9 Best Gas and Electric Powered Garage and Workshop Heaters

Natural gas or propane is probably the most effective way of heating any area. These heaters provide instant heating and are easily the best way to get your garage or workshop warm and comfortable in the shortest time. There are some safety precautions that are required when using gas, but I’ll discuss these as we go. For now, let’s get the ball rolling with a review of the best gas garage and shop heaters.

The HD45AS011 is a very compact ceiling garage heater, especially if you consider that it delivers a very impressive 45,000 BTUs. Since a ceiling heater needs to be hung at least 1-inch below the ceiling and also requires ventilation from all sides, a compact size is quite important. You can’t mount a heater like this against a wall or directly against the ceiling and a bulky unit can be a nasty inconvenience. This unit measures 12” X 26” X 16.5”. So you need to take into account that the bottom of the heater will be just over a foot below the height of your ceiling: approx. 1-inch gap between the top of the heater and your ceiling and another foot for the actual height of the heater. You also need to remember that, for safety reasons, a gas heater needs to be installed a good distance away from flammable materials. I’ll go into more detail about this in the buyer’s guide.

I like the easy and practical installation aspect to this garage heater. As with any hanging garage or shop heater, you’ll need to suspend it from the ceiling and this usually means installing brackets that go through the ceiling. Though people seem to be able to get this done in as little as 2-hours. Naturally, this will differ depending on your individual circumstances. It’s possible to connect your piping from either the left or right side of the heater, which is very convenient. It weighs 60-pounds, so getting it up to the ceiling will require some heavy-lifting. Later in the article, I’ll provide useful safety and convenience tips for installing these ceiling garage heaters. The vent pipe is of the small diameter variety which simplifies things, whether it’s for side-wall or roof venting. This is a standard power exhaust.

If you choose to opt for a thermostat control, it is compatible with most brands. Of course this means extra installation and wiring, but the convenience of a timer and automatic controls are worth it. You should take note that the propane and natural gas models are not the same and you should order the correct option for the type of gas that you’ll be using. I really like the Modine HD45AS011 Hot Dawg garage heater / shop heater. It’s designed for convenience and, like so many, I have a lot of faith in the brand. It’s very efficient and is an effective way of heating a large area. It’s also an exceptionally quiet gas heater.

One area where some may see the sense in paying more for the Modine is that the Mr. Heater is not as compact. Then again, this one does provide an extra 5,000 BTUs, so I’d expect it to be a little bigger. It measures 25” X 18.5” X 17”. Taking into account the minimum requirement of 1-inch clearance from the ceiling, you’ll need a ceiling height of at least 8-feet to allow a safe distance between the area you’re heating and the base of the heater.

It’s designed for the same easy installation with ceiling-mount brackets supplied. It uses a power exhaust that allows for horizontal (side wall) or vertical (roof) venting. Terminals for AC wiring and a thermostat are easily accessible from the outside of the unit. No thermostat is provided with the kit, but you can use most commercially available controllers with the Mr. Heater. The ” gas inlet is also very convenient and it can accommodate pipes from either the left or right. You should be able to install this unit in a couple of hours without too much effort. At 63-pounds, it will require pretty much the same amount of effort as most others to get it up to the ceiling.

The same safety precautions apply to this heater as with any other gas heater. Allow for ventilation as specified in your owner manual and take care to avoid placing any flammable materials in close proximity to the heater. It has some great built-in safety features, which includes an oxygen depletion sensor. It also has a self-diagnostic panel and electric (115V) spark ignition. Though electric ignition is pretty standard these days and most of the best gas heaters make use of this.

The Mr. Heater Big Maxx is a great deal. You’re getting a robust and very effective gas heater suitable for a large garage or small to mid-sized shop. It’s quiet and efficient. Above all, it’s remarkably cheap for what you’re getting and this cheap price is by no means an indication of inferior quality. They offer a 3-year warranty on all parts and labor, as well as a 10-year warranty on the heat exchanger.

There are pros and cons to each design. In short, the main advantage to using this type of heater is in its direct instant heating and easier installation. The downside is that, without a fan, this heater radiates the heat directly and doesn’t circulate the hot air through the room. You also need greater safety clearances. They recommend a ceiling height of 12 to 15 feet. So it’s probably more suitable as a workshop heater where one usually has a higher ceiling than in a garage.

The Mr. Heater 40,000 BTU infrared heater measures 35.5” X 12.5” X 21”. This gives it a wide expanse with a lot of heating panels, making it quite effective at heating a generous area around the heater. One safety consideration that you have to observe diligently is the proximity of the heater in relation to any flammable materials. It radiates a very intense blast of heat and it’s recommended that it be installed with a minimum clearance of 36” above the heater, 30” to the side and back, and 68” below the heater. Hence the need for a higher a ceiling. The specified ventilation for this unit is 400 CFM for every 100,000 BTU. For this 40,000 BTU model that means an airflow of 160 CFM. If your garage or shop doesn’t have good ventilation you may need to an install a fan to ensure adequate air flow.

Installation is super easy. It has four hanging points so you can use chains to suspend it. There’s no need for an electric connection as this heater uses a pilot flame and won’t need to ignite the flame every time it switches on. A thermostat is supplied with the unit and this has a reasonably long cord, so you can position it where needed. Unlike the forced ventilation gas heaters, there’s no need for a vent pipe. So there’s no cutting through walls or the roof to install extra piping. All you need to do is install a gas line. It will operate on both propane and naturals gas. Another advantage when installing this heater is its low weight. At only 28.2-pounds, it’s easy to lift and doesn’t require the same heavy-duty brackets as you’d need for a heavier garage heater.

Measuring 18.2” X 11.5” X 14.2”, and a weight of only 18.9-pounds, this is certainly a very portable garage, jobsite, or workshop heater. You’ve got to love this type of versatility. It’s a robust item with a convenient carrying handle. As with any gas burning heater, this one will produce some carbon monoxide. So even though it burns very efficiently, you’ll need to have adequate ventilation. The user manual explains this very well and I highly recommend reading all the safety warnings before using it. As with any of the other garage heaters, you should not use the heater close to any flammable materials. Because you’re going to be standing this heater on the ground, you’ll need to be very aware of what furniture and fixtures are directly in front of the front opening and be equally aware of people passing in front of the heater.

Because this is a forced air heater, it blows the heated air from a reasonably wide opening into the surrounding are. This makes it great for heating quite a large area – up to 1,250 sq. ft. It has a variable control that allows you to set it from as low as 30,000 BTU, all the way up to its maximum 60,000 BTU. When used at the lowest setting, you’ll get up to 14-hours of heating from a 20-pound propane tank. It also has great safety features, which include high limit switches and thermoelectric safety valves.

This garage heater is designed for portability, so it’s very easy to set up. It has a 10-foot gas hose with a pressure regulator so you can connect it directly to any propane tank. All that’s needed after this is to plug it into a standard 115V household electric socket and switch it on. Designed primarily for job site applications, the Mr. Heater MH60QFAV portable propane heater is incredibly robust. It’s a very effective and efficient way of heating any garage or shop, with the added versatility of being a portable heater. It doesn’t cost much and provides you with a lot.

Electric garage heaters have the advantage of being easier to install. All you need is an electrical outlet. Though this needs to be a dedicated high-current electric circuit, in most cases this means using 240V. In a workshop, this usually isn’t problem, you’re probably using some large power tools and this would mean that you have an adequate electrical supply. Similarly, if you’re using your garage as a home shop, you’re likely to have a good electric supply to the garage. You don’t need to worry as much about safety when using electricity – you never need to check for gas leaks.

Another deciding factor between gas or electric heaters is the cost and availability of either natural gas, propane, or electricity. While piped natural gas isn’t available everywhere, electricity is. Propane is portable but may be in limited supply in some areas. The cost of gas, propane and electricity isn’t the same everywhere. So it may come down to which is the most affordable where you live or work. Heating a garage or workshop requires a lot of energy, so it’s a good idea to look into the cost differences between gas and electricity in your area before deciding which is going to be your best option.

While it’s reasonably robust with a steel enclosure, I would say that it is something you can bash around. With that said, the handy little Dr. Infrared has its merits. This is a portable garage heater and is not designed for ceiling mounting. It has a convenient carrying handle that also serves as a neat place to store the cord. You can stand it on the floor or any stable surface that provides a good safety distance from flammable materials. The fact that it weighs only 12-pounds, really helps in the portability department. It measures 12” X 12” X 15”, so it’s not at all a bulky heater.

Despite its compact size and low weight, the Dr. Infrared packs quite a punch with a 5600W infrared heating element. It has a built-in thermostat and I believe it will be very energy efficient – though I have no power consumption stats to verify this. It’s supplied with a NEMA 6-30P 250V, 30A plug on a reasonably long power cord. So you’ll need the appropriate power outlet. Not all infrared heaters have a fan, so it’s nice to see that this one does as this really helps to heat the area faster.

As far as economy goes, this garage heater is a real winner. On the other hand, in terms of robust industrial design, it’s not the best. Though, it’s all-round good value for money and if you’re not up to spending a fortune on a garage or workshop heater, this is probably your best bet. The quality standard is good, I’d say exceptional if you’re going to compare it with any other at the same price with the same power output.

While you need to take care not place the heater dangerously close to flammable materials, you don’t have the same ventilation issues as you would with gas. Because there’s no combustion involved with an electric heater, carbon monoxide can never be an area for concern.

This heater has a very durable stainless steel 4000W heating element and a fan that distributes the heat through your garage or workshop. It’s also directional. A screw knob at the top and sides allow you to direct the heat exactly where you want it, and lock the unit securely into position. It has a thermostat to control the temperature and a fan delay saves electricity by using all the residual heat from the element before switching the fan off. Your heating capacity is limited to 13,640 BTUs, so it’s not ideal for a large shop. The built-in thermostat can be set for any temperature between 45 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

Installation is made very easy. It has a 6-foot cord with a standard NEMA 6-20P plug. You’ll need to provide a 20A, 240V power supply. The heater bracket mounts easily to the ceiling. If you’d prefer to mount it to a wall, a wall bracket is supplied with the kit. Everything that you’ll need is provided and it weighs only 18-pounds. The Dimplex DGWH4031 has an epoxy powder-coated finish which is very durable and looks good in an Almond color. It’s quite good in terms of energy efficiency, though it’s certainly not the best and this is something that people have commented on.

For a regular garage or small shop, this little electric garage heater is a great buy. It’s compact, easy to install and is very user friendly. Even people living in colder climates have remarked on how well the Dimplex performs. I’d think that in colder areas, you’re looking at about 400 sq. ft. but it you can heat a larger area depending on the outdoor temperature and your level of insulation. I haven’t seen any real complaints and the brand seems to be well-respected. Some people have said that it can be a bit noisy but, other than that, they love it.

The New air is also a portable 5600W (max.) garage / workshop heater. The controls look exactly the same. You have a dial for the built-in thermostat and a switch for the fan. The fan will move the air at a rate of 236 CFM, with a heating element that provides 19,107 BTU. This is good for an area of roughly 600 sq. ft. It has the same 6 ft. power cord with a 30A, 240V plug and this wraps around the handle in the same way for convenient storage.

As I said in the introduction to this product, the only real difference I can find is that this garage heater is slightly smaller: 11” X 10.5” X 14” and weighs a bit more at 16.6-pounds. I can’t see this having any effect on the performance of the heater or its portability. It merely serves to indicate that heavier-grade materials have been used in the construction. It has the same thermal overload protection as the Dr. Infrared.

So you’re paying a fair deal more for the NewAir and it does the same job as the Mr. Infrared equivalent. Even then, I wouldn’t call this an expensive garage heater. Of course, there’s no documented evidence that this is a better quality item. I’ve made this deduction based on the heavier weight. Based on this, I would think that this is a better option if you require a more robust garage heater.

It has a great thermostat with a simple control dial. The fan does a good job of circulating the air and you can use the fan without the heating element. There are two power settings, you can make use of the full 4000W or, for better economy, you can set it to low and it will only use 2667 watts of electricity.

It’s supplied with 6-foot power cord and a 240V, 20A plug. Though the maximum current used by this model is only 16.7A at high or 11.1A at the low power setting. So it won’t have a huge influence on your electricity bills. The mounting bracket / stand allows for a height angle adjustment, so can direct the heat up or down. For safety reasons, you need to keep a 3 ft. minimum clearance from the front of the heater. This would be true for any heater of this type and one should always check the user manual for the recommended safety clearances.

It’s a wonderfully compact garage heater, measuring only 8.2” X 17.5” X 15.8”. While it’s not a heavy item to carry, the weight is quite high for a heater of this size – 29.4-pounds. I consider this to be a good thing, a heavy appliance means that a good gauge of steel has been used in its construction. This little heater certainly displays all the traits of a robust, high-quality product. If you don’t need to heat a large workshop, I would certainly recommend the Cadet RCP402 Space Heater over any other 4000W garage heater. It’s incredibly versatile and practical, as well as being of the highest quality standard. A big thumbs up for this product.

The powerful, yet quiet fan circulates the air at a rate of 270 CFM so it does a good job of heating a reasonably large area. Though, when using the full 5000W setting, it produces 17,065 BTUs – so it can’t really compete with the powerful gas heaters. You can turn it down to as low as 2500W, but then you’re only getting 8,533 BTUs. If you’re running on 208V, all these specs will be proportionally lower.

You’ll need a 240V, 25A circuit. The three point mounting bracket is a stroke of design genius, it can be easily configured for either wall or ceiling mounting. With a weight of only 24-pounds, it’s no big hassle installing the heater. The louver vents can be adjusted up or down, so it takes absolutely no effort to direct the air flow as you want it. According the manufacturer specs, you need a minimum 6-foot height clearance for this model.

This is a neat, compact garage heater with a very easy to follow installation procedure. While it has a built-in thermostat, you have the option of installing a remote thermostat/timer if that works better for you. I like the tough robust design of this garage heater and it doesn’t cost that much when you look at the level of quality that you’re getting.

Before you decide which is the best heater for your garage or workshop, you should carefully consider all the facts. You’ll probably want to start by looking at whether gas or electric heating is going to be your best option.

Gas vs Electric Garage and Workshop Heaters 

I’ve already discussed the importance of checking on availability and price as this will affect your long-term costs and practicality. If you don’t have a municipal gas supply, you’ll need to consider the availability and transportation practicalities of using propane. Most suppliers will deliver propane tanks, but this could cost extra. In general, you need to look at the electricity price vs gas in your area.

Gas Garage and Shop Heaters

Gas is definitely the most effective way to heat your workshop or garage. They provide instantaneous heat, so you’ll heat the area more rapidly. You’ll generally get a lot more heat (BTUs) from a gas heater, so they are often the best choice for a large workshop. One of the benefits of using natural gas or propane is that the heater will continue to function during a power outage.

Though gas garage heaters are not without their drawbacks. If portability is important to you, gas can be a hassle. A natural gas heater needs to be connected to a permanent piped gas supply, so you can’t really consider them as a practical solution for a portable heater. Even portable propane garage heaters aren’t the most convenient because you need to move the propane tank with the heater.

Installing a gas garage heater is always more complicated. You need to install gas pipes which have to comply with local safety regulations. You will usually have to install electric wiring as well for the ignition system and a thermostat if this is required. Though this is not heavy-gauge wiring as none of these items draw much current. Gas also requires a greater level of safety precautions. I’ll discuss this in more detail when we look at Garage and Workshop heater safety.

Electric Garage and Shop Heaters

Electric heaters have the advantage of convenience. You can usually plug them directly into a wall socket and switch them on, there are no complicated installation procedures. Though some permanently installed electric garage heaters need to be wired directly – they don’t plug into a socket. Even with direct wiring, an electric heater is not a very complicated installation and there’s no need for gas or ventilation pipes. There are also many portable options available, these are small and light enough to be carried around easily and plugged in wherever needed. This usually means that you need a 240V power outlet where you use the heater, so it’s not entirely simple.

While electric garage heaters are very convenient and offer the best portability, they will never match the power of gas garage heaters. They take longer to heat the area and seldom have a BTU rating to match a gas heater. Most electric heaters are rated in watts, but this is not an accurate description of their heating capacity, this tells us how much electricity the heater consumes. Not all heating elements are as efficient and the same can be said about the fans that are used. So we need to look at the BTU rating when deciding how to size a garage heater. This is true for both electric and gas garage heaters.

What Size Heater Do You Need for Your Garage or Workshop?

Whenever we look at heating or cooling, there can be no one size fits all answer. This is because there are a number a variables to consider. Naturally, you don’t need as much heating power in warm climate as you do in a cold one.

The insulation in the building plays a big role. A well-insulated building won’t need as much heat. Because garages and workshops often have poor insulation, we usually assume that more heating power is needed. So if you have a well-insulated garage or workshop, you could possibly go with a less powerful heater than the average recommendation.

We normally look at the BTUs required for a specific area of floor space, but we also need to consider the ceiling height. After all, you’re heating the entire volume of the garage or shop and this will be affected by the height of your ceiling. Average BTU ratings for an area, use the most common ceiling height of 8 ft. So if your ceiling is higher, you’ll need to compensate for this.

If you want to do the math and have the most accurate BTU calculation for your garage or workshop, here’s the recommended method of calculation. While there is a margin of variation, this is generally considered the most accurate.

How to Install a Garage or Workshop Heater

Installing a heater in your garage or workshop isn’t too complicated. Your most important considerations need to about safety. An electric garage heater is really simple, you’ll usually plug it into a socket and direct it where needed. A permanently installed, hard-wired electric heater needs wiring to be installed. This should be done by a certified electrician but if you’re going to do this yourself, be sure to check all local regulations and abide by these. Make sure you use the correct circuit breaker, rated for the watts of the heater and the correct gauge electric wiring. Garage and workshop heaters will usually require a 240V circuit with ground wiring for GFCI protection.

When directing your heater, it’s best to aim it toward the area where the most cold air enters the room, this will usually be the door. It’s very important to observe all clearance distances. Your owner’s manual will give you the minimum clearance required at the back, front, and sides of your heater.

A gas heater requires more effort and one has to pay special attention to safety. As with an electric installation, you should check, and adhere to all local regulations. Your gas garage heater will give you clear installation instructions and you basically need to make sure that you use the correct pipe to get gas to the heater. If an electrical supply is needed, you’ll also have to do this in accordance with local regulations.

The most important consideration with gas heaters is adequate ventilation. Forced air gas heaters usually have a vent pipe and this needs to be directed to the outside of the building through the roof or a wall. Ventilation is critical for gas garage heaters as they produce carbon monoxide which can be fatal in large doses. If your gas garage heater doesn’t have a ventilation system, you’ll need to ensure that the area has adequate ventilation. As with electric garage heaters, your owner’s manual will provide you with the minimum clearances for the heater that you’re installing.

It’s always important to remember the danger of using a garage heater in close proximity to flammable materials. For an infrared garage heater, the recommended safety clearance is 72-inches from combustible materials and for forced air heaters, this is half the distance – 36-inches. These materials would be any fabric, wood, paper or cardboard. Gas cans, propane tanks, aerosol cans and paint or any other chemicals are also common combustibles to look out for in a garage or workshop.

If you're installing a heavy ceiling garage heater, I'd advise using scaffolding or a stable platform instead of a stepladder. This will not only give you a safer, more secure working position, but will also provide a work surface. You can lay your tools out properly and and assemble everything easily. I also recommend leaving the heater in its packaging until you've lifted it into position. This way, you'll prevent any unnecessary damage whilst lifting it.