2024’s Best Greenhouse Heaters to Protect Your Tender Plants This Winter, Tested
Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about 2024’s Best Greenhouse Heaters to Protect Your Tender Plants This Winter, Tested and hope the blog can help you.
An unheated greenhouse is not warm enough for tender plants in a cold climate. These heaters can help.
The most glaring difference between a greenhouse and a high tunnel or cold frame is the greenhouse heater. Where cold frames and high tunnels extend the gardening season and protect plants that are marginally hardy for the local climate, adding a heater can make it possible to keep tender plants alive in cold climates. If you’re considering how to heat a greenhouse, its design, size, and orientation, the local climate, and power source should be top of mind. Our favorite was the Bio Green Palma 110V Greenhouse Heater; we loved its digital thermostat, lightweight design, and auto-shutoff feature.
Heaters for greenhouses should make winter gardening easier without adding extra work and worry. They must operate safely in a damp environment, provide enough warmth for the coldest nights, and be able to run for an extended period of time when necessary. They should also have safety features to prevent overheating and fire hazards. Most backyard greenhouses are small, 120 square feet or less, so they don’t need complex heating systems. The best heaters for small greenhouses are small but powerful 1,500-watt electric units or portable propane heaters. The models featured here answer the call. Read on to find out they performed in testing and why we consider them to be the best greenhouse heaters for home gardeners.
- BEST OVERALL:Bio Green Palma 110V Greenhouse Heater
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Dyna-Glo 25,000 BTU LP Convection Heater
↓ Jump to Review - BEST ELECTRIC: Dr. Infrared Heater DR-218 Greenhouse Workshop Heater
↓ Jump to Review - BEST GAS:Mr. Heater 18,000 BTU Propane Cabinet Heater
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR SMALL AREAS:Vornado Whole-Room Heater With Auto Climate
↓ Jump to Review - BEST FOR LARGE AREAS:Dr. Infrared Heater DR-975 7,500-Watt Electric Heater
↓ Jump to Review - BEST CEILING-MOUNTED:Comfort Zone Ceiling-Mounted 5,000-Watt Heater
↓ Jump to Review - BEST WALL-MOUNTED:HearthSense 30,000 BTU Vent-Free Gas Wall Heater
↓ Jump to Review - BEST SEED TRAY HEATER: Vivosun Seedling Heat Mat and Digital Thermostat
↓ Jump to Review
| Testing Stats | |
| Products tested | 9 |
| Time spent testing | 20 hours |
| Tests performed | 5 |
| Price range | $80 to $240 |
Our Top Picks
Your greenhouse plants need a durable and dependable heat source to make it through the cold season. Our testing indicated that these are some of the best greenhouse heaters for year-round gardening.
Best Overall
Bio Green Palma 110V Greenhouse Heater
Photo: amazon.com
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 5/5;Effectiveness 4/5; Durability 5/5; Portability 5/5; Value 4.7/5
Product Specs
- Type: Electric
- British thermal units (BTUs): 5,120
- Coverage area: 130 square feet
What We Like
- Easy to set up and use
- Robust digital thermostat
- Excellent air circulation
- Splash-proof
What We Don’t Like
- Relatively short 6-foot power cord
Designed specifically for greenhouses, the Bio Green Palma greenhouse fan heater is the best greenhouse heater with thermostat-controlled heating for a host of hobby gardeners. Stand-out features of this 1,500-watt electric heater include its digital thermostat, sturdy stainless steel build, and compact floor-standing design. This heater is intended for spaces up to 130 square feet, making it suitable for most home greenhouses.
This convenient heater comes with a digital thermostat that can be mounted at plant height for precise heat control. The thermostat displays ambient temperature and has a control range of 0 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit for multiseason use. To operate, we plugged the thermostat into a wall outlet and the heater power cord into the outlet on the thermostat. The heater switched on whenever the temperature dropped below the set point. This made it much easier to control the temperature based on the location of the plants.
A lightweight design and carry handle made the heater easily portable. For safety in a greenhouse setting, this model is IPX4 splash-proof and has an auto-shutoff feature in case of overheating. This model did a great job of heating our small greenhouse space and offered precision temperature control for sensitive plants.
Get the Bio Green greenhouse heater at Amazon, Wayfair, or Target.
Best Bang For The Buck
Dyna-Glo 25,000 BTU LP Convection Heater
Photo: amazon.com
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.3/5;Effectiveness 5/5; Durability 5/5; Portability 5/5; Value 4.7/5
Product Specs
- Type: Gas
- BTUs: 15,000 to 25,000
- Coverage area: 600 square feet
What We Like
- Safe for indoor or outdoor use
- 360-degree heating radius
- Does not need electricity or matches to operate
- Heats a large area
- Great for emergency backup
What We Don’t Like
- Requires frequent monitoring
- No thermostat to control the temperature
If an inexpensive, low-tech gas greenhouse heater is what you need, then the Dyna-Glo 15,000 to 25,000 BTU convection propane heater could be the answer. It is extremely lightweight, requires no electricity or flame to operate, and provides 17.5 to 29.75 hours of burn time per 20 pound propane tank.
The Dyna-Glo greenhouse propane heater was fairly easy to set up and operate, although it did require a bulky propane tank. We like that it is Canadian Standards Association (CSA)–certified safe for indoor or outdoor use and radiates 360-degrees of heat to a 13.82-foot radius. Although it lacked a thermostat to control the temperature, and did not have an integrated circulation fan, it heated our space quickly and thoroughly.
The only concern we had was that output is controlled by the gas valve, so it required more attention than other heaters. That said, it would make a good backup heater in the event of a power outage or for those in mild climates who only occasionally need a heater for greenhouse operations.
Get the Dyna-Glo greenhouse heater at The Home Depot, Walmart, or Global Industrial.
Best Electric
Dr. Infrared Heater DR-218 Greenhouse Workshop Heater
Photo: amazon.com
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.3/5;Effectiveness 4/5; Durability 5/5; Portability 5/5; Value 4.7/5
Product Specs
- Type: Electric
- BTUs: 5,200
- Coverage area: 150 square feet
What We Like
- Budget-friendly price
- Simple to use
- Built-in fan to circulate air
- Numerous safety features
What We Don’t Like
- Thermostat must be calibrated with a thermometer
The Dr. Infrared Heater DR-218 portable greenhouse heater offers electric heating for up to 150 square feet for an affordable price. This 1,500-watt electric heater is simple to use, with just enough output to help keep tender plants warm.
Choose either a heat or fan-only mode and turn the thermostat to choose the heat setting. The heating mode uses fan-forced air technology to encourage air circulation and eliminate cold air pockets. While the built-in thermostat dial doesn’t display the greenhouse’s ambient temperature, it can be set to maintain a set point temperature. For our test, we used a digital thermometer to calibrate the thermostat setting. Temperature sensitivity was pretty good, as it consistently kicked on within 5 degrees Fahrenheit of our set point.
Although cost-friendly, this unit doesn’t skimp on its safety features. The cool-touch housing prevents injury from accidental contact and it has an IPX4 splash-proof rating. It also features an automatic shutoff if the unit overheats.
Get the Dr. Infrared Heater DR-218 greenhouse heater at Amazon,The Home Depot, or Wayfair.
Best Gas
Mr. Heater 18,000 BTU Propane Cabinet Heater
Photo: amazon.com
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.3/5;Effectiveness 5/5; Durability 5/5; Portability 5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Type: Gas
- BTUs: 6,000 to 18,000
- Coverage area: 450 square feet
What We Like
- Cabinet-style heater with casters for easy transport
- Provides directed infrared heat
- Tip-over shutoff and automatic low-oxygen safety shutoff
- Requires no electricity
What We Don’t Like
- Does not have a fan to circulate heat
- Requires propane refills
A portable gas greenhouse heater delivers reliable warmth, even through a power outage. The Mr. Heater propane greenhouse heater offers between 24 and 72 hours of adjustable heating per 20 pound propane tank, with settings of 6,000; 12,000; and 18,000 BTUs. Its reflective radiant heat output is clean, quiet, and convenient for small to midsize greenhouses up to 450 square feet.
We really liked the space savings and easy portability of this cabinet style heater. The propane tank (not included with purchase) rests in a bracket inside the rear of the cabinet so that the heater and tank roll together as a single unit on four locking casters. With its easy-to-use piezo igniter, the heater requires no electricity. Once the pilot is lit, simply turn the dial to one of the three heat settings. On the downside, since it is not equipped with a thermostat, the greenhouse temperature must be monitored and the heat output manually controlled, which is not ideal when precision matters.
Get the Mr. Heater greenhouse heater at Amazon, Lowe’s, or Ace Hardware.
Best For Small Areas
Vornado Whole-Room Heater With Auto Climate
Photo: amazon.com
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.3/5;Effectiveness 4/5; Durability 4/5; Portability 5/5; Value 4.7/5
Product Specs
- Type: Electric
- BTUs: 5,118
- Coverage area: 250 square feet
What We Like
- Circulates air for even heating
- Robust safety features
- Timer feature
What We Don’t Like
- Not splash-proof
Our best heater for small greenhouses, the Vornado TAVH10 is a solid choice for compact greenhouses up to 250 square feet. Thanks to vortex air circulation and gentle heat, this light-duty small greenhouse heater ensures that warm air is properly spread throughout the room to keep a balanced temperature without cold or hot pockets.
Users can choose between a fan-only, low (750-watt), and high (1,500-watt) setting as well as set a timer or operate the heater via a remote control. The digital display allows users to set the temperature as well as view the ambient room temperature. This mini greenhouse heater stays cool to the touch and has a safety shutoff in case of excess heat or being knocked over. One weak point, however, is that this heater isn’t specifically designed for greenhouses, so it isn’t splash-proof.
We especially liked the Vornado’s compact build, directional heating, air circulation and remote control—all super helpful in a small greenhouse setting. It did a good job of maintaining consistent heat in our tests, and the remote control allowed us to comfortably manipulate the settings without bending, stooping, or squatting.
Get the Vornado greenhouse heater at Amazon, Lowe’s, or The Home Depot.
Best For Large Areas
Dr. Infrared Heater DR-975 7,500-Watt Electric Heater
Photo: amazon.com
Our Ratings: Ease of Use 4.7/5;Effectiveness 5/5; Durability 5/5; Portability 4/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- Type: Electric
- BTUs: 25,597
- Coverage area: N/A
What We Like
- Wall- or ceiling-mount
- Powerful operation
- Remote-controlled
What We Don’t Like
- Requires installation (hardwiring and mounting)
Large greenhouses have higher heating needs that only a hardwired heater can provide. The Dr. Infrared Heater DR-975 energy-efficient heater is up to the task. While the brand doesn’t share the exact coverage area for this unit, its impressive 25,597 BTU rating proves it’s a powerful choice. Like many heavy-duty industrial heaters, this model can be wall- or ceiling-mounted. To ensure proper coverage, it features a dynamic fan and adjustable louvers to maximize directional airflow in large spaces.
For more precise control, this 7,500-watt heater has a remote-controlled thermostat. Intended for garages, warehouses, and greenhouses, it has a temperature range from 50 to