7 Best Heater For Small Greenhouse Reviews And Buying Guide

Providing sufficient warmth is essential for maintaining healthy crops in the winter months. The best heater for a small greenhouse will protect your plants from frosty weather at a low cost on the power bill.

After analyzing the top products on the current market, our premium choice belongs to the Lasko MyHeat Compact Heater. This portable unit only requires a small space.

On operation, the ceramic heating element warms up space with high energy efficiency. Moreover, each purchase is covered by a 3-year warranty for the best customer experience.

Before diving into the reviews, the following section introduces the criteria for choosing the right greenhouse heater.

Top 7 Heaters For Small Greenhouse Reviews

Lasko MyHeat Compact Heater – Best For Seed Germination

Lasko’s MyHeat series integrated the ceramic heating element to keep your crops healthy. A ceramic heater also provides impressive energy-saving.

Each unit only needs 200W to operate smoothly without damaging the electrical outlet. This moderate power can generate about 68℉, perfect for boosting germination and sprouts in a small space of about 20 square feet.

Since it can’t provide more heat, this heater is best used in late autumn and early winter. As for more frosty areas, you should opt for another option.

If your greenhouse is far from your house, Lasko can tackle your issue with the overheating protection mechanism. No need to regularly check the temperature going a long way.

Standing at the size of 3.8 x 4.3 x 6.1 inches, this small greenhouse heater fits in any space nicely. What’s even better is you can get this product with a good value deal. Every purchase comes in a convenient ready-to-use build.

Plus, the manufacturer ensures you have a quality product with a 3-year warranty.

The only minus point for this unit is the lack of manual heat adjustment. This drawback can be inconvenient in the colder region.

What We Like

• Portable design
• Automated ceramic heater
• Safe overheating prevention
• Affordable price
• 3-year warranty

What Can Be Improved?

• No control for heat level adjustment

Pro Breeze Space Heater – Best For Safety

Designed with an anti-tip over feature, this mini greenhouse heater is an ideal choice for greenhouses that host numerous plants.

Once the Pro Breeze is tipping forward or backward, the machine will have an automatic shut-off. This function is a great support when you have children or pets visiting the greenhouse frequently.

The adjustable thermostat helps users choose the right temperature for the crops. The power range runs from 750W to 1500W.

With this robust motor, it can create a maximum of 5100 BTUs, enabling you to warm up a spacious zone of 150 square feet. If you are cropping various plants, Pro Breeze Space Heater is definitely for you.

The next factor that makes Pro Breeze stand out in the market is the ceramic heating element. This feature boosts the energy-efficient level. Moreover, the lightweight materials help you move the unit around with ease.

On the flip side, the external cover tends to break during the shipping process. The manufacturer compensates for this fault by offering a 30-day refund policy.

What We Like

• Lightweight and portable build
• High safety level around children and pets
• Anti-tip over automatic shut-off system
• Built-in thermostat
• 30-day refund policy
• Integrated ceramic heating element for energy saving

What Can Be Improved?

• Fragile during the shipping process

Andily Ceramic Space Heater – Best For Well-Ventilated Greenhouse

The first factor you will notice is the Andily’s PTC ceramic heating element warms up the greenhouse within only 30 seconds. This feature works best for a greenhouse with smooth airflow, where heat preservation is essential in the winter.

Plus, the adjustable heating modes support energy saving, including the fan-only option. This electric fan heater is suitable for removing the fire hazard risk in rainy seasons, where the moisture level is high.

Andily includes a tip-over switch that cuts off the power when the plant heater is placed on an uneven surface. The compact size can fit well in between the plants.

However, the overheating protection system has room to improve. This system has occasional malfunctions that fail to detect the high temperature.

What We Like

• A portable heater with a built-in handle
• Compact size
• Built-in fan
• Quick heating process
• Ceramic heating element
• Anti-tip over switch

What Can Be Improved?

• Low overheating protection

OPOLAR Ceramic Space Heater – Best For The Budget

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OPOLAR introduces a versatile product with flexible settings. You can choose higher heat to prevent frost in the winter or lower heat to promote air ventilation in the summer.

If you are on a budget, this pick will not let you down, saving your money with the 2-in-1 feature. Not to mention, you can have a great deal at a reasonable price with the OPOLAR heater.

The built-in red light indicates whether the power is switched on yet, making the electric space heater easy to use for the senior.

Each unit has an adjustable thermostat. This component regulates the air automatically to maintain the designated temperature. If you are new to greenhouse planting, this heater can be a capable assistant when taking care of your crops.

The operation emits white noise, providing a calm atmosphere while you are tending the plants. Thus, the OPOLAR product is ideal for those living in a populous neighborhood or having a greenhouse nearby.

One minus point for this unit is it takes a long time to heat the entire space. During this waiting time, make sure the doors and windows are closed to avoid heat loss.

What We Like

• Ready-to-use design
• Adjustable heat settings
• An energy-efficient heater
• Quiet operation
• Low price

What Can Be Improved?

• Long heating time

Dr. Infrared Heater DR966 Garage Heater – Best For Plant Diversity

Dr. Infrared Heater offers a powerful 6000W operation. This wattage maintains a sufficient 75°F for plants that require a high temperature. Greenhouse crops like squash, beans, and okra can benefit from this beast.

With the simple switch, the operation can decrease to as low as 3000W. Additionally, users can adjust the fan direction to focus on the tiny sprouts. The range from 3000W to 4000W provides an average temperature of 65°F, an ideal warmth to grow sprouts quickly.

Plus, the lightweight cover helps you change the unit position easily.

Dr. Infrared Heater tops the benefits off with a 1-year warranty to provide the best quality for users.

One factor to consider when you are planning to buy this product is the budget. This unit requires a higher cost than other products in the same tier.

What We Like

• Lightweight materials
• Powerful heating mechanism
• Easy-to-control wattage range
• Built-in adjustable fan
• 1-year warranty

What Can Be Improved?

• High price

Dr. Infrared Heater DR-988A Garage Shop Heater – Best For Durability

This product is made with heavy-duty materials to aim for long-lasting use. The manufacturer starts with a stainless steel frame that can withstand oxidation, a common occurrence in a greenhouse with high moisture levels.

The external cover also includes a sturdy net to protect the fan, enabling it to last longer. Also, this net acts as a barrier to prevent children and pets from accidentally touching the gears, which is dangerous during operation.

As the name suggests, this garage shop heater from Dr. Infrared Heater provides excellent performance for industrial use. At full power, the unit creates up to 18,500 BTUs

The fans help spread the heat evenly to the environment. Thanks to this feature, you can organize plants with the exact heat requirement in one place and put the unit in the center.

Each unit can maintain the designated warmth by itself while moderating the energy consumption level.

Similar to other products by Dr. Infrared Heater, this unit is protected by a 1-year warranty.

Although powerful heating brings a significant advantage in the cold season, the high power consumption of 5600W can place a burden on the electricity bill.

What We Like

• Sturdy build
• Protective barrier
• Quick heating process
• Quiet operation
• Automated heat regulation
• 1-year warranty

What Can Be Improved?

• High cost of heating

Bio Green Palma Greenhouse Heater – Best For Energy Saving

Bio Green is one of the best greenhouse heaters that work on high energy efficiency. Whether you have this unit as a heat provider or an air regulator, the sensor cable and digital thermostat can keep the operation under control.

Once Bio Green is switched on, the machine provides warmth for space up to 120 square feet.

Each product comes with a sensor cable. This cable measures the temperature in the greenhouse to adjust the heat level.

The process is completely automated. Depending on the temperature in the greenhouse, the unit can also switch off to save energy.

As for the external components, the stainless steel cover protects internal gears from accidental splash. This feature reduces the risk of damaging the inner cords and enhances the safety level. Moreover, durable materials are made to resist corrosion.

This product offers a good value deal for the quality. Thanks to the detailed instruction manual, you can start using the product right after receiving the package.

One major drawback for this unit is the long cool-down time after switching off. This factor is inconvenient when you need to transport the unit to a different location.

What We Like

• Automatic thermostat
• Diverse heating modes
• Integrated sensor cable
• Easy-to-use design
• Detailed instruction manual

What Can Be Improved?

• Excess heat with a long cool-down period

A Buying Guide For A Good Heater

Types Of Heater

Gas Or Propane

The most significant benefit for a gas or propane unit is the independence of the power sources. Users only need to refill the gas or propane tank to maintain operation. Plus, conventional fuel-based space heaters are easy to set up.

In general, gas heaters are affordable. The price for gas or propane also has a lower cost than electricity.

However, burning gas releases toxic fumes, which is harmful to both humans and greenhouse plants. The fumes can end up a fire hazard, especially in a wooden greenhouse.

It is recommended that you build good air ventilation for gas greenhouse heaters to prevent the fumes from damaging your plants.

Electric

An electric heater for a greenhouse brings a consistent heat level without burning the energy. Thus, you can experience more safety using electric heaters.

Nowadays, most manufacturers include the fan in the design to enhance energy saving. This fan benefits the greenhouse in the summer by working as an air regulator. You can also find products with a built-in thermostat that regulates the temperature automatically.

Based on the working mechanism, there are 2 types of electrical heaters:

• Convective heaters (also called forced air heaters): Each unit comes with a programmable thermostat to maintain the warmth. Forced air heaters provide a strong, consistent heat source to stimulate plants’ growth.
• Infrared heaters: Most infrared heaters are designed to save energy. This product works by heating objects in the surrounding space to spread warmth evenly.

When using an electric greenhouse heater, you will need some time to set up the electrical cords. The budget for this product is relatively higher than the gas units.

Features To Consider

Temperature Requirements For The Plants

Temperature holds a vital role in stimulating photosynthesis. The right warmth level keeps your plants healthy and boosts the growth process.

You can pick up a suitable greenhouse heater by considering their requirements and how you organize the pots.

If your plants prefer warm temperatures, then it is best to have a unit in the 300W to 750W range. Placing the heater at the center of the pots will create a balanced warmth level. Heaters in the 750W to 1500W range work well for a sparse organizing method.

For hardy plants, units below 750W are suitable for a moderate plant density. Units with operations higher than 750W can optimize a small space with 3 to 5 plants.

The optimal temperature range for common vegetables such as carrots, lettuce, and radish is from 35°F to 40°F.

If you have just seeded, warming up the soil with the range of 65°F to 75°F can shorten germination. On the other hand, flowers typically need an average temperature of 60°F.

Meanwhile, the seedlings and grown plants need less warmth to develop. Consider a less powerful heater for saving.

Heating Efficiency

British Thermal Unit, or BTU, is the measurement for the heating efficiency. In short, BTU determines how much energy the heater needs to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1°F.

Based on the measurement for each product, you can identify the amount of energy the unit needs to reach the designated temperature. Consequently, you can pick up the most energy-efficient heater yet still powerful enough to warm up your greenhouse.

A gallon of propane creates a standard 91500 BTUs. To calculate the BTU for each propane-based unit, multiply the volume measured in gallons by 91500.

As for electric greenhouse heaters, the industry method is to multiply the wattage by 3,41. For example, a heater with 1000W has a BTU of 3410.

Air Ventilation Level

When heating the greenhouse, you need a proper ventilation system to avoid overheating the plants. The ventilation level also depends on the climate at the geographical location.

In general, a small greenhouse has 1 vent at the side and 2 on the roof. Automatic vents are the most convenient as they open and close according to the ambient temperature.

An electric heater in the range of 300W to 750W is suitable for a small greenhouse in a moderate climate.

A greenhouse with 2 vents on the roof and 2 vents on both sides is ideal for the wattage range from 750W to 5000W. If a greenhouse has only 2 vents in total, it is recommended to choose small heaters with less than 300W.

A good practice is installing the unit at a dedicated spot in the greenhouse. Avoid the vents, doors, and windows to preserve the heat and maintain sufficient ventilation.

Safety Level

Greenhouses have a high humidity level, which means users need extra precautions to prevent fire hazards.

If you are aiming to buy electricity-based units, prioritize the products with built-in fans.

The fans support air circulation to reduce pests and diseases in the winter. This component also eliminates excess water in the air, decreasing the risk of tripping the circuit breaker.

The following safety factor is the anti-tip over. Some products can turn off automatically when it is standing on an unstable surface.

In such a case, consider buying heaters with built-in safety features. Some items coming with an automated quality can satisfy you.

There are 3 easy ways to heat a small greenhouse:

Conclusion

Overall, our final choice for the best heater for a small greenhouse belongs to the Lasko MyHeat Compact Heater. This unit keeps plants healthy through the winter months at an affordable price. Plus, you will get an impressive 3-year warranty.

When buying heaters, start by understanding the right heat level for your plant’s growth, then look for suitable heating efficiency. Next, compare the product with the greenhouse ventilation level. And finally, prioritize units with overheating protection to ensure safety around children.

Last update on 2024-06-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API