.
  3. Confirm with OK, or wait a few seconds without touching anything and the selection will be accepted automatically.
Mode What It Does When to Use It
Comfort Maintains the set temperature you choose (5–29 °C) When you are in the room
ECO Maintains the comfort temperature minus 3.5 °C (range 1.5–25.5 °C) Short absences, nighttime, rooms used occasionally
P1 / P2 / P3 Factory-programmed hourly schedules Standard routines without any configuration
P9 Custom weekly programme The one you will actually use
P Pilot Wire: follows the external programmer Only if your installation has a pilot wire
Anti-frost Maintains around 7 °C without adjustment Empty homes in winter, second homes


 

1.3 Adjusting the Temperature

  1. Press SET: the set temperature starts flashing.
  2. Use +/− to adjust it. Each press changes the temperature by 0.5 °C; holding the button increases or decreases the value continuously.
  3. Confirm with OK. In Comfort mode, the range is 5–29 °C; in ECO mode, it is 1.5–25.5 °C, because it is always 3.5 °C lower.

A useful shortcut: change the Comfort set temperature and let ECO inherit it. If Comfort is set to 21 °C, ECO will operate at 17.5 °C without you having to change anything else.

 

1.4 Factory Programmes P1, P2 and P3

All three are pre-installed and cannot be modified. They differ in the days they cover:

Programme Days Covered Typical Pattern
P1 Monday to Sunday Consistent routine, same schedule every day
P2 Monday to Friday Working week with a separate weekend schedule
P3 Monday to Friday Variation of the previous programme, with a different hourly schedule

When you select one of them, the screen displays the programme icon and the set temperature currently applied. If your routine does not fit—working from home, shifts, or an empty house at midday—do not force yourself to use a factory programme: go straight to P9.


1.5 Creating Your Custom P9 Programme (Complete Step-by-Step Guide)

This is the section that generates the most questions. Programme P9 is set up hour by hour, for each of the seven days, and is saved automatically.

  1. Press and hold +/- for 2 seconds. The screen enters the selection interface, with the time flashing.
  2. Use +/− while the clock is flashing, then press OK to enter the custom programme settings (the other option in the same menu is clock setting).
  3. Select the day you want to programme: 1 (Monday) to 7 (Sunday). Confirm with OK.
  4. The screen moves to 00:00 on that day. Use M to choose the state for that hour: Comfort, ECO or Anti-frost.
  5. Press OK to move to the next hour and repeat step 5. Continue until 23:00, completing all 24 hours of the day.
  6. When the day is complete, the system moves to the next day. Repeat the process for all seven days, or exit earlier if you only need to programme Monday to Friday.
  7. Do not touch anything for 30 seconds (or hold the exit button for 2 seconds). The schedule is saved automatically, and the screen returns to the main display.
  8. Return to the operating mode menu with M and select P9. From this point on, the appliance will follow your programme.

Real example: bedroom, Monday to Sunday. Comfort from 22:00 to 23:00 (to warm the room before bed), ECO from 23:00 to 06:00, Comfort from 06:00 to 08:00, and Anti-frost for the rest of the day. That is 24 selections per day; across seven days, around 168 button presses. It sounds tedious, but you only need to do it once for the entire winter.

Tip to avoid repeating work: programme Monday in full first, and when the system moves to Tuesday, only change the hours that differ from Monday. In practice, most routines only change at the weekend.

 

 

1.6 Pilot Wire Mode (P)

If your home has a pilot wire connected to a central programmer (common in French installations), select P using the M button. The appliance stops using its own clock and follows the six commands from the external programmer:

Command Received Behaviour
Comfort Comfort set temperature
Comfort −1 °C Comfort temperature reduced by one degree
Comfort −2 °C Comfort temperature reduced by two degrees
Economy ECO set temperature
Anti-frost Around 7 °C
Off Standby only, no heating

The screen displays the icon for the received command, allowing you to check at a glance what the central system is requesting. If you do not have a pilot wire, selecting P leaves the appliance waiting for a command that will never arrive: do not use it.

1.7 Keypad Lock (Child Safety)

  1. Press and hold the lock combination for 2 seconds. The padlock icon appears.
  2. To unlock, repeat the same button press for 2 seconds.

Two warnings from the manual: the standby button remains active even when the keypad is locked, and the lock setting is not saved in memory—if the power goes out, the appliance restarts unlocked. Always lock the keypad after programming: it is the most effective way to prevent anyone from accidentally changing your P9 schedule.

1.8 Open-Window Detection

It is disabled by default. To activate it:

  1. Put the appliance into standby.
  2. Press the two adjustment buttons specified in the manual simultaneously.
  3. The window icon appears for a few seconds and then disappears: the function is active. If it flashes instead, you have just deactivated it; press the buttons again.

When the function is active, the appliance automatically switches to 7 °C when it detects a sudden temperature drop, and the icon flashes. As soon as the temperature rises again, it returns to the previous mode without any intervention from you.

 

1.9 What Happens When the Power Goes Out?

Item Is It Retained?
Operating mode Yes
Temperature setting Yes
Saved P9 programme Yes
Time and day of the week No
Keypad lock No
Window detection No

 

Practical consequence: after a power cut, the appliance continues heating, but the programme runs at the wrong times until you reset the clock. This takes less than a minute (section 1.1) and prevents the familiar feeling that "the programme isn't working".


Part 2 · Haven (CBHTD10A-W / CBHTD15A-W / CBHTD20A-W)

Haven uses exactly the same control panel and programming logic as Kuba: the clock, modes, P1/P2/P3, P9, Pilot Wire, keypad lock and window detection all work in the same way. What it adds is Wi-Fi connectivity and a dual core (ceramic + aluminium film), which responds faster and retains heat for longer.

If you are switching from Kuba, you can skip sections 1.1 to 1.5: they are identical. The new features start with connectivity.

2.1 Programming from the Control Panel

Repeat the steps in section 1.5 (SET + OK → day → 24 hours using M → automatic saving). The result is the same P9 programme, and it works even when the appliance is not connected to Wi-Fi. This is an advantage worth emphasising: the app is a convenience, not a requirement.

2.2 Connecting to Wi-Fi (Tuya Smart or Smart Life)

Requirements:

  • 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. If your router broadcasts only a 5 GHz network, the appliance will not detect it: enable the 2.4 GHz band on your router.
  • A phone with Bluetooth enabled (the setup assistant uses it for the initial pairing).
  • Your Wi-Fi password.

Steps:

  1. Download Tuya Smart or Smart Life from the App Store or Google Play. Both apps work: the appliance is compatible with both, so choose whichever one you already use.
  2. Create an account using your phone number or email address, receive the verification code and set a password.
  3. Switch on the appliance and make sure it is not in standby.
  4. Press and hold the mode and power buttons simultaneously until the Wi-Fi icon starts flashing. The flashing icon indicates pairing mode.
  5. In the app, tap "+" in the top-right corner and select "Add Device".
  6. Quick method: let the app detect the appliance via Bluetooth and enter your Wi-Fi password. Manual method: select "Small Home Appliances" → "Heating" and follow the setup assistant.
  7. Confirm. When pairing is complete, the Wi-Fi icon stops flashing and remains steadily lit, including in standby. The app displays "Device added successfully".

If pairing fails: pairing mode cancels automatically after 3 minutes; if the icon disappears, repeat step 4. Always check first that you are using a 2.4 GHz network: it is the cause of 90% of failed attempts.

2.3 Programming from the App

The app does not replace the panel's P9 programme: it works with the same programme. You can edit the schedule from your phone, and the appliance will follow it without you needing to touch the electric radiator again.

Real advantages over the control panel:

  • Change the schedule when your week changes, without bending down in front of the appliance.
  • Duplicate an entire day instead of repeating 24 selections.
  • Preheat before arriving: increase the set temperature remotely half an hour beforehand.
  • Check energy consumption and operating status while away from home.

What the app cannot do: if there is no connection (router failure, password change or internet outage), the appliance continues heating according to the last saved programme, but you cannot change it remotely.

Practical Differences Between Kuba and Haven

Kuba Haven
Hourly programming Control panel Control panel and app
Change the schedule without touching the appliance No Yes
Depends on the cloud No Only for remote control
Response when switched on Gradual (ceramic thermal inertia) Faster (dual core)
Programme stored on the appliance Yes (P9) Yes (P9)


Part 3 · CBHX20-B Convector

The CBHX20-B is programmed differently because its control panel is simpler: it does not have built-in P1/P2/P3 or P9 programmes. The panel is used to switch the appliance on, select the power level, set the temperature and configure a timer; the weekly programme is created only through the Smart Life app.

3.1 The Three Power Modes

Before adjusting the temperature, choose how you want the appliance to operate:

Mode Behaviour When to Use It
H (high) Heats at maximum power (around 2,000 W) Quickly heating a cold room
L (low) Operates at reduced power (around 1,000 W) Maintaining the temperature without peaks
ECO Starts at low power for 2 minutes, then switches to high power until the set temperature is reached Everyday use with a gentle start

Sequence: press the mode button and cycle through H → L → ECO → H. The LED display indicates the active mode.

3.2 Setting the Temperature (5–35 °C)

  1. Press + or − to make the temperature flash.
  2. Adjust the value. The range is 5–35 °C, wider than that of the ceramic models (5–29 °C).
  3. Wait a few seconds without touching anything: the display stops flashing and the set temperature is saved.

Remember that this model regulates temperature using its own built-in sensor: the displayed temperature may differ from the temperature at the other end of the room, especially if there are draughts.

3.3 Off Timer (0–8 h)

This is the feature that distinguishes the CBHX20-B from the ceramic models and is the most useful for short periods of use.

  1. With the appliance switched on, press the timer button.
  2. Use + to increase the hours (0 → 1 → 2 … up to 8) and − to decrease them. At 0, the timer is disabled.
  3. Stop pressing the buttons: the value is saved, and the display shows the remaining time.
  4. When the timer reaches zero, the appliance switches to standby.

Typical scenarios: bathroom before a shower (0.5 h), a nap (1–2 h), a guest room (2–3 h). Avoid the classic "I forgot to turn it off" situation.

3.4 Connecting to Wi-Fi and Creating the Weekly Programme

  1. Download Smart Life, create an account and grant local network permissions.
  2. Switch on the appliance and press and hold the Wi-Fi button (or the combination indicated on the front panel) until the icon starts flashing.
  3. In the app, select "+" → "Add Device", choose the detected appliance and enter your 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi password.
  4. When the icon remains steadily lit, pairing is complete.
  5. Open the appliance in the app and go to "Schedule". Create one-hour intervals: for each hour, choose whether the appliance is on or off and, if it is on, set the temperature.
  6. Save the schedule and activate Week mode in the app or on the control panel. If the appliance is not in Week mode, the programme will not run: this is the most common mistake.
  7. The following day, check that the appliance changes state at the scheduled time.

3.5 Example of a Weekly Programme (Monday to Friday)

Time Period Status Set Temperature Purpose
00:00–06:30 Off — Night
06:30–08:00 On 21 °C Waking up and breakfast
08:00–18:30 Off — House empty
18:30–23:00 On 20 °C Evening at home
23:00–24:00 Off — Sleeping

Saturday and Sunday: use the same schedule, extending the morning period from 08:00 to 23:00. As this model has no thermal inertia, there is no point in leaving it on during hours when the room is empty: switching it off genuinely saves energy here.

3.6 Other Control Panel Functions

Function How It Is Activated What It Does
Open-window detection Activated by the user If the temperature drops by 4 °C in 30 min, heating stops; it resumes when the temperature rises by 2 °C
Keypad lock Press and hold the button combination Prevents accidental changes; the power button remains active
Consumption indicator Always displayed Shows energy consumption in real time
Backlight Automatic Turns off after 3 minutes of inactivity and comes back on when any button is pressed


 

Three Ready-to-Copy Programmes

If you do not want to build the schedule from scratch, these three patterns cover most situations. C = Comfort, E = ECO, A = Anti-frost.

1. Working from Home (Monday to Friday)

Hours State Reason
00:00–07:00 A Night, house cold but protected
07:00–09:00 C Getting up and having breakfast
09:00–14:00 C Morning work session
14:00–15:30 E Lunch break
15:30–19:30 C Afternoon work session
19:30–23:00 E Relaxing evening
23:00–24:00 A Night

Weekend: C from 09:00 to 23:00, E for the rest of the day, and A overnight.

2. Working Away from Home (Monday to Friday)

Hours State Reason
00:00–06:30 A Night
06:30–08:00 C Shower and getting ready to leave
08:00–18:30 E House empty, maintaining a base temperature
18:30–19:00 C Preheating before arriving home
19:00–23:00 C Evening at home
23:00–24:00 A Night


3. Bedroom (Every Day)

Hours State Reason
00:00–02:00 C Warming up when going to bed
02:00–06:30 E Sleeping with a duvet
06:30–07:30 C Waking up
07:30–24:00 A Room empty

With the CBHX20-B, the equivalent would be: on at 20 °C from 22:30 to 23:30, off for the rest of the night, and on again from 06:30 to 07:30.

Common Programming Problems

Symptom Most Likely Cause Solution
The programme starts at the wrong time Clock reset incorrectly after a power cut Reset the day and time (section 1.1)
P9 does nothing It is not selected as the active mode Press M until P9 appears
The appliance heats when it should not It is in Comfort mode or Pilot Wire P mode, not programme mode Check the mode on the display
I cannot enter the programming menu The appliance is in standby Switch it on before pressing SET + OK
The programme is not saved The 30-second auto-save period was not allowed to finish Repeat the process and do not touch anything at the end
The app cannot find the appliance 5 GHz network or incorrect password Enable 2.4 GHz and repeat pairing
The app programme does not run (CBHX20-B) Week mode has not been activated Activate Week mode on the control panel or in the app
The keypad does not respond Child lock is active Unlock using the 2-second button combination
The display is off Backlight switched off due to inactivity Press any button


One-Sentence Summary for Each Model

  • Kuba: set the clock first, then programme P9 hour by hour from the control panel; reset the clock after every power cut.
  • Haven: the same P9 programming on the control panel, plus the option to edit the schedule through Tuya Smart or Smart Life over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
  • CBHX20-B: use the control panel for everyday operation (mode, set temperature, timer); create the weekly programme in Smart Life and activate Week mode for it to run.


Four Real-Life Scenarios

Working from home (8 hours at home). Programme Comfort from 7:30 to 14:00 and from 15:30 to 19:00, switching to ECO during the lunch break. If you go out for lunch, set it to 16 °C instead of ECO: the appliance will need to do less work to restore the temperature when you return. Do not heat the rest of the house; the electric radiator is there for the room where you work.

Working away from home (8:00–19:00). Programme a "pre-return" period: raise the temperature to 20 °C 30 minutes before you arrive. With a ceramic model, starting 30–40 minutes beforehand is enough; with the convector, 20 minutes. For the rest of the day, maintain a base temperature of 16–17 °C.

Bedroom. Set 19 °C when going to bed, then reduce it to 16 °C at 2:00 (or from the start if you sleep with a thick duvet). With Kuba or Haven, P9 lets you create this hourly temperature curve without having to think about it again. Never leave the window ajar all night with the electric radiator set to 21 °C: it is the quickest way to waste money.

Weekend home or guest room. There is no point programming anything: switch the CBHX20-B to H mode, close the door and set the timer to 2 hours. When it switches off, the room will remain warm for a while.

What Really Increases Your Energy Bill?

Five factors, ranked by impact:

  1. The set temperature. Every degree above 20 °C adds around 7% to the cost. Lowering the setting from 23 to 20 °C is the quickest saving and the one you will notice least physically.
  2. Insulation and draughts. An aluminium window without a thermal break can have four times the thermal transmittance of a double-glazed uPVC window. No electric radiator can compensate for a whistling window.
  3. Appliance placement. It works better beneath a cold window or on an external wall than in a corner; behind a sofa or with long curtains in front, it loses much of its performance through convection.
  4. Electricity tariffs. If you have a time-of-use tariff, schedule Comfort mode during cheaper periods and leave the expensive periods in ECO or at 16 °C. With a ceramic model, you can also take advantage of thermal inertia: heat the room before the expensive period begins, and the core will continue releasing heat during the first few minutes of the next period.
  5. Standby versus switching off completely. Standby consumption is 0.37–0.42 W: less than 2 kWh per year, or just a few cents. Unplugging the appliance to save energy is not worthwhile; switching it off when the room will be empty is.

How much does an hour of heating really cost? Electricity prices in Spain are not a single fixed figure: they change hourly under the regulated PVPC tariff and vary according to your contract. To help you calculate your own costs, here are the actual reference figures for October 2026:

Price Reference €/kWh (Energy) Including Taxes* When It Applies
PVPC, off-peak period (02:00–08:00) 0.13–0.14 €/kWh ~0.17 €/kWh The cheapest period of the day
PVPC, daily average 0.19–0.23 €/kWh ~0.24–0.29 €/kWh The price an electric radiator typically incurs without programming
PVPC, peak period (20:00–21:00) Up to 0.38 €/kWh ~0.48 €/kWh The period best avoided
Fixed-rate open-market tariff 0.10–0.16 €/kWh ~0.13–0.20 €/kWh Stable price throughout the year

* VAT of 21% and a special electricity tax of 5.11%, applied to the energy charge. This does not include the contracted-power charge, which you pay whether or not the electric radiator is switched on. PVPC data from 19 October 2026 (daily average 0.2274 €/kWh; off-peak 0.1296 €/kWh at 02:00; peak 0.3832 €/kWh at 20:00), according to Red Eléctrica de España via Tarifaluzhora. Official hourly prices can be checked on ESIOS, Red Eléctrica's data platform.

Practical example. A 2,000 W appliance running at full power consumes 2 kWh per hour. However, it does not operate at full power all the time: after the first hour, it works in cycles. With a ceramic model in an insulated room, this duty cycle is usually between 35% and 50%; with a convector, it is higher because there is no thermal inertia to help it.

Scenario Power Hours of Use Estimated Actual Duty Cycle kWh/Month Cost at 0.19 €/kWh
Bedroom, every night 1,500 W 8 h × 30 days 35% 126 kWh ≈ €24
Home office, working from home 1,500 W 7 h × 21 days 40% 88 kWh ≈ €17
Bathroom, before showering 2,000 W 0.5 h × 30 days 70% 21 kWh ≈ €4

Add 25–30% if you want to estimate the total including taxes. And remember that lowering the set temperature by one degree changes all these figures by around 7%: it is the most cost-effective adjustment and the only one that requires no purchase.

The Three Models at a Glance

CBHT10E/15E/20E CBHTD10A-W/15A-W/20A-W CBHX20-B
Technology Ceramic core Dual ceramic + aluminium core X-shaped aluminium convector
Power 1,000 / 1,500 / 2,000 W 1,000 / 1,500 / 2,000 W 2,000 W (≈1,950 W actual)
Set temperature range 5–29 °C 5–29 °C 5–35 °C
Modes Comfort, ECO (−3.5 °C), Anti-frost Comfort, ECO (−3.5 °C), Anti-frost L, H, ECO
Programming P1/P2/P3 + customisable P9 (panel) P1/P2/P3 + P9 (panel and app) Hourly weekly schedule (app)
Wi-Fi No Yes (Tuya Smart / Smart Life) Yes (Smart Life)
Pilot Wire Yes Yes Yes (6 commands)
Extras Open-window detection, keypad lock Open-window detection, keypad lock 0–8 h timer, window detection
Ideal for Extended daily use without apps Extended daily use with remote control Quick heating and use in blocks

If you are unsure whether to choose a ceramic model or a convector, there is only one question to ask: do you want the room to stay warm all day or only for a while? All day → ceramic. For a while → convector.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to heat a room?

A 1,500 W ceramic electric radiator takes between 30 and 45 minutes to raise the temperature by around 4 °C in a 12–15 m² room with double glazing. The CBHX20-B convector starts making a noticeable difference within the first 10–15 minutes, but it also loses heat much faster after switching off.

Can I leave it on while I sleep?

Yes. Programme the bedroom to 15–17 °C, which is the IDAE recommendation for nighttime. This is more energy-efficient and better for sleep than maintaining 21 °C. Avoid leaving the window open.

Is it true that it uses less energy if I never switch it off?

Only if the appliance has thermal inertia and the house is well insulated. In that case, maintaining 17 °C uses less energy than switching it off and reheating twice a day. With a convector or a draughty home, this argument does not hold: switching it off or lowering the set temperature always saves energy.

Why does the programme become misaligned?

Because after a power cut, the appliance retains the mode and temperature but not the time. You must reset the clock so that P1/P2/P3/P9 run at the correct times.

How much energy does it use in standby?

Between 0.37 and 0.42 W, depending on the model. This amounts to less than 2 kWh per year: just a few cents. Standby is not the problem; a high temperature setting is.

How much does it cost to leave it on for an entire month?

It depends on usage, but as a reference: a 1,500 W ceramic electric radiator running for eight hours every night with a 35% duty cycle consumes around 126 kWh per month, which costs about €24 at €0.19/kWh (excluding taxes). A convector used for half an hour a day in the bathroom costs around €4. The cost table in the previous section includes all three scenarios.

Can I use the electric radiator in the bathroom?

All three models have IP24 protection, making them suitable for bathroom use provided that the installation and safety clearances comply with local regulations and the manual. IP24 means protection against splashes, not waterproofing: do not install the appliance where it will be directly exposed to water.

Conclusion

If you take away just one thing from this guide, remember these three figures: 20–21 °C during the day, 15–17 °C at night, and lower the temperature rather than switching off for short absences. The habit that makes this possible is spending ten minutes on the first day programming the appliance and setting the clock: after that, the electric radiator works on its own, and you no longer have to decide every evening whether you feel cold.

And remember the correct order of priorities: first the set temperature, then the schedule, followed by appliance placement and finally the tariff. No programming adjustment can compensate for setting the thermostat three degrees above what you actually need.

Choose the Electric Radiator That Fits Your Routine

There is no single best model in the abstract; there is the one that fits the hours you spend in each room. All three share the important features—weekly programming, open-window detection, IP24 protection and overheat protection—so the real decision is how you want it to heat.

  • Consistent heat without relying on your phone → Kuba ceramic electric radiator, 1,000 / 1,500 / 2,000 W. Everything is programmed from the control panel, without accounts or Wi-Fi. The simplest option for anyone who wants to install it and forget about it.
  • The same features, but with control from your phone → Haven Wi-Fi ceramic electric radiator, dual core. It retains the thermal inertia of ceramic heating and adds the ability to change the schedule or preheat the room before arriving home.
  • Quick heat in one- to three-hour blocks → CBHX20-B Wi-Fi convector, 2,000 W. It features a 0–8-hour off timer, a low-power mode and plug-in installation, with or without feet.

If you are still unsure how much power your room needs, the answer is in the guide to calculating watts per square metre.

 

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