Mr. Heater Portable Buddy
Small propane heater rated for indoor use, with tip-over and low-oxygen shutoffs.
A 4,000–9,000 BTU radiant propane heater that runs on 1 lb cylinders. It's one of the few portable propane heaters rated for indoor use, with an automatic shutoff if it tips over or oxygen gets low.
It heats a small, sealed room (about 20 m²) comfortably. Paired with the one-warm-room setup, it's the core of an outage heat plan.
Heat output: 4,000 or 9,000 BTU
Fuel: 1 lb propane cylinders, or a 20 lb tank with hose and filter
Run time: About 3 hours on high, 5–6 on low per 1 lb cylinder
Safety: Tip-over switch, low-oxygen shutoff (ODS)
Weight: About 4.5 kg
See on Amazon.caWhat I like
- Rated for indoor use, which most propane heaters aren't.
- Needs no power at all.
- Heats a small room in minutes.
- Simple, rugged, and parts are easy to find in Canada.
What I don't like
- 1 lb cylinders run out fast and add up in cost.
- The pilot can be hard to light in the cold or at altitude.
- It still burns oxygen and makes moisture, so you need a cracked window.
- Low-oxygen sensor can shut it off in very tight rooms.
Things to consider
- Always use a battery CO alarm in the same room.
- Keep 1 m of clear space around it and never sleep with it running.
- For longer outages, a hose and fuel filter to a 20 lb tank is far cheaper per hour.
- Store spare cylinders outside or in a shed, not in the house.
Families planning to warm one room through a winter outage without power.
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