Options for outside electric heating.

Jeepers_Creepers

Hi.

Asking for someone who has a small patio area and would like a small heater to take out to allow a little extension to their evening. I'll be having a look myself at what's out there, but would welcome opinions from folk who have been there.

Some provisos; it'll have to be small and potable - he has outdoor sockets available. He doesn't want anything that lives outside, so nothing fixed to any wall or on a stand; literally a small, compact heater that he can pick up, plug in and use, taking it back inside afterwards.

Also, no fans - nasty noisy things. 

What does that leave - small 'bar' heaters? Halogen? (Tho' can be quite bright). Are there any 'black' IR heaters that work? 

Ideally something that'll give a wide and even band of warmth. 

Cheers :-)

*j*

"it'll have to be small and potable"   I'd advise them that  they shouldn't really be drinking electrical heaters.  It's not safe.

Jeepers_Creepers

nice

Mickey666

Search for Infra-red space heaters.  Because they heat the person rather than the air, which will obviously rise or be blown away, they are more efficient . . . If you can consider sitting outside on a cold evening under an electric heater to be efficient.

Ectophile

I'm note sure that "small and po[r]table" is going to work for anything that's essentially trying to heat a "room" the size of the World.

Most patio heaters either hang on the wall, or hang off a stand, so that they are beaming heat down on to you.  Sticking a heater on the ground will give you warm legs, but not much else.

Sitting a common quartz heater on a table might work.  They are the more modern looking versions of the old radiant bar fires that have been around for decades.  They glow orange, just like most patio heaters do.

FreeBear

Ectophile said: I'm note sure that "small and po[r]table" is going to work for anything that's essentially trying to heat a "room" the size of the World.

Agreed. Much easier to apply heat to areas where it is needed rather than trying to heat the sky.

https://www.dewalt.com/products/storage-and-gear/safety-and-protective-workwear/heated-gear/lightweight-softshell-heated-jacket-kit/dchj072d1 (other brands available).

cymruchris

https://www.alertelectrical.com/forum-blaze-ip55-1600w-floor-standing-infrared-patio-heater-zr-32300-alertelectrical-com.html?gclid=CjwKCAiAlNf-BRB_EiwA2osbxfn5pLue4-Lqt0XFg9cznEyEHB83uaNyX7bs8nXUT3WPAy11PhmrXRoC-qIQAvD_BwE

Something like that might be suitable - but I wouldn't put any old heater outside - in case it started to rain - make sure whatever he chooses it has a level of weather protection.

Jeepers_Creepers

Thank you - all helpful stuff.

I think his idea is to have it sitting on a raised part of the patio so's it's more at 'sitting upper-body' height, and folk would have blankets to cover their legs.

Yes, I know it's hardly an efficient use of energy, but I can see the appeal - being tolerably warm whilst supping a drink on a real chilly night has 'something' - especially when you have a skyline view, which he does.

I did suggest the normal 'indoor' halogen type heaters which are so cheap he could buy one just to try, but warned him it couldn't get wet - he doesn't trust himself to have the level of discipline required to constantly monitor the weather, that's a no go...

I'll check out the options above - thanks everyone.