Best patio heaters 2023 – the top garden and outdoor heaters

Investing in one of the best patio heaters on the market can be a great way to maximise time spent al fresco and extend your enjoyment of your outdoor space,

Adding the warmth of an outdoor heater to your outdoor dining set or installing a freestanding or wall-hung patio heater will allow you and friends or family to linger outside for longer – despite any chill in the air or the unpredictability of British weather. 

If your outdoor living space is near a convenient power point then you can opt for an electric patio heater, or you can plump for a gas patio heater if you’d prefer to be liberated from reliance on your nearest plug socket. Either way, an outdoor heater will warm up those outdoor gatherings and keep you cosy when you fire up the BBQ or pizza oven. (Make sure to check out our guides to the best BBQs and best pizza ovens of the year if you haven't yet sorted your outdoor cooking set-up!).

To help you make the right choice for you, we’ve rounded up bestselling patio heaters from the leading brand names in this guide, as well as including some useful buying advice below.

Best patio heaters 2023

The Swan Al Fresco SH16310N Column Patio Heater is our top choice of patio heaters thanks to its steady warmth and versatility. 

It has two temperature settings to choose from, either 1000W or 2000W, and on testing we found it emitted a good directional heat – warming those directly in front of the heating element the most, but still delivering cosy warmth to people sat to either side.

It's an electrical heater, so you'll need access to a power socket to plug in the 1.8 metre power cord, and we did find it a little fiddly to set up, but in 10 minutes we had it connected and from that point onwards it was hassle-free. 

The heating element is at the top, which initially we thought might be a waste of the lower section of the stand. However, in practice, we found this actually made it more versatile than some other patio heaters. For example, if you don't want a tabletop patio heater cluttering your dining surface then this option will still heat faces and torsos when users are seated, but is also tall enough to warm a group who are standing up. This design also felt somewhat safer when pets and kids are involved. 

The column design feels particularly sturdy and well-made, with the heavy base making toppling unlikely. However, this patio heater also features a 360-degree tip-over safety switch, meaning it will automatically turn itself off if knocked over – great for extra peace of mind whilst it's in use.

Gas patio heaters don’t require electricity, so they’re perfect for use in areas of the garden that you'd struggle to reach with an electrical cord. That said, they tend to be less economical than an electrical option. 

The Dellonda Propane Gas Pyramid Patio Heater is our top pick for the best gas patio heater on the market as it’s got in-built storage space for your gas tank in the base and the glass inner tube houses a real flame that creates a great focal point when lit in an evening.

The controls are directly underneath the heater and allow variable temperature output, and we found it emitted a great warmth, keeping multiple users toasty at a time.

The downside is the assembly time, with multiple reviewers mentioning the length of time this patio heater takes to assemble. However, you do only have do it once, so if you're willing to invest a little time in set-up, we think this is a great option for the bottom of the garden.

As well as looking stylish, this compact table top patio heater is the perfect option if you want ease of use, portablity, and convenience. 

There's no need to lug a heavy patio heater into position with this lightweight option, and its compact build is perfect for smaller seating areas with the carry handle offering extra portability if you want to move it about the garden. That said, the 1.8m power cord does restrict you to the radius of your nearest electrical outlet.

Because it's designed to be close by – on the table top rather than operating from a distance like an overhead option – the maximum temperature settings don't reach the same heights as most larger patio heaters, but the options of 350W and 700W still deliver plenty of warmth. And, if you love the design, but want more output, then there are two larger models available offering up to 1200W each. 

As an infrared heater, this table top heater also offers low energy consumption with its radiant heat designed to warm you rather than the air around you. Plus, there's an oscillating heat reflector with three settings – 360 degrees for all-round warmth, 120 degrees to heat one side of a table, or fixed directional heat for focused use. For peace of mind, there's also an auto-off switch that turns the heat off if the unit is knocked over.

Cute and compact, we think this is a great addition to the garden.

This set of two electric patio heaters provides both an affordable and versatile outdoor heat source. 

Each heater offers three heat settings – 650W, 1350W and 200W – with remote control operation making it easy to turn up the heat without leaving your spot on the outdoor sofa. 

You can also adjust the stand height from 1.74m to 2.1m, and direct the heat to just the right spot thanks to the adjustable heating elements which can be tilted up to 45 degrees.

For added versatility, you can also choose whether to assemble these patio heaters as freestanding or wall mounted, with installation fittings included if you opt to attach the heating elements to the wall.

As with all electrical heaters, you'll need to factor in appropriately located power sockets, but the extra-long 4.8m power cords do help to eliminate the usual hunt for extension leads.

Overall, these patio heaters might not be the most stylish, but they do offer good value and great versatility to warm up your evenings al fresco.

The Swan Al Fresco SH16340N Wall Mounted Patio Heater can be mounted either vertically or horizontally on your patio wall for year-round use. It’s waterproof and designed for any weather conditions, and the 1.8 metre power lead means it can be placed a good distance from your living space. 

There’s a remote control included, as well as an on/off button on the side of the heater itself, and there’s a total of 1800W of power which combined with the reflective back makes for a very effective heating system. We found it actually had a better heating range (both wider and further) than the top pick from Swan on this list, but is slightly less versatile as it needs to be mounted within a couple of metres of your seating area. This means that while it is a really strong heater, it won't suit as many gardens. 

It is fairly lightweight meaning it was easy to mount and requires nothing but switching on once you have it on the wall. It is IP44 rated so is waterproof, but we would think about getting a cover to ensure its longevity in winter months.

If you want to opt for a more traditional heat source, then a fire pit can create a great focal point in the garden and provide warmth for late-night gatherings.

The usual downside of a fire pit is the smoke that they produce, with wood-fired flames tending to mean that guests can end up with a face full of smelly smoke whenever the wind changes direction. However, Solo Stove aims to eliminate this problem thanks to its innovative 'smokeless' fire pit range. 

The smokeless designs work via a secondary burn, made possible thanks to the fire pits' double-skin steel construction with vent holes at the top and bottom. Cool air is pulled through the bottom, heats up within the double cavity, and rises to the top, which invokes secondary combustion as the hot air exits the top vents. This continuous supply of air makes both for a brilliant rolling flame effect, and results in more thorough combustion and a hotter fire with less smoke. The rim at the top of the bonfire is also angled to help control smoke flow. 

We tested the smokeless claims in our Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 firepit review and were pleasantly surprised by the results. This medium-sized fire pit can warm up to eight guests seated around its 49.5cm diameter, although there are also the smaller Solo Stove Ranger 2.0 firepit (opens in new tab) and larger Solo Stove Yukon 2.0 firepit (opens in new tab) to consider.

The Opranic 2KW Electric Patio Heater has an aluminium body and knitted carbon flament. The infrared function means it’s super efficient, only heating objects nearby and not the air itself. 

This heater has 2000W of power and comes with a textile cover to keep it safe when not in use. There’s also a safety function that automatically shuts the heater off when tipped. Opranic also claim that the IP34 certified heater has at least 10,000 hours of battery life.

How we chose the best patio heaters

In order to compile this guide we tracked down multiple bestselling patio heaters from leading brand names, and we're working our way through all the products included in this round-up to test them in person. 

That means a fair bit of lounging around in the garden drinking cups of tea to check how easy each outdoor heater is to operate, the heat it throws out, stability, as well as initial assembly, and any other USPs.

We also take into account the wider feedback of those who own each product, via online reviews and brand satisfaction ratings. Click here to find out more about how we review products on Ideal Home.