The Best Tent Heaters

A portable tent heater can be a powerful and fast way to heat the spacious interior of a canvas tent. No noisy generator needed, a top-rated portable tent heater is your best friend for all-season glamping! Safety first though, folks. Please do not assume that all heaters are rated for safe use inside your canvas tent. Using an outdoor-specific heater indoors can be dangerous and can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning! Indoor-safe heaters are generally either electric, propane, or butane, and should have an automatic shut-off feature just in case it gets tipped over.

Many portable heaters also have some kind of oxygen sensor, so that if the unit detects a very low level of oxygen, the sensor shuts off the heater. However, it is our recommendation to also keep a separate carbon monoxide (CO) alarm nearby. And make sure to always turn off the tent heater when you go to sleep, or when you leave the tent.

Never trap yourself inside a tent with a propane heater on without some form of ventilation.

Tent heaters will also lead to condensation, so in addition to the safety factor, ventilation is essential for minimizing condensation build-up. No matter which portable tent heater you choose, always follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Now, onto our roundup of the best portable heaters for a canvas tent!

OUR TOP PICK FOR A PORTABLE CAMPING TENT HEATER

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Tent Heater

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy is the LiT top pick for best portable tent heater. It puts out a lot of heat in a short amount of time, is super adjustable, and is a great price point for all that it delivers.  It even great inside an A-frame tent.  Large sizes available.

DESCRIPTION

• 4,000 or 9,000 BTU
• Heats up to 225 sq. feet
• 2.5 - 5.4 hours run time
• Low-oxygen safety shut-off system
• Low and High settings
• Accidental tip-over safety shut-off
• Uses 1 lb. propane cylinders
• Dimensions: 7.7 x 13.4 x 15 inches

LATEST PRICE:  $80

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Stansport Portable Propane Heater

This little heater provides effective heating performance and compact size. It delivers comfortable warmth and excels in targeted space heating, making it a worthwhile purchase. Additional praise goes to its user-friendliness and reliable performance. However, some discrepancies exist regarding its stability and light output.

• Simply twist onto a propane tank
• 3 Heat Settings and matchless starting
• 3,100 BTU Compact
• weighs 1 lb.
• Fuel: Propane
• Dimensions: ‎7.64 x 7.52 x 6.65 inches

Heat Hog Indoor/Outdoor Heater

Need targeted warmth? The tilt on this heater is a game-changer. And don't even get me started on the cozy heat and awesome light.  This one is probably the closest challenger to Mr Heater, but may still need another couple of years to catch up with the quality.

• 9,000 BTU
• Tip-over switch and an Oxygen Depletion Sensor 
• Tilting action
• Weighs 1 lb.
• Fuel: Propane
• Dimensions: 12" x 12.5" x 17"

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Flame King Portable Propane Heater

This portable powerhouse packs a punch, delivering safe, reliable heat wherever you need it – shed, garage, ice house, you name it. Operation is a breeze with the built-in auto ignition and user-friendly thermostat dial. And when it comes to safety, this heater brings the heat: built-in fuel and tilt shutoffs ensure peace of mind wherever you roam. Note that we've seen that this one is not as reliable as others on the list, in terms of the functions actually working as advertised.

• 10,000 BTU
• 2 hr run time on 1 lb tank
• Thermostat 
• Weighs 9 lbs.
• Fuel: Propane (1 lb tank)
• Dims:  9 x 16 x 15 inches

Kovea Cupid Portable Heater

The Cupid butane heater garners praise for its exceptional build quality, compact footprint, and intuitive interface. This little guy actually provides impressive heat output, even larger spaces. 

• 3,333 BTU
• Weighs 3 lbs.
• Fuel: Butane
• Dimensions: 10.5" x 7" x 5.5"

Sengoku KeroHeat Tent Heater

This kerosene heater will warm your tent like a boss, but using kerosene inside of a tent is likely not advised unless you take precautions with ventilation and placement.  We give this one props though for easy use, but the sometimes it has hiccups with the shutoff and funky smells. Bottom line, this heater might be your winter bestie outside of the the tent, but just be prepared for a few quirks along the way.

• Heat up to 900 sq. feet for 12 hours
• 23,000 BTU
• Fuel: Kerosene
• Tip-over switch protection 
• Dimensions: 22.5" x 18.5"
• 22 lbs.

Campy Gear 2 in 1 Portable Propane Heater & Stove

Any one of these portable heaters would be happily welcomed inside one of our canvas camping tent! Things you'll want to consider when choosing the right portable tent heater are size and weight, fuel type, heat output, runtime, noise level, and, of course, safety. For cold weather camping (20F or above), you'll want a portable heater with at least 2,500 to 5,000 BTUs. 

LATEST PRICE:  $60

DESCRIPTION

• 9,000 BTU
• 360 degree heat
• Fuel: Butane/isobutane/propane/propane & butane mix
• Dimensions: ‎7.64 x 7.52 x 6.65 inches

Bonus: The Campy Gear portable tent heater doubles as a cookstove!