The right patio heater depends on two choices: where it goes, and what it runs on. If you have a wall, ceiling or beam to mount on, an overhead heater aimed down at the seating gives the most even, efficient heat. If you don't, or you want to move the heat around, a freestanding heater does the job. Then pick the fuel: electric for covered patios and clean, quiet heat; gas for big, open spaces that need more output. Pyramid heaters, pellet heaters, fire pits and fireplaces add flame and atmosphere, and work best alongside a main heater.
Here is how each option heats, where it works, and how to put them together. You can browse everything in our overhead, freestanding, electric and gas patio heater collections.
Every Patio Heating Option at a Glance
| Option | Fuel | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead heaters | Electric, natural gas or propane | Covered patios, pergolas and walls, even heat over seating |
| Freestanding heaters | Mostly propane, some electric | Open patios with nothing to mount on, moving heat around |
| Tabletop heaters | Propane or electric | Warming one table |
| Pyramid heaters | Propane | A tall flame for atmosphere, with some heat close by |
| Wood pellet heaters | Wood pellets | Real fire and strong heat with no gas line or outlet |
| Fire pits and outdoor fireplaces | Gas or wood | A focal point that warms the people around it |
Overhead Heaters Give the Most Even Heat
An overhead heater sends its heat down onto people, where you want it. Mounted on a wall, ceiling, beam or post, it sits out of the way and can be aimed at the seating, the bar or the outdoor kitchen. Nothing takes up floor space, nothing tips over, and nobody brushes against a hot surface, which matters around kids, pets and busy restaurant patios.
They are a permanent install. Electric overhead heaters are hardwired, and gas ones connect to a gas line, so plan on an electrician or a gas fitter. Some electric models, such as the Infratech WD Series, can be recessed flush into the ceiling so you barely see them.
Plan on more than one. Each heater covers a set area, listed on its product page, and a large patio usually needs two or more spaced along the seating. Our free design service will tell you how many you need and where to put them.
Freestanding Heaters Go Anywhere
A freestanding heater needs no installation and no structure. Most run on a 20 lb propane tank hidden in the base, so you can roll them where the party is and store them in the off-season. They are the obvious choice for an open patio with nothing overhead to mount on.
The trade-off is floor space and stability. A tall propane heater takes up a corner and can blow over in a gust, so choose one with a tilt switch that shuts off the gas if it tips. The Bromic Tungsten Portable has one, along with a flame failure device. Our guide to patio heaters for windy areas covers the rest.
Tabletop heaters warm one table. A small propane or electric heater sits right on the table, so it suits a restaurant's outdoor tables or a small dining set. Our tabletop patio heaters are mostly propane, with an electric option.
Gas vs Electric Patio Heaters
Choose electric for a covered patio, gas for a big open space. That is the short answer, and here is why.
Electric heaters are clean and simple. There is no flame, no fumes and no tank to refill, so an electric heater can run under a roof or on an enclosed patio. Bromic says its electric heaters suit enclosed patios because they "require no ventilation." Most mount overhead, look sleek, and work with anything from a wall switch to a smart-home controller. Most need a 240V circuit; a 120V heater is fine for a small enclosed space or an outdoor spot of about 5 by 5 feet, according to Infratech.
Gas heaters put out more heat per heater. A single gas heater can warm a larger area, which helps on a big open patio or in colder weather. Calcana certifies its gas heaters for outdoor use down to -40°F. Gas heaters are for outdoor use only: they burn oxygen and can produce carbon monoxide, so never run one in an enclosed space. Our guides to electric patio heaters and gas patio heaters go deeper on each.
Electric costs more per unit of heat. At recent US average prices from the EIA, a unit of heat from electricity costs about 1.8 times as much as from propane, and 2 to 4 times as much as from natural gas. An electric heater can still cost less per hour, but only because it puts out less heat.
Natural Gas vs Propane
The heat is the same; the difference is convenience and running cost. Manufacturers rate the natural gas and propane versions of the same heater at the same BTU output, using a different gas orifice for each.
- Natural gas runs from your home's gas line, so it never runs out, and it costs the least per unit of heat. It needs a gas fitter to install, and the heater stays where it is plumbed. See our natural gas patio heaters.
- Propane comes in a portable 20 lb tank, so the heater can go anywhere. A full tank holds about 430,000 BTU, so a 40,000 BTU heater runs roughly 10 hours on high at most, often less in cold weather. Overhead propane heaters can also run off a large fixed tank. See our propane patio heaters.
Pyramid Heaters Are Mostly About the Flame
A pyramid heater is a column of flame in a glass tube, and it is beautiful to look at. The flame heats the glass, and much of that warmth rises as hot air, so you feel it close by and lose it a few steps away or in a breeze. A standard patio heater with a reflector aims its heat down and covers more ground.
So buy a pyramid heater for atmosphere, and pair it with a real heater. The AZ Patio Hiland glass tube heater runs on a 20 lb propane tank, lasts 8 to 10 hours on high by AZ Patio's figures, and has an anti-tilt safety shutoff. Browse our pyramid patio heaters.
Wood Pellet Heaters Bring Real Fire Without a Gas Line
A pellet heater burns compressed wood pellets behind glass, so you get a real fire with strong heat. It needs no gas line and no electricity, and the Timber Stoves Big Timber is rated at 90,000 BTU in its manual. Timber Stoves says it gives off "virtually no smoke," heats up to about 12 feet away, and is made in the USA.
It takes more tending than gas. You light it by hand, and the 20 lb hopper burns about 2 hours before you top it up. The manual calls for at least 36 inches of clearance from anything combustible, a heat pad on a wood or composite deck, outdoor use only, and no use in wind over 10 mph. See our wood pellet heaters.
Fire Pits and Outdoor Fireplaces Warm the People Around Them
A fire pit or fireplace is a gathering point first and a heater second. It warms whoever sits close and faces it, and the far chairs stay cool, so on its own it rarely heats a whole patio.
- Fire pits come in gas and wood-burning versions. Gas lights at the push of a button with no smoke or cleanup; wood gives the crackle and the most traditional fire.
- Outdoor fireplaces make a stronger design statement. Ours are gas and wood-burning, and a vent-free gas model sends its heat out the front rather than up a chimney.
- A DualHeat fire pit table does both. Endless Summer's DualHeat tables combine a gas fire pit on top with an infrared heater below, which warms your legs while the flame warms the rest. They run on propane and are not for use under an overhang.
Combine Heat Sources for a Patio That Stays Warm
The most comfortable patios use two kinds of heat. A fire gives the focal point and warms the front of you; overhead heaters cover the whole seating group, so the far chairs and your back stay warm too. Some combinations that work:
- Fire pit or fireplace plus overhead heaters. Mount the heaters above or behind the seating facing the fire, so guests get heat from both sides.
- Pyramid heaters plus overhead heaters. Set the pyramids where people gather for the glow, and let the overhead heaters do the real heating in the dining or bar area.
- Overhead plus freestanding heaters. On a mixed space, mount heaters over the covered patio and roll freestanding heaters out to the open pool deck or lawn.
Planning a commercial patio? Our commercial patio heater guide covers layouts, fire codes and the heaters that hold up to nightly use, and our Bromic heater guide explains that brand's lineup.
Not Sure Which Setup Fits Your Patio?
Tell us about your space and we will plan it for you. Our free design service recommends the heaters, how many, and where to put them, or email support@patiofever.com with your patio's dimensions and a few photos.
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