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Top picks
Patio heaters are sold by BTU and bought by regret, usually because the format did not match the space. A standing propane unit under a covered patio is a hazard, an electric infrared panel in an open garden warms nobody, and a tabletop unit asked to heat a seating circle just runs out of cylinders. Match the format to where you sit and every one of these works.
Our quick picks
How we picked
Every pick is scored against the Kit Score: fit for purpose, verified owner feedback, build quality, and value at typical street price. Prices and availability were checked against live listings on 27 July 2026. Format fit is weighted hardest, because the wrong format in the right spot is the category's defining mistake.
Best overall: Amazon Basics 46,000 BTU
BEST OVERALL
Amazon Basics 46,000 BTU Patio Heater
Best for: Heating a patio seating circle at the lowest cost per BTU in the format.
Kit Score 8.5/10 · $100–$150
- Full-power 46,000 BTU output at a price that used to buy a tabletop unit
- Runs on the same 20 lb propane tank as a gas grill, so the fuel logistics already exist
- Thinner steel and coatings than premium units, so cover it or store it out of the rain
The standing propane heater that made the format affordable. The 46,000 BTU figure matters because it is the same output as units costing twice as much, and output is most of what a standing heater is. It runs off the same 20 lb tank as a gas grill, so the fuel logistics already exist in most households, and the wheels make repositioning a one-person job.
The price shows up in the steel. Thinner panels and coatings mean it wants a cover and dry-season storage, where the stainless BALI genuinely does not care. Assembly is also the better part of an hour, and the instructions do not help. Accept both and it is the best value in the format by a distance.
Best for: Heating an open-patio seating circle at the lowest cost per BTU.
Best premium: BALI OUTDOORS Stainless Standing
BEST PREMIUM
BALI OUTDOORS Stainless Standing Patio Heater
Best for: A permanent patio fixture bought once rather than replaced every few seasons.
Kit Score 8.4/10 · $250–$500
- Stainless body tolerates living outside, which is how these actually get used
- Reliable ignition, the most common failure point on cheaper standing heaters
- Nearly triple the price of the Amazon Basics for similar heat output
The buy-once version. Stainless construction tolerates the way patio heaters actually live, outside, uncovered, through the shoulder seasons, where painted-steel units rust visibly within a couple of years. Ignition, the other classic failure point on cheap standing heaters, is reliable.
You pay nearly triple the Amazon Basics for similar heat output, which is the honest summary: the extra money buys longevity and finish, not warmth. It is the right call if this is a permanent fixture, and the wrong one if you are still finding out how often you sit outside in October.
Best for: A permanent patio fixture bought once rather than replaced.
Best for covered patios: Dr Infrared 1500W
BEST ELECTRIC
Dr Infrared 1500W Indoor/Outdoor Heater
Best for: Covered patios, awnings, and garages where propane cannot safely go.
Kit Score 8.5/10 · $100–$150
- Safe under cover, which no propane heater is, and that is where most patio seating actually sits
- No fuel logistics: plug in and it works every time
- 1500W is one outlet's worth of heat: real warmth for a couple of people close by, not a whole circle
The one to buy when the seating is under a roof, an awning, or in a garage, because it is the only heater here that is safe there: propane units need open sky. Infrared also happens to be the right physics for the job, heating bodies and objects directly rather than warming air for the wind to remove.
The limit is the outlet. 1500W is the ceiling of a standard circuit, which translates to genuine warmth for a couple of people sitting close, not a heated patio. For a covered dinner table or a two-chair conversation spot it is exactly enough, and there are never tanks to swap.
Best for: Covered patios, awnings, and garages, where propane cannot safely go.
Best tabletop: Cuisinart Tabletop
BEST TABLETOP
Cuisinart Tabletop Patio Heater
Best for: Long dinners at one outdoor table, and patios too small for a standing heater.
Kit Score 8.1/10 · $100–$150
- Warms the conversation zone, which is what an outdoor dinner actually needs
- Anti-tilt shutoff makes it the safer choice with kids and dogs around the table
- 1 lb cylinders burn out in a few hours and cost more per hour than a 20 lb tank
The dinner-format heater. 11,000 BTU at table height warms the people around one table, which is the actual requirement of most outdoor meals, and the anti-tilt shutoff makes it the sensible pick with kids and dogs orbiting the table. Between uses it stores indoors, which is why tabletop units tend to still look new when standing units have weathered.
The running cost is the catch: 1 lb cylinders last a few hours and cost more per hour than a 20 lb tank. Treat it as the complement to a standing heater, or the whole answer on a patio too small for one.
Best for: Long dinners at one outdoor table, and small patios.
How to choose
Choosing a patio heater
Start with the roof question
Anything overhead, a roof, an awning, a pergola with a cover, rules out propane entirely. Covered seating means electric infrared, full stop. Open sky opens up the propane formats.
Match output to the zone
A 46,000 BTU standing unit warms roughly a 9 ft circle. A tabletop unit warms one table. A 1500W electric warms two people close by. Buying more heater than zone wastes fuel; less leaves everyone cold anyway.
Count the real running costs
Standing units run off cheap 20 lb refills. Tabletop 1 lb cylinders cost several times more per hour. Electric is the cheapest per session in most places and the only one with zero fuel errands.
Plan for wind honestly
Convected propane heat loses badly to wind; radiant infrared holds up better but reaches less far. On an exposed site, position heaters near windbreaks or accept that some evenings are firepit evenings instead.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use a propane patio heater under a covered patio?
No. Standing and tabletop propane heaters need open sky above them: manufacturers specify clearances that a roof, awning, or pergola cover violates, and carbon monoxide accumulates under cover. For any covered seating, an electric infrared unit rated for the placement is the safe option.
Propane or electric patio heater: which is better?
Placement decides it. Open patio and a whole seating circle to warm: propane, because 46,000 BTU has no electric equivalent on a normal outlet. Covered seating or a small zone: electric infrared, which is safe under a roof, immune to fuel errands, and wind-resistant. Many patios sensibly end up with one of each.
How much area does a patio heater actually heat?
A full-size 46,000 BTU standing unit warms roughly a 9 ft circle in calm conditions, less in wind. A tabletop unit covers one table of people. A 1500W electric panel gives real warmth about 3 to 4 ft out. Treat manufacturer coverage claims as calm-evening best cases.
How long does a propane tank last in a patio heater?
A 20 lb tank runs a 46,000 BTU heater on high for roughly 9 to 10 hours, longer at lower settings. The 1 lb cylinders in tabletop units last about 2.5 to 3 hours, which is why per-hour cost is the tabletop format's real weakness.
For heat you gather around rather than sit under, our best smokeless fire pits guide covers the other half of staying outside after dark, and fire pit safety distances applies to heaters more than people expect.
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Read guideResearched, not personally tested: picks come from specs, verified-owner reviews, and expert sources, scored into the Kit Score. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. We may earn a commission from links here, at no extra cost to you. How we research →