Best 5 Short Outdoor Patio Heaters To Choose In 2022 Reviews

Do you wish for a short patio heater, light enough to move around, and small enough to fit on your deck coffee table? Do you need help deciding whether you would like a gas or electric model?

In this article, I bring you the top 5 portable tabletop patio heaters so you can keep warm when you are sitting on your patio.

Buying A Short Outdoor Heater – Read Before Purchasing

Why Choose A Mini Heater Over A Tall One?

Well, for instance, you only wish to have a heater for your afternoon tea and reading enjoyment. Or, you know you will not be hosting bigger gatherings any time soon. Maybe you have a closed-off patio, so there is no need for a big, strong unit. There is also an advantage of electric tabletop heaters, which can even be used indoors.

How to Know What Type Is Your Type?

Do you mind using propane gas, buying new tanks every now and then, or on the other hand, would you rather buy electric bulbs? Would you want a warm, cozy glow to your little gas tabletop heater? Or, perhaps, you prefer a more neutral, cooler glow, which a light bulb would give. All that can affect your choice in a short outdoor heater.

Advantages of A Short Patio Heater

The closer you are to your heater, the warmer you’ll be, and you’ll feel the warmth faster. They’re more efficient when it comes to energy expenditure versus a tall model. They are easy to transport and move around, since they are small and use lighter propane tanks, for example.

What You Should Take into Consideration

Take the strength of heat into consideration according to how much area you need to be covered by just one unit. Don’t buy models you have to disassemble before relocating. Choose the safest possible model on the market with all the latest safety certifications. Consider what kind of light you would like them to produce – dim or bright. These are all very important features you must think about.

Top 5 Short Outdoor & Patio Heaters

Short Propane Patio Heater

GardenSun Golden Hammered Tabletop Round Heater

I love this short patio heater for several reasons. It’s good-looking, it’s durable, it warms up in a matter of minutes, and you get a lovely and cozy little outdoor area to enjoy the chillier spring or autumn evenings. It has all the same great qualities of its taller Garden Sun relatives but in a miniature form.

Some Basic Info

This tabletop heater produces 11,000 BTUs of heat using propane gas. That is quite a substantial amount for a 38-inch, 14-pound unit. It is super light since it only needs a 1-pound propane tank, but it has the addition of a weighted plate for extra stability. You turn it on at the push of a button, and in case of being knocked down it will automatically turn off.

Convenience and Use

Its 14 pounds mean that anyone can pick it up and move it, wherever you need it at any moment. You can assemble it in less than an hour, all by yourself. If you need a longer runtime out of this unit, you can even attach it to a full-sized tank. It is also super affordable; I think you should not miss out on buying it.

My Final Thoughts

This is surely a 5 out of 5 stars product. It looks great, it comes in a lovely golden finish, users have reported it working great even after several years of use. It is simple to operate, really safe, and it does exactly what it advertises. I actually have an entire article on Gardensun’s line of outdoor & patio heaters, go and check it out.

Short Outdoor Propane Heater

Fire Sense Hammer Tone Table Top Patio Heater

By now you probably know I really like Fire Sense outdoor and patio heaters, and this short patio heater is no exception. You can get it in the stainless-steel finish, or hammer tone bronze (my personal favorite). It acts like a Mini-Me to the Fire Sense tall hammer tone unit, copying its big brother in quality and design.

Some Basic Info

This commercial tabletop heater is adjustable up to 10,000 BTUs of heat, a bit less than the GardenSun. It also runs on propane gas. It weighs only 14 pounds; the 1-pound propane tank is included in that weighted sum. It has a simple, one-step piezoelectric ignition, and will shut off automatically if it gets tipped over past a dangerous point.

Convenience and Use

It’s super easy to assemble, since most of the screws are already in the required parts, and it should take you no more than 15 minutes to do so. The flame doesn’t get very big or hot, so maybe you should attach it to a bigger, 10 or 20-pound tank for more use and better heat. It still has overwhelmingly good reviews praising its convenience.

My Final Thoughts

I may be a tad bit biased, but I really like this product, and I’d also give it 5 out of 5 stars. If I haven’t convinced you, perhaps its Amazon reviews will. It is really sleek and good-looking, it’s made of good-quality components, heats really well, and won’t break your budget. To find out more, read my article on Fire Sense.

Electric Short Patio Heater

Endless Summer Patio Heater Northgate

An electric tabletop heater, for a change, and what a model this Endless Summer heater is. It is a spitting image of an old-fashioned, wooden lamp, carvings, lampshade, and all. Endless Summer makes great electric outdoor and patio heaters. They do have gas-powered units but are proponents of clean energy. This is most certainly the most unique of all the models in this article.

Some Basic Info

This short patio heater requires a 1,200-Watt light bulb, which is a nice amount of heat. It will plug into any standard household outlet, and it is fully portable. The housing is actually made of steel, making it quite durable. It will heat up an outdoor area of around 115 square feet. You just turn it on like a lamp and it heats up in just minutes.

Convenience and Use

This model can be used indoors, since it is powered by electricity and can use any old outlet, just make sure to keep it far away from anything remotely flammable, since it does get pretty hot. Enjoy a good read both inside and outside because this heater is a great light source, sit outside and then take it in with you when it gets too dark to see.

My Final Thoughts

I really, really like this model. It is completely unique in style, it is environmentally friendly, as long as you use it responsibly, and it is easy to use, by anyone. I would also say that the price point is according to the quality of the product. I also wrote an article on Endless Summer’s heater range, if you would like to see other similar models.

Short Gas Patio Heater

Hiland Portable Table Top Patio Heater

This classic propane tabletop heater comes in several different finishes, like black, hammered bronze, stainless steel, and silver. AZ Patio Heaters make really good-quality gas patio heaters, and I can say the same for this short, little unit. It doesn’t differ much in a number of abilities from its full-sized brother. The manufacturer’s claims are backed up by user reviews.

Some Basic Info

Nothing new in particular to say about this tabletop unit. It also provides 11,000 BTUs of variable heat, also using propane. It is powered on via piezoelectric ignition, at the push of the power button. It has all the required safety features and certifications required for a gas heating unit, like the automatic anti-tilt shut off. It is a tiny bit heavier as it weighs 19 pounds.

Convenience and Use

It takes a bit to get to know how to start it up initially, but once working, it heats up really quickly. It isn’t suitable for really windy weather, because if you’re attached to a bigger tank, and it gets knocked over, it will damage the adapter part so you’ll have to stick to its original, 1-pound tank.

My Final Thoughts

This is a solid tabletop propane heater, but it brings no innovation to the table. I would rate this unit a 4 out of 5 stars, as did many Amazon users who have had it for a while. It is not super light-weight, it is good-looking, but nothing extra, and it’s simple to use. Maybe learn even more about this Hiland unit, I wrote an article about them.

Short Outdoor Gas Patio Heater

Napoleon Tabletop Patio Heater

Napoleon has a modest line of outdoor and patio heaters, one of them being this one, the Napoleon Skyfire 11, by its full name. It’s a regular stainless-steel propane tabletop heater. It’s a solid unit, nothing much to add, the specifications speak for themselves for the most part. There aren’t any more design options other than stainless-steel.

Some Basic Info

This propane heater is a push-button ignition model. It heats up a radius of up to 7 feet, with an output of up to 11,000 BTUs. Yes, it requires a 1-pound propane tank, but Napoleon has provided its own adapter for an upgrade to a 20-pound tank. This one is also on the “heftier” side since it does weigh 18 pounds (not counting the tank).

Convenience and Use

Users have reported it is relatively simple to put together, but it sometimes has a faulty startup, and the tank only lasts about an hour or so (around 30 minutes of high heat). There is the added benefit of being able to opt for a bigger tank, but where is the convenience of having a heavy and short heater at the same time.

My Final Thoughts

This is a cheap and short tabletop heater, it does well for what it is supposed to do. It heats a relatively big area, and it heats well, it’s affordable and isn’t a hassle. I did write a separate article on Napoleon’s range of outdoor & patio heaters if you would like to learn more about this particular model.

Conclusion: What Is The Best Short Outdoor Patio Heater?

The one I loved the most is obviously the GardenSun tabletop round heater in the color hammered gold. You can choose from a multitude of different color finishes, you get a top-quality product that heats really, really well, is super simple to use, and you have a satisfaction guarantee from the manufacturer!

But, if you didn’t find what you need, read my post about the best outdoor heaters. It is the main source of this top 5 article. If gas isn’t your thing, I have an entirely separate article on outdoor electric heaters. If you want a small but not a tabletop patio heater, check out my list of portable outdoor heaters.