Having dinner on the patio, deck or screened porch and talking late into the evening is relaxing and enjoyable. If you have a patio heater you can start your evenings out earlier in the spring and extend them into late fall or early winter.

If there's a smoker - especially a cigar smoker - in the family and they aren't allowed to smoke in the house, you can make them a bit more comfortable when they are smoking outside if there is a patio heater to turn on.

If you love to take a telescope outside and look at the stars, you know how cold it can get as you stand quite still finding stars and comets. Having a patio heater nearby will make it easier for you to concentrate.

Quite frankly any task that keeps you outside during cooler months, is more enjoyable if you have a heater to keep you warmer. And that includes those home improvement tasks you've got to do.

A powerful patio heater will have about 40,000 BTU and that will heat up about a 15-foot radius. But there are many other smaller patio heaters out there. So it's important to find out what the power level is and how far away from the patio heater will be warmed.

You should find out how far away from the nearest wall and awning it should be. If it is a 360 degree pattern this could be very important. If its heat radiates for a half-circle, can it be placed up against a wall, or does there have to be a minimum distance.

Does the patio heater use a 20-pound propane tank or a 1-pound propane tank. If it comes with a small tank capacity, can you upgrade it with a kit? How long will the propane tank last.

Is there a safety valve that shuts the heater and propane tank down if the patio heater tilts or falls over.

Can you easily move the patio heater. Does it have wheels. Is it light enought for you to carry.

I've found some of the most popular patio heaters for you and listed their most important characteristics below. There are different brands and sizes. All have received high marks from their reviews. I know you'll find one that fits your needs.

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The powerful 41,000-BTU Patio Heater will keep your patio warm up to 12 hours with one standard take of propane gas. You'll easily heat up 175 square-circle with a 15-foot radius. Perfect for cool nights when you want to be outside on the deck, patio or even pool-side.

There's an easy load cabinet to keep things simple and a push-button piezo-start to make this patio heater easy to start. A thermostat will keep the temperature where you want it. For safety's sake there is an automatic shut-down if the unit tilts.

44,000 BTU Patio Heater with a 7-foot heating radius. Each 20-pound propane take should provide 11 hours of heat. Made of Aluminum and anodized steel. Stands 87 inches tall and 18 inches wide. It'll keep those cigarette and cigar smokers warm in the winter, if you make them smoke outside.

Great if you have a screened-in porch for family dinners. The Endless Summer Table Top Patio Heater is only 39 inches high with a 20.5-inch wide dome. So it's size makes it very portable. As does the small 1-pound propane cylinder. You can get a kit to use a 20-pound propane tank. All total there's about 11,000 BTU that keeps a radius of about 7-feet warm.

40,000 BTU stainless steel patio heater has a 22-foot heating area. Built to last because a special powder coating prevents rust and corrosion. It has a Piezoelectric pilot lighter and an adjustable heat control to keep you pleasantly warm on chilly nights. There is a large reflector that provides consistent and uniform heat to the warming area.

Outdoor Leisure Propane Bistro Table Patio Heater packs up to 16,000 BTUs to keep your patio warm for hours and it does it in a beautiful simulated cocoa brown granite. So it will be a decorative feature as it radiates heat in 360 degrees. Easily hooks up to a 20-pound propane tank in seconds. At 16,000 BTUs it provides about 26 hours of heat; at 9,600 BTUs it provides about 45 hours of heat. Integrated wheels make it easy to move it to the best spot.

This beautiful hammered bronze patio heater is also a light; you can turn them on together or separately. Projects heat at a 160 degree radius from head to toe. This patio heater and light uses a standard 20-pound propane cylinder. It can either be set to high or low. On high the propane will last about 12 hours; on low about 21 hours. An easy-starting electronic ignition lets anyone get it going. If you only use the light the propane gas should last for 170 hours. It has integrated wheels so you can move it anywhere you choose.