Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

Butane or propane heater

Updated: 22 October 2026

You are holding a heater manual and two different cylinders. Getting the fuel wrong can mean a regulator that will not clip on, a weak flame in winter, or propane indoors against supplier guidance. This page compares butane or propane for the cabinets, blowers and cartridge units in the [gas heating comparison](/hub/heating/gas-heating). It does not replace the manual for your exact model, and it does not rank ASINs. Peter F. used the amazon.co.uk listings plus Calor and Liquid Gas UK guidance. There was no lab test. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You are holding a heater manual and two different cylinders. Getting the fuel wrong can mean a regulator that will not clip on, a weak flame in winter, or propane indoors against supplier guidance.

Our top picks

Bimson Power Bimson Power BP-G15T

Best overall

Bimson Power Bimson Power BP-G15T
8.6/10about £119.99
View offer
NJ The right choice NJ-H2

Rank 2

NJ The right choice NJ-H2
8.8/10about £99.90
View offer
Straame Straame foldable 4.2 kW

Best value

Straame Straame foldable 4.2 kW
8.4/10about £64.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Cabinet fuel rule
  2. 2.Cylinder fittings in the UK
  3. 3.When blowers name both fuels
  4. 4.Cartridges versus bottles

Cabinet fuel rule

Cabinets in this set are butane. The NJ-H2 and both Straame listings state butane and a 21 mm clip-on for 8–15 kg or 13–15 kg bottles. Liquid Gas UK treats butane as the usual indoor cabinet fuel, and propane cylinders as stored outdoors. Do not put a red propane bottle on a butane cabinet because the title only says gas heater. Pressures and hose markings differ. In Great Britain, plan on blue bottles, or the regional equivalent. Butane weakens in the cold. Below roughly 0 °C in a porch or unheated conservatory you may get a poor flame before the room warms. Propane handles cold and stays on an outdoor cylinder, which means a blower or specified outdoor kit, not an unapproved swap. Livhome and Fishlor also print conflicting fuel lines, including natural gas. Class is in the portable gas heater buying guide.

Cylinder fittings in the UK

Calor’s guidance is 21 mm on standard Great Britain butane, and 35 mm in Northern Ireland. The NJ-H2 and the Straame foldable include 21 mm clip-ons. Northern Ireland reviews on the NJ-H2 say Flogas yellow-top bottles needed a larger adapter. If it will not snap on, stop. Forcing it damages the rubber. Bimson ships a hose and regulator. Check that it matches the propane connection in your region. The DAHTEC 15 kW leaves the hose off the spec table. One review mentions a rear port. Copy that only if your manual shows the same port. Cartridge heaters use 227 g cans. Taylor & Brown bundles four. Lizzie Jacobs titles eight. Those cans are not a 13 kg bottle. Do not extend the hose so propane sits outdoors while a butane cabinet runs indoors. These cabinets expect the bottle on the supplied hose, in or beside the retainer.
Bimson Power Bimson Power BP-G15T

Testsieger

Bimson Power Bimson Power BP-G15T
8.6/10about £119.99
View offer

When blowers name both fuels

The Bimson fuel field says propane and the bullets also say butane. The DAHTEC 15 kW spec table says gas, without butane or propane. The DAHTEC 10 kW states propane at 0.73 kg/h. Both fuels on a listing means a factory configuration, not any forecourt bottle. Assume propane for a UK garage blower, with the bottle outdoors and a hose rated for that fuel. Butane in a cold shed fades. Propane vaporises better in the cold only if the manual, the jet and the ventilation agree. See the propane heater for a garage page. Propane on these blowers is still combustion in the room.

Cartridges versus bottles

Cartridges are 227 g cans for an outdoor heater head: Taylor & Brown, Livhome, Lizzie Jacobs and Fishlor. Camping Gas treats them as outdoor equipment. Lizzie Jacobs reviews say the manual is outdoor only while the listing mentions bedrooms. A 13 kg or 15 kg butane bottle belongs on a cabinet with a clip-on and named shut-offs. Taylor & Brown at about £29.99 with four cans is a weekend outdoors, not evening heat in a lounge. If a 1.3 kW head says butane or propane, check the thread before you add an adapter.

Common questions

Which fuel for an indoor cabinet?
Butane, on the 21 mm clip-on setup named on the listing, with ventilation and the sensors the manual describes. The NJ-H2 and both Straame cabinets in this set state butane. Propane bottles stay outdoors in typical UK domestic guidance. Do not improvise a red bottle onto a butane cabinet.
Can I run a blower on butane in winter?
Only if the manual and the jetting allow butane, and you accept weaker performance in a cold space. Propane is the usual blower fuel for a UK garage. The Bimson fuel field says propane even where a bullet also says butane. Confirm the booklet, not the bullet list.
Why did my regulator not clip on?
The fitting does not match the cylinder. Great Britain butane clip-ons are commonly 21 mm. Northern Ireland fittings are often 35 mm. A butane clip-on will not seat on a propane valve either. Match Calor and Liquid Gas UK guidance. Do not force it.
What hose length if the propane cylinder stays outdoors?
Use the hose supplied with the heater. Do not extend it without a qualified assessment. The portable blowers in this set are short-hose machines meant to sit near the bottle you connect as the manual shows. A DIY extension is not a way to park propane outside a butane cabinet.
Does dual-fuel on a listing mean any bottle?
No. It means the manufacturer may offer more than one configuration. You still need the correct regulator, jet and manual page for the bottle you actually use. Livhome and Fishlor also print conflicting fuel lines, including natural gas. Treat that as unclear until the manual names one path.
Will butane work in a cold shed?
Butane vaporisation weakens in the cold. Expect a poor flame or an outage below roughly 0 °C unless the space is warm, or you switch to an appliance and a fuel approved for that temperature. That is often propane on a blower class, not a butane cabinet in a freezing shed.

Related pages

How to use a gas heater

Best portable gas heater

Gas heating

Portable gas heater: choose cabinet, blower or stove

Propane heater for a garage: what the blower allows

Sources

Public UK sources named below. amazon.co.uk prices, stars and review counts on these ten listings were taken from the listing files read on 20 October 2026. Page updated October 2026.

  1. Liquid Gas UK mobile heaters (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  2. Liquid Gas UK, propane versus butane (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  3. HSE domestic gas FAQ (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  4. HSE, landlord gas safety checks (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  5. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  6. BS EN 449, BSI (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  7. Calor gas heater buyer's guide (retrieved 20 October 2026)
  8. Camping Gas Ltd gas safety (retrieved 20 October 2026)