Mr. Heater Big Maxx MHU80
#1 in GasFull review
A good value gas heater for a big garage or a small shop. Add a thermostat and the vent kit to the budget.
Amazon $545.19$545.19
A garage heater is installed for good: a 240 V electric heater hung from the wall or ceiling, or a gas unit heater vented to the outside. These rankings compare what the makers publish on the same terms: how much heat it puts out for the money, what controls come in the box and how long it’s covered. Plug-in space heaters and portable propane heaters are ranked separately.
Fuel is the first choice. An electric heater needs only a 240 V circuit from the panel and costs a few hundred dollars, but electricity costs more per BTU than gas in most areas, so it suits a garage heated now and then. A gas unit heater costs more up front and needs a gas line and a vent through the wall or roof, but it’s cheaper to run in a big or cold garage used every day.
Size is the second. Makers rate electric heaters by watts and gas heaters by BTU per hour; 1,000 W is about 3,400 BTU/h. A 5,000 W heater suits a one car garage, 7,500 to 10,000 W a two or three car garage, and a 45,000 to 60,000 BTU gas heater a two or three car garage in a cold climate. Insulation and ceiling height change this a lot.
Your panel or gas supply is the third. A 7,500 W heater needs a 40 A circuit and a 10,000 W heater about 60 A, which some panels don’t have spare. A gas heater needs a supply line sized for its input and, with propane, a tank big enough to keep up.
Top Picks
Modine Hot Dawg HD125
#6 in GasFull review
A large shop heater from a commercial maker. The Mr. Heater Big Maxx 125 gives similar heat for less.
Amazon $1,552$1,552
Shop by Fuel
Electric
15 ranked240 V hardwired heaters: no venting or gas line, just a circuit from the panel.
Top rated: Dura Heat EWH9615 $186.34
Gas
13 rankedNatural gas and propane unit heaters vented outdoors: cheaper to run for big or cold garages.
Top rated: Mr. Heater Big Maxx MHU80 $545.19
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Prices were last checked November 2, 2026 and are subject to change; the price and availability shown by the retailer at the time of purchase apply.
Best Electric Garage Heaters
- Dura Heat EWH9615#1 of 15Full review
One of the cheapest 10,000 W heaters with a remote, for a large garage. The unpublished warranty is the catch.
Amazon $186.34$186.3434,120 BTU/h1,200 sq ftYes - Comfort Zone CZ230ER#2 of 15Full review
The best priced 7,500 W heater with a digital thermostat and remote, for a two car garage. The warranty is short.
Amazon $144.97$144.9725,590 BTU/h1,250 sq ftYes - Comfort Zone CZ260ER#3 of 15Full review
The cheapest way to put 10,000 W of heat in a big garage, with a digital thermostat and remote. Check your panel has room for the circuit first.
Amazon $196.99$196.9934,120 BTU/h-Yes - Dura Heat EWH7500#4 of 15Full review
A 7,500 W heater with a remote and display for a two car garage, but its warranty isn’t published.
Amazon $187.98$187.9825,500 BTU/h900 sq ftYes - Newair 10,000W Garage Heater#5 of 15Full review
A full featured 10,000 W heater with a 2 year warranty for a large garage. You pay extra for the longer warranty.
Amazon $389.99$389.9934,120 BTU/h1,605 sq ftYes
Best Gas Garage Heaters
- Mr. Heater Big Maxx MHU80#1 of 13Full review
A good value gas heater for a big garage or a small shop. Add a thermostat and the vent kit to the budget.
Amazon $545.19$545.1964,000 BTU/h2,667 sq ftNo - Mr. Heater Big Maxx MHU125#2 of 13Full review
One of the two biggest heaters here at a fair price, for a large shop or pole barn.
Amazon $934.23$934.23100,000 BTU/h4,167 sq ftNo - Mr. Heater Big Maxx MHU50#3 of 13Full review
The low cost way into vented gas heat for a two car garage. Budget for a thermostat and venting kit.
Amazon $452.79$452.7940,000 BTU/h1,667 sq ftNo - Reznor UDXC 75#4 of 13Full review
The value pick of the Reznor line for a three or four car garage, with a 5 year parts warranty.
Amazon $1,520$1,52062,250 BTU/h-No - Reznor UDXC 60#5 of 13Full review
A three car garage heater with Reznor’s long warranty, ready for propane out of the box.
Amazon $1,504$1,50449,800 BTU/h-No
How We Rank
Each heater is ranked against others on the same fuel, and scored on its price per 1,000 BTU of heat, its controls and its warranty.
| Factor | Measures | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Value | price per 1,000 BTU of heat output | 40% |
| Controls | thermostat, display, ignition and remote | 25% |
| Warranty | warranty on the heater | 35% |
How we rank explains each factor in full.