These heaters are designed to give heat in open spaces. So, for example, if you decide to eat dinner outdoors but it starts to get a little colder than you like as you’re doing so then you could simply switch on your patio heater to stay warm enough to enjoy eating outdoors.

Most patio heaters are tall and free-standing. Many kind of resemble a tall lamp and they do also often act as a source of light as well as heat. The average patio heater will have a thin column with the heater placed on the top of it. Some smaller models will be miniature versions of the free standing heater. These models are often designed to stand on tables.

Some patio heaters run on gas (such as propane, for example) but some are electricity based and will often use bulbs based on halogen technology as this is a good source of heat as well as light. A gas powered patio heater will tend to sit its gas canister at the base of the heater itself under the base of the unit.

The actual power that you get with a patio heater will be measured, in most cases, by wattage. So, for example, if you buy a patio heater that has 16kw power then it will probably give out more heat than one that comes with 13kw. In most cases patio heaters, especially gas models, will come with variable heat settings in any case so you can control how much heat the heater actually gives off which can be useful.

Some models of patio heater also come with additional features that might be useful to you. For example, some patio heaters will come with a detachable drinks tray. This tray simply slots on to the stem of the heater and you can set it at a convenient height so that people standing around the heater have somewhere to put their drinks when they are eating or chatting, for example.