8 Best Tent Heaters In 2020

With an optimal size and heat output for camping tents, the Mr. Heater Portable Buddy tent heater is the most popular camp propane heater. Giving off 4,000- to 9,000 BTU of indoor-safe heat, it’s the perfect solution for heating tent spaces up to 225 square feet. Thanks to its compact footprint, it’s also convenient to pack and bring along on camping trips.   

Heat Output and Efficiency

Radiating 4,000 BTUs on low and 9,000 BTUs on high, the portable Buddy radiant heater is powerful enough to keep a large tent up to 225 square feet warm and toasty. As for efficiency, you can get an evening’s worth of heat off a single 1 lb. propane canister - 3 hours on high and up to 6 hours on low. A 20 lbs. propane tank can give you up to 100 hours of heat.  

Safety and Features

Since the Portable Buddy burns clean, it’s approved for indoor use and comes equipped with an Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS). Beyond this, it will go off automatically if it detects low oxygen levels, if it’s tipped over, or if the pilot light goes out. Lastly, the fold-down handle keeps the footprint compact and makes it one of the best portable tent heaters for camping.  

With its tiny footprint, Mr. Heater Little Buddy portable propane heater is one of the best tent heaters for small tents. Though small, it packs quite a punch and emits plenty of heat to get a tent interior of up to 95 square feet nice and toasty. Best of all, it does this without eating up much space and is also very easy to pack and carry it with you. 

Fuel Output and Efficiency

Featuring a single heat setting of 3,800 BTU/hr., the Little Buddy camping tent heater is suitable for small tents up to 95 square feet. Thanks to a 45-degree heating angle that concentrates the heat where you need it, it’s very efficient with 5.6 hours of runtime on a 1-pound propane tank.  

Safety and Features

This propane tent heater emits indoor-safe heat that’s safe to use in a camping tent. For safety, it requires at least four square inches for ventilation and is programmed to go off automatically if it’s tipped over or upon detection of low oxygen levels.

For an electric heater for tent camping at campsites that provide electric hook-ups, the Honeywell tent space heater is a fantastic option. The heat output and dispersion are impressive for such a small and affordable unit. Compact and lightweight, it’s also very to carry when going camping. Furthermore, you don’t have to lug along fuel canisters.

Heat Output and Efficiency

The 5,100 BTU heat output on the high 1500watts setting is sufficient for small to medium size tents of up to 150 square feet. Fan forced technology disperses the heat in all directions warming the whole tent evenly. For comfort and efficiency, the heater has a low setting (750 watts) and an adjustable thermostat.        

Safety and Features

Featuring a cool to the touch plastic exterior and handle, the Honeywell HHF360V heater for a tent is the perfect heater for kids’ tents. When tipped, it shuts off automatically and starts right up when set upright again. One thing that sets it apart from other tent heaters for camping is that it also turns itself off if it gets too hot. 

When it comes to comfort and efficiency, the Olympian Wave-3 tent heater is far superior to other types of tent heaters. Being a catalytic camp heater for tent, it boasts a 99.9% energy efficiency and the warmth it radiates is as comfortable and healthy as sunshine. All this makes it the best heater for camping in RVs and cabins.

Heat Output and Efficiency

The Wave-3 emits 3000 BTU on high, which is sufficient heat output for up to 100 square feet of RV space. It also has a low setting with a 1600 BTU capacity. Just like the sun, it produces radiant heat that warms you up directly. Because of this, it’s super-efficient with an energy efficiency rating of 99.9%. As for fuel, it utilizes low-pressure HD-5 propane gas.

Safety and Features

Because the Olympian Wave-3 is super-efficient and uses flameless catalytic combustion, it’s safe to use in an RV or cabin as long as you follow the ventilation requirements specified in the user manual. Additionally, it’s equipped with a safety shut-off valve that prevents accidental fuel discharge. Finally, it’s a top rated tent heater for camping for its durability.

Compact, inexpensive, and low-wattage, the Honeywell Heat Bud personal heater is the best small tent heater for personal warmth. It’s about the size of a large coffee mug or computer speaker so packing and transporting it to your campsite won't be an issue. You can carry it in your backpack and it won't take up too much space in your tent.

Heat Output and Efficiency

Being so compact, the Heat Bud portable tent heater does not pack as powerful a punch as larger heaters for tents camping. However, the heat it gives out is perfect for keeping you warm as it utilizes ceramic heating technology to create a warm breeze around you. As for efficiency, it draws only 250 watts and has a high and low heat setting.

Safety and Features

This little camping tent heater will keep you warm without compromising your safety. It stays cool to the touch, has to overheat protection, and shuts itself off if tipped over. Since it doesn’t make use of a fan, it’s also whispering quiet and won’t bother you.

Capable of blazing a whopping 18,000 BTU of heat on high, the Mr. Heater Big Buddy camp tent heater is the most powerful camp heater on this list. This kind of heat capacity is enough for warming tent spaces up to 450 square feet. Therefore, it’s the best tent camping heater to use in large tents, when camping with the family or a group of friends.

Heat Output and Efficiency

In addition to the 18,000 BTU output on high, the Mr. Heater Big Buddy radiant heater has a 4000BTU low setting. Above this, it has a built-in fan that increases its heating capacity through convection. You can fuel it with 1lb cylinders or 20-40lb cylinders and it consumes about one pound of fuel per hour on high setting. 

Safety and Features

For safe heating for tent, the Big Buddy puts out clean and odor-free heat and is equipped with the essential safety features: oxygen depletion sensor, and low-oxygen and tip-over automatic shut-off. On top of this, a well-designed wire cage protects against accidental contact with the ceramic heating elements. Lastly, this top rated tent heater for camping is rugged and can hold up to frequent travel and outdoor use.

Compact and lightweight, the Comfort Zone Fan-forced heater for a camping tent is super portable and packs quite a punch! With a 1,500watts wattage, it puts out plenty of heat for its size. When you plug it in, you will be blown away by the force of the fan, the amount of heat produced, and how quickly it warms up the entire tent.

Heat Output and Efficiency

To go with the 1,500watts power, the Comfort Zone has a powerful fan that forces the air through ceramic PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) heating elements at a high rate, quickly dispersing warmth all around the tent. As for adjustability, it has a low, high, and air only fan setting and a thermostat.

Safety and Features

Designed according to UL, ETL, SAA, CE, CSA, and NOM quality standards, quality, and safety are top-notch. The Comfort Zone camping heater for tent is safe to use in a tent as it doesn't produce an open flame, only produces heat when stable on a flat surface, and goes off if tipped over or picked up and comes back on when you set it down again. 

The ease of packing up and carrying this lightweight and portable outdoor propane heater by Texsport and its tent warming performance make it the best tent heater for camping, hiking, and backpacking. It gets glowing tent heater reviews for how quickly and effectively it warms tents up.

Heat Output and Efficiency

With a heat output of up to 2,890 BTU's, the Texsport is ideal for heating a small tent or a small section of a tent. Its heat output is directional - it puts out infrared heat that warms up whatever it’s pointed at and has propellants to ensure heating accuracy and consistency. On high, a 1 lb. bottle of propane delivers 4-6 hours of runtime. On the low setting, you can get 7-8 hours off a one-pound bottle.  

Safety and Features

For safety when using the heater in a tent, this portable propane heater has a large base with a paddle foot design to ensure the heater is stable and doesn't tip over easily. If the flame goes out, the fuel valve shuts the gas off automatically to prevent wastage. Finally, the aluminum reflector has a safety grid to protect against accidental contact.