There’s a heater for any size garage, budget, and necessity, says Deane Biermeier, home repair expert and member of The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board. But, he cautions: “Consider the type of work you’re planning to perform in your garage. Ensure that the heater is safe for use around sawdust or other flammables, if necessary." When researching the best garage heaters, we evaluated products based on their heating type, safety features, noise level, and heat output. Our top pick, the Comfort Zone CZ230ER Digital Heater, offers plenty of power, rugged construction, and an array of convenient features. Here are the best garage heaters to suit a variety of needs. Due to its solid performance and even heat distribution, Comfort Zone’s CZ230ER Digital Heater is our top pick. The 7,500-watt ceiling-mounted commercial heater saves precious floor space in a packed garage, and offers many convenient features, including a digital thermostat, a 12-hour timer, and a full-function remote control. Dust is no match for the fully enclosed motor, making it an ideal choice for a high-traffic garage or workshop. Thanks to adjustable louvers and a variable mounting angle, you can control the direction of airflow. The unit comes equipped with an overheat protection sensor and automatically shuts off if it reaches an unsafe temperature. Its heavy-gauge steel construction can withstand sudden drops and spikes in temperature. The only drawback is this requires hard-wiring to a 240-volt outlet, meaning adding this circuit to your home’s electric system, at considerable expense, if not already so equipped. The power it uses also can add greatly to your electric bill. Price at time of publish: $151 The Comfort Zone Portable Ceramic Utility Barrel Heater has some great safety features: It’s equipped with an overheat protection sensor, tip-over cutoff switch, and a cool-touch exterior. The unit has a fan-only setting, which provides airflow without heat. Since it plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet, it’s incredibly easy to set up and operate. Price at time of publish: $67 It’s important to note that though the Big Maxx heater runs on natural gas or liquid propane, it requires access to an electrical outlet for the fan. So we don’t recommend it for unattached garages that lack electrical wiring. Also, you need a universal hookup kit for connecting this product to a gas source, which is not included. Price at time of publish: $464 No hardwiring or installation is required. This heater plugs into a 110-volt outlet and includes a 10-foot hose and regulator to connect to a propane tank. It also has solid safety features that users can appreciate such as a high-temperature limit switch, thermoelectric safety valves, and an automatic ignition that runs continuously. Price at time of publish: $168 This heater has some great safety features—it shuts off automatically if it’s tipped over, the pilot light goes out, or low oxygen levels are detected. Thanks to the built-in O2 system, this clean-burning radiant heater is approved for indoor and outdoor use. And it can run for about two-and-a-half hours at maximum BTU and about five-and-a-half hours on low. Price at time of publish: $97 For your convenience, the King heater comes equipped with a wall and ceiling bracket, thermostat, and an infrared remote control. There are more powerful options available in the ECO2S series, including 12,500- and 15,000-watt models, which can heat garages as large as 1,250 and 1,500 square feet, respectively. Price at time of publish: $1,168 Keep in mind that this unit must be hardwired to a 240-volt electrical supply; it doesn’t work with a standard 120-volt residential outlet. Price at time of publish: $131 Our top pick for such a product is the CTN-110 from Sengoku. Safety features include an automatic shutoff switch, a tip-over switch, and a safety guard that prevents accidental contact with the hot surface. The manufacturer says the unit can warm indoor and outdoor garages up to 1,000 square feet (about half the size of a tennis court). At 20 pounds, this is one of the lighter such units, and its fairly compact size makes it easy to transport. The large fuel tank has a 1.2-gallon capacity and can run up to 14 hours. A manual siphon pump is included, so you can safely transfer kerosene to the heater without any spills. An easy-to-read fuel gauge allows you to easily monitor the kerosene level. This unit also includes four C batteries; no electricity is required for operation. Like most kerosene heaters, it may produce a slight odor while running. Also, although this heater is equipped with a push-button igniter, we have seen reports that it needs to be lighted with a match. Price at time of publish: $150 There are three heat settings—high (1,500w), low (750w), and natural wind—and you can adjust the head by 90 degrees. Since this is a freestanding unit, it offers crucial safety features such as a tip-over shutoff, and an automatic shutoff in case the unit overheats. It’s important to note that the surface of this heater gets very hot. To avoid burns, never touch the unit while it’s in use. Price at time of publish: $40 Unlike many other garage heaters, which are more utilitarian in appearance, this unit has a sleek and modern design that looks great on a wall, and preserves floor space. What’s more, this unit doesn’t need to be hard-wired to your electrical system, making it simple to set up. The only flaw to this heater’s otherwise convenient design is the short power cord, which limits your placement options. This infrared is packed with a slew of convenient features, including a child lock, tip-over shutoff, and a safe-touch grill. Its digital thermometer boasts a wide temperature range—40 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit—and provides a precise amount of heat. If the unit overheats for some reason, it shuts down automatically. This unit throws off plenty of direct heat; though, like most convection heaters, it may take a while to heat up a larger garage. We like the two heat seatings (1,500 or 750 watts), which allow you to conserve power. Another noteworthy feature is the integrated handle, which makes for easy transport. The De’Longhi Mica Thermic Panel also features a thermal cutoff, to prevent it from overheating, as well as a tip-over switch for added safety. It even sounds an alarm if the heater is tipped over. We have noted a few reports of defective and malfunctioning products; however, this heater is backed by a 3-year warranty. When considering the type of garage heater, also factor in cost efficiency. Generally, a natural gas heater has low utility-bill footprints most but requires a natural gas line, which can be pricey to install. Adding adequate ventilation can add to the initial expense. Electric heaters may use more energy but require less initial cost.
Power
Check the BTU and wattage on the garage heater to confirm it can heat your entire space. A two-car garage measures about 400 square feet; a three-vehicle garage, about 600 to 800 square feet. Also, consider your prospective purchase’s voltage and how much power it uses, expressed in wattage. Many garage heaters plug in to standard 110-volt outlets, but larger units may require 220 volts. Also, these units consume about 10 watts per square foot. So you should make sure your electric system can handle running these machines without tripping your circuit breakers. Also, Biermeier advises, buy a garage heater that’s only as powerful as you need it to be. “Besides costing more at the outset, a heater that’s too powerful will cycle on and off excessively and reduce the lifespan of the heater,” he notes.
Features
Most garage heaters come with specific features to avoid burns, fires, and fumes. When considering a portable garage heater, look for a model with a cool-touch exterior or wire guard. A tip-over switch or sensor shuts the unit off automatically if it’s knocked over. An automatic shutoff system turns off the garage heater if it gets too hot. For combustion-type garage heaters, such as natural gas, propane, and kerosene, a built-in O2 system can detect unsafe oxygen levels.
Noise
Some garage heaters can be very noisy, so check out the specs before purchasing. If you prefer a quiet workspace or are worried about waking up others in your home, an electrical heater is your best bet, as their gas counterparts are usually noisier. “Even if you don’t mind excess noise while you’re working, keep in mind that the noise can easily make its way into the house,” Biermeier points out.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was written by Sage McHugh, a writer and product tester for The Spruce. A native of New England and no stranger to cold weather, she’s thoroughly researched and personally tested space heaters, heated blankets, and more in the home heating sector. For this round-up, Sage considered dozens of garage heaters, carefully evaluating each model’s heating type, safety features, noise level, and heat output. For expert insight on garage heaters, Sage interviewed Deane Biermeier, home repair expert and member of The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board.
