Patio heaters are essential to enjoying your time outside. They can be used in the colder months to warm up your space or to make cool summer and fall evenings comfortable. Along with your patio heater, there are some accessories you should get to enhance and upgrade your space.
Some of the best patio heater accessories can modify your outdoor space by:
- Improving functionality
- Enhancing comfort and convenience
- Protecting your patio heater
- Adding smart home integration
Within each of these aspects there are many products you can buy, but how do you know which ones are right for you? This guide will help you figure out which products go well with your patio heater and ones you might not want to buy.
Patio Heater Accessories for Functionality
Patio heaters come in all shapes and sizes, along with different fuel sources. One of the biggest factors for considering which patio heater accessory is right for yours is the fuel type. Most patio heaters are electric, gas, or wood burning.
One way to enhance your patio heater with accessories is to improve its functionality. This can be done through mounting your patio heater, adding controls for adjusting heat levels, and adding possible missing safety features.
Adding Control Accessories to a Patio Heater
How you control your patio heater can affect how much you enjoy using it. Is it just a flip of a switch or do you have to ignite it? Sometimes if it’s too much work to turn on and maintain the heat levels of your patio heater, you might just find yourself sitting outside in a parka to enjoy your night.
Adding control functions to your patio heater through various accessories can limit the work you have to do to make your outdoor night warm and enjoyable.
Remove Manual Control with Accessories for Patio Heaters
While most patio heaters come with controls to make turning it on and off easier, there are some manual control accessories for patio heaters you can add. These are essential, especially if you can’t use a remote for some functions.
An excellent product to use is a thermostatically controlled outlet. What this does is when it gets cold enough, it will turn on your electric patio heater and when it gets hot enough, it will turn off. You won’t need to guess what the temperature is outside to see if you need to turn your patio heater on or off.
| Product | Volts | Temperature Range |
| Thermo Cube | 120V | On at 35°F off at 45°F |
| Heatit | 120V | On at 38°F off at 50°F |
A small downside to the thermostatically controlled outlets is that if you want your patio heater on when it’s a cool 55°F, this wouldn’t be a good product for you.
Another product to help reduce manual functions on your patio heater is a timer. Using a timer for your patio heater will not only turn off your patio heater when it starts getting late, but it can also turn your patio heater on a bit before you get home so your patio is nice and warm for you to enjoy a nice drink outside after work. They also work great because patio heaters shouldn’t be on for more than a few hours.
Here are our favorite outdoor electronic timer switches.
| Product | Volts | Sockets | Special Features |
| BN-Link | 125V, 1875W, 15A | 2 | Comes in digital or dial, easy mounting |
| Dewenwils | 125V, 1875W, 15A | 2 | Has a remote with a 100 ft range, thermos resistant, flame retardant, waterproof |
| NSI | 125V, 15A, 500W Tungsten | 2 | Works in conditions up to -40°F |
| Fosmon | 125V, 1875W, 15A | 2 | Comes with a remote, photocell sensor, rainproof |
Before buying any of these accessories, it’s important to note how many volts your patio heater needs to operate safely.
Mounting Accessories for a Patio Heater
Patio heaters come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and forms. When you buy your patio heater, it may be so exciting to have some warmth outside, but after a while, you might realize that it’s getting in the way of things. Mounting your patio heater is one of the best solutions for this.
Wall Mounts for Patio Heaters
Mounting your patio heater on your wall can help you save a lot of space. There are many patio heaters on the market that already come with a mounting kit. However, not all patio heaters come with a wall mount, and not all patio heaters should be mounted to the wall.
A big factor in this is the type of patio heater you have. Not all patio heaters can be wall mounted and there aren’t many universal mounting kits available for patio heaters. However, here are some of the best wall mounted patio heaters.
| Brand | Model | Fuel Type | Mounting Type | Material | Extra Features |
| Dr. Infrared Heater | DR-238 | Electric | Wall with ceiling mount included | Weatherproof aluminum | Remote controlled, timer, can be used indoors |
| Heat Storm | HS-1500-OTR | Electric | Can buy as wall mounted, ceiling mount, with a tripod, or rolling mount | Aluminum, IPX4 rated waterproof | Silent, tip over shut off, infrared heating |
| Bromic Heating | BH0110003-1 | Natural gas | Wall mounted | Glass ceramic screen | Wind resistance up to 12mph, smart control compatibility |
| Paraheeter | QHA-15DB | Electric or gas | Wall or tripod mounted | IP65 waterproof rating, material not listed | Indoor and outdoor use, remote control, tip over protection |
| SereneLife | SLOHT28 | Electric | Wall mounted | Aluminum with IP24 waterproof rating | Tip over protection |
Some benefits of mounting your patio heater to the wall are:
- Saving space: it makes your patio look less cluttered, especially if it’s a smaller patio
- Increased safety: you won’t have to worry about someone burning themselves on the patio heater
If your patio heater can’t be wall mounted, but you’d like it out of the way, you still have other options for functionality.
Ceiling Mounts for Patio Heaters
Just as with wall mounts for patio heaters, you can mount your patio heater on the ceiling. Again, this largely depends on the type of patio heater you have. Unfortunately, unless your patio heater was designed to be mounted on the ceiling, you shouldn’t be mounting your patio heater there.
Here are some of the best ceiling mounted patio heaters.
| Brand | Fuel Type | Mounting Type | Material | Special Features |
| Heat Storm | Electric | Ceiling with other mounting styles | Weatherproof aluminum | Silent running with infrared heating |
| Paraheeter | Electric | Ceiling | IP55 waterproof material | Three heating options, unique design |
| Donyer Power | Electric | Ceiling | IP24 waterproof material | Two heating options, fast heating, 360 ° heating |
Along with a ceiling mount for your patio heater, you might want to consider having ceiling fans installed on your patio space. This is because heat travels upward and if you have a ceiling fan on turning clockwise it will help push the heat down to you and make your patio heater not work as hard and help distribute the heat throughout your whole patio.
Freestanding Mounts for Patio Heaters
If your patio heater can’t be mounted to the wall or ceiling, you still have another mounting option. You can use a freestanding mount for your patio heater. This is also an excellent choice if you want to be able to move your patio heater around your space depending on where you’re sitting.
Using a freestanding mount for your patio heater is also great because you can easily move your patio heater indoors if it needs to be protected from the elements.
The Briza Infrared electric patio heater is an excellent one with a high amount of great reviews. It is lightweight, heats up in 3 seconds, and has an IP55 rating to withstand rain, dust, and snow. You can set it to 3 different heat levels, and it has up to a 9 hour timer. It can be mounted on a wall or ceiling if you’d like as well.
If your patio heater falls under these dimensions: 10.8”L x 15.6”W, you can also purchase the Hanover tripod to mount your patio heater.
Making a Patio Heater Safer by Adding Controls
Patio heaters are generally safe, however, the type of patio heater you have can affect how safe it is.
Electric patio heaters tend to be the safest one on the market. It doesn’t have fuel that needs to be replaced like gas, propane, or wood. They also come in multiple formats and are more flexible when it comes to placement.
Natural gas patio heaters can be dangerous due to gas fumes and a potential leak in a gas line.
Propane patio heaters are dangerous because you will constantly need to replace the propane tank, which will cause the port to wear down over time.
Wood-fueled patio heaters are also safe, but they can be dangerous due to the wood popping, embers falling out, and flames spreading.
Safety Accessories for Gas and Propane Patio Heaters
Gas patio heaters can be the most dangerous type of patio heater, especially if it’s not handled properly. Here are some of the best accessories to make a gas patio heater safer.
One accessory you can get for your gas patio heater to make it safer is an anti-tilt tip over switch. What the switch does is if your gas patio heater tilts over, it will automatically turn off. Many gas patio heaters may already have this feature, so check your user manual before buying one.
Safety Accessories for Electric Patio Heaters
Electric patio heaters are generally safer than gas patio heaters, however, that doesn’t mean that they are the safest. You can still get injured using an electric patio heater.
Outdoor cord and cable organizers will help prevent branches in a storm getting tangled in the wires or people tripping over the wires. You can go with something as simple as cable zip ties and adhesives to something more aesthetic, like a cable hiding kit.
Safety Accessories for Wooden Patio Heaters
If you have a wood burning patio heater, also known as a fire pit or chiminea, there are several things you can do to make it safer.
- Using the right equipment: whether you’re using a fire poker or firewood tongs to move your wood around and fuel your heater, you still need to be safe.
- Cleaning the right way: you’ll have to use different cleaners depending on what your wood burning patio heater is made of, however, you’ll always need a good brush and pan to sweep away debris before cleaning.
Patio Heater Enhancements for Comfort and Convenience
When you’re relaxing outside, you ultimately want to be comfortable and not have to do anything but relax. You can add mobility to your patio heater to make your patio a more relaxing space to minimize the effort you put out. You can also make your patio a more comfortable space with some customizations.
Making a Patio Heater Mobile with Accessories
Your patio heater is a great way to warm your outdoor space, however, what if you have a large patio and want to be warm outside somewhere else? Would you invest in another patio heater? Or would you add some accessories to be able to move your patio heater around to redirect the heat?
Another benefit of making your patio heater more mobile is that you can easily move it for storage in case of bad weather coming in, like a blizzard or hurricane.
Patio Heater Wheel Kits
If you have a free-standing patio heater, chances are it’s big and bulky. Bringing it in for the summer or if there is a big storm coming in can be a multi-person job, however those extra hands might not always be available. Patio heater wheel kits are an excellent accessory to make moving your patio heater a one-person job. Here are some of the best patio heater wheel kits.
For gas patio heaters, the Spotimlody wheel kit easily fits onto most tall patio heaters that are round base umbrella or pyramid heaters. After installation, all you have to do is tilt your patio heater to wheel it around.
Distributing the Heat from a Patio Heater
When you have a stand up patio heater, it’s a great way to keep everyone around you warm. However, you might not want your heat all over. You might want to get a heat reflector to redistribute your patio heater’s heat. Here are some of the best brands for patio heater reflectors.
| Brand | Shape | Fuel Type | Special Features |
| Sweet Heat | Round, pyramid, table top, trifold, and max | Natural gas and propane | High heat resistant caps, heavy duty clamps, more efficient at redirecting heat |
| Smokitcen | Round | Natural gas and propane | Can be folded for storage, lightweight, durable clamps, personalized customer service |
Some benefits of using a heat reflector with your patio heater are:
- Saves money on fuel and energy
- Blocks heat from walls and trees
- Redirects and redistributes heat to where you need it
Accessories to Protect a Patio Heater
Patio heaters don’t come cheap, so if you want to make sure you get at least the minimum lifespan out of your patio heater, one thing you’re going to have to do is make sure your patio heater is protected from the elements when it’s not in use.
Ways to Protect a Patio Heater from the Weather
Protecting your patio heater is essential to its longevity. If your patio heater is consistently exposed to the elements, it’s not going to last as long. However, there are some clever accessories out there to protect your patio heater. Keep in mind that not all covers are compatible with all patio heaters.
Decorative Covers for Patio Heaters
While we did mention some covers for your patio heaters to help protect them from the rain and snow, you also have the choice for decorative covers. You don’t have to look at a lumpy beige cover when your patio heater isn’t in use. Some things to keep in mind when picking a decorative cover for your patio heater are:
- The brand of your patio heater. Not all covers are compatible outside of their brand.
- The shape and size of your patio heater. Some patio heaters have different shapes, such as a cylinder or a pyramid. Some are taller and shorter than others.
Here are some of our favorite decorative covers for patio heaters.
| Brand | Material | Colors | Shape and Compatibility | Dimensions | Protection | Fuel Type |
| Hiland | 210D fabric | Black, mocha, paprika, silver, tan | Compatible with Hiland brand patio heaters | 87” H x 33” W x 33” D | Waterproof, weatherproof | Propane |
| Amazon Basics | Polyester with PVC backing | Black, tan | Round stand up | 95” H x 36” W x 36” D | Waterproof, snow proof, other outdoor elements | Propane |
| Hualedi | Oxford cloth | Black | Round stand up | From 38” H x 24” dome x 14.5” base to 89.5” H x 33.5” dome x 19.5” base | UV resistant, water resistant, dust resistant, wind resistant | Propane |
| Stanbroil | Oxford cloth with PVC coating | Black | Pyramid | 90” H x 21” W x 21” L | Waterproof, anti-fading, prevents damage from wind, frost, UV, dirt, dust, and other things | Propane |
| Biheatry | 420D Oxford material with environmental PVC coated polyester | Black | Wall mounted | 36.5” x 9.5” x 6.5” | Double drawstring to secure, easy to clean, waterproof, UV protection, and protects against snow | Electric |
| Classic Accessories | Polyester fabric with UV-stabilized coating and water-resistant laminated backing | Pebble, bark, and earth | Chiminea | 22” D x 52.75”H or 25” D x 65”H | Water resistant, weatherproof, drawstring for optimal cover, air vents to reduce condensation | Wood |
Smart Home Integration for Patio Heaters
Lately, every product seems to have some form of smart home integration. Whether it’s controlled by an app or your voice, so many things can be automated including your lights, music, locks, and now, your patio heaters.
As of right now, there are a few smart patio heaters on the market. If you already have a patio heater that isn’t smart, don’t worry, there are a few DIY accessories you can add to your patio heater to make it smart.
Smart Plugs
If you have an electric patio heater, you can use an outdoor smart plug to be able to integrate your patio heater into your smart home system. Make sure you’re using an outdoor smart plug, so it’s protected from the elements.
| Smart Plug | Sockets | Compatibility | Special Features |
| Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug | 2 | Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT | IP64 weather resistance, set schedules, voice activation, app controlled |
| Amazon Basics Outdoor Smart Plug | 2 | Alexa | IP65 weather resistance, set schedules and routines, voice activation, app controlled |
| Wyze Plug Outdoor | 2 | Alexa, Google, IFTTT | IP64 weather resistance, set schedules, voice activation, app controlled |
While most devices will not be compatible with HomeKit, Kasa also makes an outdoor smart plug that is compatible with HomeKit.
While using a smart plug with your now smart patio heater, your can set up fun and functional routines with your assistant, such as starting up some music and turning on your ambient lighting when you turn on your patio heater with a routine.
Choosing the Right Accessories for Your Patio Heater
Now that you know what patio heater accessories are out there, which ones are right for you? Before you go out there and break the bank picking out what you think you need, we’ve done a breakdown for what patio heater accessories you should get for the five most popular types of patio heaters.
Pyramid Propane Patio Heater
Pyramid propane heaters are amazing patio heaters for any yard. While they aren’t the cheapest to buy upfront or replace propane with, it may be worth it just for how sleek it looks and the amount of heat it puts out. Some of the accessories you should have with your pyramid patio heater are:
- Cover that fits over the heater
- Extra propane tanks
- Heat reflector
- Wheel kit if your patio heater doesn’t have wheels
- Anti-tilt over switch
Wall Mounted Electric Patio Heater
Electric wall mounted patio heaters come next on the list of most popular patio heaters. They’re easy to install and chances are, they won’t get in your way. They are also extremely affordable compared to most other types of patio heaters. Some must-have accessories for your wall mounted electric patio heater are:
- Cover
- Cable organizers or cable hiding kit
- Smart plug
- Thermostatically controlled plug
Wood Burning Chiminea
Wood burning chimineas are a classic and traditional way to warm up your backyard. Whether you have an updated design or a rustic style one, there are so many accessories that you can add on for it.
- Cover
- Brush and ash tray
- Wood rack that has a cover with extra wood
- Fire pit tongs and metal poker
- Bellows
Natural Gas Patio Heater
A natural gas patio heater comes next in popular patio heaters. They come in many designs, however, they’re not as safe or mobile as the others. Some accessories for your natural gas patio heater include:
- Cover
- Heat reflector
- Anti-tilt over switch
- Natural gas hose
Ceiling Mounted Electric Patio Heater
Finally, ever growing in popularity are ceiling mounted electric patio heaters. These are fantastic because they are coming out with more designs. Many people love the different aesthetics they give. They have a decent price range from budget-friendly to very expensive, however, the accessories won’t add up to much afterward.
Some accessories for your ceiling mounted electric patio heater are:
- Smart plug
- Thermostatically controlled outlet
- Cover
- Cable organizers or cable hiding kit (depending on how it’s wired)
Conclusion
Patio heaters are excellent additions to any outdoor space. However, adding accessories can just be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to enhancing your space. It’s always a great idea to explore your options when it comes to different accessories.
Whether you’re looking to make your patio heater more functional or mobile or are looking to make it safer or smarter, there are dozens of options out there for you.
