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Choose a standing propane heater for an open patio where one unit needs to warm a group without nearby power. Choose a placement-rated electric infrared heater for covered seating, focused warmth, lower operating friction, and better wind behavior. Check the exact manufacturer's clearance and placement instructions before installing either type.
Why cover rules out propane
Standing and tabletop propane heaters are outdoor-only appliances. Their manuals set clearances to anything combustible above and beside the heater (the EAST OAK 48,000 BTU manual asks for at least 3 feet on the top and sides and cautions against combustibles within 48 inches), and they carry a carbon monoxide warning: using one in an enclosed space can kill. A roof, awning, or covered pergola works against both. Covered seating means electric, installed to its own manual's clearances.
Where propane wins, in the open
- Raw output. A standing unit delivers around 46,000 BTU per hour. A 1500W electric heater puts out about 5,100 BTU per hour (one kilowatt-hour is 3,412 BTU), so the propane unit is roughly nine times stronger. Nothing electric on a normal outlet heats a whole seating circle.
- No wiring. It works at the end of a garden, on a driveway, anywhere a tank can go.
- The fuel already exists. Most standing units run the same 20 lb tank as a gas grill.
Where electric wins
- Safety under cover, which is the whole category of covered patios, porches, and garages.
- Zero fuel errands. No tank refills, no cylinder runs, no running out mid-evening.
- Wind behaviour. Infrared warms bodies and surfaces directly, so it holds up better in a breeze than heat that has to travel through moving air.
- Predictable running cost. A 1500W heater uses 1.5 kWh per hour on its top setting, so an evening's cost is easy to work out from your electric rate. A 1 lb propane cylinder runs an 11,000 BTU tabletop heater for only about two hours on high.
The honest matrix
| Your seating | Buy |
|---|---|
| Open patio, group circle | Standing propane |
| Open, one dinner table | Tabletop propane |
| Covered patio or porch | Electric infrared, placement-rated |
| Garage or workshop | Electric infrared |
| Exposed and windy | Infrared where it reaches; otherwise a fire pit |
Before the first cold evening
Patio heater setup checklist
Read the clearance table
Every heater's manual lists its own distances to combustibles. Measure to umbrellas, awning edges, fence panels, and branches before you light it.
Mount electric heaters high enough
Wall and ceiling infrared heaters have minimum mounting heights. The Dr Infrared DR-238 manual, for example, puts the lowest part at least 94.5 inches above the ground.
Skip the extension cord
The DR-238 manual says to plug directly into a wall outlet, never an extension cord or power strip. Check yours before running a cord across the patio.
Store propane outside
The EAST OAK manual says never to store a propane cylinder in an enclosed area such as a house or garage. If the heater comes inside for winter, disconnect the tank and leave it outdoors.
Check the wind
Wind strips heat from open-air heaters, and some manuals list light wind as an operating condition (under 10 mph in the EAST OAK manual).
Many patios sensibly end up with one propane and one electric unit doing different jobs. Our best patio heaters guide holds picks for all three formats, scored the same way, and for heat you gather around instead, see the best smokeless fire pits.
Where these numbers come from
| Claim | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Propane heaters: outdoor use only, carbon monoxide warning, 3 ft top and side clearance, combustibles not within 48 in, wind below 10 mph, never store the cylinder in an enclosed area | EAST OAK 48,000 BTU patio heater owner's manual | Sep 2026 |
| Electric infrared: 1500W on a 120V outlet, mount at least 94.5 in above ground, no extension cords or power strips | Dr Infrared DR-238 owner's manual | Sep 2026 |
| 1 kWh = 3,412 BTU; propane 91,452 BTU per gallon | U.S. EIA, British thermal units | Sep 2026 |
| A 20 lb tank holds about 4.6 gallons, which sets the 1 lb cylinder runtime estimate | AmeriGas, propane tank sizes | Sep 2026 |
Manuals are examples of what heater makers specify, not rules for your model. Always follow the manual that came with your heater.
Recommended gear
Our current top picks from the Best patio heaters: 4 picks by where you actually sit guide, if you are ready to buy.
AMAZON BASICS
Amazon Basics 46,000 BTU Patio Heater
Best Overall
Kit Score 8.5/10
$156.16 Price checked Nov 7, 7:14 PM CST
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
- 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
About this pick
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.
Strengths
- 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
- Wheels make repositioning a one-person job
Weaknesses
- Powder-coated steel, so cover it or store it out of the rain
- Loses much of its reach in wind, like any open-air heater
Kit Score breakdown
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
- 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
About this pick
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.
Strengths
- The flame display doubles as patio lighting and a focal point
- Tank hides inside the base, so the setup looks tidy
- Tip-over shutoff and a mesh guard around the glass tube
Weaknesses
- 36,000 BTU is less heat than the Amazon Basics puts out, for nearly triple the price
- Glass tube and powder-coated body still want a cover between uses
Kit Score breakdown
DR INFRARED HEATER
Dr Infrared 1500W Indoor/Outdoor Heater
Best Electric
Kit Score 8.5/10
$109.93 Price checked Nov 7, 7:14 PM CST
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
- 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
About this pick
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.
Strengths
- 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
- Radiant heat is wind-resistant in a way convected air never is
Weaknesses
- 1500W is one outlet's worth of heat: real warmth for a couple of people close by, not a whole circle
- Must be mounted at least 94.5 in up and plugged straight into a wall outlet, so plan the install
Kit Score breakdown
See all picks in Best patio heaters: 4 picks by where you actually sit
Keep going
Our recommendations draw on manufacturer documentation, retailer listings, owner feedback, and comparisons with alternatives.
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