Fire Table vs Patio Heater: Which Keeps You Warmer?
It is one of the most common questions we get in the fall: should I buy a fire table or a patio heater? The honest answer is that they do different jobs. A fire table is a gathering place that takes the chill off the seats closest to it. A radiant heater is a tool for keeping people warm, aimed where they sit. Once you know which job you need done, the choice is easy, and plenty of patios end up with both.
The short answer
- For ambiance and conversation, choose a fire table. Nothing draws people outside like a real flame, and it doubles as a coffee table.
- For warmth at a dining table or under a roof, choose a radiant heater. It sends heat down onto the people below it, evenly, across a known area.
- For long evenings in a cold climate, use both: a fire table for the lounge group and a heater over the dining table, or over the lounge to extend the warm zone.
Why BTUs do not tell the whole story
On paper, fire tables look like the stronger heaters. The OW Lee Capri 30" x 50" produces up to 60,000 BTU, the Phoenix 42" round 60,000 BTU, Homecrest fire tables up to 65,000 BTU and the Woodard Thatch 60,000 BTU on propane. A Bromic Tungsten 5-burner gas heater is rated at 43,000 BTU, and a 4000W Tungsten electric heater works out to roughly 13,600 BTU per hour (using the standard 3,412 BTU per kilowatt).
Yet sit at a table on a cold night and the heater usually feels warmer. BTU measures the fuel burned, not the warmth that reaches you. An open flame sends much of its heat straight up, and you feel it mainly on the side of your body facing the fire, within a few feet of it. A radiant heater is aimed: mounted above or beside the seating, it warms people and surfaces directly across its rated heat area, about 130 square feet for that 4000W Tungsten and about 215 square feet for the 5-burner gas model.
Where a fire table wins
- Lounge seating. At chat height (about 20 to 26 inches), a fire table sits right among sofas, sectionals and swivel rockers, so everyone faces the flame.
- No installation for propane. Many fire tables hide a 20 lb tank in the base, as Homecrest tables do. OW Lee fire pits ship propane-ready, with a natural gas conversion kit as an option; the Woodard Thatch includes one.
- A focal point all year. With the burner off and a cover on, it is still a coffee table. Tops range from OW Lee porcelain and Dekton to Homecrest's Timber and Stonegate tops.
- Ambiance. Firelight, fire glass and the sound of a flame are why people buy them. The OW Lee Elba, in aluminum with a porcelain top and a 20 inch round burner, is also in OW Lee's Quick Ship program in two set color combinations.
Where a patio heater wins
- Dining. A fire table at chat height does little for people in dining chairs. A heater centered over the table warms everyone at it.
- Covered patios. Bromic electric heaters need only about 5 to 13 inches to the ceiling. Fire tables and gas heaters need far more clearance under a roof, so check the manufacturer's guidelines before putting a flame under one.
- Even, predictable warmth. Each heater has a published heat area, so you can size the space. Our guide to how many patio heaters you need shows the math.
- Control. Electric heaters can be dimmed and scheduled from the Bromic app with Affinity controls, so you can warm the patio before you step outside.
- Wind. Radiant heat holds up better in a breeze. Homecrest recommends a glass guard on its fire tables in windy conditions to keep the flame contained.
What they cost to run
Fire tables burn more fuel per hour. As a rough guide, propane holds about 91,500 BTU per gallon and a 20 lb tank holds about 4.7 gallons, so a 60,000 BTU fire table at full flame uses about two-thirds of a gallon an hour and empties a tank in roughly 7 hours. A 4000W electric heater uses 4 kilowatt-hours an hour; at an assumed 17 cents per kWh that is about 68 cents an hour, and less on a dimmer. Plug in your own utility rates for a real figure.
Why many patios use both
The most comfortable patios we see split the jobs. The fire table anchors the lounge group and sets the mood; one or two radiant heaters cover the dining table and the edges of the lounge, where the fire's warmth fades. Light the fire for the atmosphere, run the heater for the comfort, and on a mild night use only the one you want.
If you are choosing a fire table, our outdoor fire table buying guide covers fuel, height, shape and seating. For heaters, the heater finder on our Bromic page suggests a heater and how many you need in three questions.
Fire tables and heaters we recommend
Frequently asked questions
Do fire tables actually keep you warm?
Which is better for a covered patio, a fire table or a heater?
How much heat does a fire table put out?
Can I use a fire table and a patio heater together?
Which is cheaper to run?
Ask us
Tell us how you use your patio and roughly how big it is, and we will suggest a fire table, a heater or both. Fire tables and heaters ship free, and white-glove delivery is available for fire tables, free on orders of $7,500 or more.
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