It’s not just important to keep us warm, you know – your plants also need to be kept safe from the cold too! In order to make sure that your seasonal plants are kept nice and warm as it gets colder, a greenhouse heater is a must-have.
The only problem is that there are a lot of greenhouse heaters on the market and it can sometimes be tricky to know what to look for when on the hunt for a new greenhouse heater, and also what heater is going to be the best possible option for you.
Thankfully, that’s where we come in. We’ve written this article to help you find the best possible greenhouse heater for your greenhouse.
This article includes both a ranking of our favourite greenhouse heaters, in addition to a handy buyers guide to help you to know what to look for!
In a hurry? This heater is pretty hot on the market right now!
In a hurry? This is our winner!
Best Greenhouse Heater – Comparison Table
Best Greenhouse Heater – Reviews
2kw Electric Greenhouse Heater Parasene 1kw or 2kw Modes Hydroponics Grow Tents
The Lighthouse Heater is one of the most effective and reliable heaters you can get for heating your greenhouse. With this, you are able to set precise temperatures, even including negative temperatures, so it’s perfect for even the hardest to raise plants. It’s possible to set temperatures ranging from – 50 degrees Celsius to 99 degrees Celsius. It’s also pretty accurate as far as temperature is concerned.
The heater is very good at withstanding its conditions, and it is very durable too so you can expect it to last a long time. It’s splash proof with a rating of IPX4. Even if you have unprecedented amounts of moisture in your greenhouse the heater will still be able to function just fine, which is a refreshing change to some of the cheaper heaters on the market. With that being said it is not waterproof so you will need to keep it away from any sprinklers.
The heater is very easy to use and comes with a digital thermostat allowing you to control the temperature with accuracy. It has a cord length of 1.9 which should be more than enough for the majority of users. This is a small and compact heater too, so when it’s not being used it can be packed away and you don’t need any excess space.
- Durable
- Cheap to run
- Splash proof
- Can heat up to 39 square feet
- Despite being labelled as lightweight it is still a little weighty so may be too heavy for some people, particularly if it is required for tougher digging and gardening.
Sunhouse (Dimplex Group) SHTTH2 Tubular Heater, 80 W, Multi-Colour
If you need to save a little bit of space in your greenhouse while still keeping the space adequately heated, the SUNHOUSE SHTTH2 80W Low Energy Tubular Heater is a fantastic choice. The heater is able to run constantly with a steady level of heat to keep your plants nice and warm in the winter.
The heater doesn’t use a lot of energy, which is fantastic considering it can run continuously. It takes only a couple of minutes to heat it up to the proper temperature, and it will utilise the thermostat controller after that point to manage its heat. It comes with pretty much anything you could desire, including wall mounting brackets for quick and easy installation. It’s also very safe and splashproof, which we don’t need to say, is incredibly important.
It’s possible to use this heater in other places such as in a kitchen or in a bathroom as it’s splashproof up to 1PX4 requirements. It’s also very energy efficient and affordable too. It’s worth getting a number of these heaters if you intend to heat a much bigger space, or you could even get a 120W version.
- Doesn’t use a lot of energy
- Can be run constantly
- Splashproof
- Compact
- Doesn’t project heat very far
Apollo Single Paraffin Greenhouse / Cold Frame Heater
If you’re not fancying an electric fan heater, why not opt for a paraffin one instead? This option, the Apollo Single Paraffin Greenhouse Heater is a crazy cheap greenhouse cheaper that despite its price tag has a lot to offer.
To start with the heater has a pretty decently sized tank with a capacity in the upper range of 5 litres. This essentially means that the heater is able to burn for as much as 80 hours without needing to be refilled. This is sufficient for a smaller greenhouse.
In addition, the heater is very portable, with no power cables required. It’s also ideal for photosynthesis as the paraffin emits carbon dioxide. Overall, this is a very affordable option that’s ideal to use as a wire-free heating method for your greenhouse.
- Cheap to operate
- Cables not needed to operate it
- Affordable
- Needs to be turned on and off manually
Dimplex ECOT2FT Tubular Heater - 2 Foot Tube with Built In Thermostat - Mounting Brackets Included White/Grey
The Dimplex ECOT2FT Tubular Heater is a great choice if you’re looking to save a little money on your household bills. To start with, they’re very efficient with getting rid of any chill in the air so your plants can be kept warm all through the winter days.
With this heater, you don’t need to worry about any damp condensation damage. As long as you choose the proper size, you can ensure that you won’t need to worry about any freezing or condensation build-up on your walls or windows. It can even be used in a range of structures, including caravans, boats, and bathrooms.
Thankfully, the brand has also considered safety features, with an IPX4 rating for water resistance. It has an adjustable thermostat which will help you to be able to control the output of heat in the greenhouse, and it will automatically switch off when it’s gotten to the right temperature.
- IPX4 Water resistance rating
- Automatically switches off when the desired temperature has been reached
- Can be used in other locations, not just greenhouses
- May need multiple of them to heat larger greenhouses
Apollo Twin Paraffin Cold Frame / Greenhouse Heater
The Apollo Double Paraffin Heater Coldframe Greenhouse Space Heater is a very effective heater that doesn’t require any cables or electricity to run – it’s back to basics with this one, and in this case, it’s definitely welcome.
The heater is incredibly easy to use. All you need to do is put the wick in, then you fill-up the canister with the paraffin. After this, simply light it up and trim the wick and voila, you have a heated greenhouse. The heater is fairly small but it’s able to heat an 8ft x 6 ft greenhouse nice and warm in the coldest conditions just fine.
The heater is very cheap to buy and it doesn’t cost an awful lot of money either. All you need is 4 litres of paraffin and you can keep it running all day and night for up to a week! If you want an electricity-free way to heat your greenhouse, this may just be it.
- No electricity required
- Inexpensive
- Compact
- Not as effective at heating larger spaces unless you buy multiple
Best Greenhouse Heater – Buyer’s Guide
After covering our favourite greenhouse heaters, it’s now time to go into what it is that makes a good greenhouse heater. Of course, great quality is paramount – you don’t want something that’s inefficient, nor do you want something that isn’t durable enough to withstand the test of time. You should also be making sure that the heater you buy isn’t going to provide more heat than you actually need, as this can overheat the plants causing them to wilt.
Read on to find out more in depth information about what you should be looking for in a greenhouse heater.
Dimensions
The heater you buy is going to depend on how much space you need to heat. Of course, if your greenhouse is already insulated then you’re not going to need to use as much heat because the insulation will ensure that it stays inside. The more space you have and the less insulation you have, the more power you’re going to need to run the heater. Before you look for a heater, check the dimensions of the greenhouse and then measure this up against the output of power of the unit you’re thinking about purchasing. It’s possible that you may require a number of units to properly run your greenhouse. In order to make your heating more efficient, it’s worth ‘bubble wrapping’ the walls and roof too.
Power Sources
There are a few main types of heat sources available when it comes to heaters, and they will all impact your bills in some way. Here are the main ones you’re likely to see when on the hunt for a greenhouse heater:
Paraffin
When you imagine a traditional heater, you’re more than likely thinking about a paraffin based heater. These heaters run on paraffin, and they don’t need a lot of maintenance. In addition, they emit C02 which helps the plants to grow healthily. Thankfully, if you are able to buy one of these heaters at a decent price outright, then they will be fairly cheap to run, and you don’t need to worry about excessive costs at the end of each month.
The main issue with paraffin-based heaters is that they need to be manually turned on and off. If you don’t turn them off and you don’t have anyone to control them, then the heater will continue to run until the fuel is completely depleted. You may also experience some mold because of the water they create. For the most part, you’re better off getting a paraffin heater to make sure frost doesn’t get into the greenhouse, you’re best suited to a different option if what you’re looking for is a heater to keep the greenhouse regulated in temperature.
Electric
There are an abundance of electric heaters on the market at the moment. One great thing about these heaters is that they save a lot of energy because of their thermostats. When you set the temperature to its required level, it doesn’t use up the electricity until it’s needed. In order to make them work properly though you will need to ensure that they have some water protection, such as IPX4 or IPX6. This will ensure that the unit can still function regardless of how dense the air is with water. There are a number of subcategories under the electric heater too, such as ceramic heaters, convection heaters, infrared heaters, and more.
You may be best suited to an electric heater that has a fan. These heaters remove any extra moisture in the air that can encourage microorganisms to grow. It’s possible to leave them standing on the ground or you can mount them. These are definitely a good option for a greenhouse.
Propane
These types of heaters are run using propane gas. They are easy to access so they’re generally quite cheap, and they make a lot of C02, which is vital for photosynthesis. The main problem with this is it produces a lot of moisture if you don’t regularly check on it. You will need to ensure that you are consistently replacing the propane bottles or the unit is going to stop working. On the other hand, they are also very cheap to run so they can be useful if you’re on a budget. They don’t tend to come with thermostats though.
Budget
The other main thing to consider, other than the size of the greenhouse that you need to heat, is your price range. This is going to affect what kinds of things you are going to be able to access. The most basic models will naturall provide the basic features, but you’re not going to get quality as good as what you would get if you spent more money. The models that cost more money generally tend to have better features are are usually able to heat bigger spaces. You can get something on even the smallest budget, but it all depend on what it is that you require.
Power Rating
It’s very important to check the power rating of the heater you intend to buy. For the most part, the output is measured in kilowatts. The amount of output it is able to provide will determine what heater will be right for your greenhouse space. The vast majority of heaters range from around 1kw to 3kw in power. The higher this measurement of power is, the more heat it’s going to produce. You should first ensure you know the coverage you need by measuring out the area that you will need to heat, and then compare this to the rate of air flow so you can make sure that what you have is sufficient to heat the whole space. Generally if your greenhouse is already insulated then you don’t need to buy a heater with a higher input. For most greenhouses 2kw models are more than sufficient.
Sound
Heaters can vary in the types of sound they emit, so you need to decide straight away how much noise you’re happy to put up with in your greenhouse. For example, if you want a fairly quiet greenhouse then you may not want to get a greenhouse heater with a motorised sound, whereas you would want to opt for an option that is silent in operation.
Some additional things like fans and some other features can make the heater make more noise, so you will need to think about this before buying. Checking reviews is also helpful when it comes to this as it can help you to make a fully informed decision based on what you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make sure that my greenhouse is properly heated during the winter months?
Greenhouses are pretty fantastic as storing the sun’s heat, but they’re not quite so good during the winter and cold temperatures. There are a few things you can do to make sure that your plants are properly protected during the colder months. To start with, you should ensure that your greenhouse is properly positioned. When you’re assembling the greenhouse, ensure that it is positioned in an east to the west position in length. You will need to make sure that at least one of the ends is facing the south so it’s in the sun’s light. You should try to ensure that the north-facing side is by a wall or a fence so your greenhouse is protected from any direct winds.
Another thing you can do that we’ve mentioned a few times is to use insulation. This helps to make sure that you keep lost heat at a minimum. To insulate, you can clip bubble wrap along the inside of the greenhouse, or you can even use sheet foam insulation if you have a plastic greenhouse.
Make sure you utilise compost too! It’s important to ensure that your plants have the right nutrition, so using something like an organic fertiliser can be helpful. Compost can be strung together within the structure, in a central location, in order to keep the greenhouse warmer too. This is also helpful for protecting the greenhouse from losing nutrients as a result of being exposed to rainfall.