Best propane garage heater in the UK in 2022 | Reviews and recommendations | Buyers’ Guide

What is the best propane garage heater? The most advanced propane heaters can be used for various purposes. The heating process itself can be carried out by radiation or heat distribution. As such units are used commonly for the household purposes, the majority of them feature a set of safety functions and the clean technologies. They presume absence of any hazardous emissions resulting from fuel combustion. The state-of-the-art solutions allow running the domestic propane units with a high heating output and maintaining the desired temperature in garages, basements, outdoor areas and other workspaces under any ambient conditions.

What are the benefits of the propane garage heaters? | The outline

Many male householders take a garage as something more than just a car parking space. It’s the place for generation of various ideas, realization of multiple DIY projects and finally, the gathering place for the close friends and like-minders. Obviously, any owner would aspire for creating a comfortable environment in a garage. Besides, during the coldest winter time being in a frozen area would be more than unpleasant even for a short period of time. And what if you have to change the tires or repair a car spending much time in such conditions? That won’t do!

Thus, there are propane heaters which perfectly suit for warming up garages, basements or any outdoor premises. They are comparatively small sized but do a great job. Besides, they are more safe and independent from electricity in comparison with their electric-corded counterparts. Having connected a propane tank, you may heat up quite a big area several times. Let’s get to know about these heaters in more details!

Operating principles and main classification of the propane heaters for a garage

Such heaters run on the natural or liquefied gas (propane). The main elements are: gas burner, heat transferring element, and a heating unit. A propane tank is a separate element. Additionally, the advanced models may feature thermostat, auto shut-off function, auto and remote control.

Different types of the propane heaters are classified on the basis of the heat transferring process. The main types are convectors, catalytic, infrared and forced air heaters.

• Convectors. The principle of operation of this option is very simple and based on gas combustion within a chamber inside the heater body. Air heating occurs between the walls of the body and the chamber. However, such design requires exhaust system arrangement.

• Catalytic type. It is the safest option from the reviewed types which operate noiseless. Propane in this case is burnt out due to the chemical reaction. A special panel from the glass-fiber and platinum-group elements serves as a combustion catalyst.  When all elements of the thermal reaction are combined, the heat is generated without flame.

• Infrared type. These heaters are very reliable and durable, and capable of a high heat output. They are commonly made of ceramic elements and a panel screen with an open flame. The specific feature of these units can be described as the ability to warm the surrounding objects instead of the ambient air.

• Forced air heater. It is another propane operated type which features several power and temperature settings in order to regulate temperature values and optimize fuel consumption. This option is distinguished by the forced air supply to the mechanism.

What should you know to pick-up a perfect propane garage heater for your needs? | Buyers’ Guide

• Power output. Similarly to other types of the domestic appliances, you should primarily pay attention to the power output of a heater. However, this parameter is determined by the space it is capable to heat up. Even if you pick up a considerably powerful unit but use it without consideration of the rated spaces, most probably you will get an inadequate air heating. When thinking of a suitable propane heater, you should remember that 1kW will be enough to heat almost 110 sq. ft.

• Heating area. Garage gas heaters are used to warm up non-residential spaces or outdoor spaces like terraces, patios, etc. This range varies from 100 sq. ft. to 1800 sq. ft. However, here you should obligatory take into consideration the season, the ambient temperature and the availability of insulation in case of the indoor premises. These factors will also affect the heating capacity of a heater. Propane does a great job even under severe cold conditions. Such devices are commonly arranged to heat the open-air locations and facilities due to the high heating efficiency, absence of necessity to arrange an exhaust duct or electric power outlet.

• Heating capacity (BTUs). The BTU abbreviation stands for the British Thermal Units and determines the heat content in a fuel to deliver one degree Fahrenheit. Thus, BTU shows the heating capacity of a heater. Besides, it is the perfect ground to compare the efficiency of various models. In average, the propane heater features from 30 to 60 BTUs per 1 sq. ft. However, other factors like ceiling height, insulation state, and ambient temperature conditions may vary the number of BTUs needed for you purposes.

• Fuel consumption. Despite the fact that the propane is much cheaper than the electricity, this parameter will be one of the most crucial when looking for a propane heater. The consumption will depend considerably on a model, its power and the ability to be adjusted, thus enhancing heat output efficiency and reducing fuel consumption.  A 30,000 BTU unit will burn approximately a 20 lb tank with 4.7 gallons of propane in 1-2 days of (rough estimation provided that the heater would be used with the breaks). In particular, a gallon of propane has a burn rate of approximately 100,000 BTUs per hour. This means that if you run such heater continuously to the max, the consumption rate will amount to about 1/3 gallon per hour.

• Tank capacity.  As I’ve mentioned above, the volume of propane used as the fuel source will depend on a type of heater, its efficiency and on operating mode selected by a user. Some units will accept smaller tanks (1 – 5 lbs), while large heaters with higher capacity will be operated with the help of 20lb and larger 100lb tanks. Many modern heaters can be connected to any tank size.

Top propane garage heater | Review and recommendations

We’ve made a thorough description of the best advanced alternatives with the specification of the unique benefits like clean heating technologies from Mr. Heater or flameless burning from the Camco, and many other innovative features mentioned below.

MR. HEATER MH18B

This portable space heater is a perfect option for warming up smaller indoor spaces up to 450 sq. ft. The range of the heating capacity can be selected from 4,000 BTU to 18,000 BTU depending on your surrounding conditions and needs. Propane feeding is performed through a direct connection to a small volume tank of 1 lbs. The combination of radiant and convection heating technologies enhances the output efficiency of this unit.

This model also features two swivel regulators which allow switching from a propane tank to a remote gas supply. For this reason, you should get additional hose and fitter. Starting of the heater is very simple and easy. For this purpose you should use a knob, the rest will be automatically done by an integrated piezo sparkling mechanism. More than that, this unit comes with the safety features like an auto low oxygen shut-off system and a shut-off switch against tip-over.

Features

• Heat capacity (BTU): 18,000
• Type: Radiant/Convection
• Area heated (ft.sq.): 450
• Weight (lbs): 14.4
• Dimensions (L x W x H) (in): 16.7 x 11.2 x 17.7

This is the best portable propane/gas running option which can be easily carried from one location to another. And it will grant the efficient heating of smaller indoor spaces due to the unique combination of heating elements.

Mr. Heater MH18B: Check the current price

Best-Selling Propane Garage Heaters in the UK | Comparison Table