Hey folks, winter’s right around the corner!
Are you that fellow who’d love to chill in their little patio seated on a comfy chair with a steaming mug of hot chocolate topped with frothed milk and sprinkled with delicious ground chocolate?
Or some nice person who likes to invite guests to chat over a hot drink or some tasty barbecuing in the little set-up in your patio?
You are? Then, are you aware of how cold your patio may get this year?
As there are extreme climate changes going on and around thanks to global warming, it’s not far-fetched that you’d find yourself getting frostbitten during your time in the patio.
So, here I am! I’ll be sorting out for you the best outdoor heaters for small patios out there!
Let’s get started.
The 5 Best Outdoor Patio Heaters
Below are numerous candidates for your next outdoor patio heater, they’re differing in capacity and budget of course, so take a good look and formulate a choice that suits you best.
Bali Outdoors Portable Tabletop Propane Patio Heater
If you’re in for some heat around your patio’s dinner table, then the Bali Table-Top Propane Heater is a nice catch.
The Bali Table-Top Propane Heater is a stainless steel propane gas heater that’s 34’’ tall and only 14 pounds heavy so that’s a heater you’d like to place on a moderately strong table.
This model uses a pound of propane gas providing a more than 2-hour performance of non-stop 10,000 BTU heat radiation.
The Bali heater features a burner screen guard to prevent nasty accidents, a safety regulator to prevent random meaningless consumption of gas, as well as a thermocouple to provide temperature measurement and anti-tilt safety devices.
What’s more is that it features ODS oxygen-depletion sensor that’s an amazing bonus point to its safety features. It automatically cuts off the gas source if the ambient environment lacks oxygen.
What We Like About The Product
- Portable, compact heater for small patio
- Includes a weight-plate for extra stability
- 2-hour long performance sustaining a hearty family meal
- Features a converter hose to fill in a 20-lbs propane tank (sold separately)
What We Don’t Like About The Product
- Not safe to be used around children
- Limited heat-radiation to a small vicinity
Hiland HLDSO1-WGTHG Pyramid Propane Patio Heater
If you’re someone who appreciates aestheticism and art, this beautifully-designed, elegant patio heater will blow your mind off.
The Hiland HLDSO1 will certainly match your intricately designed outdoor patio; it’s a tall, pyramid-shaped patio heater made out of quartz-glass and your choice between hammered bronze and stainless silver.
It features a beautiful ‘dancing flame’ element within its design, so for a romantic night, this patio heater will spice things up real good.
For the specs, the Hiland HLDSO1 is sufficiently supplied with a 20-pound propane tank, which keeps it up for 10 hours, providing you 40,000 BTUs of heat radiation. It’s extremely sturdy, as it’s built with high-grade stainless steel and aluminum.
It’s built to last through rough weather conditions, even salt air (if you’re a sea dweller) won’t crack this beautiful patio heater.
It weighs about 65.2 pounds, but never fear; this patio heater is equipped with wheels for ease of transportation of mobility.
The heater doesn’t hide the combustion flame for artistic purposes, but it’s made out of heat-resistant material, it even shuts off if it’s tilted ever so slightly, and doesn’t power-up till it’s upright again.
What We Like About the Product
- Beautiful, elegant design
- 40,000 BTUs heat
- Sturdy, resistant against rough conditions
- Equipped with wheels for mobility
- Safe to use
What We Don’t Like About the Product
- A bit expensive
- A bit on the heavy side
Hiland HLI-1P Electric Parasol/Umbrella Patio Electric Heater
Folks owning a patio with an umbrella or a parasol, gather up! This 1500-watt beast is an amazing solution for a chilly, small patio with a parasol/umbrella.
These heating arms are fully extended to offer a heating range of 15 square feet, covering more than one direction.
No complicated assembly instructions, no hardware required to install the heater; the Hiland HLI-1P features variable temperature control, as well as both indoor and outdoor use. It also features an instant start-up.
The Hiland HLI-1P is eco-friendly, in which it doesn’t require gas as it runs on electricity. This heater can be folded when not in use, so it doesn’t take any space whatsoever, and it isn’t bulky in the slightest.
What We Like About The Product
- Easy assembly, instant start-up
- Temperature control
- A heating range of 15 square feet
- Environmentally friendly
- IP-certified waterproof, and dustproof
- Safe around children, as it’s hung up
What We Don’t Like About The Product
- Strong winds take away warmth
- Not as strong as commercial heaters.
- Heat distribution isn’t uniform
- The front grill of each arm bends easily
AmazonBasics Commercial Propane Patio Heater
This big powerhouse is an amazing choice for those who’d like optimum performance at a decent price.
Construction-wise, it’s pretty solid, featuring a nice bronze finish for aesthetics, as well as durability against rough winter temperatures. Also, the body is equipped with wheels at the base for user-friendly transportation.
The AmazonBasics Commercial Patio Heater has a sick output of 46,000 BTUs, which is more than capable of heating a patio approximately 1840 square feet, in other words, radiating toasty heat at a diameter of 18 feet
So even if your patio is on the smaller size but you live in some unholy cold area, that AmazonBasics is certainly a good choice.
AmazonBasics Commercial Patio Heater also features a 9-hour long performance consuming only a 20-lbs propane tank.
This heater also includes an auto-disable feature, heat control knob, and an easy ignition of just a push of a button.
There’s a lower compartment in the AmazonBasics Commercial Heater that’s filled with water or sand to provide extra stability for the heater.
That’s quite essential as sometimes, the heater may get struck by a forceful wind, which may cause it tip and fall over. It also operates quietly, radiating a consistent, even wave of heat.
What We Like About The Product
- User-friendly transportation
- An impressive output of 46,000 BTUs which efficiently heats a diameter of up to 18 feet.
- Fueled by a 20-lbs. propane tank for a 9-hour long performance
- Auto-disable, heat control knob, easy start, quiet operation
What We Don’t Really Like About The Product
- A bit tricky to assemble
- Isn’t environmentally friendly
- Is a bit too much for too small patios with average chilly weather conditions
Xbeauty Wall Mounted Infrared Heater
This unit can be mounted to the wall of your deck, garage, patio or even indoors. It’s technically designed solely for the covered patios.
It’s a perfect option for those who dislike the sight of clutter and prefer a rather minimalist patio as this heater is mounted on a wall.
It includes a standard 110-volt plug and a 6 feet power cord, features 90% energy conversion, as well as carbon fiber heating pipes which are much more durable and shock resistant. The X beauty Wall Mounted Infrared Heater covers a patio of 110~160 sq.ft.
What We Like About This Product
- Eco-friendly, no fumes, no damage to the environment
- No clutter, wall-mounted heater
- 90% energy conversion
- Compatible with both indoor and outdoor use
- Waterproof & Dustproof
What We Don’t Like About The Product
- Isn’t as heavy-duty as its other freestanding counterparts of the same price
- Heat distribution is a more focused in linear directions
Outdoor Patio Heaters 101
In this section, I’ll be discussing all there is you need to know about outdoor heaters, so that you can properly decide on a good buy.
How Does an Outdoor Patio Heater Work?
All types of patio heaters work the same; they radiate heat. The main difference is how they do radiate that heat.
Propane patio heaters radiate heat by burning up propane gas that you’ve fueled them with. Electric patio heaters, on the other hand, radiate heat through an element that intakes electric energy and converts it intrinsically to heat energy.
Heat then dissipates to the surrounding vicinity, but how far heat can dissipate is entirely dependent on how much is actually radiated.
What Are the Types of Outdoor Patio Heaters?
Outdoor Patio heaters come in various shapes and sizes, but they’re generally classified into 3 categories.
Free Standing Patio Heaters
Free Standing patio heaters look a lot like a light pole. They’re commonly sighted in bars and restaurant patios. They can be set anywhere in your patio and are usually propane-fueled and not electric.
They’re structured out of a base, a pole, and a heat generator that has a heat reflector on top, which aids in distributing heat.
Wall-mounted Patio Heaters
These are mostly electric heaters that are mounted on brackets installed on a wall. These brackets help adjust the angle of the heater.
Wall-mounted patio heaters are the safest, especially if you have children around. They’re far out of their reach, with no gas involved.
Table-top Patio Heaters
These heaters are, from their name, placed on your tabletop. They aren’t as heavy-duty as the freestanding ones, as they’re designed to be placed in close proximity from the users. Guests can enjoy toasty warmth over a nice meal or a drink.
Patio Heater’s Capacity
Of course, a heater’s capacity is directly proportional to its price. The bigger the budget you have, the bigger the heater capacity you can afford.
Freestanding heaters tend to be the biggest in capacity, as they must heat a large-radius of the surrounding vicinity. They often offer heat radiation of 40,000 BTUs.
A tabletop patio heater is less, they usually offer a heat output of around 12,000 BTUs. Finally, wall-heaters are usually around 3,000 BTUs, which the least heat output as it’s usually mounted indoors or in semi-covered outdoors.
Wall-mounted heaters are usually for direct heating, in which you align the heater to radiate heat at the desired area.
How Many BTUs or Watts Do I Need?
For calculating the BTUs, first, measure the square feet of your patio by multiplying your patio’s length and width in feet.
Next, calculate your desired temperature difference by calculating the difference between your desired temperature and your patio’s current temperature.
Multiply the resulting 2 numbers and you’ll get the necessary BTU number for your patio.
For calculating Watts, take the radius you desire to heat in feet and multiply it by 100. That’s the necessary wattage.
But in both cases of BTUs and Watts, always aim for a little higher numbers than what you’ve calculated because there are bound to be losses due to wind or clutter and the like.
Best Patio Heater Brands
There are numerous brands that produce amazing patio heaters, but here are 2 of the most notable ones.
AZ (Hiland)
AZ was founded in 2002. They’re one of the largest patio heater producers in China, with expertise spanning over 10 years.
They were dedicated to developing their patio heater line in the US, and now they sell their heater to top retailers like Target, Lowe’s and several others.
Fire Sense
Fire Sense, established in 1998, is one of the pioneering brands in the world of patio heaters. They specialize in gas and electric patio heaters, fire pits, patio fireplaces, and electric fireplaces.
They offer outstanding quality, innovative designs, and top-notch customer service. Patio Sense is a sister brand that focuses on cast aluminum and weather-resistant patio furniture, so you’d definitely want to check them out!
Patio Heater FAQs
Can I use my outdoor heater on an enclosed patio?
No, you shouldn’t do that, as most outdoor heaters are gas/propane heaters that emit fumes.
These require the presence of fresh air ventilation so that oxygen replaces these fumes and prevents suffocation.
What’s BTU?
It’s ‘British Thermal Unit’ and it signifies the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a room by one degree Fahrenheit.
How much does it cost to deal with an outdoor heater?
Electric outdoor heaters generally cost less per hour. For instance, a 4000 KWh heater for an output of 40,000 BTUs makes an average cost of electric consumption of $1.316 per hour.
A propane outdoor heater of a 40,000 BTU will cost $1.60 per hour to operate. This is inclusive of the average cost of the $16 5-gallon propane tank which keeps the machine working 10 hours.
Our Top Pick for the Best Patio Heater Is…
After all of these patio heater reviews, I recommend the AmazonBasics Commercial Propane Heater as the best overall heater. It’s the most durable, and it provides an amazing blast of heat. 46,000 BTUs aren’t a force to be reckoned with, after all. So even if you live in the antarctic this propane heater will certainly do its thing.
However, for those who desire a lower budget and less bulkiness and clutter, as well as less heat output, I think I’d go for the Bali Portable Table-Top Propane Patio Heater, as it’s enough for a nice gathering in the patio, with 360-degree heat distribution, and a wide array of safety features.