Most patio heaters look similar enough that buyers default to price. That's a mistake that costs you comfort every time you step outside. The difference between a heater that warms your guests and one that just glows in the corner comes down to one thing: whether the heat it produces reaches people directly, or disappears into the open air.
There are two ways a heater can warm a space: radiant (infrared) and convective (heated air). Convective heaters warm the air around them — which works fine indoors where walls trap that air. Outside, wind disperses it within seconds. Radiant heaters emit infrared waves that warm objects and people directly, the same way sunlight does. For any open or semi-open outdoor space, radiant is the only type that reliably works. If your current heater runs hot but the people six feet away are still cold, it's almost certainly convective.
A wall- or ceiling-mounted heater positioned at the correct angle covers significantly more area than a freestanding unit at the same wattage. The reason: mounted heaters direct heat downward at a consistent angle across a defined zone, while freestanding units radiate in all directions — including upward, where no one is sitting. As a rule of thumb, a mounted 6,000W gas heater covers roughly 150–200 sq ft of occupied space. A freestanding unit of the same output covers closer to 100–130 sq ft effectively. If you're heating a deck larger than 120 sq ft, a mounted heater almost always wins on efficiency.
Gas heaters (natural gas or propane) produce more raw heat output — typically 30,000–58,000 BTUs — and work well in larger, open spaces where you need to heat a wide area fast. Electric infrared heaters top out around 6,000W (roughly 20,000 BTU equivalent in radiant output) but are cleaner, require no gas line, and are better suited for covered patios, pergolas, or spaces where you want precise zone control. The practical rule: if you have a gas line nearby and an open space over 200 sq ft, go gas. If you have a covered or semi-enclosed patio under 200 sq ft, electric infrared is more efficient and easier to install.
Many heaters marketed for outdoor use are rated for covered patios only — meaning they can handle humidity but not direct rain or wind exposure. True outdoor-rated heaters carry an IP (Ingress Protection) rating, typically IP44 or higher, which means they're tested against water spray from any direction. Before mounting a heater in an exposed location, check the IP rating in the spec sheet, not just the product description. A heater that fails from moisture exposure is a warranty issue at best and a safety issue at worst.
Divide your outdoor square footage by the effective coverage area per heater (use the manufacturer's spec, not the maximum listed). Then add one. That buffer accounts for wind, ceiling height above 8 feet, and the fact that people cluster — meaning some zones get more traffic than others. A 300 sq ft deck with heaters rated for 150 sq ft each needs three units, not two. Undersizing by even one heater is the most common reason people say their outdoor heating "doesn't really work."
If you're looking for a wall-mounted gas option built for serious outdoor use, the Bromic Tungsten Smart-Heat Gas Heater is one of the most specified commercial-grade units available for residential use. It's IP44-rated, available in 300 and 500 series outputs, and designed for wall or ceiling mounting with a focused radiant heat pattern. For covered patios where a gas line isn't practical, the Bromic Eclipse Smart-Heat Portable Electric Heater delivers 3,300W of infrared output with a built-in dimmer — useful when the temperature drops gradually through the evening and you want to adjust without getting up.
If you get the heater type and placement right, outdoor season extends by weeks on both ends of the year — share this with anyone still relying on a mushroom heater from a big-box store.
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