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A good patio heater keeps a deck usable into October without turning your porch into a construction site. The right pick depends on whether you want raw output, a permanent hardwired fixture, or something that fits on a bistro table. We compared a freestanding propane patio heater, a hardwired electric infrared patio heater, and a tabletop propane patio heater on verified BTU and wattage output, coverage area, price, and safety features — plus an original cost-per-hour table so you know what an evening of warmth actually runs before you buy.
At a Glance: Which Patio Heater Fits Your Backyard?
Best overall: The Hiland (AZ Patio Heaters) 48,000 BTU freestanding propane heater — the most heat and the widest coverage per dollar of any unit here. Best budget: The Fire Sense 10,000 BTU tabletop propane heater — under $150 and enough warmth for one table. Best upgrade: The Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat 3,000W electric infrared heater — no propane tanks to swap, a permanent architectural fixture, and the lowest cost per hour to run.
See more picks like these in our Beach & Backyard category.
Freestanding Propane: Hiland 48,000 BTU Patio Heater
The Hiland HLDS01-W-CB (sold under the AZ Patio Heaters brand) is a 48,000 BTU freestanding propane patio heater that stands 87 inches tall and weighs 55 lbs, per its Home Depot product listing. It’s the classic mushroom-top design you’ve seen on restaurant patios, running on a standard 20 lb propane tank that sits inside the base (tank not included). Home Depot lists the price at $215.28 and describes coverage as “10-12 ft. dia. of warmth” — call it roughly 80 to 115 square feet depending on wind and how tightly people cluster around it.
Safety-wise, the listing specifies a thermocouple shutoff and an anti-tilt safety switch that cuts gas flow if the unit tips. There’s no oxygen depletion sensor (ODS) called out for this specific model, which matters mainly if local code requires one for enclosed or semi-enclosed patios — check that before buying if you’re heating a covered space. Best for: open patios, backyard parties, or any space where you want to warm a whole group standing or sitting loosely around the heater rather than one fixed table.
- Pros: Highest BTU output here, widest coverage radius, lowest upfront price, portable on its wheeled base.
- Cons: Needs a full propane tank (extra cost, periodic refills), tall footprint can catch wind, no ODS specified on this model.
Electric Infrared: Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat 3,000W
The Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat Electric is a hardwired, wall- or ceiling-mounted infrared patio heater sold in 2,000W, 3,000W, 4,000W, and 6,000W versions. The 3,000W model (BH0420031) covers roughly 100 square feet, per Bromic’s own spec sheet and matching listings from Sylvane and Smokey Mountain Fireplaces, and runs 220-240V. Smokey Mountain Fireplaces lists it at $958. Unlike the two propane heaters here, this one requires a licensed electrician to hardwire it, and Bromic specifies it must be mounted horizontally on a wall or ceiling bracket — never installed vertically.
Safety features per Bromic and Sylvane’s listings include an IPX4 water-ingress rating for open or covered outdoor use, and UL, ETL, and CSA certification. There’s no propane combustion involved, so there’s no ODS requirement and nothing to refill. Best for: a permanent patio, covered porch, or pergola where you want a fixed, always-ready heat source and don’t mind an electrician bill up front.
- Pros: No fuel to buy or store, lowest per-hour running cost of the three, UL/ETL/CSA certified, IPX4 rated for outdoor exposure.
- Cons: Highest upfront price by far, requires professional hardwiring, fixed mounting means it isn’t portable.
Tabletop Propane: Fire Sense 10,000 BTU Stainless Tabletop Heater
The Fire Sense 10,000 BTU Stainless Steel Tabletop Patio Heater (model 60262) is built to sit on or next to a single outdoor table rather than warm a whole patio. It’s 35 inches tall, weighs 14 lbs, and runs on small 1 lb propane cylinders instead of a full 20 lb tank — Home Depot’s listing estimates 2 to 3 hours of runtime per cylinder. Price is $145.22 at Home Depot, and coverage is listed as approximately 75 square feet, enough for the table it sits on plus the chairs immediately around it.
This is the only one of the three with both an auto-shutoff tilt valve and an oxygen depletion sensor (ODS) explicitly listed, plus CSA approval, per the Home Depot product page. Ignition is a one-step piezo igniter, and output is adjustable via a built-in thermostat. Best for: a two- to four-person table, apartment patios, or anyone who wants heat without committing to a 20 lb propane tank sitting on the deck all season.
- Pros: Cheapest to buy, smallest footprint, ODS and tilt shutoff both built in, easy to store indoors off-season.
- Cons: Smallest coverage area, small cylinders run out faster and cost more per BTU than a 20 lb tank refill.
Patio Heater Comparison Table
| Model | Type | Output | Coverage | Price | Key safety feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiland (AZ Patio Heaters) HLDS01-W-CB | Freestanding propane | 48,000 BTU | ~10-12 ft dia. (~80-115 sq ft) | $215.28 | Thermocouple + anti-tilt shutoff |
| Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat 3,000W | Hardwired electric infrared | 3,000W | ~100 sq ft | $958 | IPX4 rated, UL/ETL/CSA certified |
| Fire Sense 10,000 BTU Tabletop (60262) | Tabletop propane | 10,000 BTU | ~75 sq ft | $145.22 | ODS + auto-shutoff tilt valve, CSA |
What an Hour of Patio Heat Costs, by Fuel Type
Nobody publishes a side-by-side operating cost for propane versus electric patio heaters, so we built one. Propane contains about 91,500 BTU per gallon, per Suburban Propane’s fuel guide, and the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Weekly Heating Oil and Propane Survey put the national average residential propane price at $2.674 per gallon for the week ending March 30, 2026. Electricity costs 18.44 cents per kWh nationally as of May 2026, per Choose Energy’s August 2026 rate report citing EIA data. Here’s the math, run at each heater’s rated maximum output:
| Model | Max output | Fuel used per hour | Cost per hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiland 48,000 BTU freestanding | 48,000 BTU/hr | 48,000 ÷ 91,500 = 0.52 gal propane | 0.52 × $2.674 = $1.40/hr |
| Bromic 3,000W electric infrared | 3 kWh | 3 kWh | 3 × $0.1844 = $0.55/hr |
| Fire Sense 10,000 BTU tabletop | 10,000 BTU/hr | 10,000 ÷ 91,500 = 0.11 gal propane | 0.11 × $2.674 = $0.29/hr |
Run at full output, the electric heater costs less per hour than the big freestanding propane unit despite covering a similar-sized area — but it’s also warming roughly half the square footage per dollar of fuel compared to the tabletop unit’s tiny footprint. The freestanding propane heater is the most expensive to run per hour by a wide margin, which is the trade-off for its much larger coverage radius.
Price Per Square Foot of Coverage
Running cost is only half the budget picture — the other half is what you pay upfront for each square foot the heater actually warms. Using the midpoint of each manufacturer’s stated coverage range:
| Model | Price | Coverage | Price per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Sense 10,000 BTU tabletop | $145.22 | 75 sq ft | $1.94 |
| Hiland 48,000 BTU freestanding | $215.28 | ~95 sq ft | $2.27 |
| Bromic 3,000W electric infrared | $958 | 100 sq ft | $9.58 |
Both propane heaters land close together on price per square foot, while the electric infrared unit costs roughly four to five times more per square foot of coverage upfront. You’re paying for permanence, certification, and zero fuel handling — not for more heat per dollar.
Where These Three Patio Heaters Really Differ
Fuel type is the real dividing line, not brand. Propane heaters (freestanding or tabletop) light in seconds, need no wiring, and can be moved or stored away — but they depend on you keeping a tank filled or a spare cylinder on hand. The Bromic electric unit needs a one-time electrician visit and can never be relocated once mounted, but after that it never runs out of fuel mid-party.
Coverage area versus footprint is the second real trade-off. The Hiland freestanding heater and the Bromic electric unit cover similar territory (roughly 90-115 sq ft), but the Bromic is a fixed ceiling or wall fixture while the Hiland can be wheeled wherever the party moves. The Fire Sense tabletop unit isn’t trying to compete on coverage at all — it’s built to warm one table, and comparing its 75 sq ft to the other two’s whole-patio coverage is comparing different jobs, not different quality tiers.
Must-have versus nice-to-have: an auto-shutoff (tip-over or tilt valve) is a must-have on any freestanding or tabletop unit, full stop — both propane heaters here have one. A built-in ODS matters most for tabletop units used in tighter, less ventilated spots like a covered balcony; the Fire Sense has it, the Hiland’s listing doesn’t call one out, which is worth a direct question to Home Depot or the manufacturer if you plan to run it somewhere semi-enclosed. None of these safety features make one heater “safer” than another in general use — they’re different mechanisms suited to different heater designs, and all three carry a recognized certification (CSA or UL/ETL/CSA) from their respective listings.
The standout here is the Hiland 48,000 BTU freestanding heater for most backyards: it covers the most ground, costs the least upfront, and only loses on per-hour running cost — a fair trade for a heater that can warm a party instead of one chair. If you’re outfitting a permanent covered patio and don’t mind the install cost, the Bromic is the one purchase you make once. If you just need one table warm on a small deck, the Fire Sense tabletop heater is the clear budget dealbreaker-free pick. For related backyard hardware, see our propane vs. electric vs. kerosene garage heater comparison and our patio umbrella vs. shade sail vs. cantilever comparison for shade the rest of the year. If a patio heater is part of a bigger outdoor entertaining setup, our portable grill comparison covers the other half of the backyard budget.
How We Compared
We pulled BTU/wattage output, coverage area, price, and safety certifications directly from each manufacturer’s or retailer’s own spec sheet — Home Depot’s listings for the Hiland and Fire Sense heaters, and Bromic’s spec sheet plus matching Sylvane and Smokey Mountain Fireplaces listings for the electric unit. We also read patterns across owner reviews on those retail listings to flag recurring complaints (tank size, mounting hassle, wind sensitivity) rather than relying on a single review. We did not physically test these heaters ourselves. For our full process, see our editorial standards. Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.
Patio Heater FAQ
Do I need a permit to install an electric patio heater?
Hardwired units like the Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat require a licensed electrician, and depending on your municipality that installation may need an electrical permit — check local code before scheduling install.
Can I use a freestanding propane patio heater under a covered patio?
Only if the space is well ventilated; propane heaters need fresh airflow to operate safely, and manufacturer instructions (not just this article) should guide use under any roof or awning.
How long does a small propane cylinder last in a tabletop heater?
Home Depot’s listing for the Fire Sense 10,000 BTU tabletop heater estimates 2 to 3 hours of runtime per 1 lb propane cylinder at typical output.
Is a higher BTU or wattage always better?
No — higher output means more coverage area but also a higher running cost per hour, so matching output to your actual space avoids paying to heat empty air.
What’s the difference between an oxygen depletion sensor and a tip-over shutoff?
An ODS shuts off gas flow if oxygen levels in the surrounding air drop too low; a tip-over or tilt-valve shutoff cuts gas flow if the unit is physically knocked over. Some propane heaters include one, the other, or both — check the specific model’s listing.
