A garage is not just a secure place to park your car and store a few other items you don’t want to keep in the main house. If you are like me, a garage is like a second home where you get the convenience of doing a horde of other things, ranging from fixing your car to DIY endeavors such as doing your woodwork projects.
For many, the comfort in the garage is never a concern so long as they can stay safe and continue doing whatever they are doing there. However, such people usually are given a rude awakening when the icy months of winter roll in and they find everything freezing in the garage. But this shouldn’t always be the case if you know about garage heaters as I do.
What Is a Garage Heater?
Garage heaters are what you need to keep the chill away and make the garage a comfortable place throughout the cold months of winter. But with the abundance of choices for you to pick from, making the correct determination on which model or type can sometimes be a challenge, and that is the primary focus of this guide. Once you finish reading this review, you will be able to choose a garage heater like a pro, and you will also have our recommendation on which heaters we feel are the best in 2019.
Benefits of using a garage heater
Whenever you hear about a garage heater, what comes to mind is equipment for keeping the garage warm. You are rightly so to think that way, and I also thought that the only benefit of a garage heater was to keep the garage warm. However, there are a plethora of benefits of having a heater in your garage, and these transcend just keeping the cold at bay. Here are some of the benefits that come with having a garage heater-:
Keeping your vehicles warm
Winters can sometimes be very harsh and unforgiving to your cars. With a garage heater, you provide a conducive environment to safely store the cars and avoid all the system damages that might ensue due to icy conditions. Some of the benefits of having a car in a heated garage include-:
- The car will warm faster despite the searing cold outside
- The coolant will not freeze due to the low temperatures
- The oil will maintain its viscosity
- Door locks won’t freeze and get stuck, and so is the ignition, thus making the car easy to start
- You won’t have to deal with removing snow from the windows and windscreen
The rooms above the garage will be warmer
If your garage is in the basement like mine, then you will have the bonus of getting extra heat to the rooms above the garage. This will partly contribute to the overall heat supplied by your HVAC system, and ultimately help you lower down your heating bills during the very cold seasons.
Keep you warm while you work inside
You will agree with me that the last place you want to work in is in a cold garage during winter. Before I installed a proper heater in my garage, there was no way I could do anything when it snowed. But with a garage heater, the place is always comfortable, and I will do everything I want to do irrespective of the weather outside.
They are affordable and require low maintenance
If you were scared of buying a garage heater due to the cost, then you will be pleased to know that you don’t have to break a bank to have one. The very top ones, as you will see in our recommendations below, are very affordable, and they are also easy to care and maintain. Their operations are mostly hands-off, and you won’t have to worry about calling technicians all the time about constant breakdowns.
How to choose a Garage Heater
Choosing a garage heater can be a challenge if you have never bought one before, or if you know nothing about them. But that should not worry you because we outline the critical factors you ought to consider when purchasing garage heater. These factors are well researched, and if you stick to them, you will most definitely end up with the right heater the first time. They are as follows-:
The unit heater’s fuel or heat source
The first consideration you need to make when choosing a garage heater is its fuel or the heat source. To this effect, there are various kinds of heaters and your choice should be compatible with your pre-existing heating system at home. In this regard, the following options are available-:
- Natural Gas Garage Heaters – these are the most popular types, they are inexpensive and will easily integrate with your natural gas line at home. It is the right choice if you have an oven, furnace or appliances that already use natural gas at your home.
- Liquid Propane Garage Heaters – this is another relatively inexpensive garage heater type ideal for those who don’t have access to natural gas lines. With it, you will always be monitoring it to check the levels of propane and to replenish the fuel at the right time.
- Electric Garage Heaters – just as the name suggests, these use electricity to warm your garage. They are inexpensive, easy to operate and requires very little maintenance.
- Hot Water Garage Heater – If you have a hot water radiant system installed in your home, then this is the ideal garage heater for you. It works by transferring heat from the hot water in the system into heat to warm up the garage.
Features that a garage heater must have
Irrespective of the heat source or the heater’s fuel, there are specific essential features that every garage heater must have. These are like the bare minimums for a decent heater, and without which, smooth operations and efficiency of the heater may never be realized. To begin with, the heater you buy must be big enough to heat up a garage that can store the number of cars you have. The heater should also have a thermostat to help you control and regulate the temperature in the garage. They must also have ideal mounting brackets in addition to other features to ensure you, your loved ones and your pets are safe with the installed heater in the garage.
Our TOP 5 Picks for the Best Heaters for your Garage in 2019
Now that you know the benefits of having a garage heater and how to choose the right one, here is my review of the best garage heaters for 2019. This review is based on my experience as a user and from in-depth research into various makes and models-:
1. Mr. Heater Portable Buddy MH9BX Review
The Mr. Heater MH9BX garage heater has remained as one of the best garage heaters in the last few years, and it will still be one of the best to consider in 2019. It is a portable heater, with a total weight of about 9.5 pounds and deadly effective in doing its work. The fact that it’s portable makes it ideal for not just heating the garage, but if you are an avid outdoor person like me, then it is one equipment you can always tag along to use in your tents when you go out for camping. It will interest you to note that this portable heater can heat up to 200 square feet, and this should suffice to heat most of the standard garages.
Features of the Mr. Heater MH9BX include:
- 4000 – 9000 BTU radiant heater
- Produces clean burning with an efficiency of nearly 100%
- Comes fitted with an auto shut-off in case it is tipped over or when the pilot light goes off
- Has a fold down handle which make it easy to carry and move around
- Easy connection to the propane tank
The heater dons a sleek design with all the controls within reach for ease of operating. It not only starts easily but also operating it is a breeze. Its versatile nature makes it ideal not just for garage use, but you could also use it in the trailer, or in an outdoor tent for extra warmth. Though it has an inbuilt propane cylinder, it is easily adaptable with an external cylinder if you needed to connect it to a larger fuel reservoir.
All in all, it is a compact heater that will give you real money’s worth. Highly recommended.
2. Fahrenheat FUH54 Review
The Fahrenheat FUH54 240V Garage Heater is worthy of your consideration if you are looking for the right heating solution for a basement, a workshop, a garage or an outside building. It is a rugged, heavy-duty industrial type garage heater that will give you the efficiency and convenience needed to heat on a large scale. The design may not be very sexy or attractive for that matter, but it comes with all the functionalities required to make it get the job done.
Features of Fahrenheat FUH 240V Garage Heater
- Built-in single pole thermostat
- Built-in ceiling mount brackets
- Adjustable louvers to help in directing heat to the desired areas
- Weighs about 24 pounds
- Automatic controls to delay the fan action until the heating element is warmed up
- With the fan, the heater can throw air up to 16 feet during calm conditions
- Easy to operate with the control knobs easily accessible
I have had the privilege of seeing this heater in action at a friend’s workshop, and all I can say is that it is fantastic in its operations. With the ceiling mount, it is so easy to attach to the ceiling, though it could also be mounted on the wall without much effort. The other thing I admired about it is its mechanism of operation. Specifically, it prevents the circulation of cold air, then expels excess heat from the unit. In this way, it is easy to raise the comfort levels within the space being heated, while at the same time extending the lifespan of its components.
The other admirable feature you will fall in love with about this heater if you are looking for a heating solution for your workshop is its high-level cutout. This will automatically shut off the current during instances of overheating, only to reactive the heater when the temperatures are back to normal.
If you needed a primary source of heat for a warehouse, garage, factory, or large basement or you just needed a supplementary heat source, then the Fahrenheat FUH 240V Garage Heater will never disappoint you.
3. Dyna-Glo Delux KFA80DGD Liquid Propane Forced Air Heater Review
For those who want a stylish and elegantly designed garage heater, then you will be delighted to have the Dyna-Glo KFA80DGD – BTU Liquid Propane Forced Air Heater as one of your options. But it is not just the design that makes it one of the best garage heaters for 2019. It boasts of an outstanding heating performance, durability, and reliability.
Some of its features worth noting include:
- Ability to heat up to 1,900 sq. feet
- Adjustable Heat Angle to allow for comfort control
- Comes with a 10-foot hose and regulator
- Fitted with an overheat auto-shutoff protection
- Fitted with easy-to-lift carrying handle
- Available in 100, 40 and 20 LB
- Ideal for both indoor and outdoor uses
Efficiency is always a major consideration when buying appliances like heaters. With that said, you will not be disappointed with the Dyna-Glo Delux BTU Liquid Propane Forced Air Heater. It is designed to generate heat instantly when you need it.
As such, you won’t wait for it to heat up before it can start heating up your spaces. This is courtesy of the manufacture’s inclusion of the continuous electronic ignition, the heavy-duty motors and other quality components that ensure excellent performance and durability.
Since safety is a primary concern when purchasing any propane garage heater, this particular one is one of the safest LP garage heaters you will ever encounter.
It features an integrated safety sensor which will automatically shut off the heater should there be on overheat or a flame-out situation. With such a feature, you will never worry about your garage going up in flames due to faults attributed to the heater.
In my conclusion, this 4.2 star–rated heater is a good bargain considering its cost and capabilities. Of course, a few users have registered some dissatisfaction with it, but the overall benefits outweigh the demerits by far. I would recommend it any day and any time.
4. Dr. Infrared Heater DR968 Review
The Dr. Infrared DR988 Garage Heater is another heater I wish to cover in this review of the best garage heaters in 2019. A quick glance at it may make you think of it as an ordinary shop heater, but digging deeper, it comes with features that place it beyond the ordinary as far as garage heaters are concerned.
Though there may be nothing spectacularly unique about the design, it is very sturdy and dependable. It is the right type of heater for those who want the ideal heating source for workshops, basements, and garage and construction sites.
Features of the Dr. Infrared DR – 988 Garage Heater
- Ability to heat up to 600 sq. feet
- Auto overheat cut-off protection
- Fitted with a thermostat and has a wattage of 5600W, 240V.
- Comes with a power code
- Requires a 220V plug to operate
One of the things which attracted me most to this heater is its specially designed heating elements. As usual, you will desire to have a safe, efficient and easy to use heater, and these are precisely what you get with the Dr. Infrared DR – 988 Garage Heater. For instance, it has a fan that will ensure even distribution of heat over the entire area being heated.
However, I would like to point out to you that with the design specs of this heater, it is not ideal for household or general residential use. Additionally, it will not be a perfect choice for if you were looking for a heater to mount from the ceiling.
5. TPI Corporation 178TMC Fan Forced Portable Heater Review
The TPI Corporation 178TMC is another garage heater I must feature in this list of the best garage heaters 2019. It is a lightweight heater – a fan forced portable type, and it is highly suitable for small rooms and work areas such as garages. So versatile is its design that it can be used in a wide variety of places including laundry rooms, workshops, entryways, and even classrooms.
One thing I find comforting about this heater is the fact that it comes from TPI Corporation – a highly reputable comfort conditioning company in the USA and as such, their products, including the TPI Corporation 178TMC Fan Forced Portable Heater, are always on a class of their own. The company is known to produce innovative and industry leading HVAC products and that gives me a lot of confidence in penning this review.
Features of the TPI Corporation 178TMC Fan Forced Portable Heater
- Two Heat Settings – it comes with 1500W/950W plus fan only settings, with a thermostat. The robust heating element is housed in a ceramic casing with self-regulating features for extra safety.
- Innovative designs – the TPI Corporation 178TMC Fan Forced Portable Heater spots one of the most innovative designs you will ever see in a garage heater. It is compact, made of high quality steel and can be easily installed without expert assistance.
- Thermostat – it is fitted with a thermostat to allow for temperature control
- Portable – so portable and versatile that you can carry it along during your travels. Its steel construction doesn’t just make it lightweight but also ensure that it is durable, can retain a lot of heat, can last longer and survive in the harshest environments.
- Very smooth and quiet operations – unlike most heaters you will find on the market today, the TPI Corporation 178TMC Fan Forced Portable Heater operates so smoothly with very minimal noise.
We believe that currently, no garage heater in the market beats TPI Corporation 178TMC Fan Forced Portable Heater in portability, efficiency, versatility, and durability. It is literally a steal to get what this heater offers you at its current retail cost. It is an investment you will never regret if you needed a simple, portable and highly efficient heating solution.
Final!
We believe the above to be the best garage heaters 2019, and we have also shown you what to look into when making your purchase. With that, you can now take out guesswork in your purchase consideration and always go for the right heater the first time.
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