Garages are the most neglected area of a house when it comes to heating. I don’t want that to be the case for you. So I’ve researched the best types of garage heaters for each price range and passing that onto you.
All of these garage heaters will be electric, which, in my opinion, is the best way to heat your garage.
Why it’s Worth Investing in Top of the Range Garage Heaters
Investing in a high-quality garage heater can last you years, I’ve had cheap heaters after cheap heaters. Anything under the $50 price range honestly only lasted me a few months at a time. Don’t make the same mistake I made, buy the right garage heater once and you won’t need to buy again.
There are other ways to heat your garage too, such as getting a radiator installed or heating under the floor. Personally, I’ve never been a fan of this, electric heaters are so much easier to install. Don’t put extra strain on your boiler, and can heat up your garage in a matter of minutes.
So, if you’re like me and you want to avoid a labour/service fee and getting your garage turned upside down, opt for an electric heater for your garage. You’ll find that it will save you time and money. It also offers more flexibility if you decide to use the heater for another room in your house.
Top Garage Heaters
1. Mr. Heater F260550 Big Maxx MHU50NG Natural Gas Unit Heater. If you’ve read the title of this article and are looking for the very best garage heater, I’ve done you a favour and put it first. This propane-powered heater is 80% energy efficient, made with high-cast aluminium and a glass ceramic window for increased safety. It also has a built-in thermostat so you can control your heat dissipation. These models have a whopping 50,000 BTU that produces clean energy meaning it will save you money. This heater is easy to install, just connect the heater to a gas fitter and you’re sorted.
2. Mr. Heater MH75KTR Kerosene Heater. This is perhaps the most feature-heavy garage heater I’ve ever seen. Not only is it a heater for your garage, it is also an air conditioner, dehumidifier, and a fan. What more could you need? As if that wasn’t enough, it is also remote controlled, has wheels, Wi-Fi, smart speaker compatible, the list goes on. With an industry-exclusive real feel technology that will offer you the highest level of comfort, this seems ideal. This heater can work in rooms up to 500 square feet. Meaning even if your garage is huge, it can still be heated up in minutes. You can use its portable comfort system to move it easily from room to room if you fancy having it in another room. This 4-in-1 device will sort you out for years and every season of the year, very much worth the investment.
3. Space Heater, KopBeau 1500W Oil Filled Radiator Electric Heater. This space-efficient electric heater can and will warm your entire garage (or any other room for that matter), and it can be controlled with a remote. It also gives you the option to wall-mount this heater to save you even more space or be a free-standing heater to make it more portable. The 1500W power gives an output of 5,000 BTU and will heat up your garage in less than a minute (depending on the size of your garage). The smart power timer is my favourite feature as it will safely turn itself off after a set time (set by you). The built-in thermostat will also help to regulate the temperature of your garage. Finally, this heater has a child lock function, is waterproof, and can’t overheat. This means your family are perfectly safe in your garage with this heater on.
4. Atomi Smart WiFi Portable Tabletop Space Heater. Another very strong choice, this quiet, electric heater will cover garages up to 200 square feet and ranges from 450 to 950 watts. The range of temperatures goes from 0 degree to 167 degrees Fahrenheit. It will also adjust automatically according to the room’s temperature and won’t overheat. It is also lightweight, making it easily portable. This is also one of the safest electric heaters on the market as it’s made of flame-retardant material meaning there will be no fire hazard. It will also shut off if it’s knocked over, perfect for if you have young kids or pets. Due to its safety features and overall quality, its lifespan is very long and will heat your garage for years.
5. Sunday Living Electric Space Heater. This Standing, oscillating heater also offers an adjustable thermostat and timer. It is easy to see why this one is popular among users as it offers so many safety features while being powerful enough to heat your whole garage in no time at all. My favourable feature is its ECO setting which makes it turn off when the garage is warm enough, saving you money on your electric bills. This 1500-watt heater can be adjusted by each 1-degree interval so you can finely tune your garage’s temperature. It requires no assembly and is easily portable, a great option if you’re looking for value for money.
6. Space Heater, 1500W Ceramic Tower Heaters Indoor Portable with Remote. The final heater on this list is slightly different from the rest. This versatile, 1500 watt indoor/outdoor hater can be easily mounted to the inside or outside of your garage wall to heat your garage or patio. The 3 power settings are 500/1000/1500 watts. It features a golden tube designs offering environmentally friendly heating that will last you 6000 hours! It is also safe around your family as it will produce no fumes, odours, or chemicals. Adjust it with a remote control to optimise your heating preferences and angles. This aluminium casing will ensure a stylish, aesthetically pleasing heater that will make your neighbours jealous. Finally, it is made with strict quality standards and has an ETL certificate, also coming with a one-year warranty. So if it isn’t up to your garage heating standards, there is a fail-safe.
Garage Heating Tips
Now that you’ve chosen what heater you’ll buy or how you’ll heat your garage, it’s worth just reminding you of a few things to get the most out of your heaters.
Insulate Your Garage
I spoke about garage insulation in my garage conversion article. For more guidance on how to insulate your garage, I would suggest giving it a quick read. The purpose for doing so is that there’s no point heating your garage up if your garage isn’t properly insulated.
Warm air will escape through your garage meaning you’ll have to heat your garage for longer, making it more expensive for you. My guidance would be to just ensure each part of your garage is insulated. This includes the garage door, the ceiling, the other door (assuming you have one), the windows, and of course, the walls.
If you want to learn more about how to insulate your garage, check out my article: Garage Conversion: Everything You need to Know.
Consider the Size of Your Garage
Double or triple garages may require two electric heaters instead of one. This again depends on how good your insulation is. If your garage is well insulated, you may get by with one heater (given it is of good enough quality), it will just take a little bit longer to heat up.
A good way to decide this is by looking at the BTU of your electric heaters, the higher the better, especially for bigger garages. Just keep an eye on costs, although typical 1500-watt electric heaters will only cost you 15 cents an hour on average.
Where you Live and what your Garage is For
If you live somewhere cold, it may be worth getting more permeant heating installed and maybe using the electric heaters for when it’s not freezing. Likewise, if you live somewhere warm with mild winters, it’s worth using an electric heater when you find it chilly.
Also, consider what you use your garage for. If you’re using your garage for manual work, it’s likely you won’t need a really powerful heater. However, if you use it as a multi-purpose, family space for comfort, it will be worth investing in a high performing heater.
Power Supply
Finally, as these heaters are electric, it is worth considering your power source. If you’re garage doesn’t have any or enough outlets, it may be worth getting one installed or using an extension lead. If you opt for the later, just remember the trip or fire hazard that come with it. However, as long as you’re not over-doing it with the extension leads you should be fine.
I’ve also only recommended electric heaters with high quality safety standards so you can warm yourself and your family up with peace of mind.
Final Thoughts
If you’re like me and you can’t stand the cold, then it is well worth investing in the right garage heater for you. In my opinion, electric heaters are better in garages because they offer more versatility. They are also much easier to install than any other type.
Using the electric heaters on this list will also save you money in the long run as their heat efficiency and power/heat control mechanisms ensure you’re not wasting anything.
It is still important to consider the whole picture and take the steps needed to get the most out of your garage’s heating, for example, proper insulation.
Nevertheless, thank you for reading this far and I hope you’ve seen a heater that is perfect for your garage. I’d like to offer warm wishes to you and your family.
