...
Tiny Houses Inside Logo

Top 6 Propane Heaters For A Tiny House – Updated Guide 2024

Living in a tiny home involves making important decisions.

And one of those decisions is making provision for warmth to handle the severe cold of winter in your small space.

Whether your tiny home is mobile or stationary, you’ll need to install a reliable heating option to provide warmth during winter.

One of the best options for your small house is to install electric heaters or vented propane heaters.

And the exciting part is that there are tons of brilliant direct vent heaters on the market today you can select from, even though it can be sometimes tricky to choose the best among them.

Today’s guide will review the top 6 heat pump for tiny homes.

And because we want you to make an informed decision when buying direct vent propane heaters for your tiny home, we will also include a buying guide.

This will save you a lot of headaches.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

Also before we get started if you are interested in feeling cozy with a wood fire then check out this wood stove guide.

Top 6 Propane Heaters

Mr. Heater Vent-Free Natural Gas Heater

If you want even heat distribution in your tiny home, then you’ll not be disappointed to get the all-amazing Mr.

Heater Vent-Free Natural Gas Heater.

Thanks to its superb feature, it’s easy to see why this heat pump is among the best heating options for tiny homes.

Using blue flame technology, this wonderful heating option for tiny homes with small square feet ensures that there are no cold spots in your home.

And good enough, this radiant propane heater is rated environmentally friendly, and that’s because it uses natural gas.

Starting the heater is a walk in the park, and that’s all thanks to its sleek battery-powered electronic ignition.

Fitted with a low-oxygen system, the device can switch off itself automatically when it detects a low level of oxygen in the room.

Here, check out some pros and cons of this tiny house propane heater:

Pros

  • This propane heater for tiny homes uses blue flame technology. This intelligent technology ensures that every spot in your tiny home is well heated.
  • Since the heater comes with wall mounts and legs, it gives users multiple installation options.

Cons

  • If you have kids in your home, you’d want to install this propane heater away from their curious hands. Failure to do this may cause accidents you aren’t ready to deal with.

If you’re on the market for heating options for tiny spaces, we highly encourage you to check out the brilliant Martin Direct Vent Propane Wall Heater as it is cost-effective and heats your small space effectively.

Even during extremely cold conditions, this wonderful propane heater does an incredible job of keeping your tiny space warm.

This propane heater is different from other gas heaters on the market today because it comes fitted with a built-in thermostat.

Thanks to this option, you have complete control over heat dispersion in your home.

Together with its sleek and compact design, this wonderful heat pump will generate clean and safe energy.

To add to that, the heater uses fuel to the fullest, which means you won’t spend a ton of money buying the fuel.

Installing this heater in your small space is a breeze, and that’s because it comes with a quick installation guide.

When installing this propane heater, all you ever need to do is connect the heater to the provided gas heater, and you’re good to go.

If you hooked it up correctly, it should be able to heat your entire living space without costing you a fortune.

Compared to other propane heating options we have explored so far, this one has robust safety features you’d love.

Here are some pros and cons of this cast iron propane heater you should know:

Pros

  • It can be easily adjusted for warmth or heat
  • It comes with a built-in thermostat which helps to monitor temperature
  • Quick and hassle-free installation
  • The heater produces clean energy
  • It doesn’t cost a fortune
  • Easy to maintain
  • Aesthetically pleasing.

Cons

  • Produces little noise when functioning
  • The customer service offered by the company isn’t so great.
  • After a couple of hours of use, the heater tends to get pretty hot, so you want to keep it away from children’s reach.

Mr. Heater Corporation Vent-Free Radiant Propane Heater

For tiny house owners looking for portable heaters for their home, Mr.

Heater Corporation Vent Free Radiant Propane Heater will make a good option.

This exceptional performer will rise to the occasion even on the coldest days.

Fitted with a powerful thermostat, this superb propane heater gives users superior control when it comes to maintaining the temperature in their space.

If you live in areas with frequent power outages, this incredible propane heater will not disappoint, and that’s because it doesn’t require electricity supply.

Plus, its battery-powered ignition makes it pretty easy for anyone to start the unit.

The icing on the cake is that this unit heats your space pretty quickly, so you won’t have to wait for hours for your space to get warm.

Since the heater comes with mounting fasteners and reliable brackets, you can easily have the unit installed and secured in your preferred location.

Equipped with a factory standard Oxygen Depletion Sensor, you can expect this heater to offer absolute security and years of warmth in comfort and style.

Its multiple burners use radiant heat and variable output.

This makes it an effective unit for warming up any space.

Read on for some pros and cons of this propane heater.

Pros

  • It comes equipped with an automatic low oxygen level sensor
  • It can be mounted both on the floor and on the wall.
  • Quality build
  • Fitted with a built-in thermostat
  • High-quality construction
  • Quick electric ignition
  • Variable output capacity.

Cons

  • This propane heater for tiny homes isn’t designed to be used in altitudes about 4.500 ft above sea level.

Lasko 754200 Ceramic Portable Space Heater

With so much propane heaters readily available, choosing the best for your tiny home can be a little challenging.

That’s why we have included the new and improved Lasko 754200 Ceramic Portable Space heater in our list of portable heaters for tiny homes.

While this tiny house heater works remarkably to keep your space warm, we love the fact that it doesn’t cost a fortune.

Going for only $32, this is one of the most budget-friendly propane heaters we have come across.

Despite its compact size, this heater for tiny homes operates up to 1500 watts.

And even though its grill gets hot fairly easily, its unique housing remains relatively cool.

Also, its compact nature means that you can easily move it to a different section of the house.

The heater has two dials- the left dial controls four heat settings, including low heat, high heat, and fan-only settings.

On the flip side, the right dial is used for adjusting the thermostat.

And we are sure that you’ll love the fact that the unit runs quietly as the sound it produces is barely noticeable.

No products found.

Another cool part about this device is that it comes with built-in safety features called a thermal overload protector.

With this remarkable feature in place, the device is able to switch itself off, so it doesn’t overheat.

Pros

  • Its robust fan feature means the device can be used all year round.
  • Its adjustable thermostat lets you set up your preferred temperature.
  • Its compact size, along with its unique carry handle, allows you to carry the device around seamlessly.
  • The unit has been fully assembled when it arrives, so you won’t spend hours putting the unit together.

Cons

  • Because the unit doesn’t oscillate, it can only heat one direction at a time.
  • The thermostat can’t be set to a precise degree celsius.

AmazonBasics Eco-Smart Space Heater

For a non-branded heater, this one leaves us pretty impressed with its incredible performance.

To start with, the AmazonBasics Space heater is super reliable and spots a wood finish that makes it charming.

While the device has proven to be reliable in keeping small spaces warm, we honestly love the fact that the unit doesn’t need a thermostat to keep your tiny house warm.

What stands out for us with this device is the fact that it has two power settings- 1000 watts to 1500 watts.

According to the company that built this heater, the unit can work for up to 80,000 hours, which is simply insane.

Thanks to a dual heating system that uses quartz tubes and PTC, the device will heat any space quickly.

This tiny house heater measures almost 15 inches, making it easy to store and maneuver around your home.

Together with its brilliant LED display along with a 12-hour timer, this heater is just what you need to keep your tiny home warm and cozy.

Let us also add that the unit comes with a smart remote control that lets users tweak changes from a distance.

And like many other heaters, we have reviewed so far; this one comes with an auto-shutoff feature.

It is designed to switch off the unit to prevent overheating automatically.

And since the heating element isn’t exposed, it doesn’t put children or pets in your home in harm’s way.

Pros

  • Its brilliant wood finish ensures that this unit will seamlessly match any interior space it is installed in.
  • The unit has multiple power settings and an auto shut-off feature that prevents the unit from heating up.
  • The heater is a tad affordable.
  • Thanks to its smart eco feature, the device can heat up to 1000 square feet.

Cons

  • The underside of the heater tends to heat up pretty fast
  • The standard heating temperature is pretty basic

Mr. Heater MH9BX Propane Heater

Keeping your tiny home warm doesn’t have to be difficult, especially with a portable propane heater like the all-new and improved Mr.

Heater Portable Propane Heater.

With this heating unit installed in your home, you won’t need to power on your home’s central heating system.

While this heating unit for tiny homes uses dual ceramic burner tiles to regulate the heat generated, it is also fueled by a propane canister sitting close to its swivel regulator.

This device is protected by high-temperature coated wire guards at the front.

This prevents users from coming in contact with the heating mechanism.

With a BTU calculator of 4000 to 9,000, this heating unit can seamlessly heat up 200 square feet area.

We love that this device boasts of two fire safety features- a tip-over safety shutoff and a low oxygen shutoff.

When the unit tips over, it automatically shuts off.

Also, it switches off itself if it detects low oxygen levels within the space it is installed.

Its unique foldable handle can be returned to its original position when you aren’t carrying it around.

That said, keep in mind that you may have to change the ceramic burner tile now and then.

Pros

  • The unit is made entirely from durable materials
  • The device is light and portable
  • It comes with several safety features
  • Its compact size means that the unit won’t take up so much space in your home.

Cons

  • This heating device is only built for tiny spaces.
  • Propane can be a little more expensive than electricity

Note: All of the propane heating options for tiny homes we have listed above all have their respective prices.

So while going over their features, also check out the prices to see if it’s something that works for you.

Things you should consider before getting a propane heater

As you may already know, buying a vented propane heater for your tiny home can be pretty challenging.

And this doesn’t come to us as a surprise as a lot of tiny house enthusiasts are new to the whole thing.

That said, we have you covered as we have put together some important factors you should consider before purchasing any propane heater for your tiny home.

This would save you a lot of time.

Let’s get started, shall we?

  • Price: If you’re looking for the best propane heater for a tiny home, the first factor you want to consider is price. This is super important, especially if you have a tight budget to work with.

    If assuming you have a limited budget to play with, the right thing to do is to opt for an affordable heating unit.

    Keep in mind that you can always upgrade if your finances improve later on.

    Notwithstanding, always remember that price isn’t the major determinant of product quality, as we have seen pretty affordable units do a great job of heating tiny spaces.
  • Power Capacity: BTU, also known as British Thermal Unit (BTU), is the standard unit for measuring power capacity in a propane heater.

    You’ll typically need a propane heater with at least 5000 BTU capacity for tiny homes.

    And just so you know, the Department of Energy recommends using 20 to 40 BTUs per square foot.
  • Heating efficiency: Before buying any propane heater, you must know that a direct vented propane heater for tiny homes usually loses some heat via the venting process.

    This explains why they aren’t as efficient as the ventless unit.

    What we are simply trying to say here is that you opt for a propane heater that is efficient and heats up your space quickly.

    Thankfully, there are tons of propane heaters on the market today that deliver up to 95% efficiency. So keep an eye out for such heaters.
  • Safety features: When shopping for a propane heater, one of the things you want to consider is safety features. This is super important if you live in a small space or have kids in your home.

    So before buying any propane heater, double-check to see if it comes with safety features.

How much propane does a tiny house really use?

A tiny house will typically use between 120 to 150 gallons of propane annually.

And just so you know, propane is mostly sold in small 10-gallon tanks.

And because of their compact size, propane tanks won’t take up any significant space in your tiny home.

Plus, they can easily be stored in specially constructed cabinets.

If you live in a small-sized tiny house, you’d typically use 10-gallons of propane a month to keep your space warm.

With this estimation, you’d typically have to refill your 10-gallon propane tank at the end of every month.

If your propane consumption is slightly higher, you may end up using at least 15 gallons of propane at the end of every month.

At this rate, your yearly household propane consumption will be between 120 to 15O gallons.

Make your propane last longer

Making your propane last longer is one of the ways to cut down the heating cost of your tiny home.

Good for you; we have put together some helpful tips that will make your propane last longer.

Here, check out these useful tips for making propane last longer:

  • Always off the unit when you aren’t home. Leaving your heater on when you’re not home is a big no-no as it would only translate to wasting valuable fuel.

    Not just that, it is not a smart thing to do if you’re big on safety concerns.

    To this end, you want to ensure that your propane heater is switched off the minute you leave your home, even if it is only for a few hours.

    Over time, you’d notice that you aren’t using as much propane as you used to.
  • Always check and ensure that both the intake and output vents are squeaky clean. Your propane heater will use less fuel with clean ducts and air filters.

    If you have a propane heater with vents and air filters that are clogged, you’ll mostly notice a hissing sound when the unit is in operation.

    The hissing sound signifies that your heater is burning more propane than required.
  • Always use automatic ignition. Unlike a manual ignition system, a propane heater with automatic ignition ensures that no propane goes to waste when switching on the unit.
  • Different propane heaters have different efficiency levels. To this end, we recommend going for energy-efficient propane heaters, especially those with high-efficiency scores, you want to minimize wastage.

Frequently asked questions

Are tiny house propane heaters safe to use?

Before buying any tiny house propane heater, the first thing you want to do is get a heater with safety features.

Another thing you want to look out for is a propane heater that doesn’t have a combustible surface.

As part of safety precautions, you must ensure that the heater cools down before you touch it.

And yes, only move a portable propane heater when it is important.

How can I manage propane usage?

As we mentioned, there are several ways to manage propane usage.

The most important one is ensuring that you put off the unit when stepping out of your home, whether it is only for a couple of hours.

Doing this will drastically reduce the cost of fuel while ensuring that your heating unit continues to work effectively.

Are propane heaters expensive?

Before you opt for propane heaters, you want to remember that different units have their respective price range.

While some propane heaters can be as cheap as $70, others can go for as high as $3000.

At the end of the day, it all depends on your budget and the size of the device you want to heat your space.

Conclusion

Keeping your tiny home warm, especially during the extreme cold of winter is super important.

And good for you, today’s post features some of the top propane heaters for tiny homes along with their unique features.

We are sure one of these tiny house heating units will tick your boxes as well as suit your budget.