Are you looking for an efficient and safe heater for camping in a tent or RV?
Do you feel a little uncomfortable with propane heaters in small spaces and want an alternative heater?
Halogen heaters can be a safe, cost-effective, and energy efficient alternative to your standard heating for camping.
But finding a good product can be tricky if you don’t know what you’re looking for. When I wanted to look into these, it was really overwhelming at first.
Through my research and experience, I found these to be the best halogen heaters for camping.
Click the links to check current prices on Amazon:
- Impress IM-707B Parabolic Halogen Oscillating Heater
- Comfort Zone CZHTV9 Oscillating Electric Halogen Radiant Heater
- Fire Sense 62234 Sporty Halogen Space Electric Heater
- LIVART LVH-780, Halogen Heater
Read on for more details and direct comparisons.
Table of Contents
Direct Comparison Of The Heaters
In this section, you can find a direct comparison of the heaters and some of their important features. Below the quick reference table, be sure to read on for details on how these features impact the use of the product.
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Size – Size of the heater is important. If you’re using a tent, especially a small one, you’ll want to make sure you use a small heater.
However, if you’re heating a larger tent or an RV, a larger sized heater works better.
Smaller heaters are also better for those who need to travel farther before they set up camp.
Cost – Cost is always important to consider. Depending on how much you’re into camping, you may not want to drop a huge amount of cash for a heater.
Then again, don’t sacrifice cost for a poor product. Each of these 4 work very well; just think about what you’re looking for.
Heating/Wattage – Wattage is directly connected to the heating capacity of the heater. The higher the wattage, the more heat potential the heater has.
For tents, especially smaller ones, you don’t need a large amount of heating power. But the bigger your space or the colder the weather, the more watts you will need.
Power Connection – Each of these halogen heaters need an electrical output to power. This may be more inconvenient for those who really like to rough it.
You can still use these halogen heaters even away from society by bringing a portable battery outlet with you (like the heavy-duty Powkey power bank made specifically for camping).
Use this in conjunction with some ways to keep your tent warm naturally, and you should be just fine.
Pro-tip: Use a tent with an E-port to make this much easier.
Review Of The Best Halogen Heaters For Camping
In this section, we’ll break own each of our picks for the best halogen heaters for camping and discuss how its features affect your use.
Impress IM-707B Parabolic Halogen Oscillating Heater
Impress’s parabolic halogen heater offers a simple but effective heater at an affordable price.
The heater is powered by halogen which is then reflected using its parabolic dish. This shape offers an effective way to disperse heat quickly over a wider area.
As a halogen bulb, it’s more effective at generating more heat for less wattage and energy usage.
You can choose from 2 distinct heat settings at 400W and 800W. This is great for small or large tents and RVs.
Even when running at high heat, the Impress product is still cool to the touch on the exterior. This makes it avoid many instances of accidental burning.
It comes with a 2 hour shut-off to prevent burning out the motor and an automatic tip-over shut off. This is extra important in tents as you don’t want to accidentally melt or warp the material if knocked over.
When it comes to heating an area, the oscillation and tilting head helps it to match your preference.
It’s fairly small in size, making it easy to fit anywhere and not too much trouble to carry. The controls are simple, but effective.
Pros For This Product
- Heats a large area for fewer watts
- Two settings for different size spaces and weather
- Automatic safety measures prevent fires and damage
- Energy efficient
Cons For This Product
- May give off more ambient light than you’d prefer
- May not last as long as other heaters
Comfort Zone CZHTV9 Oscillating Electric Halogen Radiant Heater
Comfort Zone’s heater wasn’t designed for camping, but it works very well in this capacity, especially in RVs.
The halogen heater powers up quickly providing instant heat when you need it. It heats directly in front of it, so you can plan exactly where you want the heat to go.
Even though this heater is a little larger than some other options, the flat panel design is slim enough to fit against walls and out of the way.
If you’re worried about the look of the heater compared to your RV, its sleek black finish is classic and matches virtually any style.
The heater oscillates up to 70° at a high and low setting speed setting. This customization is great for those looking for a heater to match their specific RV setup.
The heater itself is easy to use. All you need to do is plug and go by selecting one of the 2 heat settings (400W and 800W) using a knob on the top of the unit.
The exterior and handle are always cool to the touch. The back of the unit doesn’t get hot, so you can press it up against a wall.
There is a tip-over shutoff and overheat protection to prevent accidents and damage. As with all halogen heaters, there is no risk of gas poisoning.
Pros For This Product
- Good value
- Puts out a lot of heat
- Lasts a long time
- Easy controls
- Slim design
Cons For This Product
- Can’t be tilted to heat up or down
Fire Sense 62234 Sporty Halogen Space Electric Heater
This Fire Sense heater is the most expensive on our list, but its quality is top-notch.
The halogen heater has a 1000W potential making it the most powerful heater on our list. This makes it perfect for larger tents and RVs.
Even with this power, it still is compact and fairly small. There’s also a convenient and always-cool handle for moving it around.
The thin, cylinder design allows it to radiate heat in all directions and fit in any space.
Fire Sense made this unit out of coated steel and aluminum in its construction. You can expect this unit to last a long time and also take accidental bumps and drops without breaking.
The weighted base does do a lot to prevent these drops though. But even if it does, the tip over protection system will shut it off, so you don’t have any danger of burning.
As with other halogen heaters, turning it on results in almost instantaneous heat at 100% production. It doesn’t need any time to heat up or heat the air.
Its energy efficiency is impressive even when compared to other halogen heaters. And you don’t have to worry about any harmful gases being given off.
Unlike some of the other halogen heaters, Fire Sense built this for indoor AND outdoor use making this perfect for all forms of camping.
Pros For This Product
- Energy efficient
- Light and skinny design
- Has a lot of heating power
- Controls are easy to use
Cons For This Product
- Doesn’t naturally push heat away from it; maybe use a fan with it
LIVART LVH-780, Halogen Heater
Livart’s halogen heater wasn’t originally designed for camping, but you can still get a lot of use out of it in this capacity.
It may not be the best choice for a small tent, but for larger tents and RVs, this heater does a great job.
To use, all you need to do is plug the heater into an electrical outlet. This heater can oscillate and tilt allowing you a lot of control in how you want it to heat up the room.
As an 850W heater, it has a lot of power for a medium-small sized heater. As with many heaters, it comes with an automatic tip-over shut-off safety system.
Where this unit really wins over the competition is in its user controls and customization.
You can use the controls using the manual buttons on the unit itself or by using the included remote. You won’t have to get out of your chair or bed to adjust the heat!
There’s also a “Timer” button to control an automatic shutoff. This can be set at 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, or 4 hours depending on what you want.
This level of control (and from a remote too!) is very helpful and convenient compared to cheaper options.
Pros For This Product
- Adjustable oscillation and tilting control is useful
- Good power for heating a room
- Lots of control in heat and timing with a remote too
- Easy to use
Cons For This Product
- A little pricey for some
Commonly Asked Questions
Are halogen heaters any good? – Yes! Ever since I tried using a halogen heater, I’ve been very impressed.
They heat up and cool down faster than other heaters. You also don’t ever have to worry about any noxious or poisonous gases because these won’t give off any.
Their biggest drawback, in my opinion, is how they require an electric outlet for power, but this can be worked around without much difficulty.
Are halogen heaters safe for tents? – As we said above, halogen heaters are the safest heaters for tents. They don’t run too hot, they don’t give off any gases, and they are quick to heat and cool.
Your biggest concern for safety is putting the heater too close to the tent material. This may cause it to warp or melt.
Make sure you choose the right size and heat setting for your size tent. A little goes a long way if you’re insulated properly.
How much does it cost to run halogen heater 1200w per hour? – Cost per watt fluctuates depending on current energy prices. In general, you can assume 10 cents per hour.
So, this means a 1200w heater will cost you $0.12 per hour. Based on our picks, here is a quick chart for these product costs per hour:
| Watt | Cost per hour (Estimated) |
| 400W | $0.04 |
| 800W | $0.08 |
| 850W | $0.085 |
| 1000W | $0.10 |
What is halogen? – Halogen is a gas used in combination with a Tungsten filament to create light and heat. It’s usually considered to be more efficient and powerful than other methods of heating or lighting.
Because the reaction is more efficient, manufacturers can create lights and heaters which are cheaper, cost less to operate, and smaller when compared to other types of light and heating.
Compared directly against LED lighting, it loses out on long life. But halogen still lasts longer than many other types of light and heat.
When it comes to portability, the heaters are less portable than propane because they still require an electrical output.
Conclusion
Now you know how to start finding the best halogen heaters for camping.
Navigating all of the options can be tricky, but if you stick with our picks, you should end up just fine.
Now get out there and enjoy the fresh air!