Summer’s finally arrived and you’re no doubt keen to make the most of it. No sunny season is complete with without plenty of alfresco drinking and dining, and you might be planning barbeques with friends and family.

To help ensure your soirees don’t come to a premature and chilly end, it may pay off to invest in a patio heater. It’s now easy to buy these appliances, along with the relevant gas cylinders, from firms such as Calor.

Before you go ahead and splash your hard-earned cash on these products, it’s important to know exactly what you’re after. Here are some tips to help you make the right choice.

Size and power

When you’re perusing the array of products out there, it’s important not to lose sight of practicality. Your patio heater should be capable of providing enough warmth to keep your guests toasty. With this in mind, it’s vital that you pay attention to the size and power of heaters.

It’s no good trying to keep 20 guests warm on a large patio with a short, 2.7kW heater. Instead, you may be better off going for a taller, 15kW version. On the other hand, if you’re planning small, intimate parties, you don’t want your guests to be blasted by an overly powerful heater.

It’s also worth thinking about getting appliances with wheels so that you can move them quickly and easily during parties.

Style

There’s style to consider too. As well as being functional items, modern patio heaters can be works of art. Depending on the look of your garden and your personal preferences, you might opt to go for an ultra-modern version featuring stainless steel and toughened glass. On the other hand, perhaps a retro heater would better suit your outdoor space. For example, it’s possible to pick up a 13kW Memphis 50s style heater.

Budget

It also helps to set a spending limit before you start shopping. By making sure you know what your budget is, and by sticking to this figure, you can ensure you won’t overspend. Remember, you want to be able to enjoy your new heater without worrying about how much it cost.

You might be surprised by how far your budget will stretch once you start perusing the products available.

The complete picture

Whichever heater you choose, it’s important that the rest of your outdoor entertaining space looks and feels the part. For example, it’s worth investing in comfy and attractive garden furniture, and it’s also helpful to have some shelter in case the heavens suddenly open. This can be as simple as a parasol or as elaborate as a gazebo.

Meanwhile, outdoor lighting is a must if you want your parties to continue after sunset. Your patio heater will provide some level of illumination, but you’re likely to need extra lights too.

By putting some time and effort into creating the ideal garden party area, you can rest assured you’ll be able to make the very most of the summer weather.

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