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Outdoor Heaters

An outdoor space stops earning the moment it gets cold, and a patio heater is the cheapest way to buy back the months either side of summer. Our range runs from an $825 wall-mounted infrared unit to commercial-grade gas heaters built to run all night, covering electric and gas, mounted and freestanding.

Most hosts land on electric infrared for a covered patio or pergola — nothing to refill, nothing for a guest to run out of mid-stay, and no flame to write a house rule about. Open decks and larger yards usually call for gas, which throws broader radiant warmth even in a stiff breeze.

Whichever you choose, installing it usually means no renovation and, in most jurisdictions, no permit. Browse by type below, or use the sizing guide further down the page to match wattage or BTU to the size of your space and how many guests you're heating.

Outdoor Patio Heaters for Short-Term Rental Hosts

An outdoor space stops earning the moment it gets cold. A patio heater is the cheapest way to buy back the months either side of summer — no renovation, no permit in most cases, and in the case of an electric model, no fuel to keep supplied. Our range runs from an $825 wall-mounted infrared heater up to a $6,449 portable electric unit, covering electric and gas, mounted and freestanding.

If you are trying to work out which one fits your deck, the comparison below sorts it in about a minute, and the sizing table further down matches wattage and BTU to the size of space and the number of guests.

Electric or Gas?

Electric infrared Gas (propane or natural gas)
Best for Covered patios, pergolas, balconies, anywhere with power nearby Open decks, large yards, anywhere without a convenient outlet
Heat Instant, directional — warms people and surfaces, not air Broad radiant warmth over a wider circle
Running it Flip a switch. Nothing to refill. Someone has to check and swap the propane tank
Wind Holds up well — infrared does not blow away Loses effectiveness in a stiff breeze
Guest-proof? Very. Usually a switch or a remote. Reasonably, but there is an open flame and a tank
Starts at $825 $2,595 for a dedicated gas heater, $1,595 for a flame torch

For most hosts with a covered outdoor space and an outlet, electric infrared is the easier answer: nothing to resupply, nothing for a guest to run out of mid-stay, and no flame to write a house rule about.

Shop by Type

Electric Infrared Patio Heaters

Warms people directly rather than heating the air, so it works even on a breezy evening and reaches full heat the second it is switched on. Eurofase's dual-element units start at $825 and mount to a wall or ceiling, which keeps them out of the way of furniture and guests.

Shop electric heaters

Gas Patio Heaters

Broad radiant warmth for open decks and yards where an electric unit would be fighting the wind. Bromic's Smart-Heat gas range and Sunglo's 40,000 BTU freestanding heater cover the larger spaces.

Shop gas heaters

Wall & Ceiling Mounted Heaters

The right answer when floor space is the constraint. Mounted units cannot be knocked over, cannot be moved by a guest, and disappear into the structure of a covered patio or pergola.

Shop mounted heaters

Portable & Freestanding Heaters

Move the heat to wherever people actually gathered. Freestanding models let you reconfigure a space between a two-guest stay and a group booking, and come inside for winter storage.

Shop portable heaters

Commercial-Grade Heaters

Built for restaurant patios, which means they are built for properties that are heated every night of the season rather than a few weekends a year. IR Energy's EvenGLO hanging heater puts out 47,000 BTU and is designed to run continuously.

Shop commercial heaters

Flame Torches & Lanterns

Travis Industries' Tempest torches and lantern heaters give you a visible flame and genuine warmth in one fixture, from $1,595. Less raw output than a dedicated heater, considerably more presence in a listing photo.

Shop torches & lanterns

How Many Heaters Do You Need?

Space Roughly What to look at
Balcony or small covered patio One mounted electric unit, 2,000–4,000W Eurofase 4000W dual element
Covered deck or pergola, 4–8 guests One 6,000W electric, or two smaller mounted units at opposite corners Eurofase 6000W infrared
Open deck or patio, 6–10 guests One freestanding gas heater, 38,000 BTU and up Bromic Tungsten portable gas
Large yard or event space Two or more gas units, or one commercial hanging heater per seating cluster IR Energy EvenGLO 47,000 BTU

A rough rule that holds up: one heater warms the circle it can see. Two small heaters placed at opposite corners of a seating area beat one large heater at the edge of it, every time.

What Hosts Ask Before Buying

Will an electric patio heater actually keep people warm?

Yes, as long as you match the wattage to the space and mount it where it can see the seating. Infrared warms people and objects rather than air, which is why it works outdoors at all — a convection heater outdoors just warms the sky. A 4,000W unit comfortably covers a small covered patio; 6,000W handles a full deck.

Do I need an electrician?

For most mounted electric units, yes. They typically need a dedicated hard-wired circuit rather than a standard outlet. Budget for that when you compare an electric unit against a gas one. Portable electric models with a plug are the exception.

Can I leave a heater outside all winter?

Mounted units under a roof, generally yes. Freestanding units are better off covered or brought inside — not because they will fail immediately, but because moisture in the burner and controls is what shortens their life.

Is a patio heater safe with guests around?

Mounted electric units are the safest option by a distance: nothing to knock over, no flame, no tank. If you go with gas, choose a model with tilt shut-off, keep it on a level surface well clear of furniture and overhangs, and put the operating instructions in the house manual.

How much does it cost to run?

An electric infrared heater draws roughly its rated wattage while it is on — a 4,000W unit run for four hours is about 16 kWh, which at around 17 cents a kilowatt-hour is under $3 for the evening. Gas heaters run on a standard propane tank, which for most units is somewhere between eight and twelve hours of use, so roughly $2 an hour. Either way, heaters are only on when the space is occupied, so the seasonal cost is smaller than people expect.

What does delivery cost?

Freight is charged at cost, never marked up. Mounted electric heaters usually ship by parcel. Larger gas and commercial units ship by freight truck and the cost depends on your address and whether a lift gate is needed. Use the Request a Custom Quote button on the product page and we will get you a real delivered number before you commit.

Not Sure Which One?

Tell us the size of the space, whether it is covered, and whether there is power nearby, and we will tell you what will actually work — including when the answer is a cheaper unit than the one you were looking at. Get in touch.