An electric patio heater can be a good choice for people planning to use a patio heater under a covered porch and wanting a low-maintenance solution. However, selecting the best electric patio heater for your backyard can be a hassle if you are unsure how to pick, compare, choose, and from where. This article will describe the key points and analyze every piece of knowledge you need to choose an electric patio heater.
4 Steps to Choose an Electric Patio Heater
- Select the place or location you want to install the heater.
- Analyze the heat output you need.
- Choose the appropriate style for your needs.
- Check the safety rating and technology features
Why Choose an Electric Patio Heater?
Among the variety of patio heaters out there in the market, the electricity-run heater can be the best fit for you for the following reasons:
- Electric patio heater does not produce dangerous byproducts like fire, carbon monoxide, poisonous smoke, pollutants, or global warming gases. So, it is not a health hazard.
- Electricity run patio heater is affordable and considered cheap for many people. While propane or gas heaters are not only costly but also produce a lot of fuel monthly.
- The electric patio heater uses almost all the energy and converts 98% of the energy into heat.
- An electric patio heater is safer compared to other gas heaters. However, they do not produce sparks or embers, so you must consider fire disasters.
- Maximum electric-styled patio heaters have a professional installation option for long-term use. In addition, they are quick to assemble, clean, and maintain.
- Most electric patio heater uses radiant heating. Zone heating and intelligent home connection allow for simple temperature regulation by remote or wall switch.
Electric vs. Other Patio Heaters
Topic | Electric patio heater | Gas patio heater | Propane patio heater |
Safety | The electric patio heater is the safest regarding fuel consumption and smoke production. | A gas heater is less secure than an electric patio heater. | A propane patio heater is less safe than an electric patio heater. |
Portability | Electric patio heaters are portable, but you’ll need an electric connection. | Gas patio heaters are usually fixed. | Propane heaters are the most portable type. |
Maintenance | Little maintenance is needed compared to other patio heaters. | Difficult to clean and maintain due to its fixed style | A bit challenging to maintain and clean due to its complex structure |
Operating cost | Affordable if it is infrared | Costly | Expensive |
Affordability | Cheap | Costly | Expensive |
Heat output | Low for heavy winter regions | Moderate | Good heat output, suited for chilly places. |
Ease of use | Electric patio heaters are the easiest to operate. | It needs an installation service and is difficult to use. | It is easy to use but requires some setup. |
Types of Heating Patterns
Electric patio heaters usually come with two heating methods;
a. Infrared
Infrared electric patio heaters use the radiant heating method. The sensation of infrared radiant heat is similar to how the sun warms you.
Radiant heat is produced when a material is heated to a specific temperature. The heater then radiates electromagnetic waves of heat. This causes heat to dissipate evenly over a broad region. In this system, the heat is also dispersed into the air. Because they enjoy how radiant heat makes them feel, people frequently prefer infrared space heaters.
Benefits of an infrared electric patio heater;
- Infrared heaters ensure efficient heating, which uses up all the energy and wastes no energy.
- It produces fewer electricity bills.
- The heating makes people comfortable around it
b. Burner
Other than infrared patio heaters, electric patio heaters use convection heating. A convection patio heater sends electricity through a resistor or another material that blocks an electrical current. It then transforms into heat energy, which is distributed throughout the room. Heat in the air and the thermal conduction theory are used in this heating method.
However, the heating style is preferred by a few people nowadays.
Advantages of a burner electric patio heater
- It is environment-friendly.
- Easy to take care of and maintain
Different Styles of Electric Patio Heaters
When you have finished selecting heating styles, you must understand the techniques and their application locations. Here are the classes and shapes of different types of electric patio heaters;
a. Table-top
Tabletop patio heaters are usually small, about 2-3 feet highest. Usually, they provide up to 1500-1800 Watt heat. This type of heater has handled, or they stand on a little basement and look like a table lamp often. A tabletop patio heater is fine if you use something on your Gazebo table or pergola. You can even use it on the tables under a covered porch.
b. Wall- Mounted
Electric patio heaters come in wall-mounted designs for garages, pergolas, or covered porches in the backyard. Wall-mounted styles are not portable; they work like a light, providing heat. Though it is brutal, they usually offer 1000-1500 Watt heat output.
c. Hanging
The hanging styles are most suitable for a covered porch and weather-proof electric patio heaters. Not only do they look gorgeous, but they also provide an excellent heat output for the gazebo, balcony, pergola, and covered porches. The hanging styles look like a lamp; it projects heat from above, making everyone comfortable under it.
d. Standing
The most common style you will find on the market is the standing style. Standing heaters can be 4-6 feet tall and may have a 360-degree heat radiation style or a single-direction heat projection style. This patio heater is best suited for the patio or backyard rather than under-covered porches.
e. Parasol
These are also one type of mounted heater. However, they give 360-degree heating by attaching four or five bulbs in different directions. Sometimes, it looks like stadium lights and usually provides 1500-1800 Watt heating for gazebo, pergola, or umbrellas.
You may also like: Electric vs Infrared Patio Heater
Which Type is for Whom?
Standing styles are delicate for people planning to use the patio heater in a garden, backyard, or semi-enclosed place. However, this type of heater is ideal for heating the outside and cooling the backyard. If you have a well-kept backyard and having guests at home is a common thing for you, then installing one or two standing electric patio heaters will help you.
Hanging patio heaters are mostly halogen, meaning they focus on excellent lighting rather than heat output. If you have a covered porch or pergola, which you want to decorate, you can use hanging patio heaters. Also, if you plan to warm up all the members at the dining table, it will be great to put a hanging heater above the table. It will increase the ambiance, and people will have a pleasant mealtime.
Wall-mounted styles are best suited if you plan to warm up a big area, for example, a garage, restaurant, or commercial space, etc., This type of heater looks like delicate light but does the work of heating. In addition, you will have hassle-free and easy maintenance if you install wall-mounted ones.
Tabletop electric patio heaters are fine for people planning to use the heater in multiple places. Though the heat output can be meager compared to other styles, yet its portable and can be used in closed areas too.
If you have a gazebo, pergola, or off-set patio umbrella, installing a parasol-mounted electric patio heater is perfect.
What brands are Available?
Some traditional companies have been producing electric patio heaters for years. And some new brands are also working hard on making fine heating accessories. Brands, for example, Fire sense, Amazon basics, East Oak, Twin Eagles, Dr. Infrared, Patio Schwank, Infratech, Calcana, Bromic, Victory, Hiland, etc., are in the market.
Which Brands are Good?
Among hundreds of patio heater manufacturing brands, we have mentioned four brands that put the finest service in their products and have a long history of winning the heart of customers.
Fire Sense
This company makes electric fireplaces and outdoor heating. It emphasizes innovation, customer service, and quality. Fire Sense items are developed in the USA but made in several countries.
Calcana
Calcana provides high-quality infrared garage and patio heaters made of stainless steel for both indoor and outdoor use. Variable output control is unique in the industry and ensures you are always as comfortable as possible, even when the weather changes.
East Oak
This company’s specialty is in product design and variety. East Oak promises to provide satisfactory products with an extended warranty system. Safety certifications, quality control, and customer satisfaction are some reasons for more and more people choosing this brand nowadays.
Bromic
The stylish infrared electric patio heaters from the Australian company Bromic Heating are popular for commercial space. Two heater ranges are available; platinum Smart-Heat gas and electric heaters, Tungsten Smart-Heat electric, gas, and portable propane heaters.
You may like: How to remove rust from a patio heater?
What is the Average Cost of Electric Patio Heaters?
Electric patio heaters are well-known for being affordable and cheap in the market, making them an excellent alternative to the other expensive options. This type of heater can cost around 76$-300$. The average price is 170$ both online and offline. So you can have a nice electric patio heater with a budget of around 200$.
Finally, a Detailed Guide on How to Choose the Best Patio Heater
If you’ve read this far, you already know everything about how to choose an electric patio heater. Next, we will describe how you can select the best electric patio heater.
1. Select the place or location you want to install the heater.
The first step is to decide where to put the patio heater. It can be the backyard, balcony, gazebo, pergola, or covered porch. If you have a good patio and love hosting guests in the backyard or your family members spend their evenings in the backyard, you can install multiple outdoor heaters. Similarly, if you have a well-decorated covered porch that is the gathering place for everyone in the house, you can put a hanging or portable heater there. Nowadays, many people have outdoor umbrellas, gazebos, or pergolas for outdoor gatherings; patio heaters are also lovely to have in those places.
2. Analyze the heat output you need.
The heat output must be calculated based on the temperature in your area and the energy sources people use. If it gets freezing in the winter, installing a gas patio heater might be good, but if you plan to stay on the safe side, you can buy high-output heaters. Installing more than one patio heater is also a wise option if it’s fixed. If it’s for the patio, go for standing designs, and if it’s under a covered porch, Hanging or portable tabletops will get preference. For commercial or more expansive spaces, wall-mounted designs are best suited.
4. Check the safety rating and technology features.
After you have understood your requirements, it’s time to choose a product. When selecting a specific patio heater, ensure it is approved for ETL or other fire safety. Also, check and understand all the updated features the product will provide before buying, and always remember to read the manufacturer’s instructions and the product usage detail before you pay for an electric patio heater.
Final Verdict
When choosing an electric patio heater, apart from following the above steps, always try to learn about customer feedback and product performance. If you follow the abovementioned steps, you will likely choose the best product. However, you should be aware that taking care of a product improves its performance significantly. So, even if you choose the best product on the market, the aftercare you give will highly influence its service. Have the best of luck buying a nice electric patio heater.
