British weather makes outdoor entertaining a committed sport. You’ve got maybe 14 days a year when it’s actually warm enough to sit outside after 9pm without a coat, and then the rest of the year is jumpers or nothing. A good patio heater extends that window by roughly four months — March evenings and October afternoons become usable, the back door stays open, and you can actually use the garden furniture you bought three summers ago.
After a cold snap tested five heaters in my Henley garden through March and April, the best patio heater for most UK gardens is the Kettler Kalos Bergamo Electric Infrared Heater at £249. Infrared runs cheaper than gas or propane, it’s silent, and it heats people rather than air — which matters when you’re trying to warm someone sitting 2 metres away, not the whole atmosphere of your garden. For gas lovers there’s the Outback Signature Pyramid Heater at £329, and the budget pick is the VonHaus Freestanding Electric at £69 — surprisingly decent for the price if you’re just heating a small patio corner.
In This Article
- Heater Types Compared: Electric vs Gas vs Infrared
- Real UK Running Costs
- Best Overall: Kettler Kalos Bergamo
- Best Gas: Outback Signature Pyramid
- Best Budget: VonHaus Freestanding
- Best Wall-Mounted: Firefly Medium Wave Infrared
- Best Tabletop: Outsunny Tabletop Gas Heater
- Best Premium: Bromic Platinum Smart-Heat
- Where to Place Patio Heaters
- Safety and UK Regulations
- Frequently Asked Questions
Heater Types Compared: Electric vs Gas vs Infrared
Three main technologies. Each has genuine trade-offs — no single type wins every category.
Electric Patio Heaters
- How it works: heating element warms a reflector, which radiates heat towards people
- Heat output: typically 1,500W-2,400W (enough for 2-4 people at close range)
- Running cost: 29p/kWh × 2kW = 58p/hour
- Pros: clean, silent, no fuel tank, plug and play
- Cons: needs outdoor weatherproof socket, effective range limited to 2-3 metres
Electric heaters are the sensible default for most UK gardens. No propane tanks to refill, no gas valves to worry about, nothing to smell or leak.
Infrared Patio Heaters
- How it works: emits infrared radiation that heats objects and people directly (like sunshine), not the surrounding air
- Heat output: 1,500W-2,800W typical
- Running cost: 29p/kWh × 2kW = 58p/hour (same as electric if both run at 2kW)
- Pros: heats people instantly (no warm-up), works in windy conditions where warm air blows away, silent
- Cons: focused beam (not good for spread-out groups), some produce bright orange glow
Infrared is electric technology with a specific delivery method. It’s the most efficient per kW because you’re warming bodies directly rather than losing heat to moving air. Best for windy gardens or exposed patios.
Gas Patio Heaters (Propane)
- How it works: propane combusts in a burner, flame heats a mesh or deflector, heat radiates outward
- Heat output: typically 10-13kW — 5-6× more powerful than electric
- Running cost: 13kg propane cylinder (£35-£50) lasts ~15 hours at full heat = £2.30-£3.30/hour
- Pros: massive heat output, large coverage area (3-5m radius), works without power
- Cons: expensive per hour, propane tank is bulky, hisses/smells slightly, regulatory considerations
Gas heaters punch hardest on heat output. If you’re entertaining 6+ people on a large patio, electric won’t cut it — you need gas. The trade-off is cost per hour and the faff of buying propane cylinders at Calor stockists.
Natural Gas Patio Heaters
- How it works: permanently plumbed into the household gas supply (like a gas hob)
- Running cost: cheapest of all gas options — ~40-60p/hour at high output
- Pros: cheapest running cost, no tank refills ever
- Cons: requires a Gas Safe engineer to install (£400-£800 fit), permanent mount only
Only worth it if you’re installing permanent outdoor entertaining space and plan to use a heater 200+ hours/year. For most UK gardens, the install cost never pays back.
Real UK Running Costs
Based on 4 hours of use per week during the shoulder seasons (March-May + Sept-Oct), a realistic UK usage pattern:
- Electric 2kW: 4 hours × 30 weeks × £0.58/hour = £70/year
- Infrared 2kW: same as electric — £70/year
- Propane gas 13kW: 4 × 30 × £2.80/hour = £336/year
- Natural gas 10kW: 4 × 30 × £0.50/hour = £60/year
Gas on propane is expensive. Electric is cheap. The extra heat output of gas is real, but so is the cost difference.
Cost per Square Metre Heated
- Electric (2kW): effective over ~4m² = £1.50/hour per m²
- Infrared (2kW): effective over ~3m² (more focused) but same cost per hour
- Propane (13kW): effective over ~15m² = £0.19/hour per m² — cheaper per area heated if you’re using it
So the per-m² economics reverse at scale. Small patio = electric wins. Large patio = gas wins (despite higher hourly cost) because you’d need 4-5 electric heaters to match one gas heater’s coverage.
For context on UK domestic energy use more broadly, the Ofgem energy price cap page is the go-to reference for current electricity rates.
Best Overall: Kettler Kalos Bergamo
Price: £249-£299 | Type: Electric infrared | Output: 2kW | IP rating: IP54
The Kettler Kalos Bergamo is a medium-wave infrared heater designed for UK garden use. Everything about it is properly engineered for British weather: stainless steel body, IP54 weather resistance (heavy rain shrug-off), built-in tilt stand, and a remote control so you can switch it on from the dining table.
What Works
- Proper IP54 rating means it can stay outside year-round. Cheap heaters rot in 18 months of UK rain — this doesn’t.
- Instant heat. Medium-wave infrared hits you in 15 seconds, not the 3-5 minutes a ceramic electric heater takes to warm up.
- Silent operation. No fan, no hum, no gas hiss.
- Minimal light pollution. The golden-tint infrared bulb gives a warm glow rather than the aggressive orange of cheaper quartz tubes.
- Kettler brand — German, 10-year warranty on the housing, serviceable parts via UK distributor.
What’s Less Good
- Price. £249 is mid-range territory. You can buy adequate electric heaters for £60-£80.
- Coverage is modest. 2kW heats about 4m² well — two people at a bistro table, not a 6-person dining setup.
- Tilt stand isn’t the most stable in strong wind. Bolt it to a patio mount for better security.
Where to Buy
Direct from kettler.co.uk, or John Lewis who price-match. Currys carry the Kalos range seasonally. Amazon UK has third-party resellers; check the seller is “Kettler” or “John Lewis Partners” to avoid knock-off versions.
Best Gas: Outback Signature Pyramid
Price: £329-£399 | Type: Propane gas pyramid | Output: 13kW | Height: 2.2m
If you want serious heat for a 6-8 person patio, the Outback Signature Pyramid is the benchmark. 13kW of output (enough to warm a 4-metre radius in still conditions), the satisfying blue-flame tube you can see from inside, and proper Outback build quality — this is the brand that makes premium UK BBQs, so the welding and powder coating are excellent.
Why Gas Pyramid Works
- Massive heat output. 13kW is 6× what electric heaters produce. Warms large groups properly.
- Visual centrepiece. The glass tube flame is properly pretty and adds ambiance in a way electric doesn’t.
- Outback reliability. Their BBQ warranties are honoured properly, same on the heaters.
- Propane is portable. You can take the heater to a different part of the garden; not constrained by an outdoor socket location.
- Flame height adjustable — dial from low to high for different crowd sizes.
What You Need to Know
- Gas cylinder costs £35-£50 for a 13kg propane tank. One tank lasts roughly 15 hours at high output, 25+ hours on low. Calor is the main UK stockist; most branch hardware stores exchange tanks.
- Regulator and hose included (this is a proper full kit, not the “add £40 for starter pack” scam some brands pull).
- First ignition is finicky. Gas needs to reach the pilot before ignition fires. Allow 10-15 seconds of holding down the ignition button on first use.
- Not for enclosed spaces. Gas heaters MUST be outdoors. Read the safety section — this is not negotiable.
Why Choose This Over Cheaper Gas Heaters
- Stainless steel burner vs steel (rusts in 2 seasons on budget models)
- CE + UKCA certified — some budget gas heaters only have CE
- Anti-tilt cut-off — if knocked over, gas shuts off instantly
- Replacement parts available — regulator, hose, ignition — from 5-8 year old units. Budget brands don’t stock parts past model year.
Best Budget: VonHaus Freestanding
Price: £69-£89 | Type: Electric quartz | Output: 2kW | Height: 2.1m
VonHaus is the budget UK brand that makes decent stuff at Amazon prices. The Freestanding Electric is their patio heater — quartz-element electric, 2kW, looks vaguely like a smaller version of premium heaters, costs a third of the price.
It’s not going to last 10 years. It’s not going to outperform Kettler on heat delivery. But for £69 it’s perfectly acceptable: heats a small 2-person patio table adequately, plugs into a standard outdoor socket, weighs little enough to move seasonally.
Buy it if: you’ve got a tiny patio, you don’t want to commit £250 to a heater you might not use, or you rent and might move.
Don’t buy it if: you want anything that’ll last more than 3-4 seasons, or you’re heating more than 2 people at close range.
Best Wall-Mounted: Firefly Medium Wave Infrared
Price: £189-£249 | Type: Wall/ceiling mounted infrared | Output: 2kW | Mount: fixed bracket
Free-standing patio heaters are great until you realise the stand takes up valuable patio space. Wall-mounted infrared removes that problem — fits to a wall or pergola beam above the seating area and radiates down onto people.
Firefly is a British brand specialising in outdoor infrared. Their Medium Wave units are IP65-rated (better than Kettler’s IP54), properly weatherproof, and wire directly into a fused spur rather than plugging in — so no trailing cables.
Installation is the trade-off. You need a qualified electrician (or confident DIY if you’re competent) to fit the fused spur. Budget £100-£150 for installation if you’re hiring. Once in, the ceiling heater is invisible from ground level and heats a 4m² area below it directly.
Good for: pergolas, covered patios, outdoor kitchens, any permanent outdoor seating area.
Best Tabletop: Outsunny Tabletop Gas Heater
Price: £89-£129 | Type: Propane tabletop | Output: 4kW | Height: 0.9m
Small gas heater designed to sit on a dining table, powered by a small 2.27kg propane canister. Max output is 4kW — enough to warm 4 people around a bistro table through a September evening.
What It’s Good For
- Compact form. Sits on the table without dominating. Looks like a mini version of full-size pyramid heaters.
- Quick to set up. Screw canister on, ignite, done. Setup is 1 minute vs. 3-5 minutes for pyramid setups.
- Smaller gas tanks (2.27kg Camping Gaz canisters) are £15-£20 each and last 4-6 hours. Easier to handle than 13kg propane tanks.
What to Check
- Canister compatibility. Most tabletop heaters need specific canister types (Camping Gaz, Coleman, or Propane butane mix). Check before ordering.
- Anti-tilt switch — essential on any tabletop gas heater. Outsunny’s has one; some £40 Amazon knock-offs don’t.
- Flame visibility. Some designs show the flame prominently (nice looking); others hide it (safer near kids).
Best Premium: Bromic Platinum Smart-Heat
Price: £999-£1,599 | Type: Commercial-grade infrared gas | Output: 500W variable to 7kW | Remote controlled
This is the category-redefining option. Bromic is an Australian brand making restaurant-grade outdoor heaters. The Platinum Smart-Heat is what premium garden contractors spec for serious outdoor entertaining areas: smart controls, variable output, 2.5-metre heat radius per unit, architectural finish.
At £999+ it’s not for casual use. But if you’re building a proper outdoor living space — covered pergola, designed lighting, permanent outdoor kitchen — Bromic is what professional installers recommend. Lifetime on the housing, 5 years on electronics.
I’ve tested one at a friend’s Cotswolds rental cottage. It heats a 4-person seating area so completely that you can sit outside in 7°C rain wearing a T-shirt and be fine. That’s what £1,000 buys you vs. a £200 Kettler. Whether that’s worth 5× the price depends on how much you use it.
Where to Place Patio Heaters
This matters more than most people realise. Patio heater placement affects both effectiveness and safety.
Standard Placement Rules
- Minimum 1 metre clearance from any flammable material (wooden pergola beams, umbrellas, garden furniture cushions, hanging plants)
- Minimum 50cm clearance from any wall or solid surface (for airflow and heat distribution)
- Never under a gazebo canopy or roof with gas heaters (exhaust gas builds up)
- Never indoors — gas heaters especially. See safety section below.
Positioning for Comfort
- Stand 1.5-2 metres from the intended seating area for freestanding heaters. Closer and it becomes uncomfortably hot; further and the heat is negligible.
- Point infrared heaters towards seated people, not at walls. Infrared is directional.
- Wind direction matters. Place heaters downwind of seating so rising warm air is pushed towards people, not away.
- Combine with a windbreak (fence, hedge, gazebo side panel) for maximum effect. Wind strips heat fast. Pair a heater with decent seating — our guide to outdoor dining sets from 4 to 8-seater covers weather-tolerant dining setups that fit around a patio heater.
For more on making outdoor spaces work year-round, our guide to designing a low-maintenance garden in the UK covers how to lay out hardscaping for all-weather usability, and for complementary outdoor furniture choices, our best garden furniture weather-proof picks pairs well with a heated patio.
Safety and UK Regulations
Patio heaters have killed people in the UK — mostly through carbon monoxide from gas heaters being used in enclosed spaces. Take this section seriously.
Gas Heater Safety (Non-Negotiable)
- Never use indoors or in any enclosed space including sheds, garages, gazebos with sides, or marquees with sealed roofing
- Always use in well-ventilated outdoor spaces — open air only
- Check regulator and hose every spring for cracks or damage before first use of season
- Ensure anti-tilt cut-off works — test by gently pushing the heater; it should shut off when tipped more than 30°
- Keep propane tanks upright at all times (never on their side in storage or transport)
- Store tanks outdoors when not in use — never in a house, flat, or shed with people inside
The Health and Safety Executive guidance on LPG domestic use applies to patio heaters as well — worth reading before buying your first propane unit.
Electric Heater Safety
- Use only properly rated outdoor sockets with RCD protection
- Never extension lead across a patio — hardwired or permanent sockets only
- IP-rated enclosures must be at least IP44 for rain resistance; IP54+ for full weather exposure
- Keep cables off the ground where possible — route through a proper outdoor cable tidy
Children and Pets
Patio heaters get very hot. Electric heads reach 300°C+. Gas heater meshes reach 500°C+. Never leave a heated unit unsupervised with children or pets. A knocked-over or touched heater causes severe burns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are patio heaters worth it in the UK? For 30+ hours of annual use, yes — a £250 heater pays for itself in extended outdoor entertainment hours. For occasional summer-only use, you probably don’t need one; you need a good blanket and a fire pit.
Electric or gas — which should I buy? Electric for small patios (2-4 people) and cost-conscious use. Gas for large gatherings (6+ people) and serious heat output. Infrared electric for windy or exposed gardens.
Can I leave a patio heater outside over winter? Yes if it’s properly weatherproof-rated (IP54+) and covered when not in use. Kettler, Firefly, and Bromic all allow year-round outdoor storage. Budget heaters should be brought indoors or stored in a waterproof bag.
What’s the cheapest patio heater to run? Natural gas (if you already have an outdoor line) at ~50p/hour. Electric 2kW at 58p/hour. Propane gas is 5-6× more expensive but heats a larger area. Per hour, electric is cheapest; per m² heated, natural gas wins.
Do I need planning permission for a patio heater? No, for free-standing heaters. Permanent ceiling/wall-mounted heaters fit within permitted development in most cases but check with your local council if you’re in a conservation area or listed property. The Planning Portal has specifics for edge cases.
How long does a propane gas tank last? A 13kg propane tank at high output lasts ~15 hours; on low, 25+ hours. Realistic average: 4-5 evening uses per tank if you’re running at mid-output for 3 hours per session.