Patio Heater
Best Patio Heaters of 2026: 8 Electric and Propane Picks From Small Porch to Whole Outdoor Patio
Sep
Find the best patio heater for your outdoor space, from a small covered porch to an open deck. We explain our electric, propane and natural gas picks, including options for restaurants, salt air and patios that need a portable heater.
The best patio heater warms the seats you use, fits where you can mount it, and still works five winters later. Most heaters you find in a search are meant for just one season. The $200 propane towers on big-box lists are fine for one season on an open deck. We sell heaters meant to be mounted and kept for years. Our range includes 32 patio heaters from Bromic heaters and Detroit Radiant heaters, priced from $515 to $5,617. All are mounted infrared heaters apart from two portables. Infrared means radiant warmth directed toward you and your seats. These eight are our usual recommendations, grouped by use, with prices and coverage from our product pages.
The best patio heaters of 2026 at a glance
- Best overall: Bromic Platinum Smart-Heat Electric 3400W, $2,130
- Best value: Bromic Cobalt Smart-Heat Electric 4000W, $568
- Best for a big open patio: Bromic Tungsten 500 gas, $2,026
- Best in wind: Bromic Platinum 500 gas, $2,580
- Best for a low porch ceiling: Detroit Radiant ELX 24 inch electric, from $515
- Best near salt water: Bromic Platinum Electric Marine 3400W, $3,539
- Best portable: Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat Portable, $2,360
- Best for a restaurant patio: Detroit Radiant DSRL 16 foot tube heater, $2,620
1. Best overall patio heater: Bromic Platinum Smart-Heat Electric 3400W
The Platinum Electric 3400W is our first choice for most covered patios. Its slim black or white panel mounts on a wall, hangs from a pole, or sits level with the ceiling. It was designed for partly enclosed spaces with little room above the heater, including low porch roofs. It burns no fuel, so it suits a screened room. There are three sizes: 2300W at $1,483 for a small porch, this 3400W for a normal patio, and 4500W at $2,681 for a large one. The optional dimmer lowers the heat once you are warm. For light too, the Bromic Eclipse with light ring costs $2,766. It combines dimmable lighting with a 3000W heater and three heat settings.
2. Best value electric patio heater: Bromic Cobalt Smart-Heat 4000W
The Cobalt 4000W electric heater gives you the same maker and radiant warmth in a plainer housing. At $568, it covers up to 130 square feet, enough for a dining table for six with space left over. The larger Cobalt 6000W covers 160 square feet for $682. Both have adjustable wall or ceiling brackets and use the same remote and dimmer controls as the Platinum. Their heating elements carry a seven-year warranty. You need an electrician and a 240 volt circuit. They cannot use a wall outlet. For two seating areas, two Cobalts cost less than one Platinum and give more comfortable coverage than one large heater in a corner.
3. Best propane or natural gas heater for a big outdoor patio: Bromic Tungsten 500
We recommend gas for an open-sided patio of 200 square feet or more. The Tungsten 500 gas heater covers up to 215 square feet. It mounts on a wall or ceiling pole about 8 feet up. Natural gas and propane versions both cost $2,026. It works in wind up to 8 mph and has a safety shutoff if the flame goes out. Its honeycomb screen spreads warmth across the seats instead of concentrating it on one chair. The smaller Tungsten 300 is the same heater sized for 160 square feet, at $1,775. On natural gas, these are the least expensive heaters here to run for an evening.
4. Best outdoor patio heater in wind: Bromic Platinum 500 gas
The Platinum 500 gas model has a more finished appearance and greater wind resistance than the Tungsten. Its black ceramic face gives off a soft red glow. The body is fully sealed, and its wind rating reaches 12 mph, the highest we carry. It covers 215 square feet and costs $2,580 in either natural gas or propane. We recommend it for rooftops, lakeside decks and seats exposed to wind. Choose the Tungsten for a calmer spot and save $550.
5. Best ceiling heater for a low porch: Detroit Radiant ELX 24 inch
Detroit Radiant makes its heaters in Warren, Michigan. Its ELX electric strip heater suits porches with roofs only 8 or 9 feet high. You can mount it from 6 feet above the floor. It needs less clear space around it than anything else we sell and tilts toward your seats. The 24 inch version with one heating element starts at $515. Longer 33 and 46 inch versions, plus the two-element ELD range, suit a bar or bench. It produces some light with its heat. If you prefer a softer glow, order the standard element.
6. Best outdoor heater near salt water: Bromic Platinum Electric Marine 3400W
Ordinary stainless steel develops pits and streaks within a few coastal seasons. The Platinum Electric Marine heater uses marine-grade stainless steel, made for salt-water conditions. Its fully enclosed body is rated for low-pressure water jets, and it has a five-year warranty. This was the first outdoor heater line approved for marine use by Lloyd’s Register. You get the standard Platinum’s slim panel and mounting choices, in white or black. There are three sizes, with this 3400W priced at $3,539. We recommend it where you can taste salt on the porch rail. It is the only heater here we would install on a fully exposed wall.
7. Best portable patio heater: Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat Portable
If you cannot drill into your patio, the Tungsten Portable gas heater sits on a weighted base with wheels. It directs heat sideways toward the seats rather than straight up like a mushroom heater. The propane model holds a standard 20-pound propane tank in its base. A natural gas model comes with a 10 foot quick-connect line. It handles wind up to 8 mph and costs $2,360. For a patio with an outlet and no gas, the Eclipse Portable electric model costs $4,999 and includes a light ring and remote.
8. Best outdoor heater for a restaurant patio: Detroit Radiant DSRL 16 foot tube heater
For a row of tables, we recommend the DSRL 16 foot gas tube heater. It hangs 9 to 16 feet up under cover and warms the strip below evenly. A low setting maintains warmth once the patio is comfortable. It runs on natural gas or propane, with a standard outlet powering its controls. The warranty covers parts for three years, tubes for five and the burner for ten. It costs $2,620. The 9 foot version costs $2,457 for a smaller patio. Driving ranges use this heater too. You can also browse our commercial heating range.
How we chose these patio heaters
We sell every heater listed. We chose them using manufacturers’ ratings, prices and the patios they suit. These are not results from testing heaters ourselves. Coverage figures come from manufacturers’ ratings on our product pages, and prices are current. Each heater can mount or stand safely under a roof, where most patios need warmth. We do not carry tabletop, pyramid patio heaters, glass tube or pellet heaters, so they are not included. For a heater you plan to mount and leave in place, we consider these electric and gas models the better buy.
Buying a safe outdoor heater
Start with placement. A permanently installed heater cannot tip over, which matters around children and dogs. Electric heaters produce no exhaust and are the only type for a screened porch or enclosed room. Gas heaters need open sides and the overhead space specified in their manual. Bromic sells a heat deflector, which redirects heat, for gas units with less than 42 inches to the roof. Tungsten gas models shut off if the flame fails. Every heater here is built to stay outside through winter and the shoulder seasons of spring and fall. Every manufacturer still recommends mounting under cover where possible. Use a licensed electrician or gas fitter, as the warranty requires it. Our covered patio placement guide gives clearance figures by room.
Patio heater questions we hear most
How long does a propane tank last on a patio heater?
The Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat Portable runs about 8 hours on a standard 20-pound propane tank. You can adjust the heat from high to low. The tank sits hidden in the base and is not included. The mounted gas heaters on our list use a piped natural gas or propane line, so there is no tank to refill. Electric heaters have no fuel to run out.
Is a mounted infrared heater worth it over a $200 patio heater?
Yes, if you want a heater built for years outdoors under cover. A mounted heater cannot tip over. Every heater listed has a maker’s coverage rating of 108 to 215 square feet, so you know what it will warm before buying. The Cobalt heating elements carry a seven-year warranty. Prices start at $515 for the Detroit Radiant ELX and $568 for the Bromic Cobalt 4000W. For one season on an open deck, a low-cost propane tower is fine.
Is electric infrared or gas better for a large patio in a cold, windy place?
We recommend gas for open patios of 200 square feet or more. Every mounted model here uses infrared to warm people and seats directly. Tungsten 500 and Platinum 500 gas each cover up to 215 square feet. Tungsten gas works in wind up to 8 mph and Platinum 500 gas up to 12 mph, the highest we carry. A patio around 400 square feet needs more than one heater, placed over the seats people use. Under cover, electric is simpler because it produces no exhaust. Aim to warm seating, not the whole outdoors.
Choose the best outdoor heater for your space
For a roofed patio, start with an electric Platinum or Cobalt. For a large open patio, consider Tungsten or Platinum gas. Choose a portable when you need to move it. Our gas and electric comparison helps you choose fuel. Our heater quantity guide helps with the count. Browse our full patio heater collection, or call and describe your patio. We offer free shipping on most brands (exceptions apply), no sales tax (except WY), and real people to speak with before ordering. We can help you choose the best patio heater for your outdoor space.
