Pick up the best patio heater for your home with our roundup of the top gas and electric heaters. While summer has arrived, it can still get a little chilly once the sun goes down. Buying the best patio heater will keep you and your garden prepared, rain or shine, so your alfresco events don't have to end early.
While many people want a compact patio heater to place on or under tables, there are also some upright gas patio heaters that don't need to be plugged in and are large enough to warm even larger events.
Many of the best patio heaters also give off light that can illuminate your evenings without the need for individual patio lights. We’ve included the best propane patio heaters in this guide, and they’ll work well in commercial spaces and smaller gardens. We’ve also found the best electric patio heaters for small-scale use, and these heaters don’t need to be used overhead, meaning you can place them on your wall for easier installation.
Keep reading for our top picks of the best patio heaters you can buy right now, or check out the best fire pits for a wood-fired option.
What is the best patio heater type?
Most patio heaters you can buy are electric. They need to be plugged in, but they heat you with infrared light which is more efficient because it heats objects directly instead of the air in the immediate surrounding area. Gas patio heaters are more portable because they have fuel on-board, but because they’re convective they are less energy efficient.
They won’t heat you directly but instead heat the air around you. For the best patio heater for you, keep on reading, and when you’re done, take a look at the best chimineas.
The best patio heaters 2021
The Swan Al Fresco SH16330N does need to be plugged in, but it has a generous 1.8m power lead for extending out into the garden.
This patio heater heats 360-degrees around its mesh-boated central column. Its carbon heating element is designed to cut down on energy use and there's an aluminium reflector to heat in all directions.
Safety features include a 360-degree tip-over safety switch and it's strong enough to work through all weather types.
Packing 2,000W of power, the OPRANIC 2KW Electric Patio Heater is energy efficient and safe. This electric heater uses infrared to heat you directly, instead of heating the area around you, which is an energy-efficient feature that will cut down on costs and wasted heat.
Other great features include the column design, which will warm you you from top to bottom, and the remote control. That means there's no need to get up and switch off the heater when you're all warm and toasty. You’ll find that it’s great for evenings where you’re sat outside because it’s perfectly sized to warm up your entire body when you’re seated, including legs.
This heater is a metre tall, but it doesn’t heat 360-degrees around it. For smaller groups where you can all position yourselves in front of the OPRANIC 2KW Electric Patio Heater, it's a good choice.
While 800w isn't as powerful as some of the best patio heaters in this guide, the Herschel Havana Portable Electric Patio Heater is a perfect choice for seated events, under tables or even on tabletops.
It's 65cm high and has one heat setting, which is fine because 800 watts is about the right temperature for most events, but not as versatile as some of the more expensive options in our guide.
Many prefer a gas patio heater to the best electric options. This is largely because they're cordless, meaning you can place the heater right at the foot of the patio without worrying about tripping over cords.
The Dellonda Propane Gas Pyramid Patio Heater is a freestanding and generously sized option. Storage when not in use could be tricky as it's over two metres tall, but if you have the space it's a top choice.
Safety features include a variable heat outlet and a tip-over switch that automatically turns off the heater if it tilts. The metal reflector directs the heat downwards and towards you.
The Heatlab 2kW Outdoor Freestanding Electric Quartz Bulb Garden Patio Heaters is a great choice for most gardens. It can be adjusted to run at 650W, 1350W, or 2000W, meaning you can leave it running in the background for some added warmth without overheating if you wish.
This patio heater is freestanding, and it comes with a sturdy base that’s designed to protect you from accidents such as tipping. The head can also be adjusted by 45 degrees and the height can be adjusted from 5ft 8 to 6 ft 10.
It’s not the most versatile in terms of all-around coverage, and if you’re entertaining a large group then some may feel the warmth of this patio heater more than others because it doesn’t offer a 360-heat or any rotating features.
Unique among our picks is this wall mounted patio heater, a clever space-saving solution for small patios, decks or balconies. That it’s electric also means you don’t run the risk of ending the party early by running out of power, as can happen with gas patio heaters – unless there’s a power cut, of course! The remote control function is very useful here – no need to try and reach the switch if you've mounted it higher up. We do wish there was an instruction manual included, although installation is fairly straightforward even without one.
Best patio heaters in the US
In the US and looking for the best patio heater? Check out our handy price comparison tool below that will give you quite a few patio heater to consider, always at the best prices.
How to buy the best patio heater
Our recommended retailers for the best patio heaters
When it comes to choosing the best patio heater to suit your outdoor space – as well as your requirements – there are a few factors worth bearing in mind. These include:
Size
If you only have a small area to heat, such as a petite patio or small balcony, then you don’t have to go for a large freestanding model. Try, instead, a tabletop patio heater, which looks a little like a bedside lamp and doesn’t give out as much heat so you won’t cook in close quarters.
Owners of small gardens will also be cheered, no doubt, to hear that wall-mounted patio heaters are another viable and surprisingly adaptable option, letting you direct the heat upwards or downwards by adjusting the vent.
The flipside of this, of course, is the aforementioned freestanding patio heater. It will take up more space, but if you have a large patio or deck that offers enough space for it, chances are there’s a lot more area to heat, so you’ll need the extra power they can dish out.
Fuel type
The main difference between gas and electric patio heaters is how clean they run. Electric heaters pack less of a punch than their gas alternatives, but they do so with a far more modest carbon footprint thanks to their infrared technology. Electric patio heaters aren’t an option for everyone though, because many of them need to be plugged in.
The final consideration you need to make is the type of fuel your patio heater will use. While the easiest way to fuel a patio heater is with electricity, you may not have an external outlet at your disposal, or be nervous about the plug being exposed to the elements. The other options are natural gas and propane, the latter being the most common.
