Here's the maths that makes outdoor heating the best-value upgrade in alfresco living: an unheated outdoor area gets used maybe six months of the year. Add the right warmth and you claw back most of the other six. The question is which kind — and the honest answer is that firepits and heaters solve different problems.
The firepit: warmth as an event
A firepit isn't just heat — it's a destination. People don't gather around a heater to talk for three hours; around a fire, they do. Flame, crackle, marshmallows: it's the difference between warming a space and creating an occasion.
The trade-offs: wood fires need fuel, ash cleanup and a few minutes of ceremony to start. Heat output is real but radiates outward at ground level — great in a circle of chairs, less useful at a dining table. And check your council's rules on open fires before you buy, especially in fire-restriction seasons.
Best for: open paved or gravel areas, a dedicated circle of seating (this is where benches and casual chairs shine), and households that treat an evening outside as the entertainment itself. Browse firepits.
The patio heater: warmth on demand
Patio heaters — electric radiant panels, strip heaters and freestanding units — are the practical workhorses. Flick a switch, warmth arrives, dinner continues. Electric radiant heat warms people and surfaces rather than the air, so it keeps working even in a breeze; mounted strip heaters over a dining setting are the classic restaurant trick for exactly that reason.
The trade-offs: less romance than flame, and placement matters — radiant heat is directional, so aim it at where people actually sit. Freestanding units want shelter from wind to do their best work.
Best for: covered alfresco areas, dining zones, balconies (check clearances), and anyone who wants warmth without ritual. If it's the running bill holding you back, our guide to outdoor heater running costs shows how to work out the cents-per-hour figure on your own tariff, for electric, gas and wood alike. Browse outdoor heating.
Or — the honest answer — both
The best year-round areas we see run a heater over the dining zone and a firepit in the lounge circle: efficient warmth where you eat, atmosphere where you linger. If you're building in stages, start with heat where you sit longest.
Squeeze more warmth from any setup
- Block the wind first. A privacy screen or dense planting on the windward side can add several effective degrees before you spend a cent on heating.
- Heat under cover where possible — open sky swallows radiant warmth.
- Soft furnishings are heating too: cushions and throws keep people planted long after the air cools.
- Mind the clearances — every heater and firepit lists minimum distances from cover, walls and furniture. Respect them; your umbrella will thank you.
Quick decision guide
- Covered dining area: electric radiant heater, mounted or freestanding
- Open lounge circle: firepit + comfortable chairs
- Windy site: screen the wind, then radiant heat
- Apartment balcony: compact electric only — and check body-corporate rules
Explore the full Heating & Fire range — and if you're unsure what your space can safely run, ask us with a photo and we'll point you the right way.
