Thermoheat Radiant Propane Heater

Thermoheat Propane Heater  TT15CL Review

I am not a fan of cold weather.  In fact, I downright hate it and would really rather skip winter altogether, but so far I haven’t figured out a way to realistically sell everything I own and live on a balmy island each winter.   Just as the weather was turning cold in November, I got the call to work a follow-up shoot for a television pilot.  Here was the deal.  We needed to shoot outside, at night, with our talent to wear the same clothing they had worn when we shoot the first part in the hottest part of the summer.  I quickly realized that we are all going to be a little chilly, (especially the talent in short-sleeve shirts) and started to search for solutions.

That’s where the Thermoheat Radiant Propane Tank Top Heater comes into play.  I went to my local big box store, and picked one up for less than $50.  And Presto: matched with my propane tank, we might have a shot at not freezing to death while getting the video needed to complete the pilot.   The model I picked up is TT15CL.  It’s a single burner, small space heater, with variable BTUs from 9,000 – 15,000 BTU. The propane tank comes separately.

I was actually surprised at how easily the heater dish attached to the propane tank, and how quickly we had it up and running.  The hardest part about the whole process is remembering that when attaching the heater to the propane tank, that you turn the mounting bolt knob opposite of what you would think to tighten it in place.  You also have to make sure that it is all the way tightened down so that the propane can flow from the tank to the heat dish.

Once the heater is attached to the tank, the support leg should be adjusted so that the heater is secure on the propane tank and won’t move around.   Of course, you should always follow the manufacturers instructions, but here’s the general gist to operating the heater.

Once the heater and the propane tank are connected, open the cylinder valve on the propane tank by turning it clockwise.

Then turn the heater regulator knob to high.

Then insert a match or long lighter into the ignition hole, and push in the safety shut-off valve plunger.  If you did everything just right, the heater should light.  But you still have to hold down the plunger a bit longer to make sure it stays lit.  Once it’s lit, you can turn the knob to the heat setting you choose.

So how did it work and what are the features you ask?  For the price and for the portability, I thought it worked exceptionally well.  This model is designed to heat up to a 15ft. radius, so it’s good for gathering around it outside, or in a well-ventilated shop.  It is NOT designed for indoor use (other than the shop or in construction areas).  It has a high efficiency steel heat reflector, and resists rust.  And, what I think may be the most important thing, the heater has tip over safety feature, so that if the propane tank is knocked over, the heater automatically shuts itself off.

So, complaints?  I really didn’t have any, other than the fact that the heat it put out wasn't enough to make me believe I was on an island paradise somewhere, but I digress.   The biggest complaint I saw from user reviews online, was that knobs break, but I think that might have more to do with having to turn them the opposite direction than what you are generally used to.  Righty tighty, lefty loosey, don’t apply here.  A couple of people said they hadn’t been able to get it to light again after the first use, but we’ve used this in the Tool Skool shop several times, and it has lit and worked well each time.

It also is pretty efficient with propane use.  You can leave it on low for most of the day, or turn it off and on as needed and get through a day or more with one tank of propane.  While other heaters may have more power, they also use far more propane, so it can be a tradeoff.

I personally will give most anything that keeps me warm a thumbs up and the Thermoheat Radiant Propane Tank Top Heater is no exception.

Note: Check out our review on the Mr. Heater Hero 60 Cordless Propane Heater HERE.

For more info on this product: CLICK HERE