Torpedo heaters can be lifesavers in winter. They allow you to continue with your business as usual, despite the cold. But let’s face it, they’re noisy. Whether you’re using your torpedo heater in a garage, on a site, or anywhere else for that matter, you want it to operate quietly.
Unfortunately, torpedo heaters are always going to make some noise. That’s why we’ve reviewed 5 different quiet torpedo heaters that are sure to make less noise than the majority of torpedo heaters available.
Keep an eye out for the buyer’s guide as well as the FAQ section.
OUR TOP PICK
One of the most attractive features that this propane torpedo heater has is its Patented QBT Technology. This technology ensures that the heater operates at a much lower noise level than a standard propane heater.
Mr Heater claims that this propane heater is at least 50 percent quieter than a standard propane heater.
Like all good torpedo/propane heaters, it comes with a high-temperature limit switch. What does it do?
Understandably, heaters are always at risk of overheating, which can cause fires and bigger problems. The high-temperature limit switch activates when the heater is getting too hot and prevents any risk of the heater overheating and starting a fire.
The heater can be used outdoors, at construction sites, agricultural buildings, industrial workspaces, and remodeling jobs.
It’s lightweight and easy to carry, making it so much less of a mission to carry it around if needs be. It appears that the heater was designed mainly for outside use, but it can be successfully used inside as well.
Many have mentioned that they struggle to set up the heater to a propane tank, but this is because the heater connects to the propane tank in an unusual way.
Others have found it easy to set up the heater by following the instruction manual. With that in mind, you should be aware that the setup of the heater may or may not end up being more difficult than it should be.
Pros
- Designed with quiet Patented QBT Technology
- Can be used inside and outside
- Has a safety feature
Cons
- Could have more safety features
- Assembly could be challenging
EDITORS CHOICE
Here we have another efficient heater that’s been designed with Quiet Burner Technology.
Most propane heaters are known for being noisy, but this technology gives you a chance to enjoy working with the heater and not dread the thought completely.
A feature that stands out on this heater is its two-piece split barrel design. It makes cleaning and maintaining the heater not only easier, but safer as well. On the topic of safety, the DeWalt heater is CSA certified and has various other safety features.
These safety features include recessed controls to reduce any damage done on-site, as well as a continuous ignition and thermo-electricity safety valve that makes ignition and operation easy.
Another thing that’s great about the DeWalt heater is its reputation. It’s known for being easy to set up, easy to use, and powerful. For some, heating their garage takes only 20-25 minutes.
You also get to save resources, which is something we all appreciate. How? With the DeWalt heater, you have control over how hot the heater gets, so you can control how much propane you use.
Pros
Designed with QBT
Variable heat output
Has a few safety features
Easy to clean and use
Is more budget-friendly
Cons
Doesn’t have a high-temp limit switch
BEST VALUE
The Pro-Temp PT-220T-SDR Kerosene heater can be used on a construction site, a loading dock and even in an open barn, just to give you a few examples.
Even though the heater is powerful, it runs quietly because it makes use of silent drive technology.
This makes the heater more efficient and much quieter than a conventional heater. It can be used to heat up spaces measuring up to 5500 square feet.
We love that the heater is user-friendly. You can rely on a simple start-up when it comes to this heater. This is because it has a digital display thermostat control panel that makes it easy to use and operate.
Does the display show you when the fuel runs low? No, it doesn’t, but the heater does come with a fuel gauge that allows you to monitor the heater’s fuel consumption.
When it comes to mobility and maintenance, the heater does a great job of making your life easy. Although it is reasonable to believe that the heater will need to be cleaned, the manufacturers claim that it requires no routine maintenance to keep the heater from running smoothly.
The heater has also been designed with a handle that makes moving the heater a simple process.
Pros
Designed with Silent Drive Technology
Powerful
Digital display makes for a simple Startup
Easily moved
Does not require lots of maintenance
Cons
Has not been designed with some of the safety features we'd like to see.
RUNNER UP
The HeatFast HF125K is a great heater to have by your side during Winter. Temperatures as cold as -4 F do not affect the heater's ability to work efficiently. It provides up to 125,000 BTUs of heat and can heat spaces that are 3,125 square feet in size.
What’s great about this heater is that you can choose from multiple different fuel options, which include kerosene, diesel, home heating oil, and jet fuel. However, the manufacturers warn that gasoline can’t be used.
The heater is reliable and can run for as long as 11 hours before needing a fuel refill. The fuel tank can hold up to 10.6 gallons of fuel.
Worried about safety? Fortunately, this heater has been designed with a 5-star safety system and is also CSA certified.
Some other features the heater has include thermostat controls that allow you to control and adjust the temperature, along with a SMART diagnostic’s digital readout and a built-in air pressure gauge.
When it comes to quiet operation, the HeatFast HF125K certainly doesn’t have a reputation for being loud but it isn't the quietest torpedo heater either.
At this price point it's worth considering if you have a limited budget.
Pros
- Can withstand very low temperatures
- CSA certified
- Various features
- Reasonably quiet operation
Cons
- Not the quietest torpedo heat we've reviewed
RUNNER UP
Right off the bat, this heater stands out amongst the crowd because it’s an electric torpedo heater. Electric heaters are known for being much quieter than kerosene or propane heaters. It's a great option if you want to make your garage quieter but still keep it warm.
One thing you’d want to keep in mind is that it may be less cost-effective to own an electric heater because of the amount of electricity you’d need to use to run the heater.
But the benefits of an electric heater can outweigh the costs. So, what benefits does the Dimplex DGWH4031G heater have?
This electric heater is made out of heavy gauge steel treated with an epoxy powder-coated finish. Steel is a reliable material and promotes a long life span for the heater. It also combats corrosion.
One thing we love about the heater is that it can be mounted onto a ceiling or a wall. Since knocking over a torpedo heater can be a bit dangerous, it’s super convenient to have the heater mounted up somewhere, where it’s not likely to get in the way.
What about safety features? This heater has at least one safety feature, but it’s a really important one.
When the heater gets too hot, it will automatically switch off. When the heater does turn off, you can make use of the residual heat and continue using the heater, which saves you resources. This is one of the greatest garage heaters we've reviewed.
Pros
Electric heater – quieter operation
Automatic overheat switch protection
Made to save resources
Durable
Can be mounted
Cons
Runs on electricity – can be expensive
Could have more safety features
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Quietest Torpedo Heater
Here are a few things to look out for when buying a quiet torpedo heater:
Heating Capacity
It’s really important to pay attention to a Torpedo heater’s heating capacity. The heating capacity of a Torpedo heater determines how much heat it can produce and how much of an area it’ll be able to warm up. A Torpedo heater’s output is measured in BTUs.
So how high should the number of BTU’s be in a Torpedo heater that you want to use in a small area? Smaller Torpedo heaters will typically produce heat that can cover a range of up to 10,000 or 25,000 BTU. Larger heaters will produce over 150 000 BTU.
Buying a Torpedo heater that gives you just the right amount of heat to cover a certain amount of space, is also cost-effective. You don’t want a heater that’s too powerful and ends up using more resources than necessary. More power also means more noise and you don't want your neighbors hearing you.
Run Time
When we talk about run time, we’re referring to how long a torpedo heater can be used until it runs out of fuel. It’s an important factor to keep in mind, especially if you want to use the heater for something specific like camping where you may not have access to more fuel.
Warranty
Most quality torpedo heaters are reliable, so you wouldn’t need to be concerned about it breaking or not working from the start. But torpedo heater manufacturers aren’t perfect and now and then there may be a fault with one of the products. On the other hand, you may just decide that you don’t like the torpedo heater you’ve bought as much as you thought you would.
In either of those cases, the torpedo heaters warranty is somewhat essential to finding an easy solution to your problem. It’s for this reason that it’s super important to check whether any torpedo heater you want to buy has at least a 1-year warranty.
Efficiency
Kerosene heaters are more efficient than heaters that run on electricity. They’re also much cheaper to use, kerosene is less expensive than electricity. We all want our heaters to be efficient, so this is definitely something you’d want to consider before buying a heater.
Electric heaters might seem more powerful than kerosene heaters, but that isn’t entirely the case. Kerosene heaters have a reasonably high heating capacity and are low maintenance. This also contributes to the kerosene heaters’ greater efficiency.
Portability and Durability
Kerosene heaters are known for their portability. It’s great to know that you can move the heaters around wherever you need them.
Kerosene heaters have different weights though, and this means that some models will be more difficult to move around than others. So, keep in mind the weight of the heater you want to get and whether you’ll be able to take it to different places with ease.
Durability is also important. You can look at the warranty of the kerosene heater to get a good idea of how durable it is. Besides this, looking at the materials the kerosene heater is made out of, will give you a good indication of whether it’s durable.
A metal or tough steel construction kerosene heater will have a good reputation for its durability.
Cleaning your heater with your quiet shop vac or even a quick blow with your quiet garage air compressor will also help.
Safety Features
Torpedo heaters can be dangerous so it would be a good idea to find a torpedo heater that has safety features. A lot of the torpedo heaters have been designed with an overheat switch.
This switch turns off the Torpedo heater automatically when it gets too hot. The result? You have less chance of anything inside your home or garage catching alight, which also protects you and your family from potential harm.
Torpedo heaters make use of Carbon monoxide which is a flammable gas. You can understand now why it would be a good idea to get a torpedo heater that has an automatic off switch.
But this gas is also harmful when it’s inhaled in large amounts. For this reason, you’ll also want to ensure that any Torpedo heater you buy, or use emits a minimal amount of Carbon monoxide.
Another safety feature you’ll want to look out for is an anti-tip switch. This switch ensures that if the heater tips or gets knocked over, no gas will leak out of the heater.
Materials
Another factor you need to take into consideration is the materials used to manufacture the torpedo heater. The materials used to make the torpedo heater not only determine its durability but also the overall quality of the heater and whether it’ll be safe to use.
Higher quality materials will promote an efficient run and will reduce the risk of fires caused by the heater. It’s especially important to keep heater materials in mind when you’re trying to find a torpedo heater for indoor use.
Electric Torpedo Heater vs Kerosene Torpedo Heater
We mentioned before that electric torpedo heaters are more cost-effective than kerosene torpedo heaters because kerosene is less expensive than electricity.
But even though that is the case, some might prefer using electric torpedo heaters because no fuel is required, so it’s much easier to use.
The fact that it’s not burning any fuels means that it’s not using any flames and there’s no chance of smelling or inhaling exhaust fumes. In the long run, this makes the electric torpedo heater a lot safer to use.
Both the electric torpedo heater and the kerosene torpedo heater are easily portable, but an electric torpedo heater is better for indoor use than a kerosene heater.
Electric torpedo heaters are also much quieter than kerosene heaters, which can be the winning factor for those who don’t want their heater to make an unnecessary amount of noise.
There are quite a few differences between electric and kerosene torpedo heaters. But, when you weigh up all the factors, an electric torpedo heater would be safer to use and does its job, even though it may be more expensive than kerosene.
Kerosene Heater vs Propane Heater
Both kerosene and propane heaters have something to offer you. We can’t say that one is significantly better than the other, but there are some differences between them.
For example, Kerosene heaters can be more powerful than propane heaters. Kerosene heaters are rated from 75,000 Btu in comparison with propane heaters which are rated from about 18,000 BTU.
Kerosene might also be a better option when it comes to operating costs. Depending on where you are, the cost of propane and kerosene varies but propane has been known to be more expensive per gallon than gasoline.
Another difference between the two is settings. Propane heaters offer you more settings, giving you more control over the heater and what you can do with it. On the other hand, kerosene heaters are generally designed with only two settings or less.
Propane does stand out as being a better choice because it’s cleaner-burning. Propane is also a lot easier to get than kerosene.
Quiet Torpedo Heater FAQ
Can you use an outdoor propane heater indoors?
It may be tempting to use an outdoor propane heater indoors, but you shouldn’t. Propane heaters and just about any heater produces Carbon Monoxide which can be dangerous if it’s inhaled in large amounts because it’s a poisonous gas.
Outdoor propane heaters may be more prone to producing this gas and so it would be pretty dangerous to use it inside.
If you were to use a heater that’s made for indoor use, that would be another story. Indoor heaters are designed to minimize the production of Carbon Monoxide.
Is a propane torpedo heater safe in the garage?
The answer to this question is, yes. But only if you follow the safety guidelines. Here’s a list of guidelines that you can follow to ensure that you use your propane torpedo heater (applicable to all kinds of heaters) safely:
- Use a propane heater that’s the right size for the space you want to heat up.
- If possible, do not use a propane heater that doesn’t have safety features. A propane heater that has safety features such as a low oxygen sensor, a high-temperature coated safety guard on the front, overheat protection and automatic tip-over shut off will be good to use.
- Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when you use your space heater.
- Place the heater on a non-combustible surface and keep away from areas where people tend to walk.
- Keep combustible materials away from the heater. These materials include gasoline, paints and paint thinners, etc. Materials like these emit combustible fumes.
- If you have an indoor heater, don’t put anything on top of it.
- Invest in some carbon monoxide detectors and have them installed in your home and your garage.
- Don’t leave an indoor propane heater unattended.
- If your heater starts giving off a blue glow, stop using the heater and contact the manufacturers.
- Have someone qualified, inspect your propane torpedo heater annually.
Is propane or kerosene safe indoors?
Even though propane heaters don’t emit smoke, they still require a good amount of ventilation and so a good number of vents will need to be installed.
Kerosene is a little more dangerous to use inside, due to the fact that it has a larger carbon footprint. You really need proper ventilation if you’re going to use a kerosene heater.
So, both propane and kerosene heaters can be used indoors, as long as they have the right amount of ventilation and are actually made for being used indoors.
Conclusion
We’ve reviewed 5 quiet torpedo heaters. Most of these heaters use kerosene and other gases to run, but it doesn’t affect the heater’s ability to run quietly because they have been designed with technology that enables them to run without making a huge racket.
Whether you want to use an electric or kerosene torpedo heater is completely up to you. There are different advantages and disadvantages to the different types of heaters, so only you can choose what will work best for you.
But, keep in mind the buyer's guide and you will be able to make a good choice and find a quiet torpedo heater that keeps you warm without being noisy.