Electric patio heater buying guide
Updated: October 2026
The listing in front of you says waterproof and 2000 W. That line is advertising until the rating plate and the manual agree. This electric patio heater buying guide is the order of checks before you pick a model: the seats you can aim at, the weather the instructions allow, and a BS 1363 socket the lead can reach. The [electric patio heater comparison](/hub/portable-heaters/electric-patio-heater) holds the amazon.co.uk prices and the conflicts in this set. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Peter F. compared those listings on 19 October 2026 and did not run a lab test.
The listing in front of you says waterproof and 2000 W. That line is advertising until the rating plate and the manual agree.
The listing in front of you says waterproof and 2000 W. That line is advertising until the rating plate and the manual agree. This electric patio heater buying guide is the order of checks before you pick a model: the seats you can aim at, the weather the instructions allow, and a BS 1363 socket the lead can reach. The electric patio heater comparison holds the amazon.co.uk prices and the conflicts in this set. A qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Peter F. compared those listings on 19 October 2026 and did not run a lab test.
Our top picks
| Badge | Product | Weather rating | Lead length | Heat steps | Note | Price | Offer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall |  SOUTHEATIC SOUTHEATIC T10-GR20B | IP65 claimed | n/a | Listing says 2; one review says full power only | 9.2 | about £99.99 | View offer |
| Best value |  Harrier Harrier 2000 W tower | IPX4 | 1.8 m | 3 | 8.8 | about £48.99 | View offer |
| Alternative |  Pro Breeze Pro Breeze PB-H16-UK | IP65 claimed | 182 cm | 2 (1000 / 2000 W) | 8.2 | about £79.99 | View offer |
On this page
Start with the seats, not the wattage
An electric patio heater in this set warms the people and the surfaces in front of the tube. A UK retailer size guide treats about 2000 W as a starting point for a small sheltered set, and a second heater when the patio is wider than one beam. That table is theirs, not a measurement we took. A bar suits you when the wall is yours and the lead reaches. A tower suits you when the heater has to move. That fork is the wall-mounted or freestanding page.
Read the weather rating, then the manual
The second digit of an IP code is the water test under IEC 60529. Digit 4, as on IPX4, IP24 and IP34, is splash protection. Digit 5, as on IP65, is water jets. A title that says waterproof, with no code, has nothing you can check. Senelux’s title says IP65 while a bullet points at sheltered splashes. Devola’s bullets say IP65 and another field says IP24. Pro Breeze claims IP65, and one review says the instructions limit the heater to indoor use. Buy the exposure the manual repeats. That check sits on the how to use page before you switch on.
Match watts to a small zone
Most heaters here are sold as 2000 W, with a lower step around 650 W or 1000 W. One Devola title says 2400 W while a field says 1200 W. Two 2000 W heaters are about 17 A, past a single 13 A plug. Ofgem’s average Direct Debit unit rate for 1 October to 31 December 2026 is 26.32 pence per kWh, so a 2000 W step is about 53 pence an hour and a 650 W step about 17 pence. Standing charges are extra.
Element, controls, and the lead
Quartz and halogen throw a bright light. Carbon fibre is sold as lower glare. This comparison did not time tube life. A remote above head height often omits the battery, including on the SOUTHEATIC T10. Electrical Safety First wants a UK 3-pin socket, no extension lead, and an outdoor socket of at least IP44 on an RCD. Harrier states 1.8 m. Pro Breeze states 182 cm. Daewoo’s bullets say 5 m and the only review says 1.8 m. A shortfall is an electrician’s socket. A UKCA or CE bullet is a claim we did not inspect.
What to do when the listing disagrees with itself
Open the specification table on the same amazon.co.uk page as the title. If they describe two appliances, do not average them. The DONYER quartz tower’s table says 110 V. Both Devola tables put 1200 W against titles of 2000 W and 2400 W. The DONYER RX12 title describes a freestanding patio heater and the table describes a 1.9 kg indoor convector, with no reviews. After the plate, the manual and the lead describe one heater, use the best electric patio heater shortlist. A missing outdoor socket is a different decision, and an IP code does not settle it.
Common questions
What IP rating do I need if the patio is only partly covered?
Under an awning or a gazebo roof, splash protection is the level the retailer guides treat as the usual minimum: IPX4, IP24 or IP34. Digit 4 is splashing water, on the IEC scale, and it still assumes you follow the manual. A spot with driving rain and no cover is a digit 5 conversation, and only if the instruction sheet repeats that rating. A title that says waterproof, with no code, does not answer the question.
Is 2000 W enough for a table for four?
For a small sheltered set, 2000 W is the usual step in this comparison, and Eco Friendly Heating’s table starts in that band for a balcony or bistro set. The beam has to point at the chairs. If the table is wider than one heater can see, their guide suggests a second heater, on its own socket. We did not measure a coverage area for any ASIN.
Why do some listings say 2000 W in the title and 1200 W in the table?
Because the amazon.co.uk page has been filled with two sets of figures. Devola’s DVPH2000B and DVPH2400B both show 1200 W in a heat-output field while the titles say 2000 W and 2400 W. We cannot tell you which figure is a typing error. Read the plate on the heater you receive, and treat a mismatch as a reason to return it under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 if the goods do not match the description you relied on.
Can I buy a heater listed at 110 V for a UK socket?
The DONYER quartz tower’s specification table says 110 V. UK mains are about 230 V, and a domestic plug should be a fused BS 1363 type under the Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994. Do not use a travel adaptor to force a fit. If the plate on the unit is 230 V and the plug is a UK 13 A plug, the table was wrong. If the plate says 110 V, the heater is the wrong supply.
When do I stop and call an electrician?
Stop when the lead cannot reach an existing RCD-protected outdoor socket, when you want a new circuit, or when anyone suggests hardwiring a plug-in heater. Electrical Safety First’s domestic line is a proper socket, not an extension. A workplace patio sits under the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, which is an electrician’s and an employer’s problem. A new outdoor circuit is not a Saturday DIY job described on this page.
Related pages
Sources
Public UK sources for the plug, the outdoor socket, the IP numerals and the unit rate. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures in this set. Shelf date 19 October 2026.
- Electrical Safety First — Patio heaters (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Plugs and Sockets etc. (Safety) Regulations 1994 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Ofgem — Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- BSI — BS EN 60335-2-30:2009+A13:2022 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- IEC — Ingress protection (IP) ratings guide (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- NICEIC — Gardens and electrics (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- HSE — Electrically powered equipment (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- Warrington Borough Council — Green guide to outside heating (retrieved 19 October 2026)
- GOV.UK — Placing UKCA or CE marked products on the market in Great Britain (retrieved 19 October 2026)