Setting up a gym in the garage is now a common practice, especially for fitness-oriented individuals who still cherish the shape of their homes without no further need for unnecessary constructions. One problem with this, however, is that garages tend to become very cold during winter, and every fitness man knows cold is a far friend from exercise. This is why it is important to set up essentials asides gym equipment, like the best garage gym heater, to keep the atmosphere comfortable enough for physical fitness.
Using the best space heater for garage gym is sure to counteract low temperature in the garage; however, it only happens that way when you purchase the proper equipment. Really, it’s simply a choice of either electric or propane-powered device, when considering the best garage heater. They both have distinctive qualities, as well as pros and cons to using each, which would be discussed in the FAQ section.
Depending on the size and architecture of your garage, having the best electric garage heater or best propane garage heater should do just fine. For optimal performance, however, we might need to look into detailed specifications to help you pick your best.
Reviewed in this article is the buying guide of the best heater for garage gym. Kindly read through.
Heater | Power | Adjustable Louvres | Mounting Options | Safety | Warranty | Coverage | Running Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
New air G73 Heater | 17060BTU | YES | Double | ETL | YES | 500sqft | Moderate |
Mr Heater MH60QFAV | 30000BTU | NO | One | YES (No ETL) | YES | 1250sqft | High |
Heat storm HS-1500-PHX-WIFI | 5200BTU | YES | one | ETL | YES | 300sqft | low |
Heat storm wave floor | 3100BTU | YES | one | ETL | YES | 300sqft | low |
Also Read: Best Construction Site Heater
Top 4 best garage gym heaters in 2022
1) NewAir G73 Hardwired Electric Garage Heater
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- High heat capacity
Since we are talking about heaters, the most important quality of a product would be how much heat it can generate per time. With a power capacity of 5000watts, this product is able to push out 17,060BTU of heat, which we must admit is very impressive.
This heat generated allows it to easily cover a two-car garage size (precisely 500sqft in the area). Installing one of these, and you can kiss cold goodbye for good without getting your lips frozen.
- Rugged build
The outer body of the heater is made very solid materials, which makes it durable enough to easily survive the harsh atmospheric conditions of a garage. The exterior is made of heavy-duty stainless steel, making it resistant to even rust, and giving an assurance that it is going to hold together for a really long time.
- Flexibility; fan louvers thermostat
Backed by a fan that runs at 200 CFM, the heater is not only able to generate a high amount of heat, but also distribute it at a fast and even rate. For more flexibility, manufacturers designed adjustable louvers at the outlet of the heater.
This is for directional purposes, as it allows users to channel the hot air direction for peculiar spot heating. Also, taking a look at the side of the device, there exists a thermostat knob which is used for varying temperature. With this control, you can specifically choose what is most comfortable for you, and then allowing the heater work to maintain that temperature.
- Optimal safety and mounting options
As regarding safety, it’s ETL certified says it all. The core design of this heater protects from hazards common to electrical equipment. It also has an inbuilt thermostat, which monitors temperatures at all times, preventing overheating that could cause damage or, worse, start a fire.
With the presence of included brackets, the unit can either be mounted on the wall or ceiling, depending on where you think it would best serve your needs. Please note that it shouldn’t be placed bare on the floor, but rather at least 6feet higher than.
Note: from experience and customer reviews, it is important to purchase the new rather than already out of the box product. Also, look out for defects properly before full installation in order to make warranty replacement claims and save yourself a lot of money and hassle in the process. This product is also a bit noisy, though still at a tolerable level.
Warranty- The product is backed by a one year warranty.
2) Mr. Heater MH60QFAV 60,000 BTU Portable Propane Forced Air Heater
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- Quiet burner technology
It is a widely known and accepted fact that propane heaters are pretty noisy, with a standard one audible enough without dedicated listening.
Special consideration was given to noise in this product manufacture, however, precisely designed with a quiet burner technology, which reduces the noise generated by the burner by 50% lesser than it should be.
We must admit, however, that this product isn’t the quietest around (still produces noise), but it should give you less noise irritation than a regular propane heater.
- Very impressive capacity
60,000BTU and 1,250sqft say all about this product’s capacity. What makes it even more impressive it the small-sized nature, which totally contradicts its capacity. It is a piece of art.
Propane-powered heaters are well known for their far higher energy consumption and generation than electric heaters, and at 60,000BTU, the capacity can give credible coverage over any garage size you might have. All you have to do is connect the low-pressure gas hose to a small or large tank of gas supply, and that’s all.
- Safe operation
Propane heaters generally come with higher fire and explosion risks than electric heaters, and as a result, some safety measures were put in place during this product’s design.
It includes a regulator that controls the gas quantity entering the heater, factory installed high limit switches, and thermoelectric safety valves. In a nutshell, these measures prevent any form of overheating and makes it safe to use.
- Portability
Simply carrying the cone-shaped appearance with hinges that attaches it to a stand, it is very portable compared to regular propane heaters. It can be easily handled (grip-friendly handle on top), and moved from one location to another, while the stand means it can be simply placed on the floor and allowed to do its job.
Several major complaints surrounding this product are based on poor durability, leading to breakdown only a few months after purchase. Nevertheless, it could be that those customers received faulty products, or the model itself isn’t just durable.
Warranty- The product comes with one-year limited warranty.
3) Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX-WIFI Infrared Heater 132TL certified for safe use
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- Good design
The black and white color blends on this product, as well as a very sleek texture, put it up there among the best decorative products for heaters. It looks very good and would blend well in any existing home decoration, for those who would rather have a fancy looking garage. The top side also displays the immediate atmospheric temperature at every point in time, keeping you informed.
- Safe to use
Since it is strictly wall-mounted, there is a good chance the heater ends up somewhere people can easily make contact with. For this reason, it is designed with a cool to touch surface, meaning those accidental lean on, or contacts that would be made is surely not leading to any form of burns.
It is also ETL listed, passing the electrical safety test; therefore, you can rest assured while using the product. Also, the heater has space behind, where its power cable can be lined in, making a complete disappearance from sight, which gives better overall looks, and protection from touch.
- Very comfortable operation
This is arguably the most paramount quality amongst others in this heater. It includes a thermostat that works automatically in eco mode, and Wi-Fi enabled smartphone control.
The thermostat is responsible for keeping tabs on atmospheric temperature while working in reference to an already set point chosen by the user. The heater always works in eco mode, where it switches between on and off states, with the oncoming when the temperature falls 1degree below the set point, and off when 1 degree above.
For easy use, users can easily link their phone with the heater through Wi-Fi, which allows varying temperatures as one deems fit.
- Fast and cost-effective heating
Infrared heaters work by spot heating rather than heating the air in general. This means it radiates heat waves, which impacts objects directly in the space, making them effective within a short period of time, and also cost-effective, as they wouldn’t have to run for long and consume more energy. It is, however, primarily an electric heater since it makes use of electricity for heat generation.
Some of the downsides of this product include being strictly wall mounted only and a poor heat generation of just 5,200BTU, making it only suitable for small-sized garages.
WarrantyThe purchase package includes a one year manufacturer’s warranty.
4) Heat Storm Wave Floor to Wall Infrared Space Heater
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- Easy to use
With all things being equal, the overall comfort rating of this device for users is very high. This is largely down to the numerous qualities it possesses, making regular functions much easier to operate, you would find this a very exciting product to use.
It starts with a digital display, on which temperature measured by the thermostat is shown. The thermostat also works automatically to maintain a user preset temperature, so that you have just what you want at every point in time.
The fun part about using this product comes in its touch screen capabilities, helping users vary settings without much fuss. For an even more convenient way to do that, the product has a remote, which allows you to achieve the same result, but from a much farther distance from the unit.
- Good design with a modern touch
As seen in the previously reviewed heater, common to Heat Storm products are cool designs, and this one in specific isn’t lacking either. It is designed to be wall-mounted, preventing any form of knock over accidents as a result, and its universal white and black colors are a fit for any decoration you might have. The digital display and touch controls give a much desired digital feel, too, while the installation is pretty simple and straight forward.
However, this product should only be used in very small sized garages for maximum effect. It has a heat output capacity of 3100BTU, which is very poor, and only able to serve about 200sqft of space. In all, it is a budget device and should only be settled for when considering an extraordinarily small space or on a very strict budget.
The fan noise is pretty audible, although still falling in the quiet category. It all depends on the sensitivity of your ears, but since it’s a garage, it shouldn’t be much of a problem.
Warranty
- This product comes with a one year manufacturer’s warranty.
6 Qualities to look out for when choosing the best garage gym heater
- Heat capacity and space coverage:
Heat capacity is measured in BTUs, and the higher, the better. In practical terms, the higher the BTU number of a product, the more heat it would produce, and the more area it would be able to serve consequentially.
Practically, higher isn’t always the best, however, for economic reasons, which is why it’s important you make a purchase according to the specification of what it is required for.
Purchasing an 80000BTU heater for a 200sqft space would simply be a waste of extra cash because there are far lesser priced items that would do the job perfectly. From a general perspective, propane heaters produce more heat than electric ones and would be preferred over very large areas.
- Running cost:
This is peculiar to the kind of heater in question. Propane heaters are generally more costly to run, due to a constant need to buy gas. Electric heaters, on the other hand, simply need a power source to function and nothing else. Though you should expect energy bills to go up by a few extra dollars, it isn’t worth as much as buying gas.
- Safety:
Any heater purchased must be safety compliant. It should be ETL (electrical safety body) certified if an electric heater and infused with protective features like high limit switches, and thermoelectric safety valves.
This ensures that the product is able to operate completely safe without a high risk of fire. Regardless of propane or electric powered, the heater must also have an overheat protection function, in the shape of a thermostat that monitors temperature.
- Warranty:
Heaters cost quite a lot of money, which is why most manufacturers offer some sort of user warranty attached to buying their product. It is a common practice, therefore making it not difficult to find one with a warranty, in order to protect your investment.
- Mounting options:
position could also go as far as determining how effective your heater would be, both indirect impact and duration before being felt. It is important to go for a heater with different mounting options, preferably wall and ceiling; this way, it would able to spread heat more evenly around the room. Ground heaters might not be as effective.
- Adjustable louvers:
For more flexibility, which could reduce heating time, purchase a product with adjustable louvers in its outlet. This louver allows users to direct the heat generated to a specific location in the room, leaving you with options to either direct it to yourself for quick warming or simply elsewhere that it might be more urgently needed.
Why you need a heater for your garage gym
Heaters are needed for their obvious purpose, which is to eradicate cold by producing heat. Garages are one of the most affected areas of the home when winter drops by, especially due to the fact that it is not often visited or resided in.
Most of them are also poorly insulated, allowing cold air from the external environs to flow in easily. If you are going to set up a gym there, then you’d surely need a source of heat to counteract the cold. What else does it better than a garage gym heater?
What type of heater is best for a garage gym?
Talking about raw power, propane heaters would far suit your heating desires than an electric one. However, we also need to consider the fact that a garage is an enclosed space, coupled with the dangers of having propane canisters in the area, as well as the emission waste they produce from combustion.
We recommend you avoid highly flammable gases in enclosed space and is for this reason that we recommend an electric heater instead of a propane-powered type.
One can easily get an electric heater with sufficient capacity to serve garages of whatever size, though they might be expensive. For safety reasons, stick to electric heaters, and if at all a propane heater is what you desire, always mount the gas canister outside of the garage. Never leave it in the same enclosed space with the heater regardless of whatever safety protection is in place.
How do I heat my garage gym cheaply?
For the cheapest heating, you need an electric heater, with precisely infrared heating. The best way to heat an area cheaply is by reducing the amount of time it takes to attain your desired temperature level, where the body would actually feel warm.
No one does it better than an infrared heater, which heats by radiation, raising the temperature of objects in the room, rather than the temperature of the air in the room itself.
Purchasing one of these means it would take a far lesser amount of time before you start to feel the warmth, meaning the heater would run for a much shorter period of time and therefore consume lesser energy than other types of electric heaters. Also, insulate the garage properly for a faster impact, and cheaper running cost as a result.
Also Read: Direct vent gas wall Heater Reviews
What temperature should you keep a heated garage gym?
The best temperature to keep a heated garage gym in is actually the level that is most comfortable for you. However, this range should normally be in-between 40 and 50 degrees, which is great considering the level of cold in the external environment. It is then left to you to choose the most comfortable level, depending on your body. Keep varying the heater thermostat until you are most comfortable.
Also Read: Best gas heaters for homes
What is the most Efficient garage heater?
Electric heaters are generally more efficient around, compared to their nearest propane competitors. This is because electrical energy is converted to heat energy bypassing power through an element, and it is a process that leads to very little loss of power along the way. It is mostly down to the element used to generate as much heat as possible as energy flows through.
Propane heaters, on the other hand, involve combustion. With that being said alone, even a little knowledge of physics tells us that there is always a high amount of energy lost in the process. Although propane heaters are much more powerful as a result, they are not nearly as efficient as the electric type.
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