Whether you use your garage to work on your car, complete DIY or even just for storage – you don’t want it to get too cold! Sadly, it is rare that you are going to find a garage that comes with insulation, which means that they can get really quite cold – particularly over the winter months. This is why you need a garage heater to help warm up the space and make it a much more enjoyable place to work.
The good thing about a garage heater is that it doesn’t just have to be used in your garage, it can be used in a wide range of spaces to warm up the area that you happen to be in, as they are normally incredibly portable. This means that you can guarantee you are going to get good value for money when you purchase a garage heater!
There are a wide range of garage heaters that are available to choose from – you could get a chill just thinking about which one is going to be right for you! So we have compared all of our favourite models and included a buyers guide with all the main considerations that you are going to need to make.
Best Pick Garage Heater – Draper 92967
- Energy - efficient heater with a ceramic element using Positive Temperature Coefficient (PTC) technology
- Designed for use in enclosed spaces up to 20 square metres in size
- Three settings - fan, low and high 20 / 1,000 / 2,000W
- Approx 1.5M of cable
- Draper 24 months parts and 12 months labour warranty
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
In A Hurry?
Icicles coming from your face when you are working in your garage? Or maybe your hands are too cold to actually be able to hold your tools correctly? If any of this sounds familiar then you are in desperate need of a garage heater – and we are here to help!
Power and Heating Area
The first thing that you need to look at is the amount of power that your garage heater is going to provide. This will determine not only the temperatures that it is going to be able to get to but also the distance that it will be able to force the heat to and therefore the area that it will be able to heat up.
We found that powers tend to range from around 3kW all the way up to around 10kW. A 10kW heater is obviously going to be able to heat a much larger area than a 3kW model would, but a 3kW is going to be more energy efficient and practical if you actually only have a small area that you are needing to heat. If you are wanting a model that can be used with a standard plug socket then the highest you are going to be able to get is a 3kW model, any more than that and you are going to need a generator that is able to work with more power!
Most manufacturers will give a rough idea of the area that their garage heaters are going to be able to heat but there are a number of factors that this is going to be affected by. We found that variations in heating area ranged from around 20 metres squared up to around 200 metres squared. Most electric heaters will heat between 20m – 100m squared, whereas the larger gas powered models will be able to heat all the way up to the 200 metres squared if needed!
NOTE: If your garage is insulated then you won’t need a garage heater that is as powerful as the space should stay warmer for longer.
Power Type
Don’t forget that you are going to need to consider exactly how the heater is going to be powered. Your two options will be either electric powered or gas powered. You will find that electric powered models are going to be much more popular, simply plug them into a socket and the garage heater will start to heat up. This makes them really handy to use in a wide range of places and nice and cheap to run too. Electric garage heaters are going to be smaller and lighter, which makes them perfect for if you are working in a smaller space, just make sure to consider if you actually have power where you are wanting to work!
Your other option is going to be a gas heater. A gas garage heater is great for if you don’t have power in your garage as you will be able to place your heater (and the gas canister) anywhere and it will still work. You also normally find that gas powered garage heaters provide more power and more heat – they will even be able to heat larger garages or spaces where you may be working. Your two choices will be either natural gas or propane gas – which really just comes down to personal preference. However, you do have the downside of having to purchase the gas canister – which is going to add to the cost as well. Plus, this is going to increase the overall bulk, which you may not have space for in your garage.
NOTE: Some gas garage heaters won’t actually be suitable for indoor use due to the emissions that they give off! This is really important to check for before you buy as the carbon dioxide build up inside could be really harmful!
Best Budget Garage Heater – Sonbion Fan Heater
- ADVANCED CERAMIC TECHNOLOGY HEATERS--Electric fan heater features advanced PTC ceramic heating elements provide 2S quick heating, generate more heat and save more energy than normal heaters, perfect for keeping you and your families warm in this winter.
- 2 HEAT SETTINGS & FAN MODE SPACE HEATER--Heater fan provides 2 Heating Levels(1800/900W ) and a gentle cool air fan only mode, which can not only send you hot air in winter, but also can keep you cool in summer.
- 70° OSCILLATING & ADJUSTABLE THERMOSTAT--Portable Heater for room is 70° widespread oscillation for heating larger room and space. With adjustable thermostat, mini heater can monitor surrounding air temperature to optimal heating efficiency.
- FULL PROTECT SAFETY SYSTEM FAN HEATER--SONBION heaters for room is made of eco-friendly ABS-V0 fireproof material, well insulated, effectively avoiding burn while using. Built in overheat and tip over protection ensures indoor mini heater instantly switches off in any unsafe situation.
- FAST HEATING QUIET BEDROOM HEATER--2S quick heating heater can keep you warm instant in cold winter. Only 45dB natural wind voice in high mode, super silent and can make you sleeping,reading and working well in cold winter. Low energy heater is portable and lightweight with handle. You can easily take the heater anywhere.
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Heating Styles
You need to think about the type of heating device that is going to be right for you as well. There are two main types that you will be able to choose from – infrared (or radiant) heaters and fan heaters.
Infrared heaters work by heating objects that are near them – which is a slightly different way of working. The infrared technology is used to actually heat up the “things”, for example you and your car, rather than heating up the air. This is a much more effective way to keep you warm whilst you are working but does mean that the actual garage itself isn’t going to benefit quite as much – which could then lead to damp or you not feeling the benefits quite the same if you are moving around the space!
Fan (or heating element) heaters are the more traditional option that you will find. These work by heating elements and then the fan pushes the warm air around the element out into the room so that the air is always circulating and moving back to the heater to be warmed again. These are arguably less effective as they are going to be trying to heat up the whole space, however, this could quite possibly be what you need for a garage heater! Just bear in mind that they aren’t going to be nearly as economical because they are trying to heat the whole space rather than just the one little area that you are working in!
TOP TIP: If you have young children or pets then it may be a good idea to look out for models that have cool to touch technology (normally found in most infrared models). This means that even if their fingers get near the heater, they shouldn’t end up with a burn like they would with more traditional models.
Build Materials
You need to know that the build materials of your garage heater are going to be up to the task. Unless you have some super garage then they aren’t known for being the cleanest and driest of places so you need to know the garage heater will be able to cope.
Generally, we would only really recommend models that come with a metal frame. Providing the metal frame is powder coated it should be rust resistant and therefore long lasting. Plus, if it is knocked when you are working then it should be able to withstand the force! Metal is going to be slightly heavier than the plastic models – and slightly more expensive – but they are going to last much longer as we found that some of the plastic frames can crack if they are knocked over!
If you do go for a metal option then it may be worth checking to see if the heater comes with rubber feet – you may not be precious about the floor of your garage but if you are then you are going to need this to avoid scratches!
The Best Garage Heaters
Here are some of the features that we found in the best garage heaters. If you are in your garage a lot and need a heater that you can really rely on then this is what you need to be looking for!
- Adjustable Heat Settings – We really like models that come with adjustable heat settings. This will allow you to get just the right amount of heat in your garage for the time of year!
- Thermostat Control – Some of the best garage heaters will even come with thermostat controls so that you can control exactly just the amount of heat that you want. This saves you from having to adjust the settings regularly when you are concentrating on the job that you are completing. We also like this option over winter if you have a classic car or woodwork that you complete in your garage as the garage heater will be able to keep a constant temperature without overheating!
- Heater Overload Safety – Look out for garage heaters that come with overload protection so that if the heater becomes too hot it will switch off and you can avoid any damage.
- Tip-Over Switch – This is another great safety feature that you should look out for. Models that come with a tip-over switch will switch off if they fall over. You may think this isn’t going to happen but you never know so it is better to be on the safe side!
- Weight – Chances are you are going to need to move your garage heater around so make sure to check the overall weight. We found that garage heaters can range in weight from around 3kgs up to around 9kgs.
- Portability – If you know that you are going to be wanting to move your garage heater around then look out for models that come with handles and wheels. This makes it much easier to move around the space as and when needed.
- Brackets and wall mounts – On the other hand, if you know that you want your garage heater fixed in one place then why not look out for models that come with a wall bracket so that they can be secured on the wall and fixed in one place out of the way.
- Twin Heating Elements – This is going to be the best way to get the most heat from a smaller machine! Twin heating elements are going to offer double the heat for a smaller space and mean that you get that heat even faster!
- Size – The overall size of your garage heater is important as you need to know that it is going to fit in the space you have available. We found that sizes started at around 20cm x 20cm x 30cm (length x width x height) and went all the way up to around 50cm x 30cm x 40cm.
- Hose length – If you decide that a gas garage heater is going to be right for you then we would definitely recommend checking the length of the hose that comes with the heater. The longer the hose the more you will be able to move the heater around the space as needed without having to have the gas canister right next to it!
Best of the Rest
- Multistage temperature control with up to 3 heating stages - 30W (only fan), 1500W, 3000W.
- Air flow rate: 411 m³/h, The heating area is 60 cubic meters and the cable length is about 52”.
- Adjustable temperature thermostat control
- Possible fields of application: Automobile workshop, construction areas, gastronomy, greenhouses and many more..
- Condensation-free heating - no oxygen consumption - because of that It is suitable for uses in enclosed rooms.
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
- Three heat settings - low/medium/high
- Overheat protection and tip over safety switch
- Heat resistant handle
- Stainless steel heating element
- Adjustable thermostat
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
- 🔥【FAST HEATING QUARTZ HEATER】With modern technology, high-quality quartz heating element and radiation wave heating ways, portable heater with infrared is far more efficient than a regular gas or halogen patio heater. SONBION heater can make you warm quickly in cold winter.
- 🔥【LONG WORKING LIFE】Made of superior ABS v0 fireproof material and heating element. Mobile electric heater can work long as 7000+ hours in normal use. Come with well packaged nice box. You can easy to storage the small heater and use many years.
- 🔥【ADVANCED SAFETY PATIO HEATER】Built in overheat protection and an enhanced anti-tip over switch ensures indoor heater instantly switches off in any unsafe situation. And SONBION quartz heater had be approved CE ROHS standard certification, giving you complete peace of mind.
- 🔥【QUIET HALOGEN HEATER】Different from other heater fan, radiant heater fast heats cold air directly and silent. No any disturb sleeping, working, reading etc. And infrared heater is skin friendly. No dry your skin after long time use.
- 🔥【LOW ENERGY HEATER】SONBION electric heater convert up to 95% of power directly to heat. We are continuously developing and improving the products with advantages technology for lowest energy to you.
Last update on 2024-04-25 / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API / As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Frequently Asked Questions
Will garage heaters come with a warranty?
Yes! All garage heaters will come with at least a 12 month warranty however some of the best models will come with a 2 or a 3 year warranty. Make sure to check exactly what is covered under this warranty though as many won’t be covered if the model has overheated.
Does a garage heater need to be waterproof?
Providing your garage is relatively watertight then you shouldn’t really need it to be waterproof. However, a certain level of water resistance is definitely not going to go amiss! We would recommend looking for at least a rating of IP44 as this means that it is safe you use and will be safe from the odd splash!
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