As the weather gets a little brisk, we turn to electric outdoor patio heaters to extend our outdoor family time well into the night. Softly glowing electric patio heaters can warm your pack by as much as 12°, giving you plenty of time for that extra bottle of wine.
Electric heaters incorporate various technologies, including infrared heating, to keep your family toasty. Easy to install and typically cheaper than their gas counterparts, electric patio heaters may be wall mounted, ceiling mounted or even portable. Generally, not susceptible to wind, you’ll find electric patio heaters just the ticket on a blustery day. Because electric patio heaters don’t have any carbon monoxide emissions, they can readily be used in either indoor or outdoor locations.
In the past few years, the efficiency of electric patio heaters has increased significantly. Short wave infrared patio heaters are highly efficient, converting up to 90% of the energy to immediately usable heat. The heat produced with an infrared electric patio heater heats things, like patio furniture and people, rather than the air, which is how they can achieve such efficiency.
Here at Patio Heat and Shade, we’ve got the best patio experts in the business constantly sifting through all the options available to keep your family cozy in your outdoor oasis. We’ve asked them to get together and create the definitive guide to the best electric patio heaters of 2024… let’s see what they found:
Motif Series From Infratech
The fact that you’ve got a highly functional piece of patio equipment mounted on your wall doesn’t mean it has to be an eyesore. The good folks at Infratech have had their designers craft the Motif series in four gorgeous designs (contemporary, craftsman, mediterranean and traditional) so you can be sure that one will fit your space exactly right.
Benefits of the Motif Series
Platinum Series From Bromic
The Platinum Smart-Heat™ Electric excels in efficiency and high-performance to suit high-end, style-centric settings. Designed specifically with low-clearance, semi-enclosed and aesthetically focused spaces in mind, by adding the optional recessed mounting kit this heater minimizes light emission to blend seamlessly into your roofline.
Benefits of the Platinum Series
We selected the Fire Sense 02117 1500W Telescoping Offset Mounted Infrared Patio Heater as the best portable electric heater for its high efficiency (90% energy conversion), responsiveness (100% heat production within seconds) and portability (plugs into any standard household electrical outlet and integrated wheels for easy portability). Bringing the heat has never been easier than with this unit, creating a 9-foot blanket of warmth right where you need it.
Benefits of the 02117
Eclipse Series From Bromic
The artisans at Bromic have really outdone themselves with the design of these beauties. Not only do they throw off an excellent 12-foot diameter of heat, but they have a fully integrated (and dimmable) LED light system built-in. Designed to be installed parallel to the floor, if the included 24” twin pole mount isn’t quite right for your Bromic offers five other mounting options to make sure these amazing heaters are shown in their best light.
Benefits of the Eclipse Series
Golden Tube Series From RADtec
When you’re trying to outwit Mother Nature, you need the strongest equipment possible. The RADtec Golden Tube is ready for it… waterproof (IP67 rated) and built to last outdoors and resist the elements totally protected against dust and protected against the effects of temporary water. If you need the best heat in the worst of locations, the Golden Tube Series is for you.
Benefits of the Golden Tube Series
Alpha Series From Solaira
Infrared heat warms things, like people and furniture, rather than the air, a super-efficient method of warming your family on chilly autumn nights. Short wave infrared means that the waves of infrared energy are squished tightly together (think of a tightly coiled spring), allowing more energy to be transmitted (yes, that means more heat comes off short wave electric heaters). Not only do they produce more heat, but they are also the most efficient (up to 90% efficiency) and when switched on they warm your family instantaneously. We love the commercial grade build quality of the Alpha series as well as the fact that the wind can bluster all it wants – the radiant heat of the Alpha is unaffected by winds.
Benefits of the Alpha Series
Wi-Fi Series From RADtec
Best for indoor or covered semi-enclosed spaces, long wave infrared heaters use about 40% of their energy in infrared heating and are the least efficient of the infrareds. They are selected for indoor spaces where the harsh glow of the shorter wave heating elements would ruin the design elements of the space. The Wi-Fi E Series sports Wi-Fi smart controls – use either the smart-control system on your smartphone or with the included remote control. With a beautiful black exterior, even while operating at full power, the E-Series is one of the most aesthetically pleasing electric heaters you will find.
Benefits of the Wi-Fi Series
Model EF60240s From Eurofase
Medium wave heaters split the difference between the short and long wave… giving you solid performance without the harsh orange glow of a short-wave system. The warm, ambient glow of the Innova infrared is just the beginning of the story – Innova prides itself on design decisions driven by you. They offer seven fascia options for you to select from or create your own with custom grills and colors (any PAL color standard color is available). Imagine your name or company logo on your outdoor electric heater – no better way to make your outdoor patio space truly your own.
Benefits of the EF60240s
When deciding on which is the best rated electric patio heater of 2024 for you, it always comes down to a solid analysis of your space. If your space is enclosed almost completely and décor is a top priority, a long wave electric heater is for you. Loving your veranda space with open views on 3 sides? You’d do well to look at a wall mounted solution. Lowish ceilings would push your selection towards one of our favorite recessed options.
There are quite a few options for you to consider when selecting an outdoor electric heater… but you don’t have to go it alone. Our patio living experts are here to help you to identify the perfect solution for space, just give us a call and we’ll be right there with you, every step of the way. In almost no time we’ll have your family enjoying the end of the season basking in the warmth of the perfect electric heater.