There’s one thing that’s worse than being in a freezing cold tent, and that’s being in a tent that catches fire because of an unsafe tent heater.
Luckily, however, this article holds the solution to both these two issues. We’ve been checking out some of the best tent heaters on the market today. Ones that are both effective and perfectly safe for use in a tent. Our reviews are unbiased, and we tested them out for ourselves.
For the purposes of this article, we’re going to assume that you do not own a portable generator and that you cannot take an electric heater with you.
But we get that people can be afraid of buying the wrong sort of heater for their tent, so we’ve also put together a quick buying guide that will walk you through some of the key things to think about before you buy.
Then we’re going to top that off with a section where we tackle some of your most frequently asked questions on the subject.
And without further ado, let’s get straight to it!
Mr. Heater F232000 MH9BX Portable Buddy Indoor Safe Propane Heater
- PORTABLE HEATER: Portable propane heater designed for emergency heat, tents, campers, job sites, porches, decks, garages, tailgates, barns, sheds, ice fishing, hunting blinds, and more
- HEAT SPACE: Perfect for heating enclosed spaces up to 225 square feet
- PROPANE GAS: For use with propane gas; Runs off a 1-pound cylinder of propane and can connect directly to a 20 pound cylinder with optional hose and filter
- FEATURES: Includes Piezo igniter, Accidental tip-over safety shut-off, swivel regulator and fold-down handle, and hi and low heat settings
- SPECIFICATIONS: 4,000 or 9,000 BTU per hour; Run time (max BTU): 3 hours; Run time (min BTU): 6 hours; Heating technology type: Radiant; Power type: Propane; Indoor safe: Yes; Fuel consumption/burn rate (Gal/Hr): 4,000 BTU = 0.044 gal/hr, at 9,000 BTU = 0.099 gal/hr; Dimensions (L x W x H): 14.25 x 9 x 15 inches; Weight: 10.6 pounds
Mr. Heater F215100 MH4B Little Buddy Indoor Safe Propane Heater
- Indoor-safe portable propane heater for rooms up to 95 square feet. THIS UNIT IS NOT INTENDED FOR GOLF CART USE OR FOR MOTORIZED VEHICLES.
- Continuous odor-free, 45-degree heating angle. Maximum Elevation (Ft) 7000 Feet. Automatic low oxygen shut-off system (ODS). Perfect solution for heating small enclosed spaces like tents up to 95 square feet
- Simple on/off buttons; uses 1-pound disposable propane cylinder (not included). Run time at minimum btu and maximum btu is 5.6 hours. Do not operate heater in any moving vehicle. This heater requires a vent area of 4 square inches minimum for adequate ventilation during operation
- Low-oxygen sensor and accidental tip-over switch with auto shut-off for safety.THE USE OF UN-AUTHORIZED ACCESSORIES/ATTACHMENTS WITH THIS HEATER ARE EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED, MAY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY, AND WILL VOID THE WARRANTY.
- Recommended for emergency heat, tents, campers, workshops, job sites, porches, patios, decks, garages, storage buildings, picnics, tailgate parties, construction trailers, sporting events, barns, sheds, hunting blinds, shelters and ice fishing shanties
Mr. Heater MH11BFLEX Buddy Flex Heater
- 11,000 BTU omni-directional radiant heat.Mounting type:Floor Mount
- High wind resistance technology
- Variable output control for efficient fuel consumption (8,000-11,000 BTU)
- Patented overheat safety shut down technology
- Integrated heater and accessory controls
BLUU Propane Heater For Outdoor And Indoor Use
- 🔥Thermostatic system saves 30% fuel: Bluu heater upgraded core has a thermostat system that maintains the set temperature and saves 30% of fuel, helping you save more money. And the thermostat system won't heat up too fast or cool down too fast, so you'll always be at a comfortable temperature.We have CSA certification you can rest assured of safe use
- 🔥10-step temperature adjustment.: The 10-position infinitely adjustable system allows you to find your own comfortable temperature in various outdoor environments, especially as tent heater for camping.BLUU portable propane heater has more heat and a wider range than others that are available on the market. This heater is portable with a propane tank and can easily warm a 500 square foot space.
- 🔥40% more hours of use: Our outdoor heaters are designed to be energy efficient, so when they reach your desired temperature, the heater reduces its core temperature.Can be used 40% longer than other propane heater This helps the heater to be safer and more energy efficient. Runs time up to 5 hours on low & 2 hours on high.
- 🔥500 ft of heatable space:This camping heater is portable with a propane tank and can easily warm a 300 square foot space. Recommended for use in a ventilated environment.Our propane heaters are equipped with an automatic shut off, which will turn off the heater if the oxygen is too low or it tips over. This is designed to protect everyone safe in outdoor/tent/indoors uses.
- 🔥CAUTION & WARRANTY: BLUU heater with CSA certificate and outdoor only is a literal error in outer box.Use only in a well-ventilated area. Here at Bluu, we proudly offer a one-year warranty on all parts. We pride ourselves on excellent customer service, if you have any problem, please reach out to us.
Neiko Camping Butane Heater
- Use standard butane gas cartidge for portability
- Ceramic burner
- Pressure sensing safety shut off device
- Gas consumption 100gm/hr
- CE certificate
Buying Guide
As promised, here’s your buying guide. Let’s walk you through some of the key points to consider before you buy.
Safety
As far as we’re concerned, personal safety should be your first and foremost consideration. That is why we’ve only selected heaters that we deem sufficiently safe for use inside a tent.
The most important safety feature you can have on a tent heater is a heavy-duty wire guard surrounding the heat source.
Power Source
In this article, we’ve begun with the assumption that you don’t have a generator to hand to supply you with electricity. For this reason, we have concentrated on tent heaters that are powered by propane for our shortlist.
BTUs
BTU stands for British Thermal Unit, and it’s a measure of the heat thrown out by a heater. The higher the BTU of a heater, the more heat is thrown out. The more heat is thrown out, the quicker the whole tent will reach the desired temperature.
A heater with a higher BTU will be able to heat up a larger tent better than one with a lower number of BTUs thrown out.
Dimensions
Even some of the biggest tents you can get can be quite short of room. This is why we only selected small tent heaters for our shortlist, and we’ve included the dimensions of each heater in our reviews.
Portability
When you’re on vacation you need everything you take with you to be easily portable, which means everything needs to be small, lightweight, and easy to carry, including your tent heater.
Value For Money
Tent heaters can really vary quite considerably in price. You can pick one up for as little as $20, or at the other end of the spectrum you can end up paying upwards of $150. But in our view, cheaper does not always mean better value for money.
We deliberately don’t include prices in our reviews, but if you click on “Check price” for any of the items, the current price will be available to view on the product page, which will pop open on another tab.
We recommend that you check prices as you go along.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Heaters Are Safe In Tents?
When shopping for a heater to use in a tent, you need to look for heaters that are labelled “Indoor-safe”. Some camping stoves you can get are only designed to be used outdoors, and they can pose a significant risk inside a tent.
If you have a generator, an electric heater would be perfectly safe to use in your tent. If not, we recommend that you go for a propane powered heater, such as the Mr Heater ones in our shortlist.
