Best Kerosene Heaters in 2022 – Reviewed & Compared

With autumn and winter approaching, so are the increase in our power bills as we turn on space heaters and central air to ward off the cold of the seasons. While many space heaters nowadays come equipped with energy saving tools that minimize the impact they have on the environment and your pocket, they still mark a noticeable rise in utilities, particularly if you live in a large home.

One solution is to use space heaters sparsely, leaving them off whenever you’re out and turning them on only once you arrive home.

Another solution are kerosene heaters. These are a fantastic solution to the heat vs utilities conundrum; They’re reliable heaters that can heat up your home and business without using electricity.

As their name implies, kerosene heaters use kerosene to warm up your home, a characteristic that makes them not only more affordable than electric heaters in the long run but also safer than gas heaters, as there’s no risk of leaks.

Kerosene heaters also offer incredible portability, and they’re precisely the kind of heater you want to take with you if you’re going off the grid.

10 Best Kerosene Heaters - Comparisons

A portable and practical kerosene heater designed to spread head in every direction, the Dura Heat DH2304 is an excellent choice for those of you looking for a portable alternative to plug-in heaters.

Despite it's relatively small size (weighing a little under 30 pounds) it packs quite a punch and is capable of heating up areas up to 1,100 square feet with little to no problem, though it does take a while to get going.

Since kerosene heaters work without electricity, you need to pay attention to their fuel efficiency and this heater uses roughly 2 gallons of kerosene to work for up to 12 hrs., though this may change depending on how much heat you want. (or how cold it is outside)

While words like “fuel efficiency” and “convection” may make this heater seem complicated to use, we assure you it’s actually quite easy and you’ll have it running in just a few minutes. Unlike similar models, this unit is very good at keeping the kerosene smell contained and while you may still catch a whiff every now and then, chances are you won’t even notice.

With safety features that include a drip tray to keep the fuel from falling and a safety shut off that turns off the unit if it’s accidentally tipped over, this is a very safe unit to use, though we still recommend keeping an eye on it whenever it’s running.

Finally, the heater comes with a sturdy metal cage guard that keeps children from touching the heat source, but the grate still gets hot, so it’s better if you keep children and pets away from this heater. 

Another convection kerosene space heater, the Sengoku boasts a power of almost 23,500 BTU, making it the perfect heater for cold nights.

With a capacity of 1.9 gallons, which can provide 12 hours of heat and a weigh of little over 22 pounds, this is also one of the most portable and fuel efficient items in this list.

Like similar models, it comes with a drip tray, perfect for catching any spilled kerosene; a security cage that keeps your hands away from the heating source (though it does get kind of hot); and an automatic shut-off feature that activates if you accidentally tip over the heater or if it starts overheating, making it also one of the safest portable kerosene heaters you’ll find.

It can easily heat up areas up to 900 square feet, making it a bit underpowered compared to other models, but considering its size we’re quite happy with the results.

This unit does release some kerosene smell, but it’s easy enough to ignore and it tends to go away a few minutes after you start the heater, so if you’re staying in a tent or a small cabin, you could always consider starting it with door/windows open, at least for a little while.

Part of the reason this heater is so lightweight, at least compared to others, is that many of its parts are made with plastic, which makes it frailer than we liked, but as long as you’re careful with it, it should be able to work without any problems for the years to come.

If what you’re looking for is a powerful heater that doesn’t rely on electricity to produce considerable heat, then the Dyna-Glo KFA50DGD is a wonderful choice.

Capable of warming areas up 4200 square feet and working with two types of fuel (kerosene and diesel) this is a versatile heater that’s perfect for large buildings, such as construction sites, venues and more.

With a 5 gallon capacity, dual fuel use and the ability to be used for 14 hours without any issue, no one would fault you for imagining this to be an enormous heater and yet, it barely weighs more than 30 pounds, making it as portable as it is efficient.

This powerful heater also comes with safety features that shut it off in case it starts overheating or it detects any leaks. 

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Another Sengoku heater, this one is a good option for those looking to heat up houses or apartments.

While relatively lightweight (20 lbs.) and equipped with a handle, its rectangular shape and bulk makes it a little awkward to move around, which means this heater is better suited to be left in a single place; preferably in a corner, radiating heat towards the rest of the house.

Said bulky design does mean it’s very hard to accidentally tip over this heater, so it’s safe to leave unattended for short periods of time. And if this heater does tip over for any reason? It will automatically shut off, as it’ll also do if it starts overheating.

Its tank is considerably smaller than similar models, as it only holds 1.2 gallons, but that’s more than enough for this heater to run for up to 14 hours. Unlike similar models, this one actually produces no kerosene smell, doubting its utility in indoor spaces.

As you can imagine based on the fuel usage, this isn’t the most powerful heater out there and won’t be able to heat up larger rooms, but it’s quite reliable in most situations. 

While not the most affordable item in this list, this heater is definitely one of the most peculiar, both in design and function.

Weighing a little over 33 pounds and equipped with a 4 gallon tank, this isn’t the most portable of heaters, but it can be moved around with little to no issue, thanks to the sturdy handle on top which stays cool to the touch even when in use.

If not that portable, you may ask, what good is this heater? Well, it’s one of the best heaters for garages and workshops you can find! What makes this heater so special is just how fast it is, heating up areas in no time whatsoever and doing so with very little noise or kerosene smell.

This means that, if you have a home office, workshop or you simply spend a lot of time in your garage, you can continue your activities through the winter without no interruption or distraction whatsoever.

Another great characteristic is that this heater comes with two heating options, the radiant and fan forced heating. The first is better if you want to heat up the entire room, the latter is best if you want to direct the heat to a particular area. This heater can be used both with kerosene and diesel, but it works better with the former, so keep that in mind. 

Another great option for apartments or homes, the Dyna-Glo is the kind of heater you get if you don’t plan on moving it often.

While it does come with built-in handles and weighs only 20 pounds, it’s a little bulky, which makes it cumbersome to move, and its design makes it perfect to simply leave pressed against the wall, where it won’t take a lot of space and will heat up the room reliably.

It’s not the most powerful item in this list, but it can reliably heat rooms up to 500 square feet. In theory it can heat up larger rooms, but the effect won’t be as noticeable and it may take longer to do so.

This is one of the most straight forward products in this list, as it has a simple design that lets you turn on and off this heater with a single push, a dial that lets you control just how hot your room gets and a little indicator that lets you know how much fuel you have left.

As with other models in this list, the Dyna-Glo comes with safety features that prevent overheating and turns off the unit if it’s knocked over. However, it doesn’t seem to have any way of detecting possible leaks. It can smell like kerosene, particularly if you’ve just refilled or if the wick isn’t long enough, but it’s not a common occurrence.

If you’re trying to heat up large places, such as factory rooms, event venues, barns and the like, this heater is perfect for you.

Capable of heating up to 3,125 square feet and equipped with a 8.5 gallon tank that gives you up to 15 hours of reliable heat, this is in no way a small heater, particularly once its tank is full.

However, it comes equipped with a trolley that lets you move it around with no issue, making it a great heater of industrial capabilities.

Like similar models, the Mr. Heater F270420 has many safety features in place. It will automatically shut off if it starts overheating, it’ll shut off if knocked over and it doesn’t work with flames in order to minimize any possible accidents.

Even the trolley was designed with safety in mind, as it comes with a base that lets you securely place the heater anywhere and oversized wheels to make transportation smooth and comfortable.

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Another solidly built and portable kerosene heater, this particular model uses induction to heat up spaces, which means it spreads its heat in all directions, rather than blasting heat where it faces.

While small, as it only weighs 23 pounds, it’s quite powerful and can reliably heat up to 1,000 square feet.

In fact “reliable” is the best way to describe this product, as its sturdy built and efficiency makes it ideal for both emergency and daily use.

Learning to use this heater is quite easy, thanks to its one touch shut on / shut off bottom and it’s also quite safe, as it has automatic shut off features whenever it starts overheating or the heater is accidentally knocked over. While these features make it safe to leave unattended for short periods of time, we still recommend to keep an eye on it as even if it shuts off if knocked over, it’ll still be pretty hot.

There’s a metal cage surrounding the heat source that prevents you from accidentally burning yourself, but the metal cage also gets hot so we generally advice against touching the product while in use.

A more affordable variant of the Sengoku CTN-110, this space heater is perfect for small apartment and rooms.

With a capacity of 1.2 gallons and the ability to stay on for 14 hours, the main distinction this model has from the CTN-110 is its power and weight.

Lighter and easier to move around, this heater may not be as powerful as others but it sure is quiet, allowing you to sleep even while it’s in use.

As similar models, while moving it around is a possibility, this kind of heater is designed to stay in one place. Hence its square design and broad base. The benefit of that, and its small size, is that it can safely be placed against a wall, where it will safely operate until the kerosene runs out.

Talking about safety, this unit comes with auto shut off functions that kick into gear if the unit starts overheating or if it’s accidentally knocked over, though you should still be careful when using it, as it does get quite hot when it works.

While using it is quite simple, replacing the wick isn’t easy at all, which gives you a good incentive not to move the unit and to avoid letting the kerosene run out completely.

Another outdoor / industrial space heater, this baby comes equipped with a trolley that makes it possible to move around with ease.

This is a good thing because at almost 50 inches in length, maneuvering this heater without the trolley can be complicated, to say the least.

This heater has a tank with a 13 gallon capacity, a built in thermostat that lets you know not only the temperature but also how much fuel you have left and the usual safety functions that prevent it from overheating.

It also has enough power to heat up rooms up to 5,000 square feet, making it excellent for construction sites, fabrics and event venues, amongst other things. One of the things we liked the most about this product, albeit it’s not its main function, is that it allows you to charge phones and small electronics, though it does make the fuel run out faster.

There’s one thing we didn’t like and that’s the fact that this heater can’t start if the temperature is too low, which is an inconvenience if you’re planning on using it outdoors.

Another thing we didn’t appreciate is that, unless you start it in the right order, you may end with kerosene sprayed all over, which is annoying and dangerous. However, if you follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer, this isn’t a risk.

We’ve come to the end of our review, we hope it helps you find the perfect kerosene heater for you. Don’t forget to leave a comment if you enjoyed our review! 

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