Best RV Heater in 2024 (Top 5 Reviews with Comparison)

When most travelers think about buying a heater for an RV, they assume that the best option is an electric model, since they are compact, easy to use, and relatively safe. However, considering that you may not always be connected to a power source, electric heaters aren’t necessarily ideal.

Instead, we’re starting with a propane heater, meaning that you can use it no matter where you are, whether you’re at a campsite or boondocking elsewhere. Let’s see how it compares to other space heaters.

Catalytic Heater

At first, you may imagine that a propane heater will be too dangerous for indoor use. Fortunately, though, catalytic heaters like this one are perfectly safe for RVs, tents, and other enclosed areas.

The reason it works so well is that it doesn’t use combustion to produce heat (no flame). Thus, rather than worrying about too much heat or dangerous fumes clogging up your RV, you can get clean, reliable heat all night long.

Also, catalytic heaters warm surfaces more than they do the air, so you don’t have to worry about your RV getting too hot and dry after a while. Overall, this space heater can be on for hours without any significant issues.

Heats 230 Square Feet

For the most part, space heaters for your RV are designed to help you out while sleeping, or while you’re in a particular part of your mobile home. However, if you’re camping somewhere cold, you don’t want to have to bring the space heater along when you move to a different section of the RV.

Thankfully, this catalytic heater is rated for spaces up to 230 feet, meaning that you should have no problem making your mobile home toasty warm, regardless of its size. Only the largest, most massive Class A RVs may have a problem, and chances are that they have built-in heaters anyway.

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Looking for a top-quality space heater that will keep you warm all winter long? Look no further than the Oscillating Space Heater from Comfort Zone. This powerful little heater is perfect for quickly and evenly heating up any room in your home, and its compact size makes it easy to carry from room to room as needed.

Although I personally love catalytic heaters because they’re safe and highly efficient, I understand that they are not for everyone. So, if you like the idea of running your heater off of propane to save electricity, then this model from Mr. Heater may be a better option. Let’s see what it has to offer.

98% Efficient

When using an electric heater, you have to worry about your wattage and amperage, and you can’t really use them if you’re not plugged into shore power. However, as long as you have a propane tank, this heater is always ready to go.

Part of the reason I like it so much is that it offers nearly 100% efficiency. No wasted energy - almost all of it is converted into adjustable heat to keep your RV nice and toasty all day and night.

Indoor/Outdoor Model

Because this is a combustion heater, it will emit fumes like carbon monoxide. Thankfully, it does have a highly sensitive sensor that knows when oxygen levels are getting low, and it will shut off automatically.

Because of this feature, you can use the heater both indoors and outdoors without any problems. I highly recommend ventilating your RV when using it inside, however, just to be safe.

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Although I’ve been praising the versatility of propane heaters, that’s not to say that electric models won’t be aptly suited for life on the road. If you have a sizeable generator or you can plug into shore power regularly, then these heaters are perfect for all sizes of RV.

11 Heat Settings

One of the issues I’ve noticed with heaters, in general, is that they only come with a few settings. Typically, they are high, low, and fan, meaning that it’s hard to find the perfect balance. In most cases, high is too much, and low is not enough.

Fortunately, this particular model has 11 settings so that it’s easier to find the right temperature for your needs. It also has a built-in thermostat so that you have more precise control over the output. This feature enables this heater to be used all year round.

Quiet Operation

Another complaint I have about most heaters is that they can be distractingly loud. Whether you’re trying to read or sleep, a noisy heater can be more than a little disruptive. Thankfully, this particular model is ultra quiet at all settings, so you may not even realize it’s on most of the time.

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Although this next heater from DeLonghi uses electricity, the process by which it heats your RV is somewhat unique. This is a portable radiator, meaning that it can provide efficient heating to your mobile home, all with a slim vertical design. Let’s see what it can do for you.

Oil-Filled Radiator

The way that this heater works is that the interior is filled with oil, which is heated via an electric heating element. As the oil warms up, it used convection heating to increase the temperature of the surrounding area.

Overall, this system is kind of a mix of catalytic and standard heaters, meaning that it’s both efficient and safe to use. Rather than blowing hot air around your RV, the heat is more radiant, meaning that it feels better and can maintain temperature better.

ComforTemp Setting

Although I still don’t recommend using an electric heater without a generator or plugging into shore power, this particular model does have a ComforTemp setting which improves its energy efficiency. Compared to some of the other models on this list, you’ll use a lot less electricity with this heater.

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