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The Australian urge to be outdoors doesn't stop in winter, but a cheap outdoor heater can make braving the elements more pleasant. While affordable indoor heaters have penetrated the market from Kmart, through to Coles, outdoor options are less common.
In this guide we compare affordable outdoor heating options under $100 to help you figure out which one is best for you
Brand | Max. Wattage | IP Rating | Price range | Rating | Retailers |
 | 2000W | IP23 |
From$49
| 
| Find it at Bunnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 2000W | IP24 |
From$89
| 
| Find it at Bunnings |
 | 1200W | IP21 |
From$51.30
| 
| Find it at Big W |
 | 2000W | IP34 |
From$79.95
| 
| Find it at Big W |
 | 1500W | IP34 |
From$49.95
| 
| Find it at Big W |
| 2000W | IP34 |
From$69.95
|
| Find it at Big W |
| 1200W | IP24 |
From$45.60
|
| Find it at Big W |
 | 2000W | IPx4 |
From$96.30
|
| Find it at Big W |
Despite the ever-rising cost of electricity, electric outdoor heaters are still cheaper to run than gas. Gas heaters typically use canisters of LPG which cost around $31.50 for 8.5kg. Those 8.5kg equal out to around 417 Megajoules per cylinder, which brings the equivelant price to around $0.08 per MJ. For comparison, the average kilowatt per hour cost across Australia last financial year was $0.14.
While on paper that makes LPG gas look cheaper, gas heaters use far more MJ than electric heaters do watts. Your average mushroom heater uses around 37.7MJ/h and costs around $2.85 per hour, while a high powered electric heater uses only 2kw/h and costs closer to $0.28 per hour.
Bunnings' cheap outdoor heating range is entirely electric, and sparse overall. There are only two options, and they are ultimately the same heater except one has a stand and costs $40 more and has slightly better water resistance.
The Jumback heater has three settings, ranging from 650W-2000W. If you're ok to wall-mount it then it will only set you back $49, but if you want the adjustable stand then you'll be looking at $89.
The wall mounted option has an IP rating of 23, meaning it should handle light to moderate rain, while the standing heater has an IP24 rating so it is also splash resistant. According to Bunnings the wall mounted Jumbuck is made of steel, but doesn't specify what stell that is exactly, while the standing one is made of "plastic and metal". Once again, Bunnings doesn't go in to detail. Considering that these two have a matte finish, we can assume they are likely made of the less corrossion-resistant Mild Steel.
Just like Bunnings, Big W's outdoor heater selection is purely electric and mostly just variations on the same heaters. There are six options under $100, two are Devanti Strip Heaters, two are Heller Strip Heaters, and the final two are freestanding electric patio heaters.
The Devanti Strip heaters are mostly the same, except the cheaper option has a lower wattage. This does make it cheaper to run (hence the higher star rating), but it also means it won't cover as large of an area.
Water ingress is the only difference between the Heller strip heaters. The cheaper option has the better IP rating at IP24, while the more expensive one has an IP21 rating. Your choice there should be a no brainer. Both of these are stainless steel as well, so they should hold up quite well to the elements.
For the standing options you can pick between a Devanti or a Lenoxx. Both are, once again, very similar. They have the same heat settings, the same water ingress rating, and are both adjustable up to 2.1m. The only difference is that the Lenoxx has a zero dust rating, where the Devanti sits at 3 on the scale.
Ingress Protection, or IP ratings grade how resistant a device is to liquids and dust. For outdoor devices such as heaters, these ratings are particularly important since they can help to determine not only where you can safely position these devices, but also how durable they are.
IP ratings are made up of the IP prefix, and two numbers. The first number rated from 0-6, demonstrates how resistant the device is to small solid debris like dust. A score of 0 means there is no protection at all, while a score of 6 indicates there is no ingress of dust at all. The second number, scored from 0-9, rates the protection from liquids. At the top end, the device can withstand high-pressure, hot water from different angles, while at its lowest it has no protection at all.
For outdoor heaters you'll want to look for something with high scores across both dust and water ingress if you're looking to put the device in an exposed space. If it is under cover then lower numbers will suffice.
Of course you'll also need to consider the type of heater, and its build in durability. We cover that more in our outdoor heaters guide, but the TLDR is that stainless steel will corrode slower when exposed to the elements. Mild Steel has been making an appearance more and more in heaters (particularly those with matte black finishes), so be warey that it may have a shorter shelf life.
IP Ratings: 1st number - solid foreign objects
0 - No protection
1 - Protected against foreign objects 50mm and larger
2 - Protected against foreign objects 12.5mm and larger
3 - Protected against foreign objects 2.5mm and larger
4 - Protected against foreign objects 1mm and larger
5 - Dust protected
6 - Dust tight
IP Ratings: 2nd number - water
0 - No protection
1 - Vertical falling drops have no harmful effects
2 - Protected against vertically falling drops when device is tilted up to 15 degrees
3 - Protected against water spray at angles up to 60 degrees
4 - Protected against water splashed on the device
5 - Protected against water jets
6 - Protected against powerful water jets
7 - Temporary immersion in water will not cause harmful effects
8 - Protected against prolonged immersion in water
9 - Hot water projection at high pressure has no harmful effects
Kmart does not stock any outdoor heaters, and none of the big box retailer's indoor heaters are safe to use outside either.
Despite a handful of winter Special Buys going on sale, Aldi's outdoor heating options are limited. Out of the nine heaters the retailer has announced since May, only one is suitable for outdoor use.
The Digital Alfresco Strip heater is an electric strip heater, rated for use in covered areas outside. With a maximum of 1800W, and a $229 price tag, your dollar won't bring the heat with this device. That being said, it does have degree-level temperature control, and a remote control, so if it is within your budget (and you can still find it) then it is worth taking a look at.
Here are how all of Aldi's 2024 heaters compare:
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