‘I tried Gtech’s best-selling £40 patio heater and was surprised at how much warmth it creates’

The patio heater isn’t particularly expensive, so I was interested to see how it would perform

I love my garden. Sure, it’s not like the stunning Instagram-worthy reels that bombard you on social media at this time of year, but it’s my own little slice of paradise. Few things match the relaxation that comes with being able to plonk down on a bench on a summer evening and enjoy just taking in the fruits of your labour – there sure has been a lot of that over the past couple of years.

But after a lot of graft, it’s all coming together to make for a really pleasant space for my family to enjoy. Despite this, there’s one common problem we’ve faced that will hamper millions of us trying to stay outdoors for as long as possible while the sun sets – it gets a bit chilly on an evening.

I bought a firepit a couple of years ago, and while it did the job in terms of added warmth, the general stench of smoke isn’t the nicest and I’m always conscious it will annoy the neighbours, or ruin the washing out on their lines. So I was intrigued to be offered the chance to test out the Gtech Heatwave Patio Heater.

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With a £39.99 price tag down from £149.99, I wasn’t expecting miracles, but from the first flick of the on switch, I was very pleasantly surprised. Foolishly aiming it straight at myself, I was immediately blinded by the dazzling bombardment of light and heat heading in my direction.

It provoked a similar response from my dad. The device isn’t particularly big, and when it’s turned off, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s not going to produce a lot of power.

But he was equally amazed and taken aback when I fired it up, commenting on how quickly it heated up to full power in seconds. The nifty device isn’t particularly big or heavy, weighing just 1.5kg, meaning it won’t take up much space if that’s a concern.

Gtech’s heater doesn’t come with a stand and is designed to be wall mounted, but given the L-shape of my corner seating patio area, it was tricky to find an appropriate spot to install it on a wall so I ended up making my own stand to allow for manoeuvrability, depending on where people are seated.

The bracket comes with a tilting function, meaning it’s pretty easy to adjust, while putting it together is pretty simple for anyone with basic DIY skills. The outdoor electric heater uses infrared technology to give you the sensation of warmth as if felt from the sun, which really works – it has that sort of feeling of the sun appearing from behind the clouds and brightening your day when you first turn it on.

‘In closer proximity, it’s excellent and really does the job’

The limitations arose when I tried it out when the weather was a bit cooler, while there was a bit of wind in the air. It still added a reasonable amount of warmth in close proximity, but once I went beyond two to three metres, the amount you could feel was limited. To be honest, when considering the price, it’s difficult to pick fault, although casting that aside for a minute and just focusing on the product, the main gripe I have with it is the length of the cable.

It is a bit on the short side and means it’s tricky to position unless you’re fortunate enough to have a socket within the perfect distance. In closer proximity it’s excellent and really does the job, but for larger spaces shoppers will probably be better off checking out more powerful – and more costly – devices.

Alternatives out there include the Peaktop Gas Fire Pit, sold by Argos for £400. It features adjustable flames to light up the space, with a 3 metre hose, glass screen, protective cover and lava rocks. There have been two reviews of that left to date, with both awarding four stars.

One said: “Great for the summer nights.” Another added: “We have only used the fire pit a couple of times but it seems exactly what we wanted. The only thing is the ignition button doesn’t really work, you can hear it ticking but by the time there is enough gas to ignite it goes off like a bomb. Better to use a candle lighter, but other than that it’s great.”

Elsewhere, Amazon stocks an Electric Infrared Patio Heater priced at £179.99. That has the added advantage of having more customisable settings thanks to the aid of a smartphone app. It also has a remote control to save the need to get up and down when you want to adjust the settings.

The Gtech device also claims to heat up to 6m. I put that to the test, sitting around 6m away, and I couldn’t feel the heat at all, so factor that in if you’re looking to heat a space of that size. I definitely found it to be much more effective when used closer to the seating area.

For those concerned about how much it will cost to run, Gtech says: “Infrared heaters are the way. They use a lower wattage than traditional patio heaters, and are much more efficient as less heat is lost. Silently and discreetly, they convert almost 100% of the electricity they use into usable heat.”

What do shoppers say?

Customers who’ve purchased the heater so far have rated it 4.6 stars out of five, with 521 reviews. One said: “Exactly the type of garden heater I’ve been looking for small/compact and does the job it’s intended for and a great price. Easy to setup and to mount.”

Another continued: “Very impressed, it chucks some heat out, would definitely recommend.” A third went on: “Great heater and bargain price. Would definitely recommend and I think I will buy another one for my patio. Delivery was excellent.”

One of those who flagged an issue said: “Tried it briefly and threw out a lot of heat instantly. Trouble is the ridiculous shortness of the cable. Only good if you have an electric point close by your ideal spot. Otherwise it would be a higher rating.”

Another pointed out: “Works really well but the lead is nowhere near long enough to mount the heater above the patio doors and reach the external plug, so we need to find a way to extend it.”

Overall thoughts: a very solid buy for the price

For the price this is a good bit of kit that will definitely ensure I can stay outside relaxing long into the evening, whatever the outdoor temperature. For the price, it’s a very appealing product, that will add some much-needed warmth to shoppers’ patio areas.

But those with larger spaces or with limited socket options might be best served looking at some more powerful alternatives.