Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
With the arrival of autumn, many motorists have to think about replacing the stove radiator. Otherwise, there will be no heat in the cabin in winter. The main task of the heater heat exchanger is to heat the interior of the car. Since the replacement process is quite laborious and time-consuming, the choice of spare parts must be approached responsibly. Today, more than a dozen brands are represented on the Russian market, some rely on quality, others attract consumers with a tasty price. Our experts will help you find the best combination of price and quality.
How to choose a stove radiator
Materials for the manufacture of a radiator. Today on sale you can find two types of heater heat exchangers.
- The copper radiator is affordable and maintainable. Copper heats up for a long time, but slowly cools down. Manufacturers make fewer ribs and thinner channel cross-sections. Because of this design feature, the radiator quickly clogs up, heat is lost when the engine is idling.
- The aluminum radiator heats up faster and cools down faster. During manufacturing, the channels are made of a larger diameter, and a lot of ribs are placed. This design provides a good heat exchanger throughput. The disadvantages of aluminum models include high prices and the impossibility of repair.
The original or a fake? In the domestic market, you can purchase a fake instead of the original heating radiator of a well-known brand. Experts advise paying attention to the following points.
- The first step is to compare the price proposals. Products worth less than 1,000 rubles can only be purchased after a thorough inspection.
- A box and a certificate must be included with the radiator. Their absence should alert the buyer.
- The honeycomb can tell about the quality of the heat exchanger. The closer they are to each other, the better. If the honeycomb sags under the pressure of the finger, you should refrain from buying.
Additional options. Options such as fluid swirlers are often found in modern stove radiators. They are plastic spirals. The task of the turbulators is to increase the heat transfer of the stove while the motor is running at low speeds. According to experts, these simple elements can increase the efficiency of the stove by 17% when driving around the city and by 27% when in a traffic jam or in a parking lot. There are two ways to find out about the presence of swirlers.
If you shake the radiator, you can hear a characteristic noise.
You can shine a flashlight inside the radiator, the “noodles” should be clearly visible in the channels.
We have selected 8 best manufacturers of stove radiators for review. All of them sell their products on the Russian market. When allocating seats, the editorial board of the magazine took into account the opinion of experts and reviews of domestic motorists.
8 best manufacturers of stove radiators
| Nomination | a place | manufacturer | rating |
| 8 best manufacturers of stove radiators | 1 | VALEO | 5.0 |
| 2 | Behr hella | 4.9 | |
| 3 | Nissens | 4.8 | |
| 4 | AVA | 4.7 | |
| 5 | FEBI | 4.6 | |
| 6 | SAT | 4.5 | |
| 7 | Stellox | 4.4 | |
| 8 | Polcar | 4.3 |
VALEO
Rating: 5.0
“I'm fine!” This is how the word VALEO is translated from Latin. A truly international concern that produces a wide range of car parts is thriving today. It is difficult to find such a brand of vehicle, where there would be no place for a VALEO part. This could be a heater or headlight radiator, spark plugs, or a generator. Only one tenth of the production volume is supplied to retail chains. The concern has factories in different countries, all of them have been certified according to international standards ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 16949, OHSAS 18001. Experts believe that the brand deserves to try on the laurels of the winner of our review.
Car enthusiasts consider the money spent on the VALEO stove a competent investment in their favorite car. The unit will serve for many years without breakdowns. By the way, for some models it will be an original part.
Advantages
- high quality;
- rich assortment;
- exact dimensions;
- durability.
disadvantages
- not found.
Behr hella
Rating: 4.9
The merger of the two companies Behr and Hella in 2005 had a successful impact on sales volumes. At first, the alliance operated only in the European market, but the geography of supplies had to be expanded rather quickly. The brand is known among motorists for its optics, brake pads, cooling and heating system parts, electrical components. Experts note the high quality of German products, but at the same time they warn motorists against purchasing fakes.
This explains the negative reviews on thematic forums of motorists. What is typical for counterfeit products is the short life of the stove radiators. Leaks appear after 4-6 months, while original products can withstand more than 10 years.
Advantages
- German quality;
- rich assortment;
- affordable price;
- reliability.
disadvantages
- there are many fakes on the Russian market.
Nissens
Rating: 4.8
In 1921 a Danish family set up a small business called Nissens. The brand specialized in parts for the car cooling system. Today, the fourth generation continues the family business. Only at the moment it is not a small company, but an international concern with 18 divisions on 3 continents. Three factories in Denmark and one in Slovakia are engaged in the production of auto components. The high quality of products is confirmed by deliveries to conveyors of such car factories as VW, Fiat, Mazda, Citroen, Saab, Toyota. According to experts, the manufacturer managed to achieve success thanks to its own laboratories, where finished products are tested.
Russian car enthusiasts are pleased with the quality and durability of the radiators of the Nissens stove. The high price remains a limiting factor in purchasing.
Advantages
- high quality;
- reliability;
- durability;
- exact dimensions.
disadvantages
- high price.
AVA
Rating: 4.7
An excellent alternative to the original radiator for a car stove can be products of the Dutch company AVA. The company is part of the German group Haugg Kuhlerfabrik GmbH and is one of the most famous manufacturers of radiators for cooling and heating systems. The range also includes fans, receivers, dryers. Experts pay attention to 2 lines of spare parts, original and budget. All products meet the requirements of the international standard ISO 9001 and the European TP TC 018/2011.
Russian motorists call AVA products an inexpensive analogue to original cooling and heating radiators. To the pluses, they include an affordable price, exact dimensions, resistance to overheating. Among the downsides, users have found a thin and soft metal prone to deformation.
Advantages
- rich assortment;
- good quality;
- affordable price;
- exact dimensions.
disadvantages
- thin and soft metal.
FEBI
Rating: 4.6
The oldest automotive component manufacturer in the world is Ferdinand Bilstein or FEBI. The brand's activities began with ordinary turned nuts and bolts, over the years the range has expanded. Today in the catalog the consumer will find suspension parts, engine parts, filters, electrical equipment, heating and cooling radiators for his car. The experts included the brand in our review for the best combination of price and quality. In addition to parts of its own production, since 1998, the company has been packing auto parts for retail chains.
Unfortunately, the company's popularity also has a negative connotation. A large number of fakes have appeared on the Russian market. That is why in the reviews one can find negative statements about the fragility of stove radiators.
Advantages
- rich assortment;
- good quality;
- affordable price;
- reliable packaging.
disadvantages
- a lot of fakes.
SAT
Rating: 4.5
The largest Chinese supplier of spare parts to the Russian market is SAT. She specializes in European and Japanese cars. The company was founded in 2000, but in a short time it managed to establish itself as a reliable supplier. The products combine affordability and good quality. Automotive components are manufactured at 50 factories located around the world. The range of the company consists of radiators for cooling and heating, shock absorbers, headlights, bearings, oil seals and much more. Experts appreciated the availability of international quality certificates, giving the brand a place in the TOP-6.
Judging by the reviews of domestic motorists, SAT products are not of stable quality so far. Along with reliable parts, there are also short-lived parts.
Advantages
- affordable price;
- reliable packaging;
- rich assortment;
- popularity in Russia.
disadvantages
- unstable quality.
Stellox
Rating: 4.4
Stellox is a well-known player in the Russian auto parts market. Founded in 2005, the first parts were shock absorbers, water pumps and glow plugs. After 10 years, there were 450 product groups in the brand's catalog. The entire range of the company is available through the TecDoc catalogs. Since Stellox is a packer, the quality of parts depends on the manufacturer. The list of enterprises is not advertised. But experts have identified some manufacturers, for example, shock absorbers are made in Italy, and brake pads are made in Poland.
Users praise Stellox's rich product range and low prices. A brand often becomes a lifesaver in the absence of parts from other manufacturers. But there are many complaints about the quality, and it is very difficult to return under warranty.
Advantages
- rich assortment;
- low prices;
- guarantee;
- good packing.
disadvantages
- unstable quality.
Polcar
Rating: 4.3
The small family company Polcar was founded in Warsaw in 1986. It started selling car parts, renting a small apartment (44 sq. M.) In the capital of Poland. Thanks to a good instinct, the Senkovsky family quickly managed to expand their business. Today the company has a warehouse with an area of 110 thousand square meters. m. Polcar regularly inspects manufacturing plants, demanding high quality products from them. However, experts believe that the control by the Polish company should be tightened.
This idea is supported by Russian motorists. Not all of them were satisfied with the Polcar heater radiator. Difficulties arise with the installation of the part, since the dimensions have serious deviations, and the thread does not ensure the tightness of the connection.
Advantages
- rich assortment;
- packaging at manufacturing plants;
- affordable prices;
- quality materials.
disadvantages
- poor build;
- problematic installation.
Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.
