* This heater puts out a lot of heat. Do not place any item that can catch on fire within four(4) feet of the front of this heater. Do not place any item within six(6) feet of front of heater that you do not want to get very, very hot. With both burners on, even on low, one can feel the heat emanating from it 10 feet away.
* Items to the side and rear over a foot away do not receive direct heat and do not get hot. If one builds a stand/brace to hold it a foot away from any rear or side surface, this could be easily wall mounted rather than mounted on a tank. In a workshop, one could use a 12' extension hose and place the tank out of the way.
* This model requires lighting it with a flame. You will need to purchase a butane lighter with long nozzle or fireplace type(extra long) matches.
* You can light one or two burners but once lit you cannot shut-off just one. If you lite two and it gets too hot, you have to turn off the heater and light one burner.
* The hose is very short and fittings are under considerable stress if used as suggested by attaching directly to (20#/30#) propane tank. A short extension hose is advised. This also protect the brass connection from too much wear.
* It is pretty quiet but does have a constant hiss and will ' sing hi & low ' loudly when it first starts.
* If you are going to need it for extended time, you should plan on having at least two 20# tanks, minimum. If the power is out due to a storm and not expected back on for weeks, you might want to buy a 40# or even larger tank. NB: A 40# tank will weigh > 70# when full not light!
* If using this for indoor heating, do NOT use it in an unvented area. This heater will suck the oxygen out of a tightly closed space in a very short time. Do not use it in any area without venting it so that a fresh supply of air is always available. An old house like the one I am remodeling has plenty of air exchange but new homes do not. If it must be used inside, place near a window and open the window a little so that fresh air is supplied. CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING AND DEATH CAN RESULT IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS!
( A _vented_ fireplace is another good location to place the heater. )
Other than the inherent danger in burning anything, especially burning anything inside a home, the only problem with it is that it gets so hot that one cannot be near it ... or even walk in front of it with 3 or 4 feet.
The most obvious missing item is no thermostat control to regulate the output of the burners. Manual intervention is the only way to regulate temperature in the area.
I like the heater. However, it is an ugly eyesore and really has no permanent place inside any living space, IMHO.
For a situation where normal heating is not possible, it can and does heat a couple of rooms in a very drafty old house enough to be comfortable even when it is below freezing outside. Once the normal heating is restored this will make a great workshop/garage heater and also very nice for grilling outside in the winter without freezing the buns.
If the situation is not so dire and there is some heat available, the smaller 'Buddy' version, which I also have, does very good. However, it cannot handle unheated areas when freezing temperatures are present.
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Although not perfect, it gets five stars because there is nothing better, it works as Mr. Heater promised and should be usable for quite a few years in the future.
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I have the older version that is functionally identical to the current version (they replaced the L-bolt that holds the heater on the tank with a ribbed knob on the new version). I love it for taking the morning chill off the house in the morning. I keep it in the kitchen and fire it up first thing on a cold morning. After about 30 minutes the chill is off not only the kitchen but the adjacent master bedroom and living rooms.
Be cautious like any unvented heater it can be dangerous if you try to heat an unvented space for any length of time.
It is economical to use and even more so if you are able to find a local propane tank refiller. If you are forced to exchange the tank, it can cost [$$$]. If you have the tank refilled it will only cost [$$$].
My heater was given to me, used, and I liked it so much I gave one to my sister to use when she didn't want to burn the fireplace. I am now going to buy a newer one for the house, and relegate the older on out to my workshop.
Reliable, efficient, made in the USA whats not to like.
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I bought one of these for keeping me warm in the garage while I'm working. My garage is too big to economically heat the entire space, so I opted for a directional heat, as I'm typically somewhat stationary at the bench. This does the trick quite well!
The unit is solidly built, and I've used it now for about 4 months without a problem.
A couple of improvements I think could be made:
1) The unit I have does not have an igniter on it, so you must light it via an external source (usually a match). I found I can easily light it via a small Benzomatic torch I own, but it would be nice to have an igniter on it. I'm not sure; perhaps a pricier model has this feature.
2) To connect the heater to the propane, you have to use a wrench. I would prefer if it were more like my BBQ grill, where you can tighten on the connection without tools.
Overall, I'm very happy with the purchase!
Honest reviews on Mr. Heater Double Tank-Top Propane Heater - 8,000-28,000 BTU
The above reviews say it all. Not to be superfluous, I'll add a few points, mostly cautionary.
If your living in an alternative living space, need heat in an area with no central heating, or wish to save on the heating bill yeah this heater is the most economical, most powerful heat source I've found on the commercial market.
Lighting, as mentioned above is a somewhat dicey operation. You must hold in the pressure release valve button, and hold the flame source to the heater simultaneously. You must keep holding the button for about 30 seconds after the burner has taken the flame until it is fully lit. To do this more easily, squat to the level of the heater, and face the side (not the rear) of the heater.
And watch that your garments, jacket sleeves, etc., do not brush against or come to near the heater unit during operation. They can be easily singed.
It heats up fast. In less than two minutes, a very cold area should heat up, especially if both burners are lit I generally only use one burner. That's all I need for personal heat. The other reviewers aren't kidding. Do not have any object closer than a four foot radius from the heater and the area must be ventilated. I make a practice of never leaving the heater unattended.
One liter of propane should keep you warm for at least a good 10 hours with one burner going. I've often found myself turning the heater to the lower setting or entirely off after the area heats up.
The tank connection fitting screws into the tank counter-clockwise. To tighten, use a fairly substantial crescent wrench, with smooth jaws, as the fittings are brass and malleable. I don't recommend an extension, as it's one more fitting to worry about having a potentional leak. Tighten the connection firmly, but don't get paranoid and overtighten.
A powerhouse piece of gear. When the weather warms up, I disconnect the heater, and store the tank in a cool place, and if not emptied, on the floor, in an upright position.
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These are great for camping and on your patio. We have used these for a number of years. We tried another brand and they were noisey and did not approach the standard of Mr. Heater.
