Adrian Dimakis
Camping is fun. Nothing can be compared to the feeling of breathing the fresh air, watching the beautiful sunset, and listening to the nice melodies of birds chirping. But hey, just as nature is nice and beautiful, remember it can be hostile as well. The nights can be incredibly cold, especially during those cold months. Your camping blanket might not cut it. You need to invest in a tent heater to keep you warm and comfortable as you enjoy your time.
The best thing about a camping tent is that it has a wide range of applications. Apart from heating your camping tent to warm your sleeping area, you can also use a portable one for your fishing hut, hunting blind or even boat. Yes, they are that versatile!
But how do you know you are picking the right one? Are there things you should keep in mind as you begin your shopping? Well, we got all the answers for you in this review. Go through our best tent heaters as well as the buying guide to ensure you pick something worth your money and time!
Top 10 Tent Heaters of 2020 Reviewed
1. Mr. Heater F232017 MH9BXRV Buddy Grey Indoor-Safe Portable RV Radiant Heater
[wt_products id=”2640″ template=”5″]2. Texsport Portable Outdoor Propane Heater
[wt_products id=”2644″ template=”5″]3. Heat Storm HS-1500-ISA Portable Infrared Heater
[wt_products id=”2646″ template=”5″]4. Honeywell HHF360V 360-Degree Fan Forced Surround Heater
[wt_products id=”2650″ template=”5″]5. Mr. Heater F215100 MH4B Little Buddy 3800-BTU Indoor Safe Propane Heater
[wt_products id=”2653″ template=”5″]6. Comfort Zone CZ707 1500-Watt Compact Utility Heater
[wt_products id=”2656″ template=”5″]7. Honeywell HCE 100B Beat Bud Ceramic Personal Heater
[wt_products id=”2660″ template=”5″]8. Camco 57331 Olympic Wave-3 3000 BTU Gas Catalytic Heater
[wt_products id=”2664″ template=”5″]9. Dr. Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater
[wt_products id=”2670″ template=”5″]10. TRUSTECH Air Circular Fan 2-in-1 Portable Quiet Cooling w/Space Heater
[wt_products id=”2674″ template=”5″]How to Choose the Best Tent Heater – Buying Guide
Given the utmost importance attached to a tent heater, it is important that care is taken to choose only the best. You want a tent heater that will not only warm you up but also do so more efficiently. Apart from enjoying your time camping, you will also be able to avoid frostbites and other cold-related complications. So, what’re the criteria for choosing a good tent heater? In this section, we provide a detailed explanation of the things to look at.
Tent Heater Types
There are two main types of tents namely, propane, electric, and chemical heaters. It is important to know the type of heater you are buying since it will determine how you heat your tent. Also, some tent heaters tend to be a lot safer than others. Now a detailed examination of the different types of heaters.
1. Propane Heaters
Due to their portability, propane heaters are the best suited for camping purposes. They rely on propane for heating purposes. Since they are made by different manufacturers, they are available in different shapes and sizes. Some can heat huge spaces while others can only heat tiny spaces. If catalytic, it would be without an open burning flame. A common feature among propane heaters is the auto turn-off functionality.
Some propane heaters can last for up to 7 hours heating while others last longer. It all depends on the size of the propane tank. However, propane heaters require proper tent ventilation while in use. If not, you may end up suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Also, watch out for possible fires which may result from the heater coming into contact with combustible material.
2. Electric Heaters
If your tent is close to a power supply, you are better off with an electric power supply. If you are off-grid, then you need a hookup or EHU. In short, this heater requires electricity to operate properly. For most heaters without a proper supply of electricity, this type of heater just won’t work.
Electric heaters may be convection or radiant in nature. Convection heaters rely on fans to push warm air around the room, thus providing heat. They are the best heaters for large spaces and rooms. Radiant heaters, on the other hand, are the best for smaller areas. Instead of heat moving through the air, it is sent out in the form of infrared rays.
Electric heaters are quicker when it comes to heating up a room. They are safer than propane heaters, especially the ones that rely on ceramic heating elements. Importantly, they come with built-in safety mechanisms to prevent fire accidents. However, it may leave you with stuffy unconducive air.
Things to Be Extra-Careful About
When choosing a tent heater to buy, there are certain things you cannot overlook. They will ensure you are protected in terms of heating efficiency and safety.
- Tip-Over Switch. With this mechanism, you can easily avoid a fire when the heater accidentally tips over. It is mainly found on electric heaters to enable automatic turning off when the devices fall. Since you can never foretell some things, you can’t overlook this feature.
- Automatic Cut-Off. There are times when you will forget and fall asleep when the heater is still on. The automatic cut-off is designed to turn the heater off after several hours of continuous use. That way, you will be able to avoid unnecessary fire accidents.
- Overheat Protection. Since they produce heat, these products are prone to overheating. To avoid a situation where the unit gets spoiled or leads to fire accidents, most of them come with an overheat protection feature. It works through a dedicated temperature sensor, which then triggers the automatic shut-off of the whole unit.
Size and BTU Rating
For a tent heater to provide adequate warmth, it should be of considerable size. Anything too small and you will still end up feeling the cold. Here, we are not talking about the physical size but the amount of heat the unit can produce. In that case, you must look at the unit’s BTU rating. With a considerable BTU rating, the heater should be able to heat a sizeable space. But that doesn’t mean the BTU rating must be fixed at a certain level. In fact, the best tent heaters have adjustable BTU ratings for easy adaptability.
Apart from the BTU rating, you also need to consider insulating the tent, especially during winter when it gets too cold. The point is to keep the warmth within the tent to ensure you get the heating you need.
Certifications
There are some certifications that a good tent heater must just have. This is important since a heater should provide you with the utmost safety. Among the common certifications for tent heaters include CE, ANSI, and CSA. With these certifications, you can be sure that you have a heater that is as safe as can be. However, don’t ignore the built-in safety measures we have already discussed above.
Ease of Operation
Most tent heaters come with a manual from the manufacturer. Before you start using it, read the manual. Not only will you know how to use it but you will also be able to do it safely. In short, you should never take indoor a heater that’s marked for outdoor use only. The key to safety is to stay within the parameters provided by the manufacturer.
The Built Quality
Tent heaters are like just like any of your camping equipment. So make sure you buy a durable heating unit, which is going to withstand the ravages of frequent transportation from one camp to another. It should also have the ability to withstand extreme weather in the outdoors. For that reason, some tents are waterproof while others aren’t. Look at the tent specifications as well as the reviews left behind by past users of the tent heaters.
Versatility
The best tent heaters can serve several purposes. Apart from serving you in a camp, they can also be used indoors. Depending on how you intend to use a heater, find out if it can serve you in all the ways you want it. For outdoor heaters, choose only the products meant for that purpose. So don’t just rush to buy anything. Carefully consider your options before settling on a particular device.
Conclusion
The central part of tent heaters in giving you a comfortable camping experience cannot be gainsaid. They can make your camping memorable and serve you at home as well. Unless a heater is clearly marked as suitable for the outdoors, you can use it virtually anywhere. If you want a portable heater, then buy one that’s compact and a handle. Check out the different products featured in the review as well as the buying guide. With such good advice, you can never go wrong. Trust me!
