The Independent's journalism is supported by our readers. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn commission. Why trust us?

11 best patio heaters to warm any garden or outdoor space

Keep the cosy glow going strong long after sundown, with the best patio heaters for your garden

Jon Axworthy
Wednesday 14 June 2023 12:49 BST
<p>The best models will produce an even distribution of heat, with minimal glare  </p>

The best models will produce an even distribution of heat, with minimal glare

Our Top Picks

Efficiency, efficiency, efficiency. There’s nothing more important when you’re looking for alfresco patio heaters to keep toasty and make the most of your outside space as the evenings lengthen.

As a general rule, electric infrared heaters are regarded as the best option, because they target their heat output (measured in watts) at people rather than simply heating up the air around them, which is what you will find with gas heaters.

Not that the latter style of heaters are redundant, as they’re often better served for heating larger areas and are also more versatile in terms of where you place them in your outdoor setting, as they only rely on the gas supply, whereas the placement of an electric heater will be restricted to the length of a power cord.

We have weighted this round-up towards infrared, because this usually translates to better value, minimal wastage and the benefits are felt as soon as the heater is switched on. Plus, the carbon footprint of these heaters is also less compared with similar heaters that run on gas, according to research from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

However, it’s not just about how much heat the appliance can generate. It’s also important that the heat source is backed up, or surrounded by, a quality reflector that will produce a nice even heat that will benefit the most people. As for glare, some heaters can create warmth but they’ll have everyone scrabbling to put their sunglasses back on, because the heating tubes are just too bright.

So, we were on the lookout for heaters that would go about their business without drawing too much attention to themselves, while keeping everyone comfortable and feeling chilled, rather than chilly.

How we tested

The real test of a good outdoor heater is how well it performs on windier evenings, as this can dramatically reduce the appliance’s efficiency. Thankfully, we were testing the devices in a coastal area, so we were never short of a sea breeze to really make sure the heaters would be able to cope in windier conditions.

If it was a wall-mounted heater, we grabbed our cordless drill to see how easy the process of installing was. If it was free-standing with an automatic shut-off, we were able to test the efficiency of the switch by performing a topple test.

The best patio heaters for 2023 are:

  • Best overall – Opranic Thor infrared heater: £199, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best wall-mounted heater – Blumfeldt dark wave stand infrared radiant heater: £99.99, Blumfeldt.co.uk
  • Best value for money – Heatlab freestanding patio heater: £79.99, Primrose.co.uk
  • Best heater for tabletops – Maze Hestia electric patio heater: £134, Mazeliving.co.uk

Opranic Thor infrared heater

best patio heaters outdoor garden
  • Best: Overall
  • Electric or gas: Electric
  • Safety switch: Yes
  • Cord length: 2m

When you name your heater after a well-known Norse god, you’d better make sure it packs a punch when it comes to keeping everyone toasty and, thankfully, the Thor doesn’t disappoint, with five-levels of infrared heat, ranging from 1,200W to 2,000W.

We liked the fact the heating element was raised, so if you’re not keen on seating your guests around a tabletop heater, you can locate the Thor on the ground, slightly away from the table, and it will still do a good job of heating bodies.

There’s a nice ambient light given off and the reflector was very efficient in terms of spreading the heat around evenly.

The heater gives you 2m of cord, so you have a little more leash to play with when it comes to locating it and it also can be operated with a remote, (usually reserved for mounted heaters), so you can control heat levels without having to get out of your seat.

Back to top

Kettler kalos lantern

best patio heaters outdoor garden
  • Best: Design
  • Electric or gas: Electric
  • Safety switch: Yes
  • Cord length: 1.8m

Kettler’s lantern is a free-standing design, with a modern finish, that will instantly enhance the look of any patio, deck or balcony, with a handle that means you can move the heat source easily, or even hang it from a fixed point.

The lantern generates heat from its carbon tube at 600W and 1,200W, producing a satisfactorily even heat you can really feel the effect of, even at head height, which is pretty impressive considering the 59cm heater only sits at around knee height on the floor.

This means the heater can make sure people are kept warm without dominating the outside setting. The kalos proved to have a good warming range and, even though it looks a little top heavy, there’s enough weight in the base for it to remain upright, even if someone clatters into it after hours, with the safety switch never failing to cut the heat instantly when it ended up on its side.

Back to top

Swan column patio heater

best patio heaters outdoor garden
  • Best: Carbon fibre heater
  • Electric or gas: Electric
  • Safety switch: Yes
  • Cord length: 1.8m

We liked the industrial look of this column heater, which boasts two heat settings of 1,000W or 2,000W and good directional heat.

The Swan really is a tall heater, stacking up to 1.4m high, which means, if people are standing and sitting outside at a gathering, everyone is going to benefit from the heat it produces, which was sent out nice and evenly on both settings.

For a tall heater, it’s nice and stable too, with a base that’s heavy enough to stop it toppling over without making it a workout to move around, although the safety switch worked perfectly if it does ever take a big hit.

We also liked the fact the unit is fully waterproof, so you won’t have to find room for it in the utility, shed or garage when it’s not being used.

Back to top

Blumfeldt dark wave stand infrared radiant heater

best patio heaters outdoor garden
  • Best: Wall-mounted heater
  • Electric or gas: Electric
  • Safety switch: N/A
  • Cord length: 1.5m

If you really want your heat source well out of the way of little fingers or wagging tails, you’re best going for a wall-mounted heater, and this is one of the best we experienced throughout our testing cycle. It’s an inconspicuous-looking heater with a touch panel that was just sensitive enough to avoid us hammering away at buttons to get to the required output, with an LED display that clearly displayed which one of the nine levels of heat it was outputting. The infrared heat that the Blumfeldt produced was instant and very comforting throughout all the levels, with excellent range.

The thing with mounted heaters that can put people off is the mounting process itself, but this was very straightforward, with the Blumfeldt needing just a couple of wall brackets – the fact it’s lightweight (2.5kg) made the process even easier.

Finally, we really liked the switch-off timer, which can be set in hourly steps from one to 24 hours, and the fact the gold-plated carbon tube meant there was virtually no glare, even when operating at the highest output.

A word of warning, though. The heater doesn’t come with a remote, so you’ll need to make sure the control panel is within reach when you do mount it.

Back to top

Heatlab free-standing patio heater

best patio heaters outdoor garden
  • Best: Value for money
  • Electric or gas: Electric
  • Safety switch: N/A
  • Cord length: 1.5m

OK, this heater might look like something straight out of The War of the Worlds, however, rather than shooting a death ray, it emits a very efficient wave of heat at three settings (500W, 1,000W or 1,500W) from its trio of bars, backed up by a decent reflector.

The solid base means the heater will stay upright even when there’s a throng of people around it, and the stand is adjustable, as is the heating head (to 45 degrees) so you can get just the right angle to make things comfortable for your gathered guests.

The heater comes with mounting brackets too, while the 4.8m cable means you have plenty to work with when it comes to mounting or free-standing placement.

The remote worked well every time, although we did find the heater bars quite bright in operation, but the adjustable height (up to 2.1m) means you can raise the heater head above eye height and still make sure everyone benefits from the warmth.

Back to top

Herschel Miami

best patio heaters outdoor garden
  • Best: For efficiency
  • Electric or gas: Electric
  • Safety switch: N/A
  • Cord length: 1.8m

This small, lightweight infrared heater pumps out a lot of heat and performed superbly on a very windy evening. There was a cosy orange glow to the lamp with minimal glare, and the reflector did a good job of making sure the heat was directed forward and nothing was wasted. If required, wall mounting is straightforward and the bracket is provided – you can even use a separate clamp to attach it to the spokes of a parasol. There’s good weatherproofing, if you intend to have it in a permanent position outside, as the aluminium construction resists rain and rust.

Back to top

Vulcan umbrella tri electric heater

best patio heaters outdoor garden
  • Best: For patio umbrellas
  • Electric or gas: Electric
  • Safety switch: Yes
  • Cord length: 1.8m

If your outdoor parasol is up and ready for summer, an infrared heater like this could be a good addition, as the umbrella itself tends to trap its heat and direct it down to anyone sitting beneath it. The heater is attached easily to the pole and is height adjustable, with three arms that operate independently, so you can tailor where the heat goes around the table, depending on your seating arrangement. Range doesn’t really apply here because the heat is directed downwards, but the variable heat outputs of 650W, 1,350W and 2,000W provide a range of comfort options, depending on the size of your party.

Back to top

Mensa imus

best patio heaters outdoor garden
  • Best: For evening dining
  • Electric or gas: Electric
  • Safety switch: No
  • Cord length: 1.8m

This good-looking and compact infrared freestander sits neatly underneath a table to keep everyone seated around it toasty. Taking only seconds to warm up, the unit only throws out 550W of heat, but you wouldn’t want any more because of where it’s positioned. We also found the heat gets trapped under the table and circulates really efficiently, so one heater can comfortably keep a table of four to six people cosy. The heater doesn’t have an automatic cut-off but it is safe to touch, even when it has been working for some time, and it’s a very practical heater for summer suppers, keeping everyone comfortable well into the evening.

Back to top

Maze Hestia electric patio heater

best patio heater
  • Best: For tabletops
  • Electric or gas: Electric
  • Safety switch: Yes
  • Cord length: 1.8m

Standing 66cm high, this halogen heater can be placed at the centre of your table to provide warmth and a nice golden glow for everyone gathered around. It’s tall enough to be above head height when everyone’s seated, so it won’t get in the way, but it’s not so tall that diners won’t feel the benefit of the 1,500W output that provides sufficient warmth to keep everyone comfortable.

There was no glare from the halogen, no lag time in feeling the heat once it was turned on (via a corded switch) and the automatic safety worked well.

Back to top

Gtech heatwave

best patio heaters outdoor garden
  • Best: Space saver
  • Electric or gas: Electric
  • Safety switch: N/A
  • Cord length: 1.9m

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 4m 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.

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.

  1. £98 from Amazon.co.uk
Prices may vary
Back to top

Woodberry pyramid gas heater

best patio heaters outdoor garden
  • Best: Occasion heater
  • Electric or gas: Gas
  • Safety switch: Yes
  • Cord length: N/A

Of all the gas heaters we tested, this pyramid heater was the one that stood out. Not because it stands more than 2m tall but because its height means there’s plenty of warmth to go around, which is a good thing for a gas heater, as their effectiveness diminishes in windy conditions.

The woodberry performed well when we located it in a sheltered spot and, because it stands on wheels, it’s not difficult to move around. One of the reasons for buying a gas heater is the flickering flame it produces and the woodberry gives off a very nice ambience when it’s operating at 1,300W, however the running costs (which worked out to around £5 per hour on full power) and the environmental concerns means this is a heater for big hosting occasions at home only.

While this gas heater is out of stock at the moment, make sure to check back for updates.

Back to top

Patio heater FAQs

What is the difference between gas and 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 when choosing 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 15 per cent 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

It may not win too many prizes for its looks but the Opranic Thor infrared heater offers instant warmth and excellent range while giving off a rather pleasant orange glow that will add to the ambience of evenings spent outside in the spring and summer. Its five heat outputs, 2m of power cord and remote control add to the functionality of the unit and its ability to keep a group of sitters and standers warm long after sundown makes it an excellent heating hub for any size of outdoor space.

Want more alfresco recommendations? We’ve rounded up the best pizza ovens and the best outdoor lights

Voucher Codes

TUI Discount Code
£100 off all bookings over £1000 - TUI discount code
ASOS Discount Code
20% off everything with this ASOS app discount code
Travelodge Discount Code
5% off all bookings with this Travelodge discount code
The Body Shop Discount Code
20% off everything with The Body Shop discount code
The Perfume Shop Discount Code
15% of all orders with The Perfume Shop birthday discount
Cult Beauty Discount Code
Up to 20% off all orders over £40 - Cult Beauty discount code

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in