Yahoo Movies 10 best patio heaters that suit any garden or outdoor space
Whether you’re looking to warm up an outside space, small shed or large patio, outdoor heaters allow you to entertain, work, or just chill out with a glass of something seasonal in the fresh air.
You can choose between an electric infrared or gas heater. The former is becoming much more popular, thanks to their efficiency, and the fact that they instantly start pumping out warmth at whoever is in range of the radiated heat, so very little is wasted.
Gas heaters, on the other hand, convert all their energy into heating the air, so if there is a sudden gust of wind you could temporarily feel the chill, but they often warm a larger area so can be good for larger gatherings.
Obviously, we needed heaters with the ability to warm a group of people in the garden, and for that heat to be easily controllable so that we didn’t end up having to socialise in extremes of temperature, spending time in conversation rather than constantly fiddling with dials, switches and remotes.
Stability was also a concern when we were looking at the heaters, because you’re dealing with a heat source and you can’t always rely on patios, paving and grass to be perfectly flat, so we looked at how little we would need to worry about standalone heaters staying that way, especially in gusty winds.
Finally, we looked at what kind of glow the heater was emitting and whether it was pleasant to be around – suffice to say, any heater that required sunglasses didn’t make the edit.
How we tested
Unfortunately, there are still plenty of supply issues with patio heaters, as manufacturers try and recover from the surge in demand that came from last year’s second national lockdown. To try and counter this, we toured garden centres throughout a cold, windy November to see what was currently available, and tested the heaters in outside demo areas on a group of five people to see how effectively we all felt toasty and whether there were any cold spots. Like a moth to a flame, these were the winter warmers that we were drawn to.
The best patio heaters for 2022 are:
Best patio heater – Swan al fresco SH16310N patio heater: £149.99, Amazon.co.uk
Best mounted heater – Gtech heatwave patio heater: £149.99, Gtech.co.uk
Best for a view – AZ patio heater HLDS01-CGTHG: £239.90, Amazon.co.uk
Best for smaller patios – Heatlab free standing patio heater: £64.99, Amazon.co.uk
Best hanging heater – Kettler kalos plus pendant heater: £225, Johnlewis.com
Best tabletop heater – Martello HF-35 mini heater: £79.95, Amazon.co.uk
Best for design – Planika lighthouse gas patio heater: £960, Planikauk.com
Best for big groups – Shadow diffusion table top heater: £191.99, Heat-outdoors.co.uk
Best for overhead heat – Herschel Hawaii wave: £599, Herschel-infrared.co.uk
Best free-standing heater – Enders commercial patio heater: £475, Luxegardenfurniture.co.uk
Swan al fresco SH16310N patio heater
Alternating between the two power settings of 1000W and 2000W was easy with this infrared unit that gives out its heat nice and evenly, while the stable column design means that you will be able to feel the effects from the heating element whether you’re sitting or standing. There’s a 360-degree tip-over cut out so you won’t have to worry about everyone having to dive for cover behind the patio furniture if the Swan is accidentally tipped over. The heater fared particularly well in gusty wind conditions and the element and reflector combination seemed to be really effective in fighting against the wind chill factor if you are outside without the protection of a garden room.
Buy now £149.99, Amazon.co.uk
Gtech heatwave patio heater
It took seconds for us to start feeling the benefits of this infrared model from Gtech. It kept us warm even when we were standing up to four meters away, thanks to its 2kW of infrared radiation.
The heater comes pre-assembled, so all you have to worry about is mounting it, and although there were some grumblings on the Gtech website about the efficiency of this, we had no trouble getting it up and running on a wooden beam. If you’re installing it a distance from a power outlet then you will need an extension lead.
Another area where this heater excels is the lovely, warm and welcoming red glow that it gives out, which looks especially good if you’re setting it up in a garden room.
Buy now £149.99, Gtech.co.uk
AZ patio heater HLDS01-CGTHG
This pyramid-style 11kW heater runs on gas, which means that you’re not restricted to having it located near a power source. Obviously, this means that if you move it to another area of the garden you can take your heat source with you – and it was surprisingly portable for its size with two people lifting it, even with the gas tank on board. The tank itself is hidden away in the wide, stable base which also adds to the overall security of the heater, which is easily controlled via a central dial after ignition.
Gas heaters are no way near as efficient as infrared versions, but the portability and mesmerising view of the flame as it snaked up the glass tube warranted this heater’s inclusion.
Buy now £239.90, Amazon.co.uk
Heatlab free standing patio heater
This 2kW infrared heater throws out its warmth at three separate settings (650W, 1350W and 2000W) so you can adjust the output, depending on how far you’re sitting or standing from the source. There’s plenty of adjustability with a telescopic shaft that extends from 1.7m to 2.1m. The heater’s head moves 45-degrees so you should be able to find the right combination to suit your outdoor set-up. The light that it provides is cosy and everything sits on a base, which is heavy enough to ensure it would stay put.
Buy now £64.99, Amazon.co.uk
Kettler kalos plus pendant heater
This electric patio heater, which operates from a power outlet and should be installed by a qualified electrician, would be a stylish addition to any outside space where you have the ability to hang a heater, like a pergola or garden room. We saw a showroom demonstration model and were immediately impressed by how it looked in situ and had no problem finding the right level of heat for the winter temperature and the number of people standing around it.
The kalos uses a remote control to set it at one of the three infrared settings – low (800W), medium (1000W) and high (1800W) and the control can also be used to operate the LED light that can be turned on independently. With the kalos, it’s important to take a look at the dimensions of the area where you’ll be hanging it, because minimum gap safety allowances from the ceiling and floor would mean that the garden room would have to have a height of nine feet plus for the heater to operate safely.
Buy now £225.00, Johnlewis.com
Martello HF-35 mini heater
This compact heater stands at just 41cm high and you can locate it wherever you have a power point by plugging in the 1.8m cord. The heat output is very versatile too because it uses a reflector to focus the two heat settings (600W and 1200W). The reflector can either move through 360 degrees for all-round warmth, or be restricted to 120 degrees if there are fewer people gathered around or you want the heat to be more targeted.
Toppling isn’t really an issue but it helpfully still has an automatic turn-off if it gets a whack. All these factors could make this a good heater for camping because it’s also light, has a built-in handle and comes with its own storage bag so you can carry it around easily.
Buy now £79.95, Amazon.co.uk
Planika lighthouse gas patio heater
If you really want to make a statement you should splash out on this standalone, which defies the usual heater aesthetic and goes for something a bit more modernist. With the gas tank hidden away in the base, the flame is showcased in 360 degrees behind four glass panels with glass gravel covering the burner unit. Ignition was very easy so you won’t be standing around in the cold trying to get the heater started and the 7kW to 9.1kW of heat output was plentiful for four to five people.
Buy now £960.00, Planikauk.com
Shadow diffusion table top heater
The problem with some tabletop heaters is that even on their lowest outputs they can still be a little overbearing, and sitting around them for too long can make you feel like your eyebrows are starting to singe. That wasn’t the case with this, which stands tall when it’s placed on a table so that even when it’s on its highest setting of 2.1kW there is a comfortable, even warmth available for everyone sitting beneath it. This combines with the fact that the carbon lamp cast a really sociable glow on the table and chairs, which makes this a good choice for longer pieces of outdoor furniture where there are up to ten of you sitting outside
Buy now £191.99, Heat-outdoors.co.uk
Herschel Hawaii wave
We’ve featured Herschel’s patio heaters before in previous reviews because we’ve been impressed by the build quality and heat output that they deliver. This is still the case for this model, which can provide overhead heat, without the hassle of hanging or mounting. It is a good choice for entertaining outdoors when you don’t have a structure, like a garden room or pagoda.
The 2kW of heat was instantaneous and gave good coverage with the carbon filament casting a nice, orange glow over everyone gathered underneath.
Herschel has got all the dimensions of the Hawaii spot on too with a 2.2m extending shaft, which has a very small footprint of just 1.3m thanks to a heavy, stable and slim base that’s easy to slide in under garden furniture if you want to extend the reach of the heater.
The black, powder-coated, stylish heater head sits high at 1.8m so that the heat can be placed in the middle of a circle of people so that everyone is comfortable, but taller guests aren’t going to keep banging their heads on it when they get up.
Buy now £599.00, Herschel-infrared.co.uk
Enders commercial patio heater
If you’re looking to heat a modest patio, without much seating or garden furniture, then this is a very good option. It has a small footprint but offers standing room for at least four adults to socialise. Thanks to its in-built, stainless-steel table top it’s positioned at the perfect height for drinks and nibbles. Some mushroom top heaters can feel like fireballs on a stick, whereas this one offered a good controllable heat output of between 4kW and 14kW, so you shouldn’t have any problem finding the perfect temperature. The propane tank is neatly stored away in the cylinder base and the top is retractable, so it’s easily stored or covered in situ.
Buy now £475.00, Luxegardenfurniture.co.uk
Patio heater FAQs
What is the difference between gas or electric patio heaters?
Most patio heaters use either gas or electricity to generate heat and which one you choose will largely depend on budget and the size of the space you’re looking to warm up.
If you want to heat your garden quickly an electric heater could be the one for you as they are easy to turn on and off, and typically reach the desired temperature quickly. The majority of electric heaters are “radiant heaters”, which means they heat objects directly and are generally better for large gardens because you can choose a specific area to be warmed.
Alternatively, gas-powered patio heaters often provide more wide-ranging heat, making them a good option for larger areas, and they can be cheaper to buy. However, they are far from the greenest option out there.
According to Heat Outdoors, they can be costly to run and “extremely wasteful in terms of both heat generated, the energy consumed and CO2 emissions.” The carbon footprint of an electric patio heater is just 15pc of a gas model.
How effective are patio heaters?
While the idea of warming an outdoor space might seem fruitless, patio heaters are far more effective than you might realise and could be just what you need if you want to stay in the garden a bit longer when it gets chilly at night.
Whether you choose electric or gas, each option comes with its own unique appeal but they all work well as a direct form of heating. Gas heaters cover a wider area but they usually take a while to heat up. Meanwhile, electric heaters are popular because of the instant and convenient heat they can provide: once plugged in or wired into the mains, you simply need to flick a switch or press a button.
Can you put a patio heater in a gazebo?
According to Best Gazebos, it is safe to put a patio heater under your gazebo as long as it is not an enclosed structure. However, not all patio heaters are made equal so it is best to check at the time of purchasing to verify whether or not it is suitable.
It is always best to make sure your heater is placed in the middle of the gazebo and to avoid any model that uses open flames or allows direct contact with the heating element.
The verdict: Patio heaters
The real test of a good patio heater is how well it performs on windier days and all the heaters featured here did well at that. But the Swan al fresco SH16310N was one of the best and also offered controllable, even heat while being subtle enough in its design to ensure it’s not going to dominate your outside space.
Now you’re nice and toasty in the garden, try out more of our al fresco recommendations, like a pizza oven that is definitely worth your dough or the best outdoor lights to illuminate the evenings.
