Spending some nice time with family and friends is one of those moments that each and everyone of us would love. But when it is cold out there, there is nothing much that you can do and this could end up ruining the good moments. As such, you may want to get something that will keep you all warm and cozy. Lucky enough, with the technology we have, you can get yourself a good patio heater.
In this comprehensive buying guide, we will go through some of the best outdoor patio heaters that you could buy and get to enjoy the best moments with your family and friends without worrying about the cold winters.
XtremepowerUS 96053 Propane Gas Outdoor Heater
Aesthetic appealing, Heavy-duty material, Easy to use, High heat output, Highly mobile, Adjustable heat setting
Nothing beats a multi-purpose heater that is ideal for your patio, as it is for pool decks, restaurants, or outdoor parties. It offers an outstanding heat output of 48,000 BTUs which is more than enough to heat a wide area of up to 15 feet in diameter.
With this, you do not need a fire pit to make outdoor merry during chilly or freezing days and nights. The best part with this gas patio heater is its quiet and soothing yet consistent heat.
Best Outdoor Patio Heaters 2022 – 9 Best picks
Here is a countdown of the best outdoor patio heaters that you should be getting to enjoy a warm and cozy time with your family.
9. Lava Heat Italia – Hammered Propane Heater
Price: Highly priced.
Special features: Borosilicate glass tube, CSA Certified heater, weather-proof.
Sturdily designed with stainless steel structure and a hammered finish, this patio heater is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a durable and sturdy heater that will take them a long way. It comes with a borosilicate tube that can withstand high temperatures yet also cover a large radius distributing on all 360 degrees.
It is an excellent choice of patio heater if you do not mind spending more to get a high performance and durable heater. It is also CSA certified which makes it a safe choice.
Pros and Cons
- It comes with a very stable and sturdy structure that makes it durable.
- The patio is economical with the propane gas usage.
- It comes at a higher price tag than most in the market.
8. Bromic Heating BH0110003-1 Smart-Heat Platinum 500 Radiant Infrared Patio Heater
Price: Highly priced.
Special features: Wall bracket house system, sleek design.
The Bromic BH110003-1 smart patio heater is a high performance heater designed with a wall bracket housing system that can resist wind of up to 12 miles per hour making it the ultimate outdoor heater to go for. It uses an infrared burner which seamlessly heats up the patio. It can either be wall mounted or hung from a ceiling giving one multiple flexibility.
Its design makes it distribute heat evenly and avoid any variable heat like you will find in many others out there. This patio heater is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a sleek contemporary patio heater for either commercial or residential use.
Pros and Cons
- The heater is designed for better flexibility and versatility.
- The patio heater has an excellent heat distribution.
- It is more expensive than the average patio heater.
7. Dyna-Glo DGPH202SS Patio Heater
Price: Fairly priced.
Special features: Electronic ignition, Variable heat setting, wheel assembly.
The Dyna-Glo DGPH202SS is a high performance outdoor patio heater that comes with wheels for easy maneuverability. Nicely built to adapt to the outdoor weather and environment, this stainless steel patio heater is an amazing choice for anyone looking for a high performance heater. It comes with several features and functionalities that make it effective in pushing up to 48,000 BTU’s and an even heat distribution.
The base can be filled with sand or water to help make it more stable on a windy day, and although this could use some improvements, it is still a good investment.
Pros and Cons
- The patio heater is easy to assemble and move around.
- For its performance and quality features, it offers good value for the money.
- Its stability could be improved to counter heavy winds.
6. AZ Patio Heaters Electric Patio Heater
Price: Low price tag.
Special features: Stainless steel, Variable temperature control, Water proof.
This AZ patio heater is among the top performing products from AZ patio heaters who have been making some of the best in the market. It is electric powered and works best under umbrellas. The patio heater has a decent coverage of 15 square feet and with the sophisticated variable temperature controls, you can easily achieve excellent results with it.
Even with its advanced and sophisticated features an functionalities, it still comes at a price that is hard to beat, making it one of the best priced patio heaters in the market. Its design makes it ideal for both indoor and outdoor usage.
Pros and Cons
- It is solidly built to last using stainless steel.
- The patio heater comes at a price that is hard to beat yet offers incredible results.
- It is only excellent in temperatures of over 40 degrees.
5. Belleze Patio Propane Heater
Able to pump out 48,000 BTUs on a 15 foot diameter, this patio heater ranks among the best in heat distribution and overall performance. To make it more stable and resist wind, there is a weight bladder which can be filled with sand or water to help bring the much needed stability.
It is easy to maneuver and move around, thanks to the wheel assembly system that it comes with. Heat control is also something that is well thought in the design of this patio heater and with the use of the built in heat control knob all that is a walk in the park.
Pros and Cons
- It is one of the best in both BTU output and heat distribution.
- Heat control is well though out and this makes it very efficient.
- The quality could be improved to make it last longer.
4. Endless Summer, GLT1343SP Patio Heater
Price: Low price tag.
Special features: Hidden control panel, faux stone construction.
Yet another high quality patio heater is this GLT1343SP by Endless Summer which is a tabletop stainless steel burner with a slate finish and a faux stone construction. Able to push up to 10,000 BTUs this propane powered patio heater comes highly rated and love by many homeowners.
Like other Endless Summer patio heaters, security is something that has been taken into consideration. Besides being a sleek and attractive patio heater has proven to be an excellent choice and for its low price tag, you are getting an excellent bid for your money.
Pros and Cons
- The patio heater comes with a high customer satisfaction rating than most in the market.
- It has a unique design that perfectly complements any outdoor patio.
- Functionality of this patio heater could use some improvements.
3. AmazonBasics Commercial Patio Heater
Price: Low price tag.
Special features: Piezo ignition, Wheel assembly, auto shut-off tilt valve.
Ingeniously designed and equipped with lots of features, this Amazon Basics patio heater makes a good addition to any commercial patio space. It is user friendly and has a good heat control system in place. Among some of its high performance features that set it apart from many others out there includes a Pieza ignition system that makes it easy to start, a wheel assembly system for maneuverability and an auto shut-off valve for safety.
It is an excellent performance and a well priced patio heater that offers good value for the money an ideal choice for anyone looking for sturdiness and performance.
Pros and Cons
- With all the features an functionalities, the price of this patio heater makes it a steal.
- Heat control and usability has been made easy on this patio heater.
- The rim could catch fire when used over a long time.
2. Hiland HLDSO1-WGTHG Pyramid Propane Patio Heater
Price: Fairly priced.
Special features: Sufficiently tall, High heat output, Elegant look, Highly portable.
Even with its 91-inches height, this outdoor patio heater weighs in at only 65-pound making it almost effortless to move around. Portability is also thanks to its hammered bronze wheels that are perfectly complemented by its 10 sq Ft coverage.
That’s not all. The unit comes with an igniter for easy start-ups after which you can enjoy consistent fuzzy warmth for eight to 10 hours when on high mode. Though it burns with an open and stunning flame, it comes with an auto shut-off valve that turns off the heater when tilted.
Lastly, keep in mind that its open flame evenly distributes heat in all directions while adding a touch of style to your outdoors.
Pros and Cons
- Easy assembly and start using
- It looks great and improves the aesthetics of your home
- Fairly priced compared to other units in its range.
- It might not heat sufficiently.
1. XtremepowerUS 96053 Propane Gas Outdoor Heater
Price: Affordable.
Special features: Heavy-duty material, High heat output, Aesthetic, Easy to use, Highly mobile, Adjustable heat setting.
Mid-winter merry-making doesn’t get better than this outdoor patio heater that comes with an outstanding heat output of 48,000 BTUs. What’s more, the patio heater has a heating range of up to 15 feet in diameter which is relatively decent. As a result, it makes an excellent alternative to a fire pit especially because of its quiet operation and consistent heat without open flames or smoke to stress about.
If that still doesn’t give you peace of mind, a built-in auto-shut-off valve turns off the heater whenever tipped over by accident. This comes in handy when you have children or pets running around.
Two smooth-rolling wheels make up the wheeling assembly that makes it easy to move the outdoor heater from one place to another like from patio to poolside or from one side of the deck to the other.
On the other hand, the unit comes with a user-friendly operation. All it takes to light the heater is a one-step button-push of the Piezo ignition system. But that’s not all. A featured variable-heat control knob allows you to switch between low or high heat settings or turn the heater off at the end of the night.
Pros and Cons
- Exceptional heat output
- Has an easy setup
- It is highly aesthetic and looks great.
- High fuel consumption.
Choosing An Outdoor Patio Heater
Here are things to keep in mind when buying an outdoor patio heater.
Type Of Patio Heater
There are different types of patio heaters that you can find in the market today. They are different in the way that they operate and work. To choose a good patio heater, you have to first understand how they work. Convectional patio heaters use the surrounding air to heat up the patio area while radiant heaters use infra-red radiation to transmit heat to the surrounding.
Heat Output and BTU
The next thing that you’d want to keep in mind is the heat output and BTU (British Thermal Unit) which is an hourly capacity of how power is transmitted. These two factors are important because they affect the heat output hence how warm it is for the people within the patio. Practically, the higher the heat output and BTU, the warmer it is. To understand and know the amount of hourly BTU that you are getting from a particular heater, you just have to multiply 20BTUs by a square foot. This will also help you to understand the kind of patio heater to get based on the size of your patio area.
The Design of The Heater
Patio heaters come in different designs and although its just design, it can also affect the performance based on the layout of your patio. There are four common patio designs that one can choose from and they include Free-standing, Wall-mounted, Tabletop, and Hanging patio heaters. Besides the design and the suitability to your design, you may also want to ensure that the one you opt to go with does not affect the heat quality that you are getting.
Power Source
Like many other appliances out there, outdoor patio heaters also come in different options that one can easily choose from based on the power source that they prefer to use. Whether you prefer to use an electric or gas patio heater, it will all depend on the power source that you prefer. The power source will also affect the BTUs that you are going to get from the heater. There isn’t a big difference when it comes to either gas powered or electric powered patio heaters but you have to ensure that it can meet your expectations and deliver.
Final Verdict
There is nothing comparable to spending some quality time with friends and family in a warm and cozy outdoor setting. With the use of a patio heater, this can be a reality. Even in the chilling winter weathers. Listed above are some of the best outdoor patio heaters to consider buying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which outdoor heaters put out the most heat?
A: Propane patio heaters put out more heat than their kerosene and electric counterparts. Ideally, propane heaters are known to emit eight times as many BTUs. As a result, the heat does more than just heat you directly as it also heats the ambient air around you.
Q: How many BTUs do I need to heat my patio?
A: This is largely determined by the size of your patio as most of these outdoor patio heaters come with a fixed coverage range.
Q: How good are infrared heaters?
A: Infrared heaters are the most convenient choice for outdoor and draughty spaces as they don’t heat the air where heat can easily be lost through natural air circulation. What’s more, they are relatively the safest option for space heaters as their heating coils do not get extremely hot.
Q: How close to the ceiling should a patio heater be?
A: Most mushroom-style heaters are designed to disperse heat using infrared heat technology. Therefore, there is no danger of exposure to open flames which is why you can safely use the patio heaters as long as you keep a minimum of two feet clearance between the heater and the patio roof.
