The 8 Best Patio Heaters of 2023

Best Overall

Amazon Basics Outdoor Propane Patio Heater With Wheels

4.2

View On Amazon

Our Ratings

• Setup
  3/5
• Heating Performance
  5/5
• Ease of Use
  4/5
• Safety
  4/5
• Value
  4/5

The Amazon Basics 46,000-BTU patio heater is easy to set up and move around your outdoor space. It has built-in wheels and comes in six colors, although the price varies based on the color. Turning it on is easy, with a one-button starter. Once it is on, you can control the temperature with a knob.

This budget-friendly patio heater gets attention for its affordability, as well as the quality of materials and construction. It is made of aluminum, plastic, and steel that is powder-coated for durability and design. The heater also includes safety features, notably a shutoff that engages if the unit tips over.

This is a propane heater, so you need to purchase separate propane to use it. Fortunately, propane is sold in most hardware stores and even some gas stations and grocery stores. Just keep in mind it adds to the overall cost.

Price at time of publish: $132 (varies by color)

Best Budget

Hanover 800-Watt Electric Patio Heater

4.4

View On Home Depot View On Lowe's View On Tractor Supply Co.

Our Ratings

• Heating Performance
  3.8/5
• Safety
  4.5/5
• Value
  4.5/5
• Setup
  5/5
• Ease of Use
  4/5

The good news about this electric infrared heater: It costs nearly $100 less than virtually all the other outdoor patio heaters we have tested and performed about as well. "If someone wanted an electric heater and didn't want to spend the extra money on something fancy, but just wanted to get the job done, especially if it were in an area where they would be seated, this would be a good pick," our tester reported. "The fact that the heat was evenly distributed 360° around the heater, rather than in one direction, was a nice touch," she added.

We should note that every heater we tested, including this product, is recommended for temperatures no cooler than the mid-40s Fahrenheit; when we tested outdoors, on a bright, sunny day in mid-October, the temperature was unseasonably cold, in the mid-30s, and accompanied by a moderate breeze. "The wind was a fierce competitor to this heater," our tester acknowledged. "With every slight breeze I could no longer feel any heat from this heater." We acknowledge that the weather conditions may have impacted the unit's effectiveness, which included a minute and a half to feel any heat (the manufacturer claims that the radiant infrared unit generates heat immediately), and a lack of heat beyond 3 feet away (the manufacturer claims a 44-square-foot range).

However, we still recommend this product for its ease of assembly (which took only 6 minutes from out of box to operation), simplicity (a single on-off toggle switch and one heat setting), its IP rating of 65 (meaning it's considered dust-tight and reasonably protected against water), and most of all, its 360-degree heat distribution, which effectively warmed folks sitting a short distance away from the unit. Owing to the product's 8-inch height, we recommend that you position it on an elevated surface, such as a patio table, to heat everyone from the waist up. "If you set it in the center of a group of chairs for warming people while they were seated outdoors, I could see the appeal," our tester said.

Price at time of publish: $90

Best Natural Gas

Fire Sense 61445 Natural Gas Patio Heater

View On Amazon View On Wayfair View On Home Depot

If you want endless heat, look at the Fire Sense 61445 patio heater, which hooks right up to a natural gas line. All you need to do is push the start button and adjust the heat output using the knob. It is quite tall and creates considerable heat. It has a sleek design without a lot of extra bulk or components. This is a top-heavy heater, but a tip-over protection mechanism is included.

The gas-line hookup, which extends the height of the heater an additional 15 inches from the base, presents considerable challenges, however. You need to position the heater near a gas source, which may require costly professional installation. Make sure to check with your local building codes. Also, making use of gas adds to your utility bill.

Price at time of publish: $264

Best Wall Mounted

Dr. Infrared Heater 1500W Carbon Infrared Outdoor Heater DR-238

View On Amazon View On Wayfair View On Home Depot

This electric patio heater is easy to set up and can be mounted directly on a wall. It puts out 5,200 BTU, enough for small patios and workspaces. It is also ideal for garages and workshops because it starts heating right away. It comes with everything you need to use, including mounting brackets and a remote, to make adjusting it even easier.

The unit only extends 4 inches from the wall, so it shouldn't take up a lot of space. You can choose from 900, 1,200, and 1,500 watts of power. You can also set a timer to have it turn off automatically, so you don’t have to worry about whether you left it on if you leave the house.

Price at time of publish: $127

Best Ceiling Mounted/Overhead

AllModern Romano Electric Hanging Patio Heater

View On Wayfair View On Allmodern.com View On Overstock

The AllModern Romano fixture combines aesthetics with function, looking like a modern farmhouse fixture while putting out 5,100 BTU of heat, which comes from the included two halogen bulbs. A permanent fixture, which can hang from terraces, balconies, and gazebos, this electric patio heater needs to be hardwired, much like a ceiling fan or chandelier. (An adjustable 19.7-inch chain is included.) If you are not comfortable around electricity, we strongly recommend professional installation.

The round design ensures that it provides total-surround heat, limited to its dedicated space. To increase that, you could hang multiple heaters, although that does become expensive when you consider the cost of the heater and running extra electrical lines.

Price at time of publish: $155

Best Tabletop

Star Patio Electric Tabletop Patio Heater

4.6

View On Amazon View On Wayfair View On Walmart

Our Ratings

• Setup
  5/5
• Ease of Use
  5/5

Tabletop heaters shouldn't require more than a simple way to turn them on and off. A simple pull string—which struck our tester as overly long—does the job for the Star Patio Electric Tabletop. For further simplicity, the infrared product has one power setting, 1,500 watts, which the manufacturer says results in 5,100 BTUs, enough to heat a 12-square-foot area.

In examining this product on an unseasonably cold, 35-degree morning outside our Des Moines Lab, we used an IR thermometer to record testers' surface body temperatures. This unit raised our tester's temperature by nearly 2 degrees Fahrenheit in just 5 minutes. This felt just fine to our tester, who believed it would adequately warm four or six people sitting around it. "The heat feels warmish when I am sitting within 18 inches of it," our tester agreed.

The unit's over two-feet height struck us as tall, but necessary to provide a substantial heating surface while remaining compact enough to withstand stiff breezes without falling over. "If the table was bumped it would fall over," our tester noted, "but it should stay up through wind and minor bumps." As with many units we tested, this product includes a safety that shuts it off when it's tipped over.

Price at time of publish: $170

Best Electric

EnerG+ Infrared Electric Portable Outdoor Heater

4.6

View On Wayfair View On Home Depot View On Walmart

Our Ratings

• Heating Performance
  5/5
• Value
  3.5/5
• Setup
  4/5
• Ease of Use
  5/5

If you want to quickly warm up family and/or guests enjoying the crisp fall air on your patio or deck, this is a great option: On an unseasonably cold autumn day outside our Lab in Des Moines, our tester recorded that her surface body temperature increased from 66ºF, to almost 93ºF in just 5 minutes. The manufacturer says the UL and ETL-approved unit effectively heats folks within a 10-foot radius.

We liked the unit's 4.5-foot height. "The tower is tall, so it would heat people from toes to top of head when sitting," our tester remarked. We also liked that we didn't have to get up from our comfy patio or deck seats to turn on the unit, thanks to its simple two-button remote. (The ON button activates the 500-watt low setting; a second click toggles the heat to the medium 1,000-watt setting; and a third click throttles the heat to the 1,500-watt high; the OFF button turns the system off.) But we would have preferred that the design include a dedicated spot to store or clip the remote. "It has a shelf that you put the remote on," our tester reported, "but I fear that would get knocked over."

The unit itself shouldn't get knocked over by light to medium breezes, thanks to its 18-pound weight. Assembling the base, and snaking the power cord through the shaft took took our tester more than 20 minutes, more time than most products we tested. The package comes with all the hardware, including screws, washers, and an Allen key; you need a Phillips screwdriver, which is not included. Assembly wasn't difficult, our tester reported, but noted that the diagrams didn't prevent her from assembling the unit backwards.

Price at time of publish: $291