If you are looking for best electric garage heater at 120v, you’re in the right place. Garages are notorious for being colder than the rest of the house. While they’re typically attached to homes, many garages lack proper heating because they might not be hooked up to a home’s central heating unit. Moreover, it would cost homeowners more money to insult the garage and add central heating capabilities over the long run.
The good news is that your garage doesn’t need to become an icebox every winter. A 120v electric garage heater can keep your garage at comfortable temperatures during the cold months of the year and there are plenty of options. With the right garage heater, you can get more use out of your garage and it doesn’t have to raise your electric bill by much. After hours of research, we landed on the Amazon Basics Portable Eco-Smart Pace Heater.
Quick Facts:
- Wattage: 750W, 1,000W
- Temperature: 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit
- Heating Range: 1,000 square feet
- 1-year warranty from Amazon
- Smart technology to save electricity
- Overheating protection
- Large heating radius
- Larger than other 120v garage heaters
- Not portable
Best 120v Electric Garage Heaters
- Amazon Basics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater
- 1-year warranty from Amazon
- Smart technology to save electricity
- Overheating protection
- Large heating radius
- Larger than other 120v garage heaters
- Not portable
Top Pick: Amazon Basics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater
Quick Facts:
- Wattage: 750W, 1,000W
- Temperature: 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit
- Heating Range: 1,000 square feet
- 1-year warranty from Amazon
- Smart technology to save electricity
- Overheating protection
- Large heating radius
- Larger than other 120v garage heaters
- Not portable
Why We Like It: The Amazon Basics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater is one of our favorite options because of its efficiency. It can heat up to 1,000 square feet of space without consuming too much power.
Quick Facts:
- Wattage: 750W, 1,000W
- Temperature: 65-85 degrees Fahrenheit
- Heating Range: 1,000 square feet
The Amazon Basics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater is a simple product that functions as a space heater. It has a durable design that makes it a good choice for garages and uses infrared technology to heat spaces. This 120v garage heater also comes with smart settings to help with energy efficiency, so it can turn off to save power. It also has protections to prevent the device from overheating. It’s powered by a cord and it comes with a remote control that requires batteries. Overall, it’s an affordable and reliable 120v garage heater from Amazon Basics.
What Sets It Apart
The Amazon Basics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater is unique for a few reasons. First and foremost, it has several smart features that prevent it from overheating or wasting electricity. Next, it comes with a 1-year warranty from Amazon Basics, which adds to its value. If it breaks within 1 year you can get a replacement. It’s also one of the quietest units for heating a large space because of the infrared technology.
Things to Consider
We love the Amazon Basics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater but it’s not for everyone. This is because it’s one of the biggest 120v garage heaters around. While its size helps it heat large areas, it’s challenging to move around and lacks portability. Plus, it takes up a lot of space. If you’re looking for a more compact alternative, the Comfort Zone CZ250 Space-Heater is a great choice.
Pros
- 1-year warranty from Amazon
- Smart technology to save electricity
- Overheating protection
- Large heating radius
Cons
- Larger than other 120v garage heaters
- Not portable
Upgrade Pick: Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater
Quick Facts:
- Wattage: 1,500W
- Temperature: 50-85 degrees Fahrenheit
- Heating Range: 1,000 square feet
Why We Like It: We like the Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater because it’s a premium product. It comes with innovative technology and comes with the quality of life features that aren’t found in other 120v garage heaters.
Quick Facts:
- Wattage: 1,500W
- Temperature: 50-85 degrees Fahrenheit
- Heating Range: 1,000 square feet
The Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater is a premium garage/home heater. It’s a reliable product that can heat a large area without raising the electric bill by much. The Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater comes with an auto shut-off feature that turns the device off after 12 hours. It also comes with a remote you can use to customize the experience and it features overheating protection and even tipping protection. There is also little to no noise with this unit and it comes with a stylish design that looks good inside homes, garages, and even out on patios.
What Sets It Apart
The Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater is special because of the quality of life features it comes with. Some examples include the 72-inch long power cord, the auto shut-off feature, the tipping protection, and the electric thermostat. While it’s pricier than other 120v garage heaters, it’s worth every penny. It’s also reliable and you won’t have to worry about it breaking after only a few uses.
Things to Consider
The Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater is a premium product but that doesn’t make it a perfect product. This is because it’s expensive and unnecessary for some shoppers. If you’re looking for a simple space heater for a garage, it’s often better to go with something like the Amazon Basics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater. On the other hand, the Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater is better for people who are looking to use a space heater inside the house and in the garage.
Pros
- Can heat a large area
- Electric thermostat
- Auto shut-off after 12 hours
- Energy efficient
- Stylish wood finish
- 72-inch cord
Cons
- Expensive
- Takes up a lot of space
Read also: How many amps does a garage freezer use?
Budget Pick: Comfort Zone CZ250 Space-Heater
Quick Facts:
- Wattage: 750W, 1,500W
- Temperature: 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit
- Heating Range: 450 square feet
Why We Like It: We love the Comfort Zone CZ250 Space-Heater because of its size and probability. It doesn’t take up much space and you can move it all around your garage with ease.
Quick Facts:
- Wattage: 750W, 1,500W
- Temperature: 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit
- Heating Range: 450 square feet
The Comfort Zone CZ250 Space-Heater is a compact space heater that’s perfect for smaller garages. While it’s not the biggest heater, it produces a good amount of heat and comes with variable temperature settings. The Comfort Zone CZ250 Space-Heater is also easy to use and doesn’t feature any complicated computer screens or electronics –just dials. It has a 5-foot cord and doesn’t take up much space. That said, you can move it around at your leisure and it doesn’t weigh much either.
What Sets It Apart
The Comfort Zone CZ250 Space-Heater is unique from other 120v garage heaters because of its size and portability. While the cord isn’t too long, its compact size makes it easy to move around. It also has a carrying handle and takes up little space compared to box-style garage space heaters. That said, the best part about this heater is the cost. It’s a fraction of the price when compared to similar garage heaters.
Things to Consider
The Comfort Zone CZ250 Space-Heater is a great garage heater but it has a few issues. The biggest issue is its lack of coverage. While 450 square feet is a good amount of space, that limits its effectiveness in bigger garages. The small size also causes it to produce less heat than some of the larger 120v garage heaters. If you’re looking for a bigger heater with more range, we recommend the Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater instead.
Pros
- Portable and compact
- Simple and easy to use, only has dials
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- Only heats 450 square feet
- Doesn’t get as hot as other 120v garage heaters
- Short cord
Also Great: Stiebel Eltron CKT 15E 120-Volt
Quick Facts:
- Wattage: 1,500W
- Temperature: 40-85 degrees Fahrenheit
- Heating Range: 150 square feet
Why We Like It: We love the Stiebel Eltron CKT 15E 120-Volt because it gives you more flexibility than other heaters. This is because it features a wall mounting option.
Quick Facts:
- Wattage: 1,500W
- Temperature: 40-85 degrees Fahrenheit
- Heating Range: 150 square feet
The Stiebel Eltron CKT 15E 120-Volt is a simple garage heater that you mount on the wall. It sticks out about 5 inches, so it doesn’t take up much space in the garage. For heating, it uses a fan that blows hot air. While this isn’t as effective as infrared, it does heat a large area and it’s relatively quiet (only 49 decibels). The Stiebel Eltron CKT 15E 120-Volt also comes with some innovative features like a built-in thermostat, supplemental heat, and the ability to draw in cold air from the top to blow out hot air from the bottom. This technology helps it heat rooms faster.
What Sets It Apart
The Stiebel Eltron CKT 15E 120-Volt is unique because of its wall-mount-based design. Most garage heaters are space heaters that sit on the floor. This takes up more space because you need to account for the heater being in the room. With the Stiebel Eltron CKT 15E 120-Volt, it hangs on the wall which saves you space. Plus, it only sticks out 5 inches, which isn’t much at all. Another unique feature is that it comes with frost protection. Frost protection enables the heater to keep a small area above freezing at all times.
Things to Consider
There are a few problems with the Stiebel Eltron CKT 15E 120-Volt. The biggest issue is that it doesn’t use infrared technology, so it takes longer to heat a room. Unfortunately, this can add to your electricity bill as it pulls more power to accomplish the same tasks as an infrared garage heater. If you’re not concerned about space, we recommend the Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater.
Pros
- Mounts on the wall
- It only sticks out 5 inches
- Comes with a built-in thermostat
- Supplemental heat is an option
- Frost protection
Cons
- Doesn’t use infrared technology, so it takes longer to heat a room
Factors to Consider When Shopping for 120v Electric Garage Heaters
120v garage heaters come in many shapes and sizes. This is why finding the right choice for your garage is about more than glancing at a few products. To help you narrow down your options we’re going to take you through some factors to consider when shopping for 120v garage heaters.
Types of 120v Garage Heaters
There are a few different options when it comes to choosing a 120v garage heater. This is because there are several types. The common types are infrared heaters and electric fan heaters. Each type of 120v garage heater is a viable option.
Infrared Heaters
Infrared heaters are the most reliable garage heaters because they don’t have many moving parts. They also heat up faster because they don’t need to blow cold air around a room. Instead, the heater uses an infrared heating element to light the room. An example of an infrared heater is the Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater.
Electric Fan Heaters
On the other hand, electric fan heaters pull in cold air from the room and blow out warm air. While this is effective for heating rooms, it takes longer for electric fan heaters to heat a space. Moreover, the fan has a lot of moving parts that can wear down over time. That said, eclectic fan speakers take up less space. This makes them the better choice for saving space. Our favorite electric fan heater is the Stiebel Eltron CKT 15E 120-Volt.
Wattage
Wattage is important to consider when shopping for a 120v garage speaker because it determines how powerful it will be. The wattage correlates to the square feet a heater can keep warm at its maximum temperature, which is why you’ll see some products advertise a longer range at lower wattages. While they won’t provide maximum heat to an area, they can still keep it warmer than outside temperatures because of infrared technology.
When it comes to the best 120v garage heater for wattage, the Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater is the best choice. It has 1,500W of power, so it can comfortably heat most rooms. While it won’t make the entire garage warm, it’s perfect for heating sections of the garage –like keeping you warm while you work on your vehicle or workbench.
Temperature
120v garage heaters have a handful of temperature ranges. These temperature ranges vary but allow the heater to bring rooms up to specified temperatures within their heating ranges. Some products have electric thermostats and others use dials instead. The common temperature range for a 120v garage heater is between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
That said, some heaters perform better than others. If you’re looking to get the most heat from your garage heater, we recommend the Amazon Basics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater. It can reach temperatures up to 85 degrees Fahrenheit and provides you with a farm garage at a great price.
Heating Range
The heating range is another factor you need to consider when shopping for a 120v garage heater. The heating range depends on the wattage and maximum temperature of a garage heater. This is why more powerful garage heaters can heat more square feet than less powerful products. Based on how many square feet your garage has, you should get a heater with the wattage and heating range that can handle it.
When it comes to the heating range, the best 120v garage heater is the Dr Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater. With its wattage and maximum temperature, it can heat a garage that’s 1,000 square feet. That said, if your garage is smaller you can always choose a less powerful option that’s more budget-friendly like the Amazon Basics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater.
Download this cheat sheet to hack your monthly electric bill.
120v Electric Garage Heater FAQ
If you have questions, we have answers down below.
Will a 1,500 Watt Heater Heat a Garage?
1,500 watts is enough power to heat a garage. That said, it’s not enough power to heat your entire garage. Therefore, we recommend using garage heaters to heat small sections of your garage instead. Attempting to use a garage heater to heat the entire garage can cost you extra money on your electric bill and burn the heater out faster.
What’s the Best 12V Garage Heater?
The best 120v garage heater is the Amazon Basics Portable Eco-Smart Space Heater. It comes with a decent heating range and maximum temperature and has one of the most affordable price tags around (for garage heaters). While it’s not perfect, it gives you the best value for your money and we recommend it for most shoppers.
How Much Does it Cost to Run a 1,500 Watt Heater for 24 Hours?
Running a 1,500-watt speaker for 24 hours varies based on your climate and the cost of power in your area. That said, we can provide a rough estimate of how much it will cost. Based on national averages, running a 1,500-watt heater for 24 hours will cost you about $4. Hourly, it costs about twenty cents.
How Much Does it Cost to Run a 750 Watt Heater for 24 Hours?
Running a heater at 750 watts is more affordable than running a 1,500-watt heater for 24 hours. A 750-watt garage heater costs about $2.40 every 24 hours, which is a little over half the cost of a 1,500-watt heater. Per hour, a 750-watt heater costs about ten cents.
Is it Safe to Use an Electric Heater in a Garage?
Yes, it’s safe to use an electric heater in a garage. While there are risks, many modern 120v garage heaters come with overheating protection. Moreover, most products use infrared technology, which is safer than using gas or other heating elements.
Keep it Toasty!
Your garage doesn’t have to be an icebox in the winter. With a 120v garage heater, you can enjoy garage-time all-year-round without raising your electric bill by more than a few dollars per day. That said, finding the appropriate garage heater for your garage needs is important or you can end up shivering with a garage heater that doesn’t have enough heating range. Therefore, we always recommend shopping carefully and trying out more than one garage heater.
Download this cheat sheet to hack your monthly electric bill.
