The Best Space Heater for a Garage Gym – Consumer Reviews

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 needing unnecessary construction. However, one problem with this 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 from gym equipment, like the best garage gym heater, to keep the atmosphere comfortable enough for physical fitness.

Using the best space heater for the garage gym is sure to counteract low temperatures in the garage; however, it only happens that way when you purchase the proper equipment. Really, it’s simply a choice of an electric or propane-powered device when considering the best garage heater. They both have distinctive qualities and pros and cons to using each, which will be discussed in the FAQ section.

Depending on the size and architecture of your garage, having the best electric garage heater or propane garage heater should do just fine. However, we might need to look into detailed specifications to help you pick your best for optimal performance. 

Reviewed in this article is the buying guide for the best heater for garage gyms. Kindly read through.

Also Read: Best Construction Site Heater

Top 4 best garage gym heaters in 2024

1) NewAir G73 Hardwired Electric Garage Heater

• 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 5000 watts, this product is able to push out 17,060 BTU of heat, which we must admit is very impressive.

This generated heat allows it to easily cover a two-car garage size (500 sqft in the area). Installing one of these, you can kiss cold goodbye for good without getting your lips frozen.

• Rugged build

The outer body of the heater is made of 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 assuring that it will hold together for a really long time.

• Flexibility; fan louvers thermostat

Backed by a fan that runs at 200 CFM, the heater can generate a high amount of heat and distribute it at a fast and even rate. For more flexibility, manufacturers designed adjustable louvers at the heater outlet.

This is for directional purposes, allowing 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 that is used for varying temperatures. With this control, you can choose what is most comfortable for you and then allow the heater to work to maintain that temperature.

• Optimal safety and mounting options

As regards safety, its ETL certification 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 included brackets, the unit can 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 at least 6 feet higher.

Note: from experience and customer reviews, purchasing the new rather than the already out-of-the-box product is important. 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.

Pros

• Rugged exterior for durability and harsh weather conditions,
• high capacity 200CFM fan helps distribute air effectively over 500sqft area equivalent to a two-car garage,
• ETL certified with electrical safety and overheat protection puts it in the very safe to use category,
• Adjustable louvers for directional flexibility while heating,
• The option of wall mount or ceiling mounted, high capacity 5000watts power generates 17,060BTU of heat,
• The electrically powered built-in thermostat for temperature variation makes it cheap to run and less hazardous.

Cons

• it is a bit noisy,
• wired directly to the power source means no external on and off switch.

Warranty

• The product is backed by a one-year warranty.

2) Mr. Heater MH60QFAV 60,000 BTU Portable Propane Forced Air Heater

• Quiet burner technology

It is widely known and accepted 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 reduces the noise generated by the burner by 50% less than it should be.

However, we must admit that this product isn’t the quietest around (it still produces noise), but it should give you less noise irritation than a regular propane heater.

• Very impressive capacity

60,000 BTU and 1,250sqft say all about this product’s capacity. What makes it even more impressive is its small nature, which 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. At 60,000 BTU, 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 gas supply tank, 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 make it safe to use.

• Portability

Carrying the cone-shaped appearance with hinges that attaches it to a stand 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.

Pros

• Quiet burner technology places it at 50% less than a standard propane heater,
• high heat output of 60,000BTU, its high capacity helps it serve large areas of up to 1,250sqft,
• factory-installed high-limit switches and thermoelectric safety valves for safe operation,
• small and portable size makes mobility easy,

Cons

• despite being 50% lesser than standard propane heaters,
• it still generates a little noise.
• Poor product durability.

Warranty

• The product comes with a one-year limited warranty.

3) Heat Storm HS-1500-PHX-WIFI Infrared Heater 132TL certified for safe use

• Good design

The black and white color blends on this product, as well as its sleek texture, put it up 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, keeping you informed.

• Safe to use

Since it is strictly wall-mounted, there is a good chance the heater ends somewhere people can easily contact it. For this reason, it is designed with a cool-to-touch surface, meaning those accidental lean 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 it, where its power cable can be lined in, completely disappearing from sight, giving 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, switching between on and off states, with the oncoming when the temperature falls 1 degree below the set point and off when 1 degree above.

Users can easily link their phone to the heater through Wi-Fi, allowing 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 impact objects directly in 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 uses electricity for heat generation.

Some of the downsides of this product include being strictly wall mounted only and a poor heat generation of just 5,200 BTU, making it only suitable for small-sized garages.

Pros

• cool and sleek design,
• Cool to touch surface while operating makes it completely safe in high-traffic areas of the garage,
• Wi-Fi smart for easy remote control with a mobile phone,
• ETL is listed for safe use,
• auto mode with thermostat for independent operation,
• infrared heating mode of operation makes it heat fast and very cost-effective,
• quiet operation,

Cons

• Wall-mounted-only design limits user flexibility as per positioning,
• 5,200BTU of heat generated puts it very low amongst similar products,
• it is more suited to be used in small-sized garages,

Warranty

The purchase package includes a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.

4) Heat Storm Wave Floor to Wall Infrared Space Heater

• 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 the temperature the thermostat measures is shown. The thermostat also works automatically to maintain a user-preset temperature, so you have just what you want at every point.

The fun part about using this product is 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 knock-over accidents, and its universal white and black colors are 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 small garages for maximum effect. It has a very poor heat output capacity of 3100 BTU, which is very poor, and can only serve about 200sqft of space. It is a budget device and should only be settled for when considering an extraordinarily small space or on a very strict budget.

Pros

• built-in thermostat with LED display for temperature measurement and control,
• comfortable digital touch control, remote control function for easy use,
• ETL certified for safe use,
• good looking design,
• it is easy to install

Cons

• very low heat capacity of 3100BTU,
• it is more suited to small-sized garages of about 200sqft

The fan noise is pretty audible, although it still falls 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, it’s important you make a purchase according to the specification of what it is required for.

Purchasing an 80000BTU heater for a 200 sqft 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. On the other hand, electric heaters 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. ETL (electrical safety body) should be certified if an electric heater is infused with protective features like high-limit switches and thermoelectric safety valves.

This ensures that the product is able to operate completely and safely 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 a lot of money, so most manufacturers offer a user warranty attached to buying their products. 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 spread heat 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, allowing you 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 are also poorly insulated, allowing cold air from the external environs to flow in easily. If you set up a gym there, 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?

Regarding raw power, propane heaters would better suit your heating desires than electric one. However, we also need to consider 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 spaces, 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?

You need an electric heater with precisely infrared heating for the cheapest heating. The best way to heat an area cheaply is by reducing the time needed to attain your desired temperature level, where the body feels 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 far less time before you start to feel the warmth, meaning the heater would run for a much shorter period of time and consume less energy than other types of electric heaters. Also, insulate the garage properly for a faster impact and cheaper running cost.

Also Read: Direct vent gas wall Heater Reviews 

What temperature should you keep in a heated garage gym?

The best temperature to keep a heated garage gym in is the most comfortable level for you. However, this range should normally be 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 than their nearest propane competitors. This is because electrical energy is converted to heat energy, bypassing power through an element, leading to very little power loss along the way. It mostly depends on 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, they are not nearly as efficient as the electric type.

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