Propane Patio Heaters & Outdoor Propane Heaters

An outdoor propane heater is the fastest way to add real warmth to a patio, deck or restaurant terrace without running a gas line or a new electrical circuit. BBQ Kitchen Pros carries commercial-grade propane patio heaters from Bromic, Sunpak, SunStar, Twin Eagles and Sunglo: wall and ceiling mounted infrared units from 23,600 to 50,000 BTU that run on liquid propane or natural gas, and portable standing heaters that roll out when guests arrive. Every one is made in the USA, built for outdoor spaces that see real weather, and backed by an owner who has installed them for 20 years. Free shipping on orders over $99, no sales tax outside New York, price match.

Outdoor Propane Heaters: Which Type Fits Your Patio

Propane heaters deliver immediate warmth because there is no element to warm up; the burner lights and the infrared heat is on your skin within seconds. The choice is about where the heat comes from.

Mounted propane patio heaters

A wall or ceiling mounted propane heater is the permanent option. It hangs 7 to 9 feet up, out of the way of chairs and kids, and throws infrared heat down across a dining or lounge area 100 to 215 square feet in size. The propane supply is piped from a tank cabinet or a bulk tank, so there is nothing to swap mid-evening. Bromic Platinum and Tungsten, Sunpak, SunStar and Twin Eagles all sell their overhead heaters in a propane version, and most are the same price as natural gas.

Choose a mounted heater if the patio is used every week, you want the floor clear, and you can run a propane line to the mounting point.

Portable and standing propane heaters

A standing propane heater carries its own 20 lb tank in the base and rolls on wheels or a cart, so it goes wherever the party is and stores in the garage over summer. The classic mushroom-style standing patio heaters most people picture are the budget end of this type; the Sunglo 40,000 BTU portable and the Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat Portable are the commercial-grade versions: heavier bases that do not tip in a breeze, stainless or black finishes that last, and burners that stay lit in wind.

Choose a portable heater if you rent, the patio has no gas line, or you want heat in more than one place over a season.

Tabletop and small propane heaters

A tabletop propane heater runs on a 1 lb cylinder and warms hands and faces across a bar top or a bistro table. It is a supplement, not a replacement: a small propane heater puts out 10,000 BTU or less, a quarter of what a mounted unit does. For a full patio, pair one standing or mounted heater per seating zone and add tabletop units only where people linger with a drink.

Propane vs Natural Gas vs Electric for Outdoor Spaces

Most of the mounted heaters on this page come in all three fuels, so the fuel decision is really an installation decision.

Compare the other fuels in our natural gas patio heaters and electric patio heaters collections, or see every type on the main patio heaters page.

How Many BTUs Does Your Propane Heater Need?

BTU is the heat output per hour. More BTU means a larger warm zone, not a hotter one, so size to the area people sit in rather than the whole patio. These are the manufacturer coverage figures for the heaters we sell, mounted at the height in the manual:

• 23,600 to 26,000 BTU (Bromic Platinum 300, Tungsten 300): about 160 square feet, a six-seat dining table.
• 25,000 BTU (Sunpak 48-inch): about 100 square feet, a four-seat table.
• 34,000 to 37,000 BTU (Sunpak 34,000, SunStar 35,000, Twin Eagles 37,000): about 144 square feet, a lounge set or an eight-seat table.
• 40,000 BTU portable (Sunglo): about 113 square feet in a circle around the heater.
• 39,800 to 43,000 BTU (Bromic Platinum 500, Tungsten 500, Tungsten Portable): about 215 square feet, the biggest single-heater coverage in the range.
• 50,000 BTU (SunStar): about 200 square feet with the widest throw for restaurant decks and open rooftops.

A 12 by 16 foot dining area is 192 square feet. One Bromic 500 or SunStar 50,000 BTU heater covers it; two 25,000 BTU units at either end do the same job with more even heat. On a windy site or an open deck, step up one size. Mounted above about 9 feet, every heater loses noticeable warmth at seat height.

How Long Does a Propane Tank Last in a Patio Heater?

A standard 20 lb tank holds about 4.7 gallons of liquid propane, or roughly 430,000 BTU. Divide that by the heater's rating to get hours at full output:

• 25,000 BTU: about 17 hours per tank.
• 35,000 BTU: about 12 hours.
• 40,000 BTU: about 10 to 11 hours.
• 50,000 BTU: about 8.5 hours.

At a typical $22 refill, that is about $2.00 to $2.50 an hour at full power. Two-stage heaters such as the Sunpak TSR and TSH and the SunStar models run at a low setting that roughly doubles tank life on mild nights. Keep a second tank on hand; a tank that is running low drops pressure, and the first symptom is a heater that will not stay lit. For mounted heaters that run a few nights a week, a 100 lb cylinder or a small bulk tank with a regulator is cheaper per hour and ends the swapping.

Propane Patio Heater Brands We Carry

Bromic Smart-Heat

Bromic's Platinum 300 and 500 (23,600 and 39,800 BTU) and Tungsten 300 and 500 (26,000 and 43,000 BTU) are wind-rated to 8 mph, mount on a wall or ceiling, and come in propane or natural gas. The Tungsten Smart-Heat Portable puts the 500-series burner on a wheeled base for 215 square feet of heat anywhere. Prices from $1,828. See the full Bromic gas heater range.

Sunpak

Sunpak builds 48-inch overhead infrared heaters in 25,000 and 34,000 BTU, in black or stainless steel. The TSR series adds two-stage output with a wireless remote, and the TSH series is the hardwired two-stage version for restaurants that control heaters from a wall switch. All run on propane or natural gas and cover 100 to 144 square feet. Prices from $2,585.

SunStar

SunStar 48-inch heaters come in 35,000 BTU (144 square feet) and 50,000 BTU (200 square feet), every one two-stage with wind-resistant glass, with options for a wireless remote, a heat shield for lower ceilings, and adjustable or fixed mounting kits. A marine-grade stainless 35,000 BTU version is built for waterfront homes and docks. Prices from $2,193, the best value per BTU in the collection.

Sunglo

Sunglo makes the portable propane heater restaurants have run for decades: 40,000 BTU, a weighted base on wheels, manual ignition that does not depend on a battery, and a black or stainless steel finish. It covers about 113 square feet and is made in the USA. Prices from $2,470.

Twin Eagles

The Twin Eagles 48-inch gas infrared heater is a 37,000 BTU propane or natural gas unit with a remote, built to match Twin Eagles grills for a coordinated outdoor kitchen. $2,899.

Where Propane Heaters Can and Cannot Go

Propane burns, so it needs air and clearance in a way electric heaters do not.

• Open patios, decks and rooftops: the ideal site. Radiant gas heat pushes through a breeze that would strip the warmth from an electric unit.
• Covered patios and pergolas: fine for mounted heaters when the sides are open and the ceiling clearance in the manual is met (36 inches on Bromic gas models, or 14 inches with a heat deflector). A standing propane heater needs about 3 feet of clearance on every side and above the hood.
• Screened porches, sunrooms and garages: no. Even with a door open, combustion gases and carbon monoxide build up. Use an electric infrared heater there instead.
• Indoor use: never. A propane patio heater is certified for outdoor use only; an indoor propane heater is a different, vented appliance.
• Restaurants and bars: mounted two-stage heaters with remotes or wall switches let staff run zones at half power until the temperature drops; a portable fills in for private events and gardens.

If you are weighing propane against a fire pit, the trade-off is the same as for any patio heater: a fire pit warms the people within arm's reach and looks wonderful; a propane heater aimed at the seating warms everyone in it. Many customers run both.

Safety, Ignition and Troubleshooting

Why Buy Your Propane Heater from BBQ Kitchen Pros

You talk to the owner, not a call center, and he has installed these heaters for 20 years. Orders over $99 ship free in the continental US, there is no sales tax outside New York, and if you find a lower advertised price we will beat it. Mounting brackets, deflectors, covers and replacement parts are in our patio heater accessories collection.

Propane Patio Heater FAQ