Best Ice Fishing Heaters: Stay Warm in 2023

Ice fishing is an incredibly popular winter pastime, but it can be a challenge to stay warm and comfortable while out on the ice.

Fortunately, there are now several types of heaters, both portable and stationary, that will keep you nice and warm during your next ice-fishing adventure.

From propane-powered heaters to electric models with built-in thermostats, there’s something for everyone when it comes to staying warm while ice fishing.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best ice fishing heaters available in 2023, so you can find one that suits your needs perfectly.

Best Ice Fishing Heaters in 2023

Mr. Heater F232000 MH9BX Buddy

Well, staying in ice fishing huts for mere minutes turned into hours if resting or residing there for a couple of days, all require the appropriate amount of heating.

The heater is quite a compact thing whose dimensions are mere 7.7 ×13.4× 15 inches, and it weighs around only 9 pounds.

So you see, it isn’t that heavy and thus can be carried uphill with moderate effort! With its fold-down handle, Mr. Heater can be moved quite quickly.

This 4000-9000 BTU patented radiant heater is known to heat up to 225 square feet. If you are put in the hut for long hours, you must require it to be heated.

And heating needs to be proper and warm enough to be used outdoors.

This heater is connected to a propane tank that supplies the required fuel. It is from the light here in space that you lit the candle. The heater burns at a rate of 0.044 Gal/Hr. 

One great thing about this heater is its feature of auto-switching off. This ensures that if you go above 7100 meters, the heater switches off due to the lack of oxygen.

This keeps you safe and the heater damage-free for more extended periods!

The operation of the heater is pretty easy with its swivel-out regulator.

All you need to do before using it is read the manual instructions carefully and check out the warnings at various places in the heater. If all is okay, then light the match.

Campy Gear 2-in-1 Heater

Well, I personally have a thing for equipment that has multiple purposes. The reason being a) they are better investments, and b) they are just plain cool.

And you see, that is precisely what attracted me to search for this particular piece of Heater.

The Campy Gear heater can be used for only cooking, only heating, or it can also be used simultaneously for heating and cooking.

This two-on-one heater can be fueled by 110gm and 230 gm of propane, butane, or isobutane.

And the best part about it is that these fuels can be either stored inside the stove, or you can also connect a 1lb propane cylinder with an extension hose or adapters. Pretty easy and convenient!

This small business effective piece of amazement can be taken out for outdoor adventures during the chilly winter months.

It has a gorgeous design of 360⁰ radiant heating that can warm you up in minutes when you sit surrounding it! Its maximum heating output is 9000-10000 propane heaters.

Working like a regular stove, the Campy Gear also allows you to regulate the heating temperature of the food while cooking.

It also permits average pot sizes of 3.9 inches to 12 inches. Trust me, with this, it’s like you are at your home base just for an outdoor dinner!

The campy gear guarantees you satisfaction with its warm presence, offering you comfort and grub on the chilly mountaintops. It makes a home out of your ice shanties at low temperatures and is one of the best propane heater for ice fishing!

Texsport Sportsmate Heater

Well, this is one heater with an umm…quite unusual appearance. But its functions are pretty awesome. You can easily take up your outdoor adventures, which are bound to keep you warm and comfy!

So, the propane heater per se looks nothing like a conventional heater. Instead, it is just a rectangular-shaped structure constructed using essentially stainless steel.

It has a mesh-like opening in the middle.

The heater in its entirety is pretty small and compact and thus can easily be carried from place to place. And it is also protected by a grid-like structure that is there for safety purposes.

The heater is roomy enough to contain 16.4 and 14.1 Oz propane containers.

What I like about this heater is that it comes with a foldable plastic paddle foot base that holds the propane container for increased stability.

It also comes with a molded plastic cup holder for better convenience. 

A great thing about it is that it had an auto shut-off valve. This switches off the supply as soon as the flame goes out. This makes it safe and secure!

Say you are out in your ice fishing shanty. But during the daytime, you don’t require a lot of heat from the heater.

The Texsport heater operates on a control knob and thus allows you easy temperature regulations. This knob can adjust the heat up to 2890 BTUs. 

Therefore if you are looking for a portable, compact, stable, safe, and easy-to-operate heater, the Texsport Sportsmate is for you! And I can promise you this is one of the best ice shanty heater out there.

AKUSAKO Camping Heater

So, the first thing that attracted me to this particular piece of beauty was its appearance. I love the bright orange-colored compact look of the ice fishing heaters.

And the thing that hooked me to it was its two-in-one functionality. 

You go ice fishing for a few days only with damaged food. Sounds tragic, right? It is.

But this could be transformed into a pseudo-man vs. wild episode with Heaters As fun as the Akusako ones.

Thus the heater operates on butane, isobutane, and propane. It can be used as a stove for cooking and a heater to keep you warm and cozy on cold winter nights on mountaintops.

It is a small thing of, 11 inches in width, 11 inches in length, and 14 inches in height, weighing less than 8.5 pounds.

Thus this is one of the most portable and easy-to-carry heaters. It even has a handle that helps it to be carried. It also comes with a Propane hose regulator and two fixed wrenches.

With its design, it quickly provides radiant heating. It can provide up to 3.5 kW of heat. So you have to sit around it with your friends, and you’ll be warmed up in no time!

Coming to the cooking features, this heater provides you with regulatory temperature. So I’d you are making coffee or trying to fly the latest fish, you can easily set your temperature.

And this portable heater cum stove supports cooking pots of 3.8 to 11 inches.

The heater is made of durable materials that reduce the chance of easy damage. It also comes with an adjustable cooker and heater. You can operate it at your discretion which makes it one of the best ice fishing shanty heaters.

Mr. Heater MH18B Heater

This is one of the best propane Heaters out there. It might not be as small and compact as other Heaters, and some might consider it ugly-looking.

But I say, for ice fishermen, you and I are more concerned about the functions than the looks.

And this monster heater, with dimensions of 16.7×11.2×12 inches and weighing around 1 pound, is known for its accessible heating properties.

What I like best about it is that it can heat up to 450 square feet. With this, you can either heat your ice fishing hut or, if you are out with a larger group, all of you can sit around the heater and enjoy its heat.

The heater radiates the heat of 4000-18,000 BTU from a 1 lb propane cylinder.

The heat radiation can be regulated with the knob that has the setting of low, medium, and high settings. So suppose, suddenly, the temperature soars up in your area. 

But it isn’t even warm to switch off the heater. In that case, you can quickly put it on a low setting and enjoy the mild warmth in another wise chilled weather.

Also, it is incredibly friendly of the heater to engage in an automatic shutdown system with low oxygen levels.

You don’t need to worry about high-blowing winds tipping over your propane heater.

You keep it beside you, and if the winds drop the heater, you can easily pick it up when the wind passes. Its safety features also continue with the automatic shut-off in case of tip-offs.

So, summing it all up I can say that this is one of the best ice fishing tent heaters you can buy.

Stanford Radiant Heater

The market is replete with conventional propane Heaters that are inconvenient and difficult to carry around.

Even the ones labeled lightweight don’t seem to deliver much. But the Stanford Radiant Heater is convenient and portable with its unique design.

So, the heater itself produces heat of 3100 BTUs. UT uses 16.4 Oz propane cylinders.

But what I like about it is that it is designed in a way that has a way of concentrating the heat. How?

The Stanford Radiant Heater has a metal dish that you can point at a space to concentrate heat. This will give you a full blast of warmth!

So if you are alone and using it on a cold winter night, you can easily keep the dish towards you.

Also, you don’t have to worry about the exposed surface of the dish because it is usually behind a safety grid.

Another thing about this heater is its four adjustable settings (off, high, medium, low) of temperature regulations.

Thus you don’t have to suffer in uncomfortable heat or chilled weather anymore. 

Carry Stanford with you on your ice-fishing adventures. They are worth it. It also has an easy-to-carry handle that helps you carry it around from place to place.

This carrying also is more accessible because of its dimensions of 8.8×5.5×5.5 inches, and it weighs only about 0.87 kilograms.

It also has a surfaced plastic stand that stabilizes the heater with the cylinder. This base is folded out. That means even the floor is portable on it too!

Mr. Heater Little Buddy

I bought this heater recently and have been using it for some time. This heater is indoor-safe and is suitable for a room of around 90 square feet.

It is easy to carry around if you are looking for a portable. This heater offers a continuous odor-free 45-degree heating angle which is good if you want to sleep with the heater.

The maximum elevation of this heater is around 7000 feet. My last heater used to take up all the oxygen in the room, and eventually, we had to open the windows, which defeated the purpose of having the heater on.

But this heater has an automatic low-oxygen shut-up system which is perfect if you are looking for a heater to be used in small spaces.

It looks small and is not like those other Chunky heaters. It has a one-on button, so it mixes easier for my kids to you.

Runtime for maximum BTU is a round of 5.6 hours which I think is better than the heater I had before. If you are looking for a compact heater, you should go for it.

Mr. Heater Double Tank Top Outdoor Heater

I was looking for a heater that has a clean look, and I found this heater has a regulator to control the heat settings, which is precisely what I needed because I live in a moderate to cold region.

The setting can be set for anywhere from 10 to 30000 BTU.

The heaters also offer two tip-over safety shut-offs and a polished Chrome reflector which comes in handy when kids come around.

The heater has a soft nose P.O.L and a premium-grade stainless steel burning surface. This can be used outside camps, sporting events, construction sites, etc. 

The heater is mounted on a 20lb propane cylinder and has directional, adjustable heads. The heater can operate one or two burners at a time.

These ice fishing shelters are a good option for you if you like to spend more time outdoors and live in a cold region or someone who likes camping a lot like me.

This heater heats a small tent for around 1 hour and is easy to use.

DEWALT DXH12B Portable Heater

This portable heater has helped me to stay warm on those cold days. The heater puts out quite a bit of heat and can be used in sporting events, camping, outside, etc.

The heater comes with 3 USB ports, making charging electronics easier. 

Additionally, the heater has a dual tank capacity, providing up to 7 hours of runtime. It lasts for a long time compared to the previous heater I had before this.

It has an integrated high-velocity fan which helps in dispersing the heat all around. The eater has a powerful LED light bar ideal for working conditions. 

This heater is quiet and reliable, which is ideal for me as I don’t like the sound of those other heaters.

This is an excellent work site heater. Depending on the insulation and size, it will raise the temp a few degrees.

I wanted something I could put by my work set up and give me some heat to warm my hands. This is perfect. The two bottles last about 8 hours, depending on how high you set the temp.

How to Choose Heaters for Ice Shelters

It is not easy to choose a heater for any ice fishing shelter with many options in the market.

We have enlisted a few points one needs to consider before purchasing a heater that can be used inside an ice fishing tent.

Insulation

The insulation level of your tent helps you to decide the kind of heater you need for your planned expedition.

You should consider an indoor safe heater with a well-insulated, ventless tent for ice fishing.

If your shelter is insulated incorrectly, you should consider a larger indoor or outdoor heater.

Size

The size of the ice fishing heater is a highly significant point, and it depends upon your requirement for a particular adventure.

A compact size is effortless to carry around and store, while a larger heater requires more space and storage.

The BTU capacity is another factor to consider. A heater with variable BTU units and low-medium-high heat settings is the best and most practical catch as they serve all your purposes.

Time

The running time of ice fishing heaters varies from one heater to another and depends on the time you plan to stay on the ice.

The hours of heating also vary according to your heat setting from low to medium to high and on the coolness of the weather.

It is always advised to carry a backup gas tank for emergency cases.

Source of Power

Always check the kind of fuel the ice fishing heaters use and the type of cylinder the heater is compatible with.

The portable ice fishing heaters use one lb. propane fuel tanks, whereas the larger heaters work with disposable and refillable cylinders.

Safety

When purchasing ice fishing heaters, always ensure the safety features offered by the manufacturer.

This allows you to use the heater for an extended period safely. It is also necessary to check through and research the kind of air the heater delivers. The reason is that you do not want to inhale unsafe air.

The oxygen depletion sensors (ODS) and auto tip-over shut-off features should be provided in the heater for safe and protected use.

 The auto tip-over shut-off prevents a fire if the heater is accidentally tipped over. The ODS helps to warn the user when the level of oxygen falls and the level of CO gas heightens.

Final Words

No matter what type of ice fishing heater you choose, it can make a huge difference in your comfort level while out on the frozen lake.

Whether you opt for an electric model with thermostats or a propane-powered option, these heaters will help keep you warm and cozy during those cold winter days spent ice fishing.

We hope this article helped you to find a good ice fishing heater for your upcoming winter adventures so that the cold weather does not stop your endeavors.