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. Picks were chosen on 27 July 2026, and every listing, spec, and safety note was rechecked on 25 September 2026 against the sources in the table at the end. 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.
- Full-power 46,000 BTU output at a price that used to buy a tabletop unit
- Powder-coated steel, so cover it or store it out of the rain
Kit Score 8.5/10 · Check current price · how we score gear
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The standing propane heater that made the format affordable. Full 46,000 BTU output, the same figure as heaters costing twice as much, a standard 20 lb tank in the base, and wheels to move it. The powder-coated steel wants a cover when it is not in use.
- Output
- 46,000 BTU
- Fuel
- Propane, standard 20 lb tank
- Format
- Standing, mushroom reflector
- Mobility
- Built-in wheels
- Coverage
- Up to a 9 ft radius (manufacturer figure)
- Safety
- Tilt shutoff valve, tank chain, weighted base
More strengths
- Runs on the same 20 lb propane tank as a gas grill, so the fuel logistics already exist
- Wheels make repositioning a one-person job
Other tradeoffs
- Loses much of its reach in wind, like any open-air heater
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. Amazon Basics rates it to heat up to a 9 foot radius, and it has a tilt shutoff valve, a chain to secure the tank, and a base you weigh down with water.
The price shows up in the finish. It is powder-coated steel, so it wants a cover and dry-season storage. Accept that 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 design: BALI OUTDOORS Glass-Tube Heater
BEST DESIGN
BALI OUTDOORS Glass-Tube Standing Patio Heater
Best for: A patio where the heater is also the centerpiece, for a smaller seating group.
- The flame display doubles as patio lighting and a focal point
- 36,000 BTU is less heat than the Amazon Basics puts out, for nearly triple the price
Kit Score 8.1/10 · Check current price · how we score gear
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The patio heater you buy partly for the look: a spiral flame dancing in a glass tube, with the 20 lb tank hidden in the base and wheels to move it. It warms a smaller circle than a full-output mushroom heater, so it suits a conversation corner more than a big group.
- Output
- 36,000 BTU (listing)
- Format
- Standing glass-tube flame heater, about 71 in tall
- Construction
- Stainless steel burner, powder-coated body
- Fuel
- Propane, standard 20 lb tank hidden in the base
- Safety
- Tip-over shutoff valve, mesh guard around the tube
More strengths
- Tank hides inside the base, so the setup looks tidy
- Tip-over shutoff and a mesh guard around the glass tube
Other tradeoffs
- Glass tube and powder-coated body still want a cover between uses
This is the heater you buy partly for the way it looks. Instead of a mushroom reflector, a spiral flame runs up a glass tube behind a mesh guard, so after dark it doubles as the patio's light and focal point. The 20 lb tank hides inside the base, it rolls on wheels, and it has a tip-over shutoff valve and push-and-turn ignition.
Be clear about the trade. The listing rates it at 36,000 BTU, less than the 46,000 BTU Amazon Basics, for nearly triple the price. The extra money buys the flame display, not more warmth, and the body is powder-coated rather than solid stainless (the burner is stainless). It suits a conversation corner or a smaller group better than a big seating circle.
Best for: A patio where the heater is also the centerpiece.
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.
- Safe under cover, which no propane heater is, and that is where most patio seating actually sits
- 1500W is one outlet's worth of heat: real warmth for a couple of people close by, not a whole circle
Kit Score 8.5/10 · Check current price · how we score gear
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The covered-patio answer. Infrared heats bodies rather than the air the wind keeps stealing, it runs off a normal outlet with no tanks to swap, and it is the only heater type safe under a roof, an awning, or in a garage.
- Output
- 900W, 1200W, or 1500W infrared
- Power
- Standard 120V outlet (plug directly into the wall, no extension cord)
- Mounting
- Wall or ceiling bracket included; at least 94.5 in above the ground
- Placement
- Outdoor rated (IP55 per listing); maker also markets it for garages
- Heat type
- Radiant, heats objects not air
More strengths
- No fuel logistics: plug in and it works every time
- Radiant heat is wind-resistant in a way convected air never is
Other tradeoffs
- Must be mounted at least 94.5 in up and plugged straight into a wall outlet, so plan the install
The one to buy when the seating is under a roof, an awning, or in a garage, because it burns nothing: 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.
It is a mounted heater, not a floor unit. The brackets for wall or ceiling mounting come in the box, and the DR-238 manual says to mount it with its lowest point at least 94.5 inches (2.4 m) above the ground, at least 15.8 inches below the ceiling when wall-mounted, and to keep flammable items at least 3 feet from the front. Plug it straight into a wall outlet: the manual rules out extension cords and power strips. It runs at 900, 1200, or 1500W, and 1500W is the usual ceiling for a plug-in heater on a standard outlet, so think warmth for a covered table or a two-chair spot, not a heated patio.
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.
- Warms the conversation zone, which is what an outdoor dinner actually needs
- A 1 lb cylinder lasts about two hours on high, so long evenings mean spares or the optional 20 lb tank hookup
Kit Score 8.1/10 · Check current price · how we score gear
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The dinner-table format: 11,000 BTU at table height keeps the people around one table warm through a long evening, with an anti-tilt shutoff and a 1 lb cylinder hidden in the base.
- Output
- 11,000 BTU
- Fuel
- 1 lb propane cylinder, or a 20 lb tank with an optional hose and regulator
- Format
- Tabletop, rated to warm about 30 sq ft
- Safety
- Anti-tilt shutoff switch, burner screen guard
More strengths
- Anti-tilt shutoff makes it the safer choice with kids and dogs around the table
- Small enough to store indoors between uses, so it stays looking new
Other tradeoffs
- Heats one table, not a patio; it is a complement to a standing unit, not a substitute
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; Cuisinart rates it for about 30 square feet. The anti-tilt shutoff and burner screen guard make it the sensible pick with kids and dogs orbiting the table. Between uses the heater itself can come inside, which is why tabletop units tend to still look new when standing units have weathered. It is still an outdoor-only appliance: the manual carries a carbon monoxide warning against using it in any enclosed space.
The running cost is the catch. By the numbers below, a 1 lb cylinder lasts about two hours on high. Cuisinart sells it with the option to run from a 20 lb tank through a separate hose and regulator, which is the fix for long evenings. 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. Propane heater manuals say outdoor use only and warn about carbon monoxide in enclosed spaces. Covered seating means electric infrared. Open sky opens up the propane formats.
Read the clearance section of your manual
Clearances differ by model. The EAST OAK 48,000 BTU manual, as one example, asks for at least 3 feet from the sides and top to anything combustible and cautions against combustibles within 48 inches. Umbrellas, awning edges, fence panels, and low branches are what usually break the rule.
Match output to the zone
Amazon Basics rates its 46,000 BTU heater to a 9 ft radius. A tabletop unit warms one table. A 1500W electric warms a covered table or a two-chair spot. Buying more heater than zone wastes fuel; less leaves everyone cold anyway.
Count the fuel
A 20 lb tank holds about 4.6 gallons, roughly 420,000 BTU, so a 46,000 BTU heater on high empties it in about nine hours. A 1 lb cylinder runs an 11,000 BTU tabletop unit for about two hours on high. Electric has zero fuel errands; a 1500W heater uses 1.5 kWh per hour on its top setting, so check the rate on your own bill.
Plan for wind honestly
Wind strips heat from every open-air heater, and the EAST OAK manual lists wind below 10 mph as a condition for operating it. On an exposed site, position heaters near windbreaks or accept that some evenings are fire pit evenings instead.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use a propane patio heater under a covered patio?
No. Standing and tabletop propane heaters are outdoor-only appliances: their manuals specify clearances to combustibles overhead and to the sides, and warn that carbon monoxide can kill in an enclosed space. A roof, awning, or covered pergola breaks those conditions. For covered seating, choose an electric infrared unit and follow its manual's mounting clearances.
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 burns no fuel, needs no tank runs, and warms people directly. Many patios sensibly end up with one of each. Our propane vs electric comparison goes deeper.
How much area does a patio heater actually heat?
Amazon Basics rates its 46,000 BTU standing heater for up to a 9 ft radius, and Cuisinart rates its 11,000 BTU tabletop heater for about 30 square feet. A 1500W electric heater warms a covered table or a small seating spot. Treat manufacturer coverage claims as calm-evening best cases; wind cuts them quickly.
How long does a propane tank last in a patio heater?
A 20 lb tank holds about 4.6 gallons, and the EIA puts propane at 91,452 BTU per gallon, so a full tank is roughly 420,000 BTU. That runs a 46,000 BTU heater on high for about nine hours, longer at lower settings. A 1 lb cylinder holds about a twentieth of that, so an 11,000 BTU tabletop heater gets about two hours on high, which is why per-hour cost is the tabletop format's real weakness.
How far should a patio heater be from the house or furniture?
Follow the clearance table in your own heater's manual, because it varies by model. For a sense of scale, the EAST OAK 48,000 BTU standing heater's manual asks for at least 3 feet from the sides and top to anything combustible and cautions against combustibles within 48 inches. The Dr Infrared DR-238 manual asks for flammable items to stay at least 3 feet from the front of the heater.
Where these numbers come from
| Claim | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Basics: 46,000 BTU, up to 9 ft radius, 20 lb tank, tilt shutoff valve, tank chain, water-weighted base, powder-coated finish | Amazon Basics listing on Amazon, linked from the pick above | Sep 2026 |
| BALI OUTDOORS: 36,000 BTU, glass tube spiral flame, stainless burner with powder-coated body, hidden 20 lb tank, tip-over shutoff, about 71 in tall | BALI OUTDOORS listing on Amazon, linked from the pick above | Sep 2026 |
| Dr Infrared DR-238: 900/1200/1500W, 120V, wall or ceiling mount, mount at least 94.5 in above ground, 15.8 in below ceiling, flammables 3 ft from the front, no extension cords | Dr Infrared DR-238 owner's manual and Dr. Infrared Heater, DR-238 | Sep 2026 |
| Cuisinart tabletop: 11,000 BTU, about 30 sq ft, anti-tilt shutoff, burner guard, optional 20 lb tank hookup; outdoor use only and carbon monoxide warning | Cuisinart listing on Amazon, linked from the pick above, and the COH-500 manual cover page | Sep 2026 |
| Example standing-heater clearances: 3 ft sides and top, combustibles not within 48 in, wind below 10 mph, outdoor use only | EAST OAK 48,000 BTU patio heater owner's manual | Sep 2026 |
| Propane energy: 91,452 BTU per gallon | U.S. EIA, British thermal units | Sep 2026 |
| A 20 lb tank holds about 4.6 gallons | AmeriGas, propane tank sizes | Sep 2026 |
Runtimes are our arithmetic from the two propane figures above, at full output. We have not run these heaters ourselves.
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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Our recommendations draw on manufacturer documentation, retailer listings, owner feedback, and comparisons with alternatives.
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