8 Best Heater for Campervan in 2024 | LydiaScapes

Best Heater for Campervan

Looking for the best heater to warm up your campervan on cold nights? We’ve been on many RV trips in the US, New Zealand and more, and one thing we all appreciate in those nippy winter months is a good campervan heater or furnace to sleep soundly through the night. We’ll go over some of the most popular heaters and their pros and cons, so that you as a RVer can make an informed decision about what’s right for your trip. After all, it doesn’t matter how much electricity or propane your RV is using if it still feels like a refrigerator inside!

Best Heater for Campervan

What is the Best Heater for Campervan?

Below you’ll find the list of the top 8 Best Heater for Campervan. We compiled this list from heaters for campervan we have used, asked others about, and researched further to give you the best possible roundup. With many years of experience with campervan heaters you can be assured that this article will give you what you’re looking for.

We also wrote a buying guide and answered some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) at the end of this article.

1. Aikoper Space Heater

Aikoper Space Heater
Specs
Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Weight: 3 pounds (1.36 kg)
Size: 9.1 x 6.4 x 4.8 inches (23.1 x 16.3 x 12.2 cm)
Type: Convection
Heating Element: Ceramic
Heating Capacity: 1500 watts

The Aikoper Indoor Space Heater is slightly bigger and heavier than other heaters in its price range, although it offers the same 1500w maximum heating capacity. It features a PTC ceramic heating system that works with an in-built fan to warm up any small space within seconds. Plus, it features three heat settings for cold seasons and a fan-only setting that blows cool air in hot weather. It also comes with an adjustable thermostat that monitors the environment and cycles the heater to maintain your desired temperature. This feature also makes the heater more energy efficient.

The Aikoper heater weighs only 3 pounds making it portable and has a compact design that would fit neatly inside a camping backpack. It also runs quietly, enabling you to use it while sleeping or in the office where silence is needed. However, some users did not like that it does not feature a timer to shut itself off at a particular time. On the other hand, it comes with an automatic shut-off feature when it overheats or gets knocked over accidentally to protect your kids and pets. Another attribute it doesn’t have is multi-directional air dispersion to warm the space evenly. However, its convection heating method helps to spread and maintain heat in your room better for comfort.

Pros

  • Affordably priced with a compact design for portability,
  • Choice of four settings enables usability all year round,
  • It comes with a thermostat to maintain the temperature at your desired settings,
  • Quiet operation for overnight use

Cons

  • It does not oscillate for multi-directional blowing,
  • Suitable for indoor use only

2. Mr. Heater F274830 MH18BRV Big Buddy

Mr. Heater F274830 MH18BRV Big Buddy
Specs
Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Size: 19 x 17.8 x 12 inches (48.3 x 45.1 x 30.5 cm)
Type: Radiant, Convection
Heating Element: Ceramic
Heating Capacity: 18000 BTU

The Mr. Heater MH18BRV portable heater is a larger model than the MH9BX and heats a space of up to 450 square feet. Like the MH9BX, it will warm your room quickly and maintain it for an extended period. It also features automatic shut-off safety switches if it tips over, detects low energy levels, or if the pilot switch goes out. The MH18BRV connects to two 1-pound propane cylinders with the option of connecting to a remote and larger propane tank. However, the hose and regulator accessories come separately and may be expensive to buy.

This heater features three heat output levels and uses an integrated fan to increase its heating capacity while blending radiant and convection heating for better performance. The heater burns efficiently with almost zero emissions while offering a quiet operation that allows you to use it overnight. Its conventional heating enables heat retention to keep the room warm for a long time. However, it has a 7,000 feet maximum altitude level, but some people have used it at 10,000 feet.

Pros

  • Three heat output settings to warm your space quickly,
  • Blends radiant and conventional heating for better performance,
  • Auto-shutoff features provide safety while in use,
  • The integrated fan helps to spread warmth evenly,
  • Portable design enables multi-purpose utility

Cons

  • It does not come with its accessories,
  • Maybe expensive to run as it burns up the propane quickly

3. Andily Space Heater Electric Heater

Andily Space Heater Electric Heater
Specs
Price: 💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Weight: 2.65 pounds (1.2 kg)
Size: 8.3 x 6.2 x 4.7 inches (21.1 x 15.7 x 12 cm)
Type: Convention
Heating Element: Ceramic
Heating Capacity: 1500 watts
Certifications: ETL Certified

The Andily Space Heater is a lightweight and compact electric heater suitable for warming small RV spaces. It is a versatile unit due to its portability and is popular with users due to its heat output and ease of use. The heater is a 750-1500 watt unit that uses PTC ceramic technology with convection heating and an integrated fan to warm about 150 square feet of space for comfort. On the flip side, this heater is quite loud, which may limit the places you can use it. Additionally, some users have noted that it overheats quickly on its highest setting, which makes it shut off automatically until it cools down.

However, this model offers better performance at its price point than the competition, and it has a decent build quality that makes it durable. Its safety features include an auto-shutoff system when tipped over or overheating. It is also ETL certified, which makes it a reliable and quality space heater. The heater can warm up a space in about 10 minutes depending on the size and will cycle on/off switch to maintain the temperature.

Pros

  • Three heating modes to adjust the heat output,
  • Lightweight and compact for easy portability,
  • Warms small spaces quickly and retains heat for longer,
  • It comes with a 12-month warranty

Cons

  • The heating system is noisy,
  • No ideal for outdoor use

4. GiveBest Portable Electric Space Heater with Thermostat

GiveBest Portable Electric Space Heater with Thermostat
Specs
Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Size: 8.3 x 6.3 x 4 inches (21.1 x 16 x 10.2 cm)
Type: Convection
Heating Element: Ceramic
Heating Capacity: 1500 watts

The Give Best Portable Heater is one of the best-rated indoor electric heaters available, with over 43,000 ratings on Amazon. It features a 2-in-1 design with two heat settings for cold weather and one cool fan setting to circulate air in the hot seasons. It also features a thermostat control that sets the temperature and enables the appliance to cycle on and off to maintain the thermostat setting. This portable heater is remarkably quiet at 45db for use in any environment.

The heater is suitable for small spaces of up to 200 square feet and can warm up your room in seconds after switching it on. It has the conventional safety features that you would find electric heaters, including overheating and tip-over protection. It also features a flame retardant and impact-resistant construction for durability.

Pros

  • Compact portable heater for multi-purpose applications,
  • Good build quality at an affordable price,
  • Thermostat settings enable low power consumption,
  • It has a quiet operation for overnight use,
  • 6-foot cord provides a wide range of movement

Cons

  • It has a strong toxic smell out of the box,
  • May have a short service life

5. Lasko CD08200 Small Portable Ceramic Space Heater

Lasko CD08200 Small Portable Ceramic Space Heater
Specs
Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Weight: 4 pounds (1.81 kg)
Size: 7.7 x 6 x 6 inches (19.4 x 15.2 x 15.2 cm)
Type: Convection
Heating Element: Ceramic
Heating Capacity: 1500 watts
Certifications: ETL Certified

The Lasko CD08200 is a small portable ceramic heater for bathroom applications. It is also versatile for warming up any small space up to 300 square feet. It comes equipped with an ALCI safety plug that shuts off the heater if there is a short to prevent you from getting electrocuted. Typical space heaters do not feature this plug which makes them unsafe for use in wet areas.

Furthermore, this unit comes with a self-regulating ceramic heating element. The PTC ceramic element in this Lasko CD08200 model has a preset temperature value, and it regulates the power output to maintain the heat automatically. This feature provides more safety for use in bathroom spaces and is also energy efficient. Other safety features include overheating protection and a cool-touch exterior housing to enable extended use.

The heater features two heat settings that include high and low and a 1-hour timer. It is user-friendly with one control button with indicator lights at its top that also serves as the power button. However, the timer only works at the highest heat setting, plus it does not have tip-over protection.

Pros

  • Compactly sized with excellent heat output for various spaces,
  • Self-regulating ceramic element provides extra safety for use in bathrooms,
  • ALCI plug helps to prevent electrocution,
  • Easy to operate with one control button for all functions,
  • Cool-touch housing and overheat protection enable extended use,
  • Excellent build quality with a 3-year warranty

Cons

  • It does not feature tip-over protection,
  • The fan is loud on the high heat setting

6. TRUSTECH Space Heater 1500W

TRUSTECH Space Heater 1500W
Specs
Price: 💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Size: 9.1 x 7.1 x 6.3 inches (23.1 x 18 x 16 cm)
Type: Forced Air
Heating Element: Ceramic
Heating Capacity: 1500 watts

The Trustech Space Heater is a fast-heating portable model and is one of the most compact-sized units from this brand. The heater features a PTC ceramic element with convection style heating to warm rooms up to 200 square feet in size. Additionally, it features three adjustable thermostat settings for comfort, while the overheat protection allows it to cool down to prevent damage to its parts.

While this heater is more suited for indoor than outdoor purposes, its lightweight design enables easy transport and has user-friendly controls. Plus, its lowest fan-only setting allows you to use the heater to circulate air in the warmer seasons. It comes with a 6-foot cord that gives you more range of movement than the competition and is adaptable to power with a 12V-120V inverter when using off-grid. However, this heater is quite loud at 70db, which is equivalent to the noise of a vacuum cleaner, and it might limit the places you can use it.

Pros

  • Lightweight and portable size for flexible use,
  • Warms up small spaces in minutes for comfort,
  • Natural Wind mode enables air circulation in warm seasons,
  • Features an Overheating and Tip-Over protection for safety

Cons

  • Not suitable for outdoor use,
  • May be too noisy to use overnight

7. Pro Breeze Space Heater

Pro Breeze Space Heater
Specs
Price: 💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Weight: 2.87 pounds (1.3 kg)
Size: 9.7 x 7.1 x 5.8 inches (24.5 x 18 x 14.8 cm)
Type: Convection
Heating Element: Ceramic
Heating Capacity: 1500 watts

Small ceramic space heaters such as the Pro Breeze Space Heater have become attractive for many people during the winter months. These heaters have a compact design that makes it easy to carry them anywhere, and you get almost the same heat output as you would with a bulkier unit. Pro Breeze International is a global brand that manufactures high-quality air treatment products for residential applications, and this unit is one of three in their space heaters product line.

This model features a manual operation with two control knobs for the heat settings and thermostat. While the heater is ideal for warming your body at a close range, it is also suitable for use in small 200 square foot rooms and spaces such as RVs and boats due to its convection heating method. However, unlike larger heaters, it might take longer to raise the temperature due to its size.

The Pro Breeze Space Heater features three heat settings: high 1500 watts, low 750 watts, and fan. The adjustable thermostat helps the heater to maintain your desired temperature setting and reduce your energy costs by cycling it on and off. Some users have noted that the thermostat has a decent hysteresis of about 3°F, making it efficient.

Pros

  • A compact-size model with high build quality and attractive design,
  • Built-in overheating and tip-over safety features prevent fire accidents,
  • The adjustable thermostat maintains desired temperature and saves energy costs,
  • Lightweight and portable design for where you need to use it

Cons

  • It has a large air intake but no dust filter,
  • It does not switch itself off in a power outage which can damage the ceramic element

8. Bovado Oscillating Space Heater

Bovado Oscillating Space Heater
Specs
Price: 💲💲💲💲 (fewer 💲 = cheaper)
Size: 23 x 8NaN inches (58.4 x 20.3NaN cm)
Type: Convection
Heating Element: Ceramic
Heating Capacity: 1500 watts
Certifications: ETL Certified

The Bovado Oscillating Space Heater features a fast and efficient heating technology that warms up your room evenly while saving on energy costs. It uses convection-style heating with a fan to increase the heating speed and to warm your space faster. The heater also comes with a digital thermostat to maintain ambient temperature for comfort and an ECO mode that adjusts the heat output for efficient energy use. Users note that the ECO function is highly effective as it uses a temperature sensor to regulate between the high and low heat modes to achieve the desired thermal setting.

Additionally, the space heater can adjust the temperature of a 300 square foot space up by 10 degrees in less than 30 minutes, which is better than the competition. The oscillating function helps to disperse heat faster, although the spread angle is narrow compared to other models in this price range. It also comes with a remote control that adds convenience to how you operate the heater.

Pros

  • Fast heating action to warm medium-sized rooms in minutes,
  • Effective ECO setting to maintain ambient temperature,
  • The oscillating function helps to warm spaces evenly,
  • The 8-hour timer allows you to pre-set the heater for comfort

Cons

  • Poor build quality on the plug and power cord,
  • It has loud control beeps and fan clicks

Verdict

Based on all of our experience with campervan heaters, we found that Aikoper Space Heater is the best heater for campervan available today.

Our Premium Option is Mr. Heater F274830 MH18BRV Big Buddy with all the best features and high-quality materials, but that’s only if you have more money to spend.

However, if you are on a slightly tighter budget, you can also consider the Andily Space Heater Electric Heater as an affordable alternative.

Our other reviews you may find useful in your research:

What You Should Know Before Buying heaters for campervan

Heating capability

Heaters are measured in BTUs which stands for British Thermal Units. A BTU measures the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water (approximately 1 quart) by one degree Fahrenheit. For example, if it takes 10,000 BTUs to raise the temperature of 1 quart of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit, then 20,000 BTUs will raise the temperature of 2 quarts of water by 2 degrees Fahrenheit.

An RV furnace with a 40,000 BTU capacity can elevate the air temperature in cubic feet of space by 40 degrees Fahrenheit in one hour. A 5000 BTU heater can only elevate the air temperature 5 degrees under those same circumstances.

All RVs have different heating requirements depending on how many people are inside and what materials were used to build the camper. The more insulation and fewer windows an RV has, the better it will retain heat.

Safety features

Every RV has a different heating system, but all of them have common safety features. For example, many older RV heaters came with an open flame that was designed to be lit by the user on demand. However, this type of heater also included several warnings about having adequate ventilation when it was in use. Today’s models rarely include flame-based lamps and instead promote electric elements (such as ceramic plates) or propane burners that are often equipped with oxygen sensors and automatic shutoff switches for added safety.

Many modern RV heaters also come with thermostats to automatically adjust heat levels based on the external temperature inside your home away from home. This means you don’t have to worry about leaving any children or pets inside your RV without adequate heating or cooling.

Although many RV heaters are designed with safety features that reduce the risk of accidental fires, accidents still happen. That’s why it’s also important for you to take steps toward being prepared in case something does go wrong while you’re enjoying your vacation away from home. For example, having an extinguisher nearby will enable you to put out any flames immediately when they ignite – but only if you know how!

Material

The materials that RV heater components may be made from include metal, plastic, and even ceramic coating.

Energy source & usage time

When you’re looking into different types of RV heaters, it’s important to understand everything they have to offer. For example, propane models are typically more efficient than their electric counterparts because the only outlet required is for electricity to power the fan. However, they also require large tanks that need to be refilled at gas stations, though many newer models come with propane adapters that allow you to refill small bottles from your car. All kinds of RV heaters operate using either 12v DC or 120v AC outlets but again, some models need extra hardware – like a generator – in order for them to function properly when plugged into an external power source.

Electricity is also another reason why electric heaters are preferred by some campers, as electrical hookups are available at most campsites. The problem with this type of heater is the use while disconnected from the grid as the batteries will run out relatively fast when used for heating. This is something you do not want to have to worry about when you are boondocking out in the wild.

Durability & storage

It is recommended that you vacuum and dust off your RV Heater once a month to keep it clean and functional; they must be checked for fuel levels on a regular basis and kept full at all times with fresh gasoline, and they should not be stored longer than six months without use. Remember that humidity and condensation can damage internal components and cause corrosion. If any difficulties arise, an RV heating equipment specialist should be contacted to assure the heater’s long-lasting quality.

Questions and Answers About heaters for campervan

Is it safe to use a propane heater in a campervan?

If the propane heater is designed to be used in campervans, then yes, but you need proper ventilation and must follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

What type of heater uses the least electricity?

Infrared heaters use less electricity than other types of heaters. This is because they produce no “heat waves” which are radiated outward to nearby objects, but rather they emit infrared rays that travel through the air until reaching the object the heater is targeting.

How do I store my heater?

Check out the RV heater manufacturer’s website as they will give you the proper storage instructions. If the manufacturer’s recommendations aren’t available, take it easy and remember that storing a heating appliance is not as stressful as this sounds! You’ll want to do the following: Allow plenty of cooling time for your unit before storage. Clean all dirt and dust from surfaces with a damp cloth or sponge. Drain the tank by opening the valve at the bottom or side of the unit so water can drain out. If you have a propane RV heater, please make sure there’s no gas in it.

Can I run my heater with solar power?

Yes, assuming you have a properly upgraded electrical system.
It should be noted that that for this to work, the solar panels must generate more power than your heater – this amount varies widely by location and usage patterns.

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