5 Best Indoor Propane Heaters

Is your old heater giving you problems after serving you for so many years? And are you thinking of an upgrade and considering an indoor propane heater? Then you’ve come to the right place! Here you’ll find reviews of the best indoor propane heaters available in the market.

It may have some surprising advantages to say goodbye to your decade-old traditional electric room heater. Because nowadays, there is the possibility of indoor propane heaters to heat your space at a much lower cost. And more quickly too.

Besides, who wants to drag a hefty electric heater when you can opt for a compact and highly portable propane heater? And they are the perfect heating option when there’s an unexpected power outage.

Because the best part is: you don’t need electricity or even an electric socket. Propane heaters make it easy by burning fuel to offer the desirable warmth. It makes them perfect sources of heat for a garage or basement.

This is the main reason why propane heaters are highly popular nowadays. The market has been flooded with an enormous variety of propane heaters to choose from. It thus poses a severe challenge to buyers looking for the best indoor propane heater. 

best indoor propane heater

We can help you with this buying guide and reviews of the five best indoor propane heaters with incredible features.

5 Best Indoor Propane Heaters Reviews

Let’s explore the 5 Best Indoor Propane Heaters that go easy on your pocket and are impressive with their offerings:

1. Mr. Heater F232000 Indoor Propane Radiant Safe Heater – Top Pick

Mr. Heater F232000 MH9BX Buddy 4,000-9,000-BTU Indoor-Safe Portable Propane Radiant Heater, Red-Black

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This portable gas heater from Mr. Heater is just right to keep your room warm on a cool night, even if there’s no electricity.  Despite its large heating surface, this heater is highly portable. 

Thanks to its easy folding handle and 9-pound weight, you can conveniently carry it wherever you want. Its swivel-out regulator simplifies its usage and also prevents in-transit damage. 

Designed elegantly, it can easily be stored in a closet when not in use as it doesn’t take much space. It’s available in two pleasing colors and sizes and comes with a fold-down handle for easy movements.

However, don’t be fooled by its size. 

The heater comes with two adjustable heat settings as low as 4000 BTU/hour and high as 9,000 BTU/hour. It is equipped with an advanced heating mechanism to deliver value for value by effectively heating large areas.

The heater has been magnificently engineered to heat up to 200 square feet, while maintaining a minimalistic footprint. Besides, there’s no need to worry about it tipping over. It has an auto-shut feature that shuts off if tipped over to avoid harming the internal components.

We also appreciate its Oxygen Depletion Sensor, which switches off the unit when the room’s oxygen levels drop. It is an essential feature for any indoor propane heater. 

Pros

  • Ideal for large spaces up to 200 sq ft
  • 1-year limited warranty
  • Direct connection to 1 lb fuel cylinders
  • Affordably priced
  • Piezo sparking mechanism for an effortless start
  • Oxygen depletion sensor

Cons

  • Top gets very hot
  • Knob often sticks in one position
  • May shut off while operating at 7000 ft above sea level areas

2. Mr. Heater Little Buddy Safe Indoor Propane Heater – Editors’ Pick

Mr. Heater F215100 MH4B Little Buddy 3800-BTU Indoor Safe Propane Heater, Medium

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This handheld heater by Mr. Heater may be small in size, but it packs a big punch in features. 

The Little Buddy has a compact cylinder, slide-away fuel line, and fold-down handle, perfect for anyone to use. It’s also conveniently sized at a foot tall, wide and lightweight at just five pounds. So it’s easy to carry around to heat any room you want, as needed.

At first sight, the heater looks more like an adjustable lamp, requiring minimal adjustments to heat a single direction. However, be careful not to touch the grid, which gets hot, while making adjustments.   

The heater is portable, easy to set up, and use with an on/off button. Little Buddy produces enough heat to warm rooms sized up to 95 square feet.

We especially liked that it comes with two safety features. They are the tip-over shutoff mechanism and low oxygen sensors. The heater switches off when the heater tips over and in low oxygen levels. Always keep windows open if the heater’s on as oxygen levels may drop in a closed room. It prevents the heater from automatically shutting off after prolonged usage due to low oxygen levels. 

Overall, this is an impressive heater, perfect for warming cabins, garages, porches, hunting blinds, tents, workshops, patios, and other medium-sized areas. It is a compact yet highly competitive heater on our list, with excellent safety features at par with the big heaters. 

If you want a small room or tent heater, Mr. Heater Little Buddy makes a unanimous choice.

Pros

  • Heats areas up to 95 square feet
  • Low oxygen level sensor
  • Safety Auto-shut
  • Ideal for medium spaces
  • 3800 BTU per hour
  • Highly Portable

Cons

  • It takes time to ignite and fire up
  • Not safe to use on uneven surfaces

3. Mr. Heater F271390 Forced Air Heater – Best Value

Mr. Heater 125,000 BTU Forced Air Propane Heater F271390

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This heater from Mr. Heater is an excellent choice for heating larger spaces. Made from steel, it’s the heater’s strong and durable construction that made it a preferred choice on our list. With its high ease of use, all you need is 20 lbs propane tank to make it heat air on the go. 

This is a forced-air model where the propane is used to heat air. Most forced-air heaters are noisy. However, this model is quieter by 50% compared to them with its advanced patented Quiet Burner Technology (QBT).

The heated air is then blasted to the surrounding area to maintain the warmth. This hot air system can effectively produce more heat to heat and cover a broader area. The heater has a 125,000 BTU/hour heat production ability.

It is 50% quieter than other propane heaters. Its high-temperature limit switch helps regulate the temperatures and prevent uncomfortable and high heating temperatures.

This heater is an ideal choice if you need a heater for larger spaces such as a big garage, basement or barn. It is one of the top torpedo heaters, which is easier to carry around.

Pros

  • Heats large areas
  • Produces 50% less loud than standard propane heaters
  • Continuous ignition
  • Lightweight
  • Priced reasonably

Cons

  • It emits a slight odor

4. Dyna-Glo Liquid Propane Thermostatic Blue Flame Wall Heater

Dyna-Glo 30,000 BTU Liquid Propane Blue Flame Vent Free Wall Heater, White

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Dyna-Glo has been in the business and stands behind its products. Including their wall heater. It’s the ideal choice for safe, indoor supplemental heating and during power shortages of up to 1000 square feet

A wall-mounted propane heater, it’s safe to use in homes, and RVs, with the necessary wall-mounting bracket and hardware. The fuel-efficient heater boasts state-of-the-art vent-free technology, which means there’s no need for a chimney or flute. 

We liked its unobtrusive off-white color, which lets it blend well with walls when mounted. Its blue flame heating technology is also worth mentioning because it distributes heat like your central home heating system. It sends heat outwards and upwards for adequate circulation by first warming the air and then surrounding objects. 

As you can choose where you want to heat, the Dewalt heater helps save energy and reduces utility bills. It quickly heats your space to a comfortable temperature in just 25 to 30 minutes. 

Like most heaters, it has a built-in oxygen depletion sensor that switches off the heater upon detecting a lack of oxygen. All it takes is a single continuous press of its battery-assisted igniter for quick and effortless ignition. 

Pros

  • Heats areas up to 1000 square feet
  • Can be wall-mounted or used on the floor
  • It has a 1-year warranty
  • Economically heats only areas needing heating
  • Adjustable heat settings and ODS safety feature
  • Optional base legs available separately

Cons

  • Unpredictable pilot light
  • Noisy

5. Dewalt DXH12B Yellow Portable Heater 

Dewalt DXH12B Portable Heater, Yellow

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The last heater on our list is from Dewalt, a company known for its reliable power tools. The heater’s dual-tank can generate as much as 12,000 BTU of heat up to 300 square feet for up to 7 hours. Its heavy-duty design with durable and thick front grill makes it safe and durable for indoor use, even with kids around.

The heater has a reliable, simple, and quiet ignition system with a knob that starts the heater and maintains the heat output. We liked its integrated high-speed fan, which effectively and quickly disperses the heat. It means that the warmth is felt at a distance too. 

The heater has a 20V battery powering a bright LED light bar that proves handy when working in the dark. The battery isn’t included, but a worth accessory to buy for your heater. The battery also powers 3 USB charging points to charge portable accessories and electronics conveniently. 

About safety features, the heater has a factory-installed oxygen depletion system (ODS), thermoelectric safety valve, and tip-over safety switch system. The heater switches off in low oxygen conditions and won’t turn on without tipping over the switch. 

Pros

  • Heats areas up to 300 square feet
  • 2-year warranty
  • A rugged handle with a light bar
  • ODS and tip-over safety switch features
  • Durably built with a strong front grill
  • Dual tank capacity

Cons

  • Minimal features
  • Absence of heat adjustment options 

Best Indoor Propane Heater – Buying Guide

Sometimes reviews aren’t enough to help you make a choice. You also need to know the essential factors to consider while selecting indoor propane heaters. The right choice can keep your home heated during an unpredicted power cut and on camping trips. 

Ignition type

Propane heaters come with two types of ignition types- manual and automatic. For automatic ignition, you need to push a button. In manual variants, you have to use a match to light the pilot light and create a spark.

Overall heating Capacity

The heating capacity plays a vital role as the sole motive of investing in a heater is to heat the room. Referred to as BTU, the British thermal unit describes the heating capacity of any heater. The higher is the BTU, the better is its heating capacity.

So look out for heaters with higher BTU if you want to heat a large area. For smaller rooms, heaters with lower BTU will suffice.

Portability

Portability is an important feature to remember if you plan to carry and use a heater in different places. For example, you can use it in other rooms as required, on your camping trips and even at job sites. 

Heat Settings

Most heaters have two or three types of heat adjustments to regulate the heat levels. For example, the heater may offer 4000 BTU/hour, 8000.BTU/hour and 12000 BTU/hours at low, medium, and high heat settings.

The propane fuel consumption rate is directly related to the heat settings. The higher the heating output, the more propane is consumed. So we suggest using the heater at low heat settings to save fuel and for fuel-efficiency.

Size

The larger the heater, the higher it would clutter the space around the room. So you may have to consider the size if you are buying a heater for smaller rooms. A compact heater can be easy placed in any room irrespective of its size.

But the drawback is that most of the compact heaters lack power.

Hence, you may have to consider large heaters if you are looking for a heater with larger output. We suggest checking your room size and power requirement to decide on the best size.

Casters

Many propane heaters come with a caster to enhance portability. It facilitates the easy moving of heaters without lifting and carrying them from one place to another. Casters also facilitate the easy movement of heavy propane heaters.

Reliability

The heater’s reliability depends on build quality, spare part availability, manufacturer warranty, and safety features. Lack of safety features makes the entire heater incompatible and useless over some time. Similarly, the unavailability of spare parts will make repairs challenging in case of any breakdown.

Manufacturer warranty vouches for the supreme quality of the heater and saves you from additional unnecessary maintenance costs over time. Build quality is significant in the right portable heater because low build quality leads to higher chances of damage.

Safety tips for Propane Heaters

According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment is a leading cause of fire in most US homes. Hence, it is highly recommended to use space heaters to avoid such potential fire risks safely.

We have listed some propane safety tips to keep such accidents at bay:

  • Installing carbon monoxide and smoke alarms releases an alarm to warn you about alarming low oxygen levels. Test them every year to assess their competency.
  • It is worth adding a gas leak detector to your heater to avoid any potential risks associated with gas leaks.
  • Read the warning labels and manufacturer instructions carefully before use
  • Avoid letting children playing around the heater to avoid any mishap.
  • Ensure that the room you install the heater in has around 3 feet kids-free zone space from the heater
  • Propane heaters must not be used to warm beds, dry clothes, or thaw pipes. The heaters should only be used to provide supplemental and emergency heat.
  • Install the heater at the right place without obstructing any way.
  • Avoid using outdoor propane heaters as indoor heaters 
  • Always hire a professional to install the propane heaters properly 
  • Don’t forget to service your indoor propane heaters at least once a year

These tips assure the safe use of indoor propane heaters and lower their maintenance cost.

Frequently Asked Questions on Indoor Propane Heaters

Here are a few questions we are frequently asked by our readers, which we want to share with you!

Which Propane Heaters Are Safe For Indoor Use?

Indoor propane heaters are safe and specifically designed for indoor use. They come with safety features like auto-off oxygen and temperature sensors, top-over switches, and flame guards. 

What Is A Vent Free Propane Heater?

Vent-free propane heaters burn efficiently and do not emit odors and toxins. They are easier to install as there’s no need to cut the wall or roof for ventilation purposes. 

Are Wall-Mounted Vented Propane Heaters Safe?

Yes, they are safe. They don’t rely on safety switches for their safe indoor functioning but instead vent out all noxious flames outdoors. 

Does Altitude Affect The Propane Heater’s Working?

Yes, propane heaters are not safe for use at high altitudes. The low oxygen levels there can hamper the heater’s operation.

Conclusion

We hope our buying guide and reviews have helped you select the best indoor propane heater for your needs. Like most products, the best heater is a personal choice. You have to decide based on where you plan to use it, the space you’d like to heat, and how long you need it to heat. 

Of course, budget is always a factor to consider while buying anything, including indoor propane heaters. Once you have your priorities and budget right, you will easily find the best indoor propane heater for your heating needs. 

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