Depending on where you live garages can be cold places even in spring and fall. Sitting on a concrete floor with minimal sunlight while working with metal pieces can exaggerate the frigid feeling. Garage heaters are a logical fix to the problem. How much you spend will be a factor of how large the garage is, how warm you want to be and whether it’s important to simply warm the area where you’re working or the entire garage.

Beyond those basics, you’re going to want to consider ventilation (critical for gas heaters) floor or ceiling space and installation and operating costs. Also, remember to check the required draw of an electric heater. A new dedicated circuit on its own breaker would be an additional expense. In the same vein, safety should be the top concern. If the heater will be on the floor or a counter, will it be capable of burning someone who touches it or coming into contact with hazardous materials? Does it have overheating protection and automatic shutoff to prevent damage or fire? And then, of course, there’s price.

Regardless of expense, even the humblest of these top-rated garage heaters beats a coat, gloves and a space heater meant for your bathroom.   

The Big Maxx has a big reputation as a top-quality garage heater. Its 80,000 BTUs can heat up to 2,000 square feet, which is roughly a four-car garage with a workspace. The Big Maxx ships as a natural gas heater and comes with a natural gas to liquid propane conversion kit for homes without gas service. This heater uses 115-volt household electric power for the fan and spark ignition and requires secure mounting and venting that meets local codes. Mounting brackets are included. The top of the unit can be mounted within eight inches of the ceiling, the bottom must be at least eight feet off the floor.  A wall thermostat and ductwork for ventilation are extra.

For big but not huge garages, the King KB2415-1-B2-ECO is a solid choice. An electric heater, its 15,000 watts can heat up to 1,500 square feet—larger than a typical three-car garage. It also has several handy power-saving features, including two-stage heating, which automatically chooses the lowest wattage needed, summer fan-only and timer modes and a built-in fan delay to dissipate heat.  It comes with a universal mounting bracket and a remote control. It needs a dedicated 240-volt power outlet with its own circuit breaker. Expense is definitely a factor with this unit, which is pricey even before installation costs. Some users report big increases in their electric bill post-installation, too. 

The DynaGlo 30,000 BTU natural gas heater has enough power to comfortably heat a two-car garage. Unlike most other gas heaters, it requires no venting because it uses convection to heat the air. It also doesn’t need an electrical source for a fan, which means it will operate even during a power outage. The DynaGlo has three settings, 15,000, 22,500 and 30,000 BTU—allowing for flexibility and conservation. A built-in oxygen depletion sensor immediately shuts down the heater if carbon monoxide or lack of oxygen is detected. It weighs just 28 pounds and can either be wall-mounted or free-standing (legs sold separately). The universal gas hookup kit is also an extra cost add, as is an optional powered fan for more forceful heat distribution.

High style, a low price and a unique approach to heating are what set the DeLonghi Mica Thermic Panel Heater apart. This heater uses a combination of radiant and convection heat. The electric element is covered in mica, a mineral that produces electromagnetic rays when heated. Think of it like sunlight. If you’re in the rays, you get warm. That said, 1,500 watts is not going to send the rays terribly far. It’s probably best in a one-car garage, and that plays to the DeLonghi’s other strength, its compact size, carry handle and casters, which make it easy to move.  Some users report the unit smells when new and needs a day or two to air out. Others find the overheating alarm buzzer annoying and too frequent. And, as is typical with electric heaters, some users are unpleasantly surprised when the power bill comes after the first cold month.

In small garages, sometimes a portable space heater is the best answer. But it shouldn’t just be the same one that’s in the bathroom or the spare bedroom. The Dr. Infrared DR 998 combines radiant and convection heating and distributes it via a forced air oscillating fan. A built-in humidifier combats dry winter air. The unit can also be operated in summertime as a fan with or without the humidifier. It’s on casters for easy placement and weighs 19 pounds, so it’s easy to move, plus there’s a remote control. At 1,500 watts, owners say the range of the heat is limited, the humidifier gets decidedly mixed reviews and, as is typical with electric heaters, it burns up plenty of electricity.

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In order to determine the best garage heaters, we considered the products most accessible to the widest swath of consumers in the U.S., and weighted our picks by performance, price and value. We gave special attention to the attributes of smaller units that may be more useful in confined one-car garages or work spaces, as these units need to be both effective and safe to use while working on vehicles. In addition to our own evaluations, we also considered a broad range of end-user ratings and evaluations by multiple testers.

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