3 Best Parasol Heaters of 2024

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The Best Parasol Heaters

best parasol heater
  1. La Hacienda Heatmaster Parasol Heater

  2. Firefly Electric Parasol Heater

  3. All Seasons Gazebos & Parasol Heater

Parasol Heater Reviews

Editors Choice
  • Simple and very straightforward to use
  • Good adjustability - you can switch on either two or four of the lamps depending on the temperature
  • Fits most domestic parasols with pole size of 25-55mm
  • Produces a soft glow so can help illuminate the area under your parasol when the sun goes down
  • Produces a good amount of heat for cooler evenings, and there’s two heat settings to choose from

  • Cable may be too short for some users at 1.5m, and an extension cable is not recommended
  • Doesn’t provide enough heat for chilly evenings - best for spring/summer evenings
  • Heaters need to be installed fairly low in order for you to benefit from the heat they are generating
  • Fairly heavy at 6.8kgs which makes it harder to install
Overall Score 4.6
Design
5
Performance
4.5
Features
4.5
Value for Money
4.5

The La Hacienda Heatmaster Parasol Heater is a powerful parasol heater, designed and made by a brand well known for their effective outdoor heating solutions.

This parasol heater has a versatile design. It fits most domestic parasols with a pole size of 25-55mm, and it’s very compact. The pressed steel and aluminium construction ensures it’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor environments. The clamps adequately grip both metal and wooden poles.

This heater consists of 4 500W heads. It uses ruby lamps and reflectors to produce short wave infrared heating that warms people and objects underneath the parasol, as opposed to the air around it. This means the warmth will be unaffected by wind, and it’s highly efficient. No warmth is dispersed into the air, yet you and your family will stay cosy underneath!

Feature-wise, this heater is relatively simple. There’s the option to turn on either two or all of the halogen lights, and there’s also two heat settings to choose from depending on the level of warmth you need.

Designed for durability, this heater is fantastic value for money. It has a black steel construction, and it’s rated IPX3 so it’s suitable for outdoor use. The infrared elements are made to provide over 5000 hours of heat – so there’s every chance it’ll be heating you and your guests for years to come!

In the interest of impartiality; a couple of downsides. The first is that the cable is a little short at 1.5m. If your parasol is located far away from a power source, this may pose a problem. Secondly, it’s fairly heavy which could make installation a little tricky. However, with an extra pair of hands, you shouldn’t find installation too difficult.

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Runner Up
  • Produces a soft garden light as well as enough heat to take the edge off spring and summer evenings
  • Folds down neatly underneath the parasol when not in use
  • Tip-over safeguard instantly shuts off the heater if it’s tipped over
  • Easy to assemble and install

  • Cable length is short at 2m. Many people have opted to use an extension lead which is not recommended
  • Although durable, replacement parts are very difficult to source
Overall Score 4.6
Design
4.5
Performance
4.5
Features
4.5
Value for Money
5

The Firefly Electric Parasol Heater is another of my top contenders for the best parasol heater.

This heater has a neat design that fits snugly underneath most parasols. It’s collapsible, so can simply be folded down with your parasol. There’s no need to take it down and store it away after use, but if you do opt to store it in a garage or shed, it won’t take up too much space.

Built to last, this heater is made from quality materials and has IP34 approval which signifies it’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The anodized extruded aluminium alloy frame is both durable and stylish, while the specially designed safety cage offers a layer of protection against the hottest part of the lamp without impacting the warmth you’ll feel.

This garage heater is high performing, allowing you to enjoy relaxing in the garden any time of year. It works using infrared heat which benefits from being safer, quieter and more efficient than other heating methods.

In terms of adjustability, this heater ticks a lot of boxes. You’re able to turn on either 1, 2 or all 3 of the heat lamps, ensuring no warmth or electricity is wasted. It also produces a good amount of light as well as heat, ideal for socialising into the night.

Safety features include a tip-over Safeguard. If the heater falls over, it’ll immediately turn off, keeping you and your guests safe.

Finally, this heater is very cheap to run which makes the affordable price tag even more impressive. Costing less than 20p an hour with no need to purchase anything additional such as fuel, this heater marks great value for money.

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Also Good
  • Long 5m cable is very practical - doesn’t need to be installed right next to a power source
  • Lightweight at just 3.4kgs which makes installation very easy
  • Fits most heavy duty gazebos and parasols
  • Lights up the area underneath your parasol as well as heats it

  • Although the mains cable is long enough, the cable between two of the lamps is a little short which reduces the angle you can have the individual lamps at
  • Need to be sat very close to the heater to get enough warmth on chilly days
  • No temperature adjustability - just one heat setting and you can only turn on all 4 of the lamps at once
Overall Score 4.3
Design
5
Performance
4
Features
4
Value for Money
4

As we’ve already seen, all too often the issue with parasol heaters is a cable that’s too short. While this isn’t too much of a problem if you’ve got your outdoor furniture close to a power source, those who don’t may be unpleasantly surprised to find they can’t actually install their new heater.

The All Seasons Gazebos & Parasol Heater has an extra long 5m cable, which makes it far more versatile than others on the market. It’s heavy duty, made from durable materials, yet it weighs just over 3kg so remains very easy to install. It can be used on any heavy duty gazebo or parasol.

Comprising 4 500W bulbs with a total heat output of 2000W, this heater will keep you and your guests warm on chilly evenings. It also produces a soft red glow, illuminating the table under your parasol when the sun goes down.

Perhaps the only thing this heater lacks feature-wise is heat adjustability. While others have the option to turn on just one of the lamps, this heater is either all on or all off. While this isn’t too much of a problem on cold nights, it will end up costing you more in electricity than you need, especially if there’s just a couple of people sitting underneath the parasol.

While the lack of heat control is an issue, the 5m cable does make up for this. If you’re looking for a reliable and effective heater the All Seasons Gazebo & Parasol Heater is well worth considering.

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Alexandra's Smart Buying Tips

  1. When it comes to parasol heaters, you’ll need to choose between infrared lamps and halogen heaters. For most domestic settings, I recommend parasol heaters with infrared lamps. These provide adequate warmth to surrounding objects and people, even at a reasonable distance.
  2. Halogen heaters are only appropriate for small spaces – they don’t throw their heat as far as infrared heaters.
  3. Many of the best parasol heaters will offer several heat settings. Look for models with multiple bulbs (around four), as these generally allow you to turn on a select number of bulbs. This makes it possible to control heat output and electricity consumption.
  4. In terms of construction material, choose a parasol heater made from durable metal like stainless steel or aluminium. These are both long lasting and stable.
  5. Additionally, you should look for a parasol heater with an ‘ingress protection’ IP rating. The parasol heater should have at least an IPX3 rating, but this will still mean it should be brought inside if there’s heavy rain.
  6. Last but not least, the cable length is worth factoring in. You’ll need a cable of around 5 m for furniture that’s far away from a power socket. For smaller patios with furnishings close to a power socket, a 1.5 m cable may suffice. 

When it comes to the best parasol heater, my top recommendation is the La Hacienda Heatmaster Parasol Heater. It’s made from pressed steel and aluminium and has an IPX3 rating, making it suitable for indoor and outdoor use. It also has strong clamps that can grip metal and wooden parasol poles ranging from 25 – 55 mm.

How to Choose The Best Parasol Heater

When the sun sets on a summer’s day spent in the garden, the temperature seems to instantly drop. It’s all too tempting to call it a night and head inside.

A parasol heater can extend your evening, taking the edge off chilly summer evenings. In fact, the most powerful parasol heaters can even be used in the spring or autumn months, allowing you to use your garden year-round!

The benefits of a parasol heater are easy to see. Many of us don’t make the most of our gardens, simply because the weather doesn’t ever seem to be on our side. But there’s nothing more wholesome and heartwarming than huddling under your parasol with loved ones well into the evening – glass of wine or cup of tea in hand!

Finding the best parasol heater for your specific garden can take a bit of thought, but the following tips should help you to make an informed decision.

READ NEXT: The Best Cantilever Parasols

What is a Parasol Heater?

A parasol heater is a heater designed to be installed underneath a parasol canopy. They usually attach to the mast and clamp shut as the parasol is collapsed down.

Parasol heaters are almost always electric, usually using infrared heat to warm people and objects, as opposed to the space around you. This means the surrounding air will stay cool, but you will be toasty warm! This also gives them the benefit of being unaffected by wind or very cold temperatures. There’s also the option of a halogen heater, which warms the area underneath the parasol.

Parasol heaters are usually made up of 3 or 4 bulbs positioned at different angles to warm those underneath it.

Parasol vs Patio Heaters

Parasol heaters differ from patio heaters which tend to have more variety in terms of design and heating method. Parasol heaters attach to the mast of your parasol, while patio heaters are commonly freestanding, wall mounted or table mounted.

While parasol heaters are electric, patio heaters can be gas powered. This gives them the advantage of being able to be used anywhere, no matter how far from a power source.

The primary benefit of a parasol heater over a patio heater is that they are stored out of the way. While patio heaters will take up some space on your patio or table, parasol heaters are tucked neatly out of the way. This also makes them safer to use around children and pets, as they won’t be able to reach the heating element nor tamper with the controls.

READ NEXT: The Best Wall Mounted Patio Heaters

Benefits of an Electric Heater

Electric heaters use ‘radiant heat’ and are often in the form of infrared or halogen lamps. The primary benefit of electric heaters is that they are lightweight and versatile. They are cheaper to run than gas heaters and operate very quietly.

Gas heaters on the other hand are much more expensive. They are unsuitable for use underneath a parasol, so instead take up space on your patio. There’s a lot of upkeep with gas heaters, with purchasing, storing and disposing of gas canisters just one of things you’ll need to think about.

The only downside of an electric heater is that it needs to be located near to a power source. If your garden furniture and parasol is situated far away from your power socket, you’ll need to purchase a heater with a long lead. Unfortunately, using an extension cable is rarely recommended.

Calculate how much it will cost you to run an electric heater:

A common concern with electric appliances is not being able to ‘see’ how much money you are spending whilst using them. Fortunately, it’s very straightforward to work out how much it will cost you to run an electric heater.

  • First you need to know how much your energy provider charges you for 1kWh. For this example we’ll assume that they charge 18.54p / hWh which was the 2019 average
  • Find out the wattage of the heater. Most electric heaters have more than one heat setting and use a different wattage for each setting. For this example, we will use a setting of 800W
  • Divide the wattage by 1000 to work out how many kilowatts it uses per hour. In this example, at 800W the heater would use 0.8kW/h
  • Multiply the price you pay per kW/h (18.54p) by the number of kilowatts the heater uses in one hour. This will give the cost of running the heater for one hour.

Using this method, we can see that running an 800W heater for an hour would cost 15p per hour. Running a 2500W heater for an hour would cost 46p per hour.

READ NEXT: The Best Fire Pits

Infrared vs Halogen

One decision you’ll need to make is whether to opt for an infrared or halogen lamp.

Infrared lamps operate using electromagnetic waves. Energy is released from the heater, which is absorbed by surrounding objects like people and furniture. Energy dissipates, meaning you and your guests will enjoy the same level of warmth.

This is highly efficient, as no energy is wasted trying to warm up the air. This also means they won’t be affected by wind, and the warmth generated is instant.

Halogen heaters on the other hand produce a fierce and aggressive warmth, but to a smaller area. You may need to sit very near to a halogen heater to feel the benefit which, if your parasol is very tall, isn’t possible.

Halogen heaters are very efficient, heating a small area very effectively. They are also eco-friendly, safe and easy to install.

What to Look For in a Parasol Heater

Adjustable Power Settings

While patio heaters allow you to control the amount of heat emitted from the heating element, parasol heaters usually have a simpler adjustability mechanism. Those with multiple bulbs often give you the option to turn on 1, a couple or all of the bulbs. Those with 4 bulbs usually allow you to turn on either 2 or 4.

However, this isn’t always the case and with some, it’s all or nothing. If it’s just you underneath the parasol, you may end up using more electricity than you need.

Keeping Safe with Parasol Heaters

Parasol heaters are naturally safer than other heaters on the market, as they are generally installed out of reach. Infrared heaters don’t get as hot as conventional heaters, but they will still have a metal shield or cage covering the heating element.

One safety feature to look out for is tip over protection. This means if the heater is knocked or falls, it will instantly turn off.

You should also look for a durable, robust design that clamps tightly to the parasol mast. Parasol heaters can weigh up to 5kgs so can be very dangerous if they fall. Ensure you follow all the manufacturer’s instructions when it comes to installation, and read reviews before you make a purchase.

Outdoor Use

Parasol heaters are specifically designed for outdoor use, and often come with an IP rating. However, these can vary between models so it’s worth knowing what to look for. An IP34 rating, for instance, means the heater is protected from water spray from any direction. An IPX3 rating on the other hand, means the heater is protected from water sprayed at up to 60° from the vertical.

Most parasol heaters can simply be collapsed down with your parasol and left underneath. However, this is not always the case, and some may need to be stored inside when not in use. While most are splashproof, not many are fully waterproof.

Cable Length

As already mentioned, the cable length can vary hugely between models.

Cable lengths tend to range from 1.5m to over 5m. If your furniture is far away from a power socket, you’ll need a cable length to accommodate. Using an extension lead is rarely recommended.

Purchasing a cable which is too long will result in a messy wire across your patio or lawn.

Parasol Heater FAQs

Heat and fabric don’t tend to mix very well, so it’s essential that you purchase a quality model to guarantee safety. I have only recommended models from good manufacturers.

Parasol heaters are designed specifically for installation underneath parasols, and for this reason they should come with reliable safety features.

I highly recommend checking the manufactures’ guidelines when it comes to installation and use of your heater.

The worry with any outdoor heater, especially in the summer months, is that they will attract mosquitos.

However, this is actually a common misconception. Mosquitos are not attracted to warmth or heat generally, but to CO2. So, when animals breathe out, they sense it.

An electric heater shouldn’t draw any more mosquitos to your garden. However, a gas heater which burns propane or butane gas will produce CO2 which can attract mosquitoes. Parasol heaters generally are electric powered, meaning you shouldn’t have any more of an issue with mosquitos than you normally would!

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