The Best Electric Patio Heaters to Keep Your Guests Warm

Cold weather shouldn’t keep you from enjoying your patio. Whether it’s from the cold winter days or the cool summer nights after the sun goes down, you should be able to continue enjoying the patio you’ve created.

So, how do you do that? With electric patio heaters, of course! How large a patio space you need to heat will determine if you need one or more patio heaters.

We have all the answers you need for the best patio heater to keep your guests warm, including a detailed list of products and a helpful buying guide.

The Best Electric Patio Heaters

1. Ground Cage Electric Heater

We’ll start with the most basic electric heater first. The Ground Cage Electric Heater by AZ Patio Heaters is a basic electric heater that sits on the ground or a table. It has a secure safety cage built around the heating element of the heater to keep it stable on the ground or table.

It is a 1,500-watt electric outdoor heater with enough wattage to heat an area of 150 square feet. A built-in overheating protection feature will automatically shut the heater off if it begins to overheat.

It’s also waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about it becoming defective if you forget to bring it inside if it rains. It also has an IP55 rating which protects the unit from dust ingress that could interfere with the normal function of the heater without any dust ingress protection.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Overheating protection feature
• IP55 rated
• Heats areas up to 150 square feet

Cons:

• Somewhat bulky (25.5" wide x 3.5" deep x 7.5" tall and 13.5 pounds)

2. Wall Mounted Electric Heater

If you don’t want an electric heater to take up space on your floor or table, then you should consider a wall mounted electric heater like this option from AZ Patio Heaters. The wall mount is included with this electric heater, so you don’t have to worry about purchasing additional equipment to mount it.

A wall mounted patio heater is great because it stays out of the way, and you don’t have to worry about guests or their children tripping over the unit on the ground or knocking it off of a table.

It is 1,500-watts and can heat an area up to 150 square feet. It has an ingress protection rating of 65, so it can keep dust and water from entering the unit and causing it to malfunction. The entire unit measures  25"D x 4"W x 6"H and weighs 8 pounds.

Pros:

• Affordable
• IP65 rating
• Heats up to 150 square feet
• Stays out of the way

Cons:

• Can only be wall mounted; cannot alternate between the ground, table, and wall

3. Electric Patio Ceiling Heater

If you have a covered patio or a gazebo area, you can add an electric heater that hangs from the ceiling and stays out of your way. This electric patio or gazebo heater by AZ Patio Heaters is the best one for the job.

It is 1,500 watts and can heat a space up to 150 square feet. It includes the chain mount so that you can easily mount it to the ceiling of your outdoor patio or gazebo. It also includes a convenient remote control so that you can control it from the ground.

There are three different heat setting options for this AZ Patio Heater that allow you to heat as little or as much as possible. This is a great setting to have on a heater because you can use it in all cold weather conditions, from chilly temperatures to the blustery cold.

The heater's dimensions are  17" wide x 17" long x 10" tall, and it weighs 10 pounds.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Remote control included
• 3 different heating settings
• IP55 rating

Cons:

• Requires a patio ceiling

4. Tall Freestanding Patio Heater

A freestanding patio heater is convenient for heating your outdoor patio space because you can move them virtually anywhere you need to heat.

This freestanding patio heater is another option by AZ Patio for you to consider placing on your patio to keep your guests warm. It has an adjustable pole that can be extended to a maximum height of 79 inches. The heating element of the heater measures 20” wide, so it doesn’t take up much space on your patio; plus, it is a portable heater that can be moved where it is needed.

This outdoor patio heater has three temperature settings for outdoor heating, so you can use it in all types of colder weather. It also has an ingress protection rating of 55.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Portable
• Adjustable height
• IP55 rating
• 3 temperature settings

Cons:

• Can be knocked over

5. Small Electric Heater

On a budget? Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered with this small electric fan and heater combo.

This electric heater also doubles as a fan so that you can use it all year long. There is a turn dial that allows you to set the heater between minimum and maximum. The minimum setting is 25 watts, and the maximum setting is 1,500 watts which means it can heat small areas or spaces up to 150 square feet.

This small tabletop heater also has a convenient handle on top of the heater for you to easily move it from one location to the next. It is waterproof and has overheating protection, so it doesn’t lack any features that some pricier options have.

Pros:

• Affordable
• Portable
• Adjustable output
• Waterproof
• Overheating protection

Cons:

• No IP rating

How to Choose the Best Electric Patio Heater to Keep Your Guests Warm

Before we get to the different specifics of electric heaters, we need to establish one thing they all have in common. All electric heaters will need a power source. This means you’ll need to examine your outdoor patio area to determine how to supply power to the electric heater.

Your outdoor power source may limit you to where you can place the outdoor patio heater on your patio, so think about the power supply before deciding which electric heater you want to buy.

Location

Along the same lines of the power source is where you’ll be placing the electric heater. Do you have a wall or a ceiling that the heater can be mounted to? Do you want the option to move the heater to different locations throughout the night? You’ll need to think about your patio area to determine what kind of electric patio heater you can have.

Wall Mounted Heaters

A wall mounted heater is a great option for an electric patio heater because they stay completely out of the way. You don’t have to worry about a guest or child tripping over the wall mounter heater because it is up and out of the way. The best wall to mount a wall heater to is the outside wall of your house.

Ceiling Heaters

A ceiling heater is a good choice for the best outdoor patio heater if you have a ceiling like a pergola or a gazebo on your patio. This will give you a secure ceiling to mount the heater to cover the area where your guests will be gathered

Table/Floor Heaters

Heaters that you can place on a table or floor are great for portability and convenience. You can easily move a floor or tabletop heater from one area to the next based on where you need the most electric heat. The downside to a floor or tabletop heater for electric heat is the risk of knocking them over or tripping over the power cord. You’ll need to keep an eye out for where you run the power supply so that guests don’t accidentally trip over the cord.

Try to choose a tabletop patio heater or freestanding heater with a safety cage built around the heater so that the heating element doesn’t come in contact with anything like paper products or napkins that could cause them to catch on fire.

Wattage

Another feature you will want to consider for the best patio heater is the wattage of the electric patio heater or heat output. All the electric heaters on our list have a maximum wattage of 1,500 which means that you can adequately heat an area up to 150 square feet.

But what if you don’t need to heat an area that big? We suggest choosing an electric heater with output adjustability ranging from as low as 25 watts to as high as 1,500 watts. Not only does this allow you to heat small and large areas, but it allows you to only heat as little as possible on those mildly chilly nights.

Safety Features and Ingress Protections

If you want your electric patio heater to last many years without having to always store the heater when it’s not in use, then you should choose a heater that has a high IP rating of 55 or more. Ingress protection refers to the limit of waterproofing and dust that will enter the unit. 

Any electric heater that doesn’t have an IP rating or has a low IP rating is liable to deteriorate quicker than units with higher IP ratings.

Another safety feature to consider when on the hunt for the best patio heater is overheating protection. A heater with overheating protection will automatically shut off or reset the temperature to a lower setting so that the unit's motor or heating element doesn’t burn up.

Electric Heater Alternatives

If you don't want an electric heater and prefer other heat sources, you can also find a propane heater or infrared heater on the market today. A propane heater burns cleaner than fossil fuels, has a much lower carbon content, and puts out fewer emissions than other gas-powered heaters. An infrared heater, on the other hand, has reduced energy consumption and low harmful emissions.

Final Thoughts

To use your patio and outdoor space all year long and not just during warm weather, you should invest in the best outdoor patio heater. You don’t need a wall or a ceiling to use an electric patio heater, either.

There are some great freestanding options that you can place on the ground or a table. Don’t forget to check out our full list of patio heaters before you go.