Ever since I was younger, the garage was the place to get things done. Sometimes it was fixing a broken exhaust system on our old Oldsmobile (yes, kids, that used to be a brand of car…), sometimes where we ran new wiring into a broken table lamp socket, and sometimes where we put together our newest wood project (a pine box shoeshine stand in case we ever decided to shine our shoes). As “fix-it” central, our garages have evolved to doing way more than storing Mom’s car, and we relish every minute we get to spend in it.
As the days grow shorter, we find that we cut our cherished garage time down to almost nothing – but it doesn’t have to be that way. Adding an electric or gas heater to your garage will reinvigorate those projects you’ve been itching to get to, giving you valuable DIY time even during the coldest of snaps.
Looking at the typical garage, it is sized for either 1- or 2-cars and not much else. Sure, you may have a little space for a workbench and some overhead storage for things you’ll likely never use, but basically, it’s a small car warehouse. When you are looking for just the right garage heater, start with understanding your space including the space where you would like your heater to be installed (can’t have the hood of the SUV running into it every time we park).
In your search for the best garage heater, also consider your purpose for the heater. Did you want the best rated heater for your garage to warm your garage a bit, giving your cars time to thaw out before their next winter trek… or are you planning on staying warm while you craft your own heirloom grandfather clock out of ancient mahogany wood?
Next, you’ll have to look at what you have in the way of fuel – natural gas or electric? Do you have the capacity to have an electrician add a 220-volt circuit for a dedicated garage heater, or do you just want to plug it into an outlet and go about your business? When selecting your type of fuel, you’ll want to know that the most efficient running costs are found with the best gas garage heaters. It’ll cost you $18 per million BTUs of heat output for natural gas and about $35 for the best electric garage heaters. Though gas heaters are more expensive to purchase and install, their long-term lower operating costs make them an attractive option.
Here at Patio Heat & Shade, we have the best experts in the business, and we asked them to go through our massive catalog of products and identify the absolute best electric and gas garage heaters. They had some heated discussions (you see what we did there?) but in the end agreed to the very best garage heaters, depending on your situation…
When you’re planning on spending some serious time in your garage, you’ll want a high-capacity heating system happy to run smoothly day after day – you’ll want a Schwank. The Schwank PU-R040-BN kicks out as much as 40,000 BTUs of heat, perfect for long stretches of turning wrenches in comfort. Using an innovative infrared radiant tube heater design, the “compactSchwank” is an efficient, heavy duty garage heater that is the ideal solution for garage and workshop applications.
Installation of a new garage heater can be a scary thing – the time and costs involved may seem prohibitive. What if you could have a wall-mounted heater that just needs to plug into a 120 outlet to bring you a blanket of warmth of up to 72 square feet? Just plug in the 8-foot cord of the Aura CF15120B and you’ll get ultra-low light patio heating in 3 seconds… near instant relief.
Note: Wall-mounted applications only
When you’re looking at the best rated heaters for a garage, pay attention to efficiency. The Solaira Salpha-1500 converts 85% of its consumed energy to instant, controllable, directional heat. The reliable infrared heats warms things (objects, people, even a faithful cocker spaniel) rather than the air around them, creating a warm blanket of infrared heat up to 110 sq. ft.
How nice would it be to turn on your garage heater 15-minutes before you walked into the garage, warming your workbench and chair before you got there? What you’ll need is the best smart garage heater, and our experts love the RADtec 32R-WF-SMR-CNT above all others. Not only can you control your fully electric smart heater with your smartphone, but it’ll look amazing even when it’s on full blast. Long wave infrared heat produces no visible light, so this gorgeous fixture will remain beautiful even when you’re basking in the full warmth it provides.
The best electric garage heaters in 2022 are not only highly functional, but downright good looking as well. The Innova EF15 combines a strong 1,500-watt medium wave plug-in infrared heating system with a user selectable fascia (read: faceplate) to give you more choices than any other. If you want your heater to REALLY stand out, you can get them in any RAL color and even custom engrave the front faceplate of your heater to display your company name or logo.
As you see, just like garages come in different shapes and sizes, the best garage heaters are available in a variety of sizes and capabilities. Whether you prefer the high output and lower operating costs of Gas Heaters or the flexibility and ease of installation of Electric Heaters you’ll find that we have the best selection and prices in the industry. Need a little help in making your decision? Our heating experts are ready to answer any of your questions and get you on your way to enjoying your garage again no matter what Mother Nature has in store.
When choosing between gas and electric patio heaters, several factors come into play.
