The Best Outdoor Heaters

Buyer's Guide: Outdoor Heater

What Are Some of the Features That Must Be Available in the Best Outdoor Heaters?

To ensure that you are purchasing the right outdoor heater for your home, you must look into the following features and factors:

Style

The style of the heater that would fit a place the best depends on the amount of space available and the design that would look the most aesthetic according to the interior of your house. Other than this, it also depends on the number of people that the heater would be expected to cater to. The three most common heater styles include mounted, tabletop, and stand top. Let’s look at how these differ.

Stand-alone

Stand-alone heaters are the most popular option for backyards, gardens, and other open space areas, These have an elongated vertical design measuring up to six to eight feet. Basic stand-alone heaters usually generate 40,000 BTUs/hr, whereas the ones meant for heavy use can generate up to 100,000 BTUs. Since these heaters are able to heat up largely populated areas, these work as a great option for commercial use as well. Other than that, stand-alone heaters usually use propane or gas to run.

Tabletop

Tabletop heaters are usually used for smaller areas since these are compact and are capable of generating around 12000 BTUs/hr. These are much smaller in size and heat generation capacity as compared to stand-alone heaters and are usually powered by either gas or electricity. Tabletop heaters are an ideal option if you are looking for a heater for a small family gathering or to cater to 5-7 people on a table.

Mounted

If you don’t have enough space present on the ground to install a heater, you can opt for a wall-mounted unit instead. These are usually fixed at one stop and work great at generating uniform heat. Mounted heaters are capable of generating 11,000 BTUs/hr and are powered by either natural gas or electricity.

These are available in a variety of different sizes and shapes, hence you can easily find the one that suits your needs. Other than that, mounted heaters also come in a design that completely blends into the wall/ceiling.

Safety Features

The outdoor heater you choose should be equipped with safety features. The more advanced the safety features are, the fewer chances there are that you would have to face any unwanted circumstances later on.  These keep you safe from risks such as fire, getting burnt, and more. Some of the common safety features include:

• Auto shutoff: The unit automatically shuts off if it overheats or gets tripped over, eliminating the chances of fire hazards. 
• Cool-touch glass: The frame of outdoor heaters usually tends to get very hot. You can get burnt by accidentally touching the hot frame. To make sure this doesn’t happen, some outdoor eaters come with a cool-touch glass that ensures that the glass doesn’t get too hot.
• Timer: Some heaters come with an auto shut timer. You can simply set the hours you want the unit to work. Once the cycle is completed, the heater turns off on its own.
• Certifications: It is always better to opt for a safe option that comes with certifications, for instance, units that are CSA tested or UL listed are good in terms of safety. 

Cleaning and Maintenance

Cleaning heaters can be hectic and time-consuming, especially if these heaters are used outdoors. Therefore, you should look for a unit that is easy to clean. There are several units available in the market that can simply be cleaned with water and mild soap. Though chemical cleaners can also clean up heaters quickly, these are usually much harsher and can damage the color or the outer layer of the unit.

Other than that, outdoor heaters don’t require a lot of maintenance, which makes them a cost-effective option. The only maintenance that would be required every now and then is to replace the gas tank. 

Power 

The power of most outdoor heaters is measured in British thermal units (BTUs) or watts depending on the type of heater. For electric heaters, the power determines how much electricity would be used by the heater to generate heat. As for BTUs, the more the BTUs, the larger the area the heater would be able to warm up.

For propane gas heaters, you would need to determine the amount of gas required by the size of the tank. It also gives you a rough idea about how often you would need to replace the gas tank. Heaters that are compatible with 30 to 50 pounds of gas tanks are very long-lasting. The ideal power wattage or BTUs that the unit you choose should have depends on your needs and how large an area you need it for.

Price

The price of the outdoor heater depends on the size, type, and heat generation of the unit. Heaters that are larger in size and generate more heat have a higher cost as compared to the smaller-sized ones. For instance, stand-alone heaters cost more than most tabletop heaters. 

However, this doesn’t imply that you can’t find bigger heaters at a good price. However, the better the unit performs, the more it would cost, but since outdoor heaters are usually durable, you can consider it a long-term investment.

Space

You should choose an outdoor heater according to the space that is available if you don’t want to end up with a heater that is too large to fit your backyard. The ideal way is to measure the space available and look at your options accordingly. If you don’t have space to place the heater on the ground, then you can opt for a tabletop heater or a wall-mounted heater.