The Top Five Best Outdoor Gas Heater: Personal Review and Detailed Guide!
I’ve been a lover of keeping warm and snug for as long as i can remember and used to spend hours with my dad outside in front of our wood fire heater. The biggest reason why I switched over to and gas heaters is because of the convenience factors (yeah, the purists can hate me for this) but I’ve come to the realization that both traditional and electric outdoor heaters produce the same unforgettable quality of heat and warmth.
If you’re one of the purists who find great pleasure in the bond between man, wood, and fire, then I salute you but for me, the lure of finding the best outdoor gas heater has grown over the years.
It really amazes me that such a cool piece of heating technology is now available so easily and fits virtually every budget. You have the expensive gas heaters that cost a fortune but you also have some great gas heaters that can get for under $300 dollars ( and some for even less than $200 dollars). To make your search easier, I thought of creating this ultimate resources of helping people out through detailed reviews and objective analysis of all the top gas heaters in the market.
Review of the Top Five Outdoor Gas Heaters
Although all the gas heaters included in this comprehensive guide have been tested by me personally, I think it’s only fair that I give you a detailed review about each one of them. So, pull up your chair and let’s dig into a detailed review to narrow down on the best outdoor gas heater on the market.
The Best Patio Mushroom Propane Gas Heater Year-Round Outdoor Living
For The Ultimate Warm Outdoor Space Get East Oak Model – UR48BN1
Under $300 Dollars
This LPG-powered mushroom heater is perfect for providing heat and ambience to outdoor spaces. With its stylish design and adjustable heat settings, it’s ideal for use in outdoor dining areas, patios, and other open-air settings.
Outdoor Mushroom Heater
The outdoor mushroom heater is the most common type of gas outdoor heater, seen in backyards around the country.
Typically about 2 metres in height, this type of gas outdoor heater has good line of sight to all areas surrounding it, providing warmth to the entire area.
An outdoor mushroom heater has a simple design, with the radiant heat generated by the gas burner driven heating element bouncing off the namesake mushroom reflector.
The fuel source is a gas bottle in the base which also acts as ballast to prevent the outdoor heater from blowing over in a stiff breeze.
However, the outdoor mushroom heater stills come equipped with tip over shut off switches, should the wind or a party guest knock it over, as well as a flame sensor shutoff.
Ignition is provided by a piezo electric button, the outdoor heater is adjustable, and wheels provide ease of movement.
The simple design makes an outdoor mushroom heater the least expensive outdoor heater type, accounting for their popularity.
This East Oak mushroom is the best gas heater for an outdoor patio space it not only gives radiant heat it also has a double layer heating mesh bosting high-quality 304 stainless steel burner increases product life by 20%
- Well designed-plane – round table to place snacks drinks and other things down.
- Heating is 48,000 BTU and will heat up 18 foot diameter heat range heating up in one minute.
- This product is also ETL Certified.
- Heat goes out from under the mushroom top in a circle area space.
- Optional Additional Extra – A premium patio heater cover is available for this East Oak mushroom heater.
To review all the top five mushroom propane gas heaters click on learn more.
Table Top Gas Heater
Do table top gas heaters work?
As evening temperatures drop, tabletop patio heaters are an excellent option for keeping yourself and your guests warm. There’s no longer any need to restrict backyard entertaining to the summer. A patio heater can keep you warm during cooler months, whether it’s with friends or just you, a book, and a glass of wine.
Table Top Gas Outdoor Heater
The table top gas outdoor heater is the even shorter sibling of gas outdoor heaters.
These diminutive gas outdoor heaters are, as described, intended for tabletop use.
While most are like a short outdoor mushroom heater, there are also little pyramids with pyramid gas table top heaters.
Unlike their full-size brethren, the table top gas outdoor heater gets its fuel from a gas hose, in lieu of a gas bottle housed within.
No wheels required but the typical safety features are included.
Area Outdoor Gas Heater
An area gas outdoor heater is the shorter sibling of outdoor gas heaters.
These are also radiant heaters with a gas heating element/burner surrounded by a 360° metal mesh enclosure and with piezo electric ignition.
The shorter stature of this outdoor heater is advantageous with lower overhead clearance, as with patio covers and screen rooms.
The lower centre of gravity also makes them less likely to get knocked over, although they still have safety tip over switches.
The disadvantage is the diminished line of sight and radiant coverage.
Additional outdoor heater safety features may include an oxygen depletion sensor to switch off the outdoor heater when the ambient oxygen level drops and a flame sensor that shuts off the gas if the flame goes out.
Gas Fire Pit Outdoor Heater
A gas fire pit is the one type of outdoor heater that can be either portable or inbuilt, making these gas outdoor heaters more natural gas friendly.
Gas fire pits usually have a round or rectangular bowl with the gas burner at the bottom and glass beads, lava rocks or stones over the top, to hide the burner.
The flame media may similarly be simulated logs, and the gas fire pit may also include a low glass barrier around the perimeter.
A gas fire pit outdoor heater is the classic ‘conversation piece’ usually surrounded by seating… get out the marshmallows!
The disadvantage is that the radiant heat is limited to a smaller area.
Whilst there are smaller portable gas fire pit versions fueled by LPG gas bottles (see image), most are permanently built and use either natural gas or plumbed LPG.
Permanently built outdoor heaters are more expensive than the aforementioned outdoor gas heaters.
Outdoor Gas Heater Fireplace
The largest, most impressive and priciest outdoor gas heater is an outdoor gas heater fireplace.
These are very similar to an indoor gas fireplace except they are designed for 360° viewing and intended to withstand the elements.
You can typically choose your flame media from simulated logs, various coloured stones, lava rocks or pebbles.
Glass surrounds, Wi-Fi enabled, and traditional remote controls are the norm.
The gas supply is plumbed in and can be either natural gas or LPG.
In addition to the high unit cost, be prepared for a substantial installation and gas fitter expense, as well.
Natural Gas Outdoor Heater
The natural gas outdoor heater is not nearly as common as the LPG outdoor gas heaters.
The reasons are simple: lack of portability and the cost of installation.
In addition, not all models are available in a natural gas outdoor heater version.
Fuel Choices for an Outdoor Gas Heater
A portable outdoor gas heater is fueled by LPG (propane) from a gas bottle.
Most use a 9kg gas bottle but some will also accept the larger 13.5kg gas bottles.
An inbuilt gas fire pit or outdoor gas heater fireplace can use either natural gas or LPG, both permanently plumbed in.
Finishes for Outdoor Gas Heaters
As virtually all outdoor gas heaters are made of steel, the most popular finish is stainless steel, as it doesn’t rust and requires little maintenance.
The other choice is that of a durable powder coated paint finish which, like the Model T, is only available in black.
Outdoor Heater Accessories
Although your unit itself is by far your most important consideration, there are also several accessories you can add to get the most out of your purchase. Some of the most helpful outdoor heater accessories to consider include:
- An outdoor heater cover
- A wireless controller to turn your outdoor heater on or off from a distance
- Other types of weatherproof switches
When shopping for a heater, you may notice that most heaters list BTU, or British thermal units, along with how much space a heater can cover. We’re going to cover what BTU’s are and how to determine how many you need for your patio.
Things to Consider Before Purchasing an Outdoor Heater
Choosing the right outdoor heater for your home requires carefully considering what you need it to be capable of. Here are some of the most important things to consider before purchasing an outdoor heater!
Space
Thinking about how big your patio or other outdoor living space is a must when it comes to determining what size your heater should be and how much power it should come with. Larger spaces require more power to effectively heat than smaller areas, and having a small space can limit the physical size of heater you can reasonably consider to avoid having it take up too much space that could be better used for your outdoor furniture, fire pit, or other accessories. You will want to find the best possible balance to make sure you get the most for your money and are able to effectively heat your outdoor entertaining space.
Cost
Although not spending more than you need to is always a good idea, especially if your outdoor space is relatively small, you should not purchase the cheapest heater you can find because it probably will not last as long as one that costs a bit more but is much higher quality. Choosing the lowest-cost outdoor heater may seem attractive up front, but you will likely end up spending more on repairs and potentially replacing your unit within a short amount of time in the long run.
Safety Features
Your outdoor heater should offer some type of barrier from its intense heat, especially if you or your frequent guests have young children or pets. An ideal heater should also automatically shut off if it is tipped over and include an oxygen depletion sensor and an overfill protection device.
What is a British Thermal Unit (BTU)?
BTU stands for British Thermal Unit. It is the imperial system’s basic unit of heat, used to measure how much heat is required to raise one pound of water’s temperature by one degree. Heating and cooling appliances are usually marked with BTU’s to let buyers know what size space they will be best for. The heat output of a fireplace or heater is measured per hour in BTU’s.
Calculate how many BTU’s you need
The formula for calculating BTU’s needed to heat any space is relatively simple. Don’t worry, you won’t need a graphing calculator, years of training, or any special equipment. First, you need to know how big your patio is, multiplying length x width to calculate square footage. Since patios are usually square or rectangular, this method will work for most homes.
Length X Width = Area
20 BTU x Area2
Simply multiply square footage by 20 BTU’s per square foot.
How Many Heaters Do I Need?
Let’s say your patio is 500 square feet. Look for a patio heater that provides 10,000 BTU’s. If your patio is larger that 500 square feet, or unusually shaped, consider several smaller heaters. With one large heater, the heat is concentrated , which can leave areas of the patio cold. Strategically placing heaters will keep you and your guests nice and toasty.
Other Factors
Patios require some different considerations for heating that other parts of your home. Since patios are open, they do not retain heat as well as an enclosed room. This affects the BTU’s you’ll need. If your patio or deck does not have a roof or cover, heating it efficiently requires more BTU’s. Other things to consider include the direction your patio faces—does it get a lot of sun—and the climate you live in.
- Colder Climate = 50-60 BTU’s
- Warmer Climate = 30-35 BTU’s
Looking up into the night sky stargazing will be much cozier now with a heater to keep you warm.
Where to buy outdoor gas heater – Shop gas heaters
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