If you have a patio area, you probably see it as a place to relax and enjoy life to the full. Often, however, we are forced to stay indoors due to the cold weather. But cold weather doesn't have to be the end of patio use. Outdoor heaters provide much-needed warmth for your patio and are available in many different fuel types, sizes, shapes and more. Both gas and electric garden heater are very effective and allow you to enjoy your patio even in cold temperatures. But which of these two types of patio heater is better? There are pros and cons to both options and we'll go into more detail about each of them so you can make the best decision.

Gas patio heaters
Gas heaters typically use convection and radiation to heat their surroundings, whereas outdoor electric heaters use radiation only. The best gas patio heaters you can find in the UK are LPG based but require gas cylinders to operate. Most of the heat is transferred by radiation, while the rest is generated by convection. Convection is less efficient because this type of heating warms the air around the heater, which means that in large spaces such as gardens, heat escapes quickly.

Advantages
These patio heaters work well if you want to heat an enclosed area. They provide radiant heat for a pleasant sensation. They work well in areas where you don't have electricity or where you find it quite challenging to add wires to the floor. Natural gas heaters do not run out of electricity, thus reducing your overall electricity bill. This is also great in the event of a power outage or blackout. Your heater will continue to run, providing you with warmth when you need it most. This can be very important in the cold winter months. Also, one of the benefits of gas patio heaters is that these heaters do not need to be installed and you can easily move them around at your leisure.

Disadvantages
Gas patio heaters release carbon monoxide into the air during the heating process. This can lead to air pollution and global warming. If you use a gas heater in a room with the door closed, these emissions can be fatal. Gas heaters are usually bulkier and heavier than patio electric heaters. And a problem with the heating element of a gas heater will require the entire unit to be replaced. In the case of outdoor electric patio heaters, only the damaged heating component needs to be replaced. Outside, gas heaters can also be more susceptible to wind than electric heaters.

Electric patio heaters
Outdoor electric heaters use infrared light, these heaters can be low glare or non-glare, meaning that some emit a slight orange glow, while others do not emit light at all. The radiation used by these types of heaters heats the object directly without heating the surrounding air, making them a very effective outdoor heating product. These heaters are also simple to use, as they can immediately heat the surroundings.

Advantages
Electric heaters are usually cheaper than gas heaters and take up much less space. Because electric heaters only require one socket, you don't need to refill them. You can also use them in many more situations. There are usually wall-mounted and free standing electric patio heaters. You can let them stand on their own, or you can put them on the wall or ceiling if necessary. In addition, they are silent, odorless and better for the environment as they do not emit any environmentally harmful gases. For smaller spaces that are enclosed and poorly ventilated, electric outdoor heaters not only provide warmth but are also very safe. They are more suitable for use in areas prone to wind, as the heat is not affected by the wind. In terms of maintenance, they require little additional maintenance other than a quick wipe down or dusting to remove cobwebs.

Disadvantages
Electric patio heaters must be plugged into the power supply, so they can only work in spaces with sockets nearby. This limits where you can place them in outdoor spaces. Usually, you can use an electric heater to heat a specific area instead of the whole room. At the same time, the heating speed of electric outdoor heaters is slower than that of gas patio heaters, and they take longer to heat the surrounding area.

It is not difficult to see that these two types of patio heaters have their own advantages. But I'm sure you'll notice that the outdoor electric patio heater provides a safer and more environmentally friendly heating method and the maintenance cost is lower. Of course, it all comes down to your personal preference. I hope that the comparative information of these two common types of outdoor heaters can help you make an informed decision, so that you can place a suitable patio heater in your garden to reproduce the warm and comfortable atmosphere in winter.