I don't know why some people are having such trouble with these heaters. I now own 6 of these; they are in daily use for weeks at a time, for up to 3 to 5 months of each year. This is a great product which has made living in my off-the-grid cabin bearable even in winter.
PERFORMANCE IN COLD WEATHER - updated
For the past 9 years, I've used the Big Buddy heaters to heat two small cabins, 200 sq feet each, with vaulted ceilings. Without the Big Buddy, my primary cabin averages 37 F in the winter, and my studio averages 35 F. With the Big Buddy, I can keep either cabin at a toasty 65 to 70 F. In the past, I used the smaller Mr. Buddy for years to heat a tent in winter for 2 weeks at a time while working in the mountains.
How long to heat a space?
Cabin: From full cold (37 to 45 F indoors), it feels like it takes forever to heat 200 sq feet on low. On high, my cabin is toasty warm in about 10 to 12 minutes. The heater then keeps the space too warm, so I have to turn it down to low, or start cycling it on and off every hour.
Tent: It never heats the tent; too much loss through the tent walls. It just provides a radiant heat source for the side of your body that faces it. I could never decide if that made things better (to have some heat), or worse -- one side warm and the other freezing my hiney off.
BOTTLE VS TANK + FUEL FILTER
I have used both the Mr. Buddy and the Big Buddy with 1-lb bottles and 20-lb tanks, with and without fuel filters. Over the past 10 years, I have had only one failure -- one heater clogged with a 20 lb tank (no fuel filter). All my other heaters have performed flawlessly, and I've had 2 Mr Buddies and now have 5 Big Buddies (I gave away the Mr Buddies and went solely to the Big Buddies). I started using fuel filters only in the last 8 months. It's a preventative measure for my older equipment, since the heaters worked fine for years without the filters.
YIELD:
- 1-lb bottle: 5 hours on high -- maybe. If you're refilling your 1-lb bottles, remember that they're never as full as new ones (sometimes only 75% full), and you're going to eat up the refills very fast.
- 20-lb tank: Seems to last forever. The heater will run 1+ week in snow/ice weather if I'm careful and willing to layer up a bit indoors.
MEDIUM SETTING -- DON'T DO IT
Use either low (single burner) or high (both burners). The medium setting burns on both burners, but does not burn cleanly -- I can smell the propane. This seems to be an overall design flaw, not a defect of any given heater. Also, the medium setting is not much faster in heating the space than the low setting -- and, it doesn't seem to add that much more heat. Feels like the worst of all worlds: wasteful, unclean burning, and not very efficient.
CONTINUOUS USE -- WASTEFUL
The heater will work just fine if you leave it on for an hour or more (I've certainly done that indulgence), but you'll waste a lot of propane. Better to turn it on, heat your space, then turn it off for a while. If you throw down some carpeting, you'll be fine for an hour before you need to fire it up again. Remember, this is essentially a camp heater. You're not trying to achieve a tropical setting; you're trying to keep the space comfortably bearable.
INDOORS AT NIGHT -- DON'T DO IT
Although it is safe to use indoors, and after years of experience with these heaters, I'm confident in that claim, I still do not recommend running it at night or while you're sleeping. I've had the CO alarms go off three times this last year -- once dangerously -- from other things. I just don't think it's a good idea to run any propane appliance indoors in a small space when you're not conscious.
SAFETY FEATURES
Bump it -- even slightly -- and it will shut off. While I appreciate the safety feature, personally, I find this annoying. I live and work in a tiny space, bumping things -- eg, stepping over it in hiking boots -- is almost inevitable.
The wire cage that protects you from the ceramic elements is well designed -- far enough from the elements to protect against accidental touch, without adding too much bulk. This is especially important when you're wearing bulky layers and unknowingly dangling coat sleeves, lanyards, and jacket corners. I have yet to find another propane heater I'd be comfortable having in a tight space.
ACCESSORY: CARRY BAG -- DON'T DO IT
What a waste. A soft-sided bag that doesn't really protect the heater. With 2 huge pockets on either end for the two extra 1-lb bottles. Makes the entire package bulky, susceptible to damage, annoyingly shaped, and hard to store around other objects. Just keep your original box or get a suitable tub for the heater + a couple 1-lb bottles. You'll be able to pack it more efficiently, travel without worrying about moisture, and move it wherever you want without risking so much damage.
PRICE
I've gotten much better prices locally than I've ever seen on amazon. I suggest you shop around.
BOTTOM LINE
This is a great product, well designed, portable, lightweight, compact, and safe. Without the Big Buddy, I would not endure the cold very well in my cabins. This product has allowed me to work anywhere, in any weather, for the minimal price of a tank of propane. Really, that's pretty darn useful.
I love the way you can set the heat output to two settings - 1/4,1/2 and 100%. This has allowed me to camp in my truck camper during mildly cold weather, and extreme cold weather (9 degrees). It does eat up the fuel. In extreme cold weather, I can expect a 20lb tank of propane to last me about 5 days. And that's only heating up the truck camper during the evening from say 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. I do love the way this heater pumps out the heat, and the little (noisy) electric fan that helps really heat up the place faster. When I first started using this heater this fall, I thought perhaps I should have purchased the smaller model as I never needed to set it on the full heat setting. Then the winter temps started arriving and I was using it on the full setting, and very happy I had opted for the bigger model. I also appreciate the safety features which turn off the heater if it's bumped or tipped. And if the oxygen level in the camp dips below safe levels (never used thus far because I always keep windows cracked to let in fresh air).
I have several of these heaters (with first having been purchased back in 2011). I like that they provide a good bit of heat and their size means you can place several in a larger space and get better coverage than if one heat source is used.
I think the price ($119.38 Amazon price at the time of this review) is very reasonable (cheaper today than when I bought my first couple back in 2011). To me, that's a big selling point. The materials and assembly are good, so the money spent isn't money wasted.
I mentioned in the review title that this heater gives you options. Regarding fuel source, you can use either readily available 1 lb, disposable bottles or hook the heater up to a larger propane tank. I use both. When I use an external bottle I use the 12ft Big Buddy Hose with Regulator. You can also start the heater with batteries or AC adapter. Again, I use both. The AC adapter is the Mr. Heater Optional 6Volt Power Adapter for Big Buddy Heater. (I also have several of the Mr. Heater Big Buddy Carry Case 18B, but I'm not a huge fan of it as I think it is a bit sloppy in size, materials, and assembly.)
Is this the only good heater out there? I have no idea, but I do know this one fits my bill. Same with the hose and AC adapter. I really like it. 5 stars.
P.S. Do read the manual (can be downloaded beforehand at the Mr. Heater website). There are some cautions and instructions regarding placement, use, etc. (I would especially like to point to p.5 where the use of an external bottle is discussed).
This is the best hitter I've ever seen in my life. It kept an 8 man tent warm on low all night in °22 temperatures with 25 mile an hour winds. We were freezing by the fire and went inside to stay warm in the tent. That heater made the camping trip worth taking
Used this heater camping in the Bighorn mountains at 7500 feet. Weather was around 20 degrees Fahrenheit each night. It kept our tent warm using the low setting. Highly recommend this heater.
Feature Product
- 4,000- to 18,000-BTU radiant heater for spaces up to 300 square feet. Approved for indoor/outdoor use; clean-burning; nearly 100-percent efficient
- When operating the heater at altitudes over 7,000 FT above sea level the heater may shut off.
- Auto shut-off if tipped over, if pilot light goes out, or if detects low oxygen levels
- Low, medium and high heat level control knob for steady temperatures; connects to propane tank (not included)
- THE USE OF UN-AUTHORIZED ACCESSORIES/ATTACHMENTS WITH THIS HEATER ARE EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED, MAY CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY, AND WILL VOID THE WARRANTY.
Description
The Most Popular Portable Propane Heater in North America. This patented radiant 4,000-18,000 BTU Liquid Propane heater connects directly to two 1 lb. cylinders and is the perfect solution for heating enclosed spaces like cabins up to 450 sq. ft. An integrated fan increases the heating capacity of this unit, blending radiant and convection style heat to give you the best of both worlds. Two swivel regulators give you the ability to adapt usage from disposable cylinders to a remote gas supply with the purchase of a single hose and filter. To light the unit, simply push and rotate the knob. The built in Piezo sparking mechanism will take care of the rest. With the Oxygen Depletion Sensor (ODS) and accidental tip-over safety shut-off, you can be sure that you will enjoy years of comfortable indoor safe heat.*WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SELL THIS PRODUCT TO CANADA AND MASSACHUSETTS* **Please note when operating the heater at altitudes over 7,000 FT above sea level the heater may shut off.**
We have an uninsulated home on the beach in Baja California. It has water views front and rear, so we have huge windows. This little heater keeps our chilly casa almost as warm as our 35,000BTU wood stove. I assume as most the Big Buddy's heat goes into the room instead of up the flue pipe, it seems to work almost as well as the stove. Built in fan throws heat out, not just up. Nice that we don't have to get up at 2am to stoke the fire anymore. Zzzz! OXO it.
Use this along with a tiny wood burning stove in our tiny house. It does go through a lot of propane so you might want to get the hose to connect it to a larger tank. Our place is not that well insulated, but it kept things a reasonable 62 Degrees when it was 30 degrees outside. To conserve propane I turn it on high for about five minutes, then switch to low.
This unit works as advertised. This puts out the heat very quickly and is easy to operate. It will take a minute for the gas to get to the pilot so be patient. Once it fires and the flame contacts the sensor it will stay lit. The first run was great without any burning paint odors. Be sure to read the instructions very carefully and follow the manufacturer's recommendations. To run on a 20# tank you will need to buy the specified hose and or filter assembly or you will damage the unit. You can also go on line and get on a live chat during specified hours.This a great unit that can be easily stored for when the power fails. I attached a 12' Mr. Heater hose and regulator assembly #F271803 with a quick connect fitting as prescribed by the manufacturer. This allows me to operate from a 20# tank and save a bundle of cash. The heater and hose assembly operated together as advertised.
December 2018 update: I have had this heater since March 2018. Recently it had some structural problems. I called customer service at Mr. Heater and they are replacing the parts under warranty, no muss no fuss. I own two Mr. Heater products that work extremely well and are very efficient to operate. I will buy their products in the future.
Works for me. I got this in part for emergency prep, also to satisfy some questions. Part of me still says "With this going for ~140 vs small units 70, why not buy 2 small ones and spread the heat out more?" Yet if you want double the heat in one place it works. With some of the boxes showing 2 large tanks connected (one on each side), I wondered if you must have 2 sources to get it to work on high when using the disposable tank connections. Some say yes, others no in the Q&A where I ask about that. I set up a large tank with the F273704 hose going to one side and I didn't have any issues, both burners seemed a bright orange after a couple minutes. So I'm not seeing anything unexpected and it doesn't need 2 hoses for me (despite some saying they do). Maybe for the small tanks you need both, but not from a hose and larger tank. Also note, when screwing in the POL threads to an OPD tank, you don't just get it finger tight and give it a slight twist more, you need to go another full turn to unseat a valve on the tank (and that may be causing issues for some).
I feel like I've been cheated. I got this Mr Heater to try and stay warm while camping during winter time. What I got was Satan himself in a small box. You walk into my 8 man stand up in tent in the middle of a blizzard and within minutes you would be begging for cooler weather. Didn't have to worry about cooking breakfast as all I had to do was leave the bacon and eggs out overnight and they were cooked and waiting for me in the morning! Seriously though, this thing is a beast. 2 bottles lasted maybe 6 hours on low. For car camping like I did, I'd recommend getting the gallon bottles and regulator attachment if you are going to be camping more than a couple nights. All I did was open the tent vent behind the heater and you could barely tell. A good couple feet from the tent wall and sit this thing on something solid like a piece of wood.
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