Outdoor Heaters: How to Choose One That Actually Works

Most disappointing patio heaters were the wrong type for the space, not bad products. So before you compare models, settle two questions: how the heat reaches you, and how the heater is fuelled.

Radiant or convection, and why wind decides it

This is the distinction that matters most and the one most buying guides skip.

Convection heaters warm the air, and the warm air keeps you comfortable. The classic mushroom-top patio heater works largely this way. In a sheltered corner it is excellent. In an open, breezy yard, the air you paid to heat blows away and you feel almost nothing.

Radiant heaters send infrared energy directly to people and objects, the way sun through a window warms you on a cold day. Wind does not carry it off. If your space is exposed, radiant is not a preference, it is the requirement.

Get this wrong and no amount of BTU fixes it.

The three formats

Freestanding patio heaters. Portable, familiar, and the easiest to live with because nothing gets installed. A typical propane unit around 40,000 BTU warms a circle very roughly 15 to 20 feet across in still conditions, less in wind. AZ Patio Heaters is the range most of our customers end up with. Buy on build quality and the stability of the base, since these do get knocked over.

Mounted radiant heaters. Wall or ceiling mounted, permanent, and out of the way, which matters when floor space is the thing you are short of. Bromic is the reference here. These suit covered patios and outdoor kitchens, and they look like part of the architecture rather than an appliance parked in the corner.

Fire pits and fire tables. These are ambience first and heat second, and that is a legitimate reason to buy one. People gather around a flame in a way they do not gather around a heater. Napoleon fire tables do the job while still looking like furniture. Do not expect one to warm a large deck on its own.

Fuel, and what each one commits you to

Propane. No installation, moves anywhere, and you refill tanks. The right answer for renters, for anyone unsure of the final layout, and for spaces with no gas service.

Natural gas. Never runs out and costs less to run, but it is plumbed, so the heater lives where the line ends. Worth it if you are already trenching for a grill or an outdoor kitchen. Not worth it as a standalone job.

Electric. Clean, quiet, no combustion, and therefore the usual choice for enclosed or heavily covered spaces. The catch is the wiring. Many effective electric radiant heaters are hardwired and want a dedicated circuit, and some run on 240V. That is an electrician, not an extension cord. Price the installation before you price the heater.

Before you buy, check the space

• Is it open or sheltered? Open means radiant.
• Is there a roof above it? Then clearance to that ceiling becomes the limiting factor, and it is specified per model. Read the manual before you choose a mounting position, not after.
• How far do people actually sit from where the heater can go? Heat output falls off fast with distance. Two smaller heaters placed well usually beat one large heater placed badly.
• What is nearby? Fabric awnings, umbrellas, cushions and low branches all have to sit outside the manufacturer's stated clearances.

Keeping it working

Gas heaters fail in boring, preventable ways. Keep the reflector clean, since a dull reflector throws noticeably less heat. Clear spiders and debris out of burner ports and venturi tubes at the start of each season, which is the single most common cause of a heater that lights and then dies. Shut the fuel off at the tank or valve when you are not using it. Cover it, or store it, over the off season.

Where to start

If the space is exposed, look at radiant. If it is sheltered and you want flexibility, a freestanding propane unit is hard to beat. If you are building an outdoor kitchen anyway, plan the heating into it now while the trenches are still open.

Browse outdoor heating and fire pits, or call us on 1 (866) 850-3450 and describe the space. Roof or no roof, and how windy it gets, tells us most of what we need to know.