Imagine that you've just spent a long summer enjoying balmy days outside on your patio, drinking in the fresh air and relaxing under the evening stars. But now autumn is rolling in, and it's starting to get too nippy to enjoy the outdoors anymore… right? Well, not necessarily. By using patio heaters, you can extend the patio season, staying toasty warm even on chilly days.

Heaters for your patio come in a wide range of styles and finishes to fit your outdoor décor and the way you use your backyard space. Best of all, an outdoor space heater can be very affordable. Solid and dependable models start in the low $100 range.

One of the first decisions you will need to make when selecting an outdoor heater is whether you will want a standalone or a tabletop model. If you are planning to use your outdoor area mostly for small groups while eating or sipping drinks, a tabletop unit is an affordable choice. Heat from a tabletop model usually radiates in a 10-foot radius, which is plenty of coverage if you and your family and friends are sitting near one another.

If you would prefer to warm your entire outdoor space, a standalone patio heater has a wider coverage, generally about 20 feet in radius. This is perfect for parties and larger get-togethers, where you will have people milling around instead of sitting around a table. If you have a very large patio space to cover, you can position more than one outdoor heater to cover the entire area.

No matter which model is best for your needs, there are few pleasures greater than sitting outside on a gorgeous night, the stars twinkling overhead, warm and cozy even when the days are cool. Heating your patio vastly expands the time that you can spend enjoying your outdoor living space.