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Cold temperatures and short daylight hours can reduce suffering, but a garage heater can keep a project burning year-round. The search for the best garage heater starts and ends based on the size of your garage and where you live. An insulated gear garage in Kentucky is another well-ventilated warehouse of old props in the foothills of the California Mountains. Each requires a different type and size of heater to raise the temperature to a comfortable level for quality shopping throughout the year.
Calculating how many heaters you need depends primarily on the size, type, insulation, and location of your garage. The next consideration is which type of fuel simultaneously meets the requirements of cost, availability and efficiency.
What works in our science shed may not work for you, so we tested several different heater configurations. Read on and find out what type of heater is best for your garage, as well as how we found our new favorite portable power stations.
Portable thermal power plant with three infrared power settings and lockable casters.
Classic and reliable torpedo heater design with multi-fuel flexibility, high heat output and modern safety features.
A modern take on a traditional wood stove that uses compressed wood pellets to generate heat.
New Englanders are afraid to rely on the only source of heat in their home or garage. Two heat sources and a backup is a good plan. We have tried various heaters over the years and this review is a mix of old and newly purchased garage heaters of various types and fuel sources. Mr. Heather granted us ambassador status and sent some test units for evaluation. Although the price/performance ratio of resistance heating is not great, I still chose several smaller 1.5 kW electric heaters for comparison.
Two things should be in any garage, especially if you are running a fuel-fired garage heater, and they are carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, and a full fire extinguisher. However, finding the best garage heater depends on accurately calculating the BTUs (British Thermal Units) required to turn a cold garage into a warm one. The BTUs are then easily converted into kilowatt hours, firewood lines or cold fusion reactor power.
A rough estimate is about 30-35 Btu per square foot in southern climates and 55-60 Btu per square foot in colder northern regions. Using total cubic feet, desired garage temperature, and insulation level together gives a more accurate figure. Start with volume. Take a tape measure and multiply the width by the length of the garage to get the total area. Multiply this number by the highest point of the total cubic foot limit.
The next step is to calculate the desired indoor and outdoor temperatures. It takes more BTUs to heat your garage up to 65 degrees on a cold winter’s day than it does to just kick the cold out on a clear spring morning.
Insulation is the last and most important factor. If your insulation doesn’t hold heat or cold, you’ll need more BTUs. Rate your insulation from non-existent (metal canopy over cement slab) to excellent (full framing and insulated structure with raised floor) and consider it in your selection.
The science barn is rated at 14,400 cubic feet, is 30 degrees warmer (wishful thinking – redacted), and has poor or no insulation. We entered these numbers into six different online calculators and came up with completely different BTU values. We estimate from over 1 million BTUs (oops!) to 32,000. This is why factors like insulation, floor and ceiling height are so important.
The average and rounding of all six online calculations gives about 460,000 BTUs. So we’ll be using that in our garage heater review, but remember, there are plenty of BTU estimators on the internet, but your needs will vary depending on the space you’re heating and where it’s located.
Garage heaters use different fuels or configurations, but they fall into two types: convection and radiant. Convective heaters heat the air, radiant heaters heat the surrounding objects. Steam radiators dissipate a small amount of direct heat, but mostly by convection. Radiant floor heating may warm the garage floor slightly, but it is convection that heats the surrounding air and keeps the room warm.
Convection heaters heat the air inside a building. Hot air rising from the heater creates convection that draws cold air into the bottom of the heater. Passive convection heaters may produce a small amount of radiant heat, but their main advantage is their quiet operation. Forced convection heaters speed up the process with a fan that draws in cool air and dissipates the heat. Fast heat-up times and high BTUs make air heaters a popular choice for shops and garages, but the combination of electric fans and internal combustion sounds like a J79 jet engine.
These heaters, also known as infrared heaters, come in stationary and portable versions. Radiant heaters are great for large garages because they radiate heat at you without heating up the 15,000 cubic feet of cold air around you. Portable propane vests, reflective electric heaters, infrared heaters, and kerosene radiant heaters can be taken anywhere for instant warmth. Permanent wall-mounted radiant heaters free up floor space, and some come with fans for the best of both worlds. Hybrid units such as our Mr. Kerosene forced air heaters. Heater, use a combined approach.
The cost and availability of fuel are important factors in finding and operating the best garage heater. We’ve collected BTU garage heating fuel data from the US Department of Energy and other sources, so use that for your calculations and calculate those numbers based on your local fuel and utility rates to figure out what it takes to preheat a cold garage. Total cost. Wood yield in Btu will vary.
Portability, power and propane make the Mr. Heater Radiant Cabinet Heater is our top pick for garage heaters. Despite FedEx’s best efforts, the heater arrived almost intact.
The best feature of the cabinet heater is that it fits a standard 20lb propane tank at the end. Add a water tank, plug in the regulator, fasten your seat belts, and the heater is ready to go. After a quick line cleaning, we ignited the pilot with the built-in piezo fuse and ignited it.
The Miracle on Wheels has three heat settings and emits 6 to 8 feet of cozy radiant heat at about the same height as a four-wood fire. A standard 20 lb. propane tank can deliver 18,000 BTUs for 24 hours at maximum heat and 72 hours at 6,000 BTUs low. Built-in hypoxia and rollover protection ensures safer operation.
Mr. Heather Jr. is clean and odorless, virtually silent and requires no electricity. Lockable casters allow the heater to be easily rolled and secured anywhere in the 450-square-foot garage for solar infrared comfort.
This multi-fuel power plant has never disappointed us. Right out of the box, the supercharged torpedo is a time-tested design that is reliable and efficient with up to 98% efficiency. Dyna-Glo Delux is designed for construction, bodyshops and professional garages and can run on K1 kerosene, diesel, heating oil and even JP-8 jet fuel. Ultra-low-sulphur K1 kerosene is recommended, which is poured into the tank.
Activating the 80,000 BTU directional heating power is as simple as pouring, plugging in, pressing a toggle switch and turning the thermostat knob to the desired temperature. The fuel gauge with scales for residual volume and run time shows nine hours for a 5-gallon tank. Battery life numbers are optimistic, but the heater definitely lives up to its 1,900 square feet. When the temperature reaches the set temperature, the thermostat will automatically turn the heater off and on again to maintain comfort.
All-steel construction, flame detector and automatic overheat shut-off valve ensure safe operation. Although the heater can be used both outdoors and indoors, fresh air is required for safety. Dyna-Glo and other torpedo heaters are anything but quiet, but they offer reliable point power at a great price.
If propane and propane accessories are your thing, then the MASTER 125,000 BTU forced air heater is the best choice for outdoor and semi-indoor heating. The heat is fast and strong, and the built-in fan blows 400 cubic feet of air per minute.
This propane torpedo heater, also known as the Salamander, features auto start, rotary heat control and comes with hose and regulator. Most Salamander heaters require 120V power, so plan to use a fuel supply hose and extension when choosing a propane torpedo.
If you have a large home heating tank, a propane torpedo or a fixed installation would be a good option, but be aware that this installation will require a 100-pound tank to run continuously. It is not recommended to use it with a standard 20-pound grill pan (the heat does not last long anyway).
Any supercharged torpedo will make noise. While the combination of a fan and burning propane is a bit quieter than an oil burner, the constant ignition makes the Master pop like a giant spark plug. We put the device aside as a spare, but not for lack of heat. Snake pits for extension cords, air hoses, and gas lines are unwieldy.
Electric garage heaters are a safe and effective option for some garages, but a terrible idea for our science barn. Most electric heaters with enough power to heat our garage require a 240V outlet on a circuit of at least 30A, and the 460,000 BTUs needed to raise the Science Barn 30 degrees is about 133,400W. Our wiring will not cope with this, and if it can, then the network will probably not survive. We will be kicked out of the city.
The show must go on, which is why we selected several 1.5kW electric heaters to test. Regardless of the losses in the power generation source, the efficiency of a resistance heater is 100%. This means that all 1.5 kW electric heaters must produce the same amount of heat. That is, about 90 heaters with a capacity of 1.5 kW are required to heat a scientific barn. Be skeptical of the rave recommendations for low-wattage garage heaters.
We installed the heater on a 600 cubic foot enclosed porch. We run every hour from the starting point of the internal temperature of 45 degrees. The outside temperature ranges from 33 degrees Fahrenheit to 35 degrees Fahrenheit. At the end of each hour, we record the internal temperature of the porch and point an infrared thermometer at the outlet of the heater.
Our results support the claim of 100% electric heater efficiency and explain why some winter garage mechanics trust electric heaters and others trust them. The smallest electric heater seemed to blow harder than the largest, but by the end of the hour the temperature was about the same. Our range of electrical test heaters are shown below, results from left to right.
The Comfort Zone packs a 1500W ceramic heating element inside a strong steel cylinder with high strength plastic ends and a carrying handle. Top-mounted controls for heat level and fan speed are within easy reach, while power and heat indicators make it easy to see what’s going on. Adjustable steel tube stand is strong and stable.
When we turned on the Comfort Zone, it was 34 degrees outside and 45 degrees on the porch. The heat rose quickly. The blue barrel raised the internal temperature to 65 degrees within an hour and measured about 200 degrees at the exit.
If you need an electric heater for a small garage or workshop, this is your best bet. Portable electric forced air convection heater Mr. The Heater has an all-metal body and an adjustable steel pipe stand, making it the largest and strongest in its class.
When we turned on Mr Heater it was 33 degrees outside and 45 degrees on the porch. The increased barrel diameter and quiet, low-speed fan give the impression that there isn’t much heat coming out of the exhaust port, but it’s still there.
The all-metal goon raises the internal temperature to 64 degrees within an hour and measures about 200 degrees at the exit. Mr. Heather also produces a more powerful 3.6kW version running on 240 volts.
The smallest electric heater produces no heat for its size. In the Multifun, the 1500W ceramic heating element and fan are housed in a steel case with a carrying handle. The rear controls are hard to see from above, but the large power switch and rotary heat control knob are tactile enough to operate out of sight. The front legs must be assembled with the included screws and the heater outlet must be set at an angle.
When we turned on the Multifan, it was 34 degrees outside and 45 degrees on the porch. The concentrated explosion raised the interior temperature of the porch to 65 degrees within an hour, with an exit temperature of 200 degrees, resulting in an immediate increase in heat. For a small package, Multifun contains a surprising amount of heat.
Science Barn heating may or may not work for your garage, and running electric heaters are ruining our economy in New England winters, so a fixed installation or portable electrical unit may be best for you. Browse our range of manufacturers to learn about the different options for garage heaters. If it gives off heat, they most likely give off heat.
With a tradition of innovation and quality dating back to 1872, Mr. Heater manufactures an extensive line of portable and stationary heaters for year round indoor and outdoor comfort. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the company continues the tradition of naming its iconic Forest City brands Mr. Coffee and Mr. gasket. From garage to golf cart. Mr Heather is here to help.
Dyna-Glo manufactures a wide range of domestic and commercial heaters for a variety of applications. From portable forced air kerosene power plants to wall-mounted direct-fired radiant units, Dyna-Glo has a heater that can get the job done. The company also manufactures a range of gas, electric, natural and dual-fuel grills and smokers for the warmer months.
Master Climate Solutions, a division of the Dantherm Group, manufactures fixed and portable heating and cooling solutions. The mission of the company is to create the best working atmosphere. Master manufactures heaters for a wide range of forced air torpedo heaters, infrared heaters and electric fan heaters from large commercial stores to car services.
Somewhere between 30-60 Btu per square foot depending on insulation level and climate zone. Total cubic feet, location, temperature rise, construction type, materials, and insulation are all important factors in calculating the required BTU. See our more detailed explanation above for a detailed look at how to calculate Btu per cubic foot of garage space. Added 10% for Far North climate zone.
If you have to ask, “no” is the best and safest answer. If your garage looks more like a shed or shed than a garage, then maybe, but follow local fire codes and take every possible precaution. Any combustion produces carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Always install carbon monoxide detectors, smoke detectors, and an automotive-approved fire extinguisher before using any type of garage combustion heater.
It depends on the garage heater. Some forced air torpedo heaters can run on multiple fuels, but tuning and tuning may be required to achieve optimum efficiency. Low sulfur diesel and heating oil are essentially the same, but K1 kerosene is best suited for wick heaters. Do not use K2, diesel or heating oil in wick heaters.
It will definitely work harder, but probably not be successful. Uninsulated garages will require more fuel to be added. Consider insulation levels and R-values of building materials in BTU calculations. Pressurize ventilation as much as possible and add a few BTU damping to temperature and cost calculations in cooler climates.
Choosing the best garage heater depends on a fairly accurate calculation of the BTUs required, the ideal type of heater for the size and layout of the garage, fuel cost and availability, climate zone, and budget.
Our reviews are based on field testing, expert opinions, real customer reviews and our own experience. We always strive to provide honest and accurate guides to help you find the best option.
Post time: May-19-2023