Propane or Electric: 9 Best Heater For Garage Gyms 2023

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This article is our review of the best heater for garage gyms.

If you set up a gym in your garage, you might be concerned about how cold it gets during winter. You know that the temperature of your gym is just as important as its equipment.

Because otherwise, you might feel tempted to skip your workout. So make sure you have a good space heater for your garage gym.

Electric and propane heaters are the most popular and efficient heaters these days. But each heater has its own pros and cons.

To help you decide which heating is best for your garage gym, I created this handy guide. And I share my insights as a personal trainer on space heaters for your garage gym or home gym.

In this guide, I listed the pros and cons of each type, my recommendations, and tips on what to look for the best garage gym heater.

Top Pick
Electric

Best Electric Heater For Garage Gyms

GiveBest PTC-905 Portable Space Heater

Heater and fan in one machine

Affordable compared to others

High customer ratings

Check on Amazon

Top Pick
Propane

Best Propane Heater For Garage Gyms

Mr. Heater’s Big Buddy Portable Heater.

3 Heat settings

Up to 11 hours

Heats up to 450 square feet

Check on Amazon

If either of these heaters does not suit your taste, keep reading to see what other options are available for heating up your space.

Table of Contents

• Best Electric Heater For Garage Gyms
  • GiveBest PTC-905 Portable Space Heater
• Best Propane Heater For Garage Gyms
  • Mr. Heater’s Big Buddy Portable Heater.
• 9 Best Heater For Garage Gyms
  • Electric Heaters
    • Best Electric Heater Overall: GiveBest PTC-905 Portable Space Heater
    • Best Electric Heater for Small Spaces: Lasko CT16450 Small Portable Heater
    • Best Electric Heater for your Budget: Antarctic Star Portable Electric Heater
    • Most Quiet Electric Heater: Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater
    • Best in Tech: Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX-WIFI Infrared Heater
  • Propane Heaters
    • Best Propane Heater Overall: Mr. Heater Big Buddy Portable Heater
    • Best Propane Heater for Large Spaces: Sunnydaze 125,000 BTU Forced Air Propane Heater
    • Best Propane Heater for Small Spaces: Mr. Heater Little Buddy Heater
    • Best Propane Heater for your Budget: Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater
• What to look for in the best heater for garage gyms?
  • Garage size
  • Power source (electrical or propane)
  • Temperature
  • Safety Features
  • Noise Level
• Which heater is best overall?
  • Electric Heater
  • Propane Heater
• FAQ About Best Heater For Garage Gym
• What to do next?

9 Best Heater For Garage Gyms

Electric Heaters

Portable electric heaters are a great option if you have an electric power source in your garage gym. Many of these come with timers, so you can set them to turn on and off at certain times of the day.  

Electric heaters are easy to use; just plug them in an outlet, and you’re good to go. Plus, they don’t require much assembly or constant maintenance. 

They are much safer than propane or natural gas heaters since they don’t use flammable materials. However, they are not as powerful as propane heaters and can take longer to heat up a space.

Here are my recommendations for electric heaters:

Best Electric Heater Overall: GiveBest PTC-905 Portable Space Heater

In my opinion, GiveBest PTC-905 Portable Space Heater is the best heater for garage gyms because it has three modes (2 heater levels and one cool air fan), safe to use, quiet, affordable and has a high customer rating .

This two-in-one heater/fan has two heat levels, 1500W or 750W, and one cool air fan. So you can use it not only during winter but also during the hot summer months. You can set the thermostat from 0℉ to 158℉, which covers pretty much any temperature you might need. And it can heat up a room up to 200 square feet in seconds.

The flame retardant material makes this heater safe to use in your garage or anywhere else you need. The tip-over protection system will shut the heater off when tipped over and turn back on automatically when righted. It also has an automatic safety shutoff system built in, so you never have to worry about it overheating or catching fire.

Thanks to its carrying handle, you can quickly move it anywhere in your garage gym. Plus, the noise level is only 45 decibels—which is pretty quiet.

With over 62,728 ratings on Amazon, it’s clear that users love this heater and you will too.

Best Electric Heater for Small Spaces: Lasko CT16450 Small Portable Heater

Lasko Portable Heater is an excellent choice if your garage gym has limited space. The unit is small and lightweight, which means you can quickly move it around to keep the garage at your preferred temperature. Lasko Portable Heater is even smaller than its propane heater counterpart.

As I mentioned in the home gym fans article, your space restrictions are more about width than height most of the time. So, tall and sleek machines like Lasko Portable Heater are better for saving space. However, if your space limitation is in width, I recommend GiveBest PTC-905 Portable Space Heater.

This heater is small, sleek, and perfect for providing 1500 watts of comforting warmth. It has two quiet heat settings that allow you to adjust the temperature according to your needs. And the 6-foot power cord enables you to place the unit where it is most convenient for you.

I tried to look for electric heaters for large spaces; however, I could not find any. As I mentioned above, propane heaters are more powerful than electric heaters. So if you need a heater that can heat up a large space, I recommend trying out propane heaters instead. I only recommended Lasko Portable Heater for small spaces because it has the smallest footprint so it does not take up a lot of space in your gym. 

Best Electric Heater for your Budget: Antarctic Star Portable Electric Heater

If you’re searching for an electric heater for your garage gym but have a limited budget, the Antarctic Star Portable Electric Heater is a great option.

Like the GiveBest PTC-905 Portable Space Heater, this heater heats up to 200 square feet in seconds and comes with three different modes (2 heater levels and one cool air fan).

You can twist the knob to ‘LO’ for low power and warm heat or turn it into ‘HI’ for hot wind at high intensity. You can turn it into fan mode to circulate the heat when the room is hot enough already and to save some electricity. Or use it as a fan to circulate air in your garage.

This ceramic heater emits noise at 45 dB or less, which is quiet enough for most people.

This heater offers an excellent protection system too. If you tilt the heater for more than 45 degrees or when it generates too much heat during use, it automatically turns off.

Most Quiet Electric Heater: Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater

If you’re looking for a quiet heater for your garage gym, look no further than Dr. Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater. With 39 decibels of noise level, it is the quietest heater on this list.

Dr. Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater uses a high-efficiency blower that delivers an average temperature of 250°F at 3.5m/s, whereas competing heaters can do only 155°F at 2.2m/s. This means that it’s not just efficient—it is energy efficient, utilizing 100 percent of the heat produced.

The unit also has a programmable timer. You can set it up to 12 hours for the timer; then, it automatically shuts off after the time period you selected.

Thanks to its 7-inch blower, the heater generates high pressure, which moves a large volume of air at low speed. Due to this, the heater has a quiet and efficient operation.

Like other brands, it has an overheat and tip-over shutoff for your safety.

Best in Tech: Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX-WIFI Infrared Heater

If you love high-tech devices, then Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX-WIFI Infrared Heater might interest you. I labeled it as the best in tech, meaning it has the most advanced features on this list.

This Heat Storm heater has all the basic features you need —like being able to set the temperature and timer—but it also adds in some extras that make it stand out.

For example, it is WiFi enabled, which means you can control it remotely using an app on your phone. The LCD displays the current temperature. And it has an air filter to improve the air quality in your garage. The filter is washable, so you can always reuse it.

I think the best feature of this heater is that it doesn’t take up any floor space—it is wall mounted. That means that when it is not in use, there’s no clutter on your floor. So Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX-WIFI Infrared Heater is also another option for small spaces like Lasko CT16450 Small Portable Heater.

Though it has amazing features, it comes with a hefty price tag. So if you are looking for a budget-friendly heater, Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX-WIFI Infrared Heater may not be for you.

Propane Heaters

Propane heaters are also known as “gas heaters.” They use propane gas as fuel and burn it to produce heat. Propane heaters are great for garage gyms because they have a high BTU (British thermal units) output, which means they can heat up your space quickly.

Propane heaters have several advantages over electric heaters. For example, they are more powerful and provide more consistent heating. However, this kind of heater is not without its downsides: they are expensive to install and require regular maintenance.

Here are my recommendations for propane heaters:

Best Propane Heater Overall: Mr. Heater Big Buddy Portable Heater

Best Propane Heater for Large Spaces: Sunnydaze 125,000 BTU Forced Air Propane Heater

If your garage gym has a large space, then I recommend Sunnydaze 125,000 BTU Forced Air Propane Heater. It has the highest BTU (British thermal units) output on this list, and it can heat up an area of up to 1085 square feet.

It requires a 20-pound or larger propane tank, which is more than enough for most people’s needs. But if you want to use the heater for longer periods, then consider buying a 100-pound tank so that you don’t have to refill it often.

The automatic shut-off feature makes sure that if anything wrong happens to the heater (such as exceeding a temperature of 85 °F or the flame is no longer ignited), it will stop working so that no damage occurs.

This propane heater comes with everything you need to get started: 1 forced air propane heater and one regulator. It also includes a 10-foot hose for added convenience.

Best Propane Heater for Small Spaces: Mr. Heater Little Buddy Heater

If you have a small space in your garage gym, I recommend trying Mr. Heater’s Little Buddy Heater. This heater heats up to 95 sq. ft and is the smallest propane heater on this list. So if you have a small garage gym space, this will be perfect for you.

It comes with a 3,800 BTU per hour rating, providing plenty of heat for your small space. You can use it with propane gas, connecting directly to a one lb. disposable propane cylinder (not included upon purchase).

My favorite feature is the automatic low oxygen shut-off system, same as Mr. Heater Big Buddy Portable Heater. It will turn off the flame when the oxygen level gets too low in enclosed spaces like your garage. It also has an accidental tip-over safety shut-off that kicks in if the unit is knocked over during operation.

Mr. Heater Little Buddy Heater has one button ignition function so that it’s easy to turn on and off whenever you need it.

Best Propane Heater for your Budget: Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater

If you’re looking for a low-cost propane heater, the Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater is a good option. This heater is both affordable and efficient, as it can heat up to 225 sq. ft. You can choose from two heat settings: hi-low, which gives you 4,000 BTUs per hour, and 9,000 BTUs per hour, respectively.

The most affordable propane heater is Mr. Heater’s Little Buddy Heater, not this one. However, I figured 95 sq. feet of area for the Mr. Heater Little Buddy Heater is too small for a garage gym. The average size of a garage is around 240 sq ft and 384 sq ft [1]. So the most realistic and budget-friendly option for you is Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater.

The Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater uses a single control start knob and a Piezo igniter to make it easy to start using right away. And don’t worry about having to buy an expensive hose—this unit comes with its own hose. Just connect directly to one 1 lb. cylinder or one 20 lb. cylinder (not included) for quick and easy operation without any extra hassle.

Like other brands, it has a tip-over shutoff to ensure your safety.

What to look for in the best heater for garage gyms?

When looking for garage heaters, there are several factors to consider. You’ll need to consider:

Garage size

The size of your garage gym will determine which type of heater is best for you. The standard size of a garage is between 240 square feet and 384 square feet.

If it’s a large garage, then consider getting a propane heater because they are more powerful and provide more consistent heating. Smaller garages are better suited for electric heaters since they are not as powerful as propane heaters and take longer to heat up a space.

I included the area each product can handle in the respective table for each brand. You can use it as a reference. 

Power source (electrical or propane)

Electric heaters are much safer than propane since they don’t use flammable materials. They can also be easier to install and use. If you don’t have any experience with gas heaters or want something that won’t require constant maintenance, electric heating is probably the way to go. 

And while they’re often cheaper than other options per unit cost, electric heaters tend to be more expensive overall due to their high energy consumption [2].

Propane heaters are great if you want to cut down your electric bills. And while they’re usually a little more expensive than electric heaters upfront, the savings you’ll make on your utility bills could more than make up for the initial investment.

Temperature

The temperature you need the garage gym to be heated to is a matter of personal preference. Some people just want to be comfortable while they’re working out and don’t care if it’s too hot or cold. Others prefer to have their gym at a specific temperature, which helps them to focus on the workout without being distracted by excessive heat or cold.

In general, however, you should keep the temperature in your garage gym at approximately 70 °F (21.11 °C) [3].

Safety Features

The safety features of a heater, such as a tip-over switch, automatic low oxygen shutoff, or emergency shutoff in case of fire or overheating, are also important to have.

Additionally, make sure that your garage gym has a good ventilation system, and the lighting needs to be sufficient for you to see clearly when exercising.

Noise Level

In order to focus on your workout, it is important to have a quiet heater. The last thing you would need is a noisy, clunky heater that is distracting you from your training.

The permissible exposure limit according to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration is 90 dBA [4].

Which heater is best overall?

Electric Heater

I would say that the best electric heater for your garage gym is the GiveBest PTC-905 Portable Space Heater. This is because it has a number of benefits.

First, it has three modes (2 heater levels and one cool air fan). You can use it not only during winter but also during the hot summer months. And it can heat a room to 200 square feet in seconds.

Second, it is safe and quiet to use. It uses flame retardant material, a tip-over protection system, and an automatic safety shutoff system. Plus, the noise level is only 45 decibels—which is pretty quiet.

Finally, it’s affordable and has a high customer rating.

Propane Heater

I think the best propane heater for your home gym is the Mr. Heater’s Big Buddy Portable Heater. It is the only propane heater on this list with three heat settings. You can use it for up to 11 hours on low setting and 2.8 hours on high. And it heats up to 450 sq. ft.

What’s more, it has an automatic low oxygen and tip-over safety shut-off system.

FAQ About Best Heater For Garage Gym

What to do next?

When you buy a space heater for your garage gym, consider all these factors. It is essential that you find one that will provide the type and amount of heat needed for your garage gym, without costing too much or wasting energy.

The best heater for your garage gym is the one that will make you feel comfortable during your workout.

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