The 11 Best Garage Heaters of 2023

Best Overall

Comfort Zone CZ230ER Digital Heater

4.7

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Due to its solid performance and even heat distribution, Comfort Zone's CZ230ER Digital Heater is our top pick. The 7,500-watt ceiling-mounted commercial heater saves precious floor space in a packed garage, and offers many convenient features, including a digital thermostat, a 12-hour timer, and a full-function remote control. Dust is no match for the fully enclosed motor, making it an ideal choice for a high-traffic garage or workshop.

Thanks to adjustable louvers and a variable mounting angle, you can control the direction of airflow. The unit comes equipped with an overheat protection sensor and automatically shuts off if it reaches an unsafe temperature. Its heavy-gauge steel construction can withstand sudden drops and spikes in temperature.

The only drawback is this requires hard-wiring to a 240-volt outlet, meaning adding this circuit to your home's electric system, at considerable expense, if not already so equipped. The power it uses also can add greatly to your electric bill.

Price at time of publish: $151

_{Dimensions: 17.3 x 13.55 x 14.4 inches | Weight: Under 30 pounds | Fuel source: Electric | Heating type: Forced air | Heat output: 7,500 watts (25,600 BTUs)}

Best Budget

Comfort Zone PowerGear CZ285 1500 Watt Portable Ceramic Utility Heater

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This inexpensive ceramic heater delivers 1,500 watts of power to heat your garage, workshop, or shed. Despite being a budget model, it’s packed with plenty of convenient features, including a top-mounted control panel, adjustable thermostat, and carrying handle. Weighing just under 5 pounds, this unit is incredibly lightweight and easy to move around. Fan-forced heating and a pivoting cradle base ensure even heat distribution. 

The Comfort Zone Portable Ceramic Utility Barrel Heater has some great safety features: It’s equipped with an overheat protection sensor, tip-over cutoff switch, and a cool-touch exterior. The unit has a fan-only setting, which provides airflow without heat. Since it plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet, it’s incredibly easy to set up and operate. 

Price at time of publish: $67

_{Dimensions: 8.7 x 9.1 x 8.9 inches | Weight: 4.66 pounds | Fuel source: Electric | Heating type: Forced air | Heat output: 1,500 watts}

Best Natural Gas

Mr. Heater F260560 Big Maxx MHU80NG Natural Gas Unit Heater

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With a powerful 80,000 BTU output per hour, this ceiling-mounted garage heater is capable of heating up to 2,667 square feet—making it ideal for multi-car garages or expanded workshops. Measuring approximately 22 x 30 x 27 inches and weighing about 90 pounds, this unit is on the bulky side, but that shouldn’t be a concern once it’s mounted. Convenient features, such as supplied brackets, external access to power, and thermostat connections, allow for easy installation. This heater has a built-in electric high-velocity fan, which pulls in cool air across a heat exchanger and releases warm air. 

It’s important to note that though the Big Maxx heater runs on natural gas or liquid propane, it requires access to an electrical outlet for the fan. So we don't recommend it for unattached garages that lack electrical wiring. Also, you need a universal hookup kit for connecting this product to a gas source, which is not included.

Price at time of publish: $464

_{Dimensions: Approx. 22 x 30 x 27 inches | Weight: About 90 pounds | Fuel source: Natural gas or liquid propane | Heating type: Forced air | Heat output: 80,000 BTUs (per hour)}

Best Propane

Mr. Heater MH60QFAV 60,000 BTU Portable Propane Forced Air Heater

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With a heat output of up to 60,000 BTUs per hour, this unit can warm rooms up to 1,500 square feet (about half a tennis court). According to the manufacturer, this model is 50 percent quieter than standard propane heaters. It has an impressive runtime for a fairly small unit—it can run up to 14 hours on a low setting—if used in conjunction with a 20-pound propane tank.

No hardwiring or installation is required. This heater plugs into a 110-volt outlet and includes a 10-foot hose and regulator to connect to a propane tank. It also has solid safety features that users can appreciate such as a high-temperature limit switch, thermoelectric safety valves, and an automatic ignition that runs continuously.

Price at time of publish: $168

_{Dimensions: 19.75 x 11.5 inches | Weight: 20.2 pounds | Fuel source: Propane | Heating type: Forced air | Heat output: 60,000 BTUs (per hour on high)}

Best Portable

Mr. Heater Portable Propane Radiant Heater

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The beauty of the Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater is that you can take it on the go, and position it close by for direct warmth. Measuring approximately 14 x 9 x 14 inches and weighing about 9 pounds, it’s one of the most lightweight and compact models on the market. Since it runs off a 1-pound or 20-pound propane cylinder, no electrical wiring or installation is required. This product produces heat ranging from 4,000 to 9,000 BTU per hour, and it’s intended for use in spaces up to 225 square feet, or about the size of a small one-car garage.

This heater has some great safety features—it shuts off automatically if it’s tipped over, the pilot light goes out, or low oxygen levels are detected. Thanks to the built-in O₂ system, this clean-burning radiant heater is approved for indoor and outdoor use. And it can run for about two-and-a-half hours at maximum BTU and about five-and-a-half hours on low. 

Price at time of publish: $97

_{Dimensions: Approximately 14 x 9 x 14 inches | Weight: 9 pounds | Fuel source: Propane | Heating type: Radiant | Heat output: 4,000 to 9,000 BTU (per hour)}

Best for Large Spaces

KING KB2410-1-B2-ECO KB ECO2S Garage Heater

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To heat a large area, such as a three-car garage, this powerful electric heater from King gets the job done. This unit delivers a whopping 10,000 watts and is capable of heating garages up to 1,000 square feet. Compared with other models, King heaters are some of the most expensive. However, they are known for being eco-friendly and energy-efficient. This heater utilizes a two-stage heating process and automatically uses the lowest wattage to heat a room. 

For your convenience, the King heater comes equipped with a wall and ceiling bracket, thermostat, and an infrared remote control. There are more powerful options available in the ECO2S series, including 12,500- and 15,000-watt models, which can heat garages as large as 1,250 and 1,500 square feet, respectively.

Price at time of publish: $1,168

_{Dimensions: 13.5 x 15 x 16.5 inches | Weight: 42 pounds | Fuel source: Electric | Heating type: Forced air | Heat output: 10,000 watts}

Best for Small Spaces

Dr. Heater DR966 240V Hardwired Shop Garage Commercial Heater

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With a heating capacity of up to 6,000 watts, this electric heater is well-suited for smaller garages. This unit is equipped with a handle and measures 14.5 x 14.5 x 13 inches, so you can easily move it around. If you’d prefer to mount the heater on a ceiling or wall, brackets are included. Other convenient features include an adjustable thermostat and a dynamic 8-inch fan that maximizes airflow and keeps noise and turbulence to a minimum. Since the Dr. Infrared Heater DR-966 has a rugged steel front cover and a thermally protected heavy-duty motor, you can use it in any exposed area.

Keep in mind that this unit must be hardwired to a 240-volt electrical supply; it doesn't work with a standard 120-volt residential outlet.

Price at time of publish: $131

_{Dimensions: 14.5 x 14.5 x 13 inches | Weight: 27 pounds | Fuel source: Electric | Heating type: Forced air | Heat output: 3,000 to 6,000 watts}

Best Kerosene

Sengoku CTN-110 Kerosene Heater

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Kerosene produces higher heat in a shorter time than most other fuels, so kerosene heaters are an alternative to propane and electric models. However, if you go this route, we recommend that you use a kerosene heater only in garages with adequate ventilation, to avoid carbon monoxide exposure; in fact, that’s good advice for any combustion-type heater. “Permanent installations require that a vent duct carries the combustion gases outdoors,” says Biermeier. We also recommend that you install a carbon monoxide detector in the garage where the heater resides. 

Our top pick for such a product is the CTN-110 from Sengoku. Safety features include an automatic shutoff switch, a tip-over switch, and a safety guard that prevents accidental contact with the hot surface. The manufacturer says the unit can warm indoor and outdoor garages up to 1,000 square feet (about half the size of a tennis court). 

At 20 pounds, this is one of the lighter such units, and its fairly compact size makes it easy to transport. The large fuel tank has a 1.2-gallon capacity and can run up to 14 hours. A manual siphon pump is included, so you can safely transfer kerosene to the heater without any spills. An easy-to-read fuel gauge allows you to easily monitor the kerosene level. This unit also includes four C batteries; no electricity is required for operation.

Like most kerosene heaters, it may produce a slight odor while running. Also, although this heater is equipped with a push-button igniter, we have seen reports that it needs to be lighted with a match.

Price at time of publish: $150

_{Dimensions: 20 x 12 x 19 inches | Fuel source: Kerosene | Heating type: Radiant | Heat output: 10,000 BTUs}

Best Electric

AEscod 1500W Portable Electric Heater

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This lightweight, portable electric space heater from AEscod is a good choice for heating smaller garages evenly and efficiently. Featuring ceramic heating technology and a high-speed fan, it’s equipped with a handle for easy carrying, as well as a 5-foot-long power cord, allowing for versatile placement.  

There are three heat settings—high (1,500w), low (750w), and natural wind—and you can adjust the head by 90 degrees. Since this is a freestanding unit, it offers crucial safety features such as a tip-over shutoff, and an automatic shutoff in case the unit overheats. 

It’s important to note that the surface of this heater gets very hot. To avoid burns, never touch the unit while it’s in use.

Price at time of publish: $40

_{Dimensions: 8.65 x 6.7 x 9.65 inches | Fuel source: Electric | Heating type: Forced air | Heat output: 1,500 BTUs}

Best Infrared

Heat Storm Phoenix Floor-to-Wall Infrared Heater

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The Heat Storm Infrared Heater is WiFi-enabled, allowing you to adjust the temperature, enable the child lock, and set the timer from your phone. Delivering 1,500 watts, this unit is best suited for smaller garages. 

Unlike many other garage heaters, which are more utilitarian in appearance, this unit has a sleek and modern design that looks great on a wall, and preserves floor space. What’s more, this unit doesn’t need to be hard-wired to your electrical system, making it simple to set up. The only flaw to this heater’s otherwise convenient design is the short power cord, which limits your placement options. 

This infrared is packed with a slew of convenient features, including a child lock, tip-over shutoff, and a safe-touch grill. Its digital thermometer boasts a wide temperature range—40 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit—and provides a precise amount of heat. If the unit overheats for some reason, it shuts down automatically.

_{Dimensions: 4 x 19 x 16 inches | Fuel source: Electric | Heating type: Infrared | Heat output: 1,500 BTUs}