Gas, Electric, or Wood Patio heater

lifesachallenge

Hi All

Needing advice here as I want a patio heater for the summer and figuring now is a good time to get a deal!

Which starts me wondering whats the best type - before I can even start to look for best deal.

Chiminea types look nice - and you can toast marshmalloes, bread etc on -We have wood for open fire, so could keep stocks for summer too - but takes a bit of time to get going and hot? - and how many people would it keep warm?

Gas - I hope are safe but I know people who have had them go wrong after 1 summer ( even £200 +) and also youre never sure if its about to run out are you?

Electric - are these safe, if it starts raining?? Tesco have a deal on at the moment 33% off....

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - Then I may be after some BBBQ advice too!!

Weymouth_Man

Electric perhaps are more convenient and providing they are protected by an earth leakage device should be safe, but common sense dictates they should never be used by water, or in the open if rain is expected.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=100332&ts=65276&id=15263


I personally have been interested in electric, Quartz look good as they only warm what they are pointed at.

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea/searchresults.jsp?_dyncharset=UTF-8&q=patio+heaters&pn=1&pd=1&pi=1&cn=1&cd=1&x=6&y=12

Hope this helps :beer:

lifesachallenge

Many thanks weymouth Man - good old Screwfix. :T

Was thinking more of it standing than being fixed to wall, as table in middle of garden.

And I must get one of those cut out plugs - saved my life when I was 12 and mowed over a cable with a flymo!

mercurystar999

I can't see why you would want to heat up the atmosphere??? Surely these are a big waste of resources? I aint no tree hugger either!

lifesachallenge

I see your point Mercury Man but I have just moved to a house in a village which is surrounded by water. Whilst it is beautiful and I want to enjoy it, along with the stillness, quiet and stars.. it gets very damop and cold at night.

OH and I dont get back from work til 7.30pm so we dont get to sit out in the warner part of the evening and we want to be able to have friends round for bbqs etc and enjoy the outdoors, not sit inside with electiricity running.

Not sure, am I being short sighted?

mercurystar999

Your choice, i've just never seen the point. Can't wear a cardie?

scope

Why for every post I've read regarding Patio heaters there is always someone who has to come with a "save the world" message? The poster asks the question because he wants one.. To hear you can wear a cardie is hardly helping? A patio heater is one of those luxuries some people buy to be able to enjoy a late summer night outdoor without having to look for their jackets, etc. I am buying one myself as me and my friends/family enjoy sitting outdoor in the evenings.

As for the original question.. Personally I will be buying a gas heater, but I have heard good things about the electric ones aswell.. You'll need a spare gas container so you dont run out.

Real fire ones(Chiminea) must be nice aswell, but as you say it will take a while to heat up, and I am not sure how much heat they produce..

mercurystar999

Save the world?? Are you not watching or reading anything about global warming? Its on the news every day. They say every little helps. If everyone had the same attitude as you we'd all be wearing oxygen masks to breath soon.

And i aint no tree hugger!!!

CashBash

I don't know too much about the subject but am familiar with patio heaters.

As such, I would imagine that the gas ones offer the best all round solution
i.e. relatively cheap to run, flexible (can move them without worrying about wires) and don't have to worry about them getting wet.

I came across the following website last week (http://www.patioheaters4u.com/index.htm) and bookmarked it for future reference (you never know when you may need it).

They appear to specialise in gas patio heaters and have a Q&A section which should be worth reading.
Also, why not give them a call and ask them for their opinion.

HTH

scope

CashBash: I've actually been on their website and was close to buying one from them.. But I ended up with a 15kw patio heater on ebay for £90, so now I just need to find a cheap supplier of propane gas, and I'll be all set for the summer. (with or without a oxygen mask ;-)

FirstClassMale

I believe that Calor and the like fix their prices to be the same all over but feel free anyone to prove me wrong. I bought a 13kg refill of propane last week for £14.99

The trouble is finding a gas bottle as they are charged a fortune for on top of the gas. Try to find one lying about. Ask family or neighbours if they have an old one you can have. I got one from my brother with a last fill date of 1978! :eek: I gingerly put it into the back of my car and took it to get exchanged.

If you can't find one then try my brother's suggestion. Traveller's leave where their sites have been in an awful mess. They leave rubish lying everywhere, sometimes they even leave empty gas bottles too. Make sure they have actually left of course. This way you will save money and do your bit for tidying up the countryside too.