7 Best Deer Blind Heater of 2023 [Review]
To make the long and cold hours in the hunting blind more pleasant and bearable, a heating element could be a good investment. There are a lot of different blind warmers and heating elements on the market today that can save you from the heat for just under $100, so there is no need for a huge investment to make your life better in the field.
We have had the pleasure of testing various hunting blind heaters, which we found to work the best.
Best Deer Hunting Blind Heater Reviewed and Rated
1. Mr. Heater F232000 – Best Overall
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Our favorite heater on this list is Mr.Heater Buddy; it provides sufficient heat in the ground blind without making any noise or smell.
With 9000 BTUs available, you have more than enough power to heat 225 square inches of space. In addition to its power, the heater buddy has some great safety features.
There is a built-in shut-off mechanic that turns the heater off if it were to fall or if it detects low oxygen levels in your ground blind.
We found it giving us a great amount of heat and doing it in a pleasant and non-disturbing way. The only downside we found is that the bottle didn’t last as long as we expected, but it’s still our top recommendation for those who want a solid heater for a good price.
2. Mr. Heater Big Buddy
- Indoor-safe portable propane heater for rooms up to 95...
- Continuous odor-free, 45-degree heating angle. Maximum...
- Simple on/off buttons; uses 1-pound disposable propane...
Here is yet another great heater from Mr.heater. The Big Buddy is similar to the buddy, just that it’s bigger. With its extra power, you can heat a 300-square-inch space. It didn’t take 10 minutes from when we started the heater to when our ground blind was completely warm.
3. Mr. Heater Little Buddy
- 4, 000- to 18, 000-BTU radiant heater for spaces up to 450...
- When operating the heater at altitudes over 7, 000 FT above...
- Auto shut-off if tipped over, if pilot light goes out, or if...
The Litlle Buddy is a compact heater churning out a total of 38000 BTUs, sufficient to heat a 95 square inch blind or tree stand; as the name states, it is a small heater weighing only 6 pounds and is about a foot tall. With a 1-lb propane tank, you can get a total of 5.5 hours of heat. You can bring an extra bottle or two if you need more.
What we enjoyed about Little buddy was its design. It points 45 degrees upwards, allowing you to point it straight into your face or upper body, giving you a nice breeze of warm air at all times. The porcelain-coated surface ensures that the heat is well distributed through the hole.
It’s featured with the same security features as the larger buddy versions, the auto shut-off that gets activated if the heater tilts or the oxygen levels get low.
A downside of the little buddy is that it’s either on or off, and there is no adjustment knobs to reduce or increase the heat.
Still, with this in mind, we found it to be the most portable and best-performing heater of its size and price range.
4. Mr. Heater MH45T
- Hi-med-low regulator
- Three tip-over safety shut-off
- Mounts on 20-100lb. Propane cylinder
The Mr.heater three burners are designed with a propane tank with three heating elements. The Mr.heater Three burners are our top recommendation if you want a simple, heavy-duty heater.
You can attach a 1 to 100-lb propane tank on the heater, allowing you to heat your ground blind for several hours if you want. It has a heater with 45 000 BTUs, but you have a knob to adjust the heat. Three options, low, medium, and high, allow you to adjust the heat to your liking.
With its control panel, you can choose to have one heating element active, two, or three. The heating elements are featured with a match-lit ignition.
With its power and amount of heating elements, you can efficiently heat up to 500 square inches and do so for a long time because of its propane attachment.
A few users on amazon have experienced instances where Mr.Heater has spit fire; we did not experience this, but it’s something to be aware of since it can be dangerous. In addition, a few users complained that their heater only worked for a month, which shows a lack of quality control in their manufacturing.
But if you need a heater for a large space that allows bigger tanks to be attached, we recommend the MH45T.
5. Texsport Sportsmate
- Steel reflector with safety grid is present
Texsport Sportsmate is a portable version that can provide heat for 9 hours. It has significantly less power than Mr. Heater, with barely 2900 BTUs, compared to Mr. heater’s little buddy, with 35000 BTUs. This resulted in a lower heat output than we expected, but it worked when we kept it close by.
With its 45 degrees design, you can point the heater to your upper body, face, or wherever you want. It is a simple heating solution that works great for smaller hunting blinds.
Its become of the most popular heating solutions for hunters in single or duo ground blinds, with over 600 happy customers on amazon rating it a 4.4 out of 5.
6. Texsport Portable Outdoor
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If you are on a tight budget, the Texsport portable outdoor is our recommendation. It’s a simplistic design that offers only the necessities without any added features or benefits like the other heaters on this list.
Still, if it’s simple and budget-friendly, the Texsport Portable outdoor is more than capable of heating a small ground blind. Several customers on Amazon have reported issues with the heater, so if you have the budget for Mr heater’s little buddy, this would be our recommendation. Still, if you want a quick and cheap solution to your heating problem, then there is nothing wrong going for the Texsport.
Things to look for when looking for the best Deer Hunting Blind Heater
Investing in a ground blind heater can make your hunting experience more pleasant. I have tried without and with heating elements, and I choose with heating elements every time.
Deers or other animals don’t have any night goggles to detect heat, and with the modern heating produced today making no noise or smell, there is no downside to using one.
But which one should you choose and what to look for when purchasing a ground blind heater? Let’s take a look!
Power
As stated in this article, the power or BTU has a huge effect on the efficiency of the ground blind heater. The higher the BTU, the more heat you will get from it. But we have seen heaters that provide a comfortable amount of heat with just 3000 BTUs, such as the Sportsman from Texsport.
Security
In the worst-case scenario, a heating element can result in a hire, so having security measures to prevent this is a must. The feature to look for is auto shut-off, which in most cases, will be active if its tilts.
Some brands, such as Mr.heater, have an additional security measure that prevents the oxygen levels in your ground blind from getting low. We are not sure how they can, but, obviously, it’s a feature that gives you peace of mind since you know that you are covered from the worst-case situations.
If there are no features such as this on your current deer ground blind heater, we suggest you firmly install the heater in the ground blind and bring rocks or any solid materials to support the heater from tilting.
To avoid low oxygen levels in the ground blind, you can make sure to have the windows open at all times to ensure sufficient airflow into your blind.
Price
Like most other products, the price is often correlated with the quality of the heater. This is not the case for all heaters, but commonly it is. We suggest you spit in a few extra bucks if you have the luxury of doing so; why you ask?
Because most of us will use these heaters every hunting season, it’s nice to have one that provides sufficient heat and is durable and safe. Mr.heat’s product line covers all of these requirements, which is why you will often find it recommended in forums and websites since it’s truly a great heating element.
Ease of use
Before you purchase a ground blind heater, you should ensure that it’s easy to use and set up. It’s unnecessary since you won’t set it up all too often throughout one season, but we have experienced those products where you need to manually screw the propane tank off to stop the propane flow. This can get pretty tiring, but sadly, it is the case for most heaters today.
Reviews
When you have found your desired product that fits your budget and requirements, a smart thing to do is to check the reviews and customers’ thoughts on the product. The customers are the most honest users of a product, which is why you should listen to them. With platforms such as amazon, it’s easy to read people’s experiences and thoughts on one product, so use it to your advantage to find the best product possible.
We have done this process for all the products on this list.
Stealth
If you are a hunter, the stealth requirement is an important one. Luckily in today’s market, several great products produce a great amount of heat while staying quiet, but not all of them do.
To increase the likely hood of a successful hunt, you should have a heating element that is both silent and doesn’t make any smell. A few of the heaters we tested produced a horrible burning type of smell, and a few made beeping noises or fan noises that were far from optimal for hunting.
So if you intend to use these heaters during a hunt, then make sure they are both silent and don’t produce any funky smells.
Adjustments
A feature that can increase the comfort of your ground blind is an adjustable knob or a control panel that allows you to change the heat output of the heating element.
You want the luxury of changing the heat if it gets too cold or too hot. If the product does or doesn’t is something you can easily figure out with articles such as this or reading on amazon.
This is far from a requirement, but it’s a nice one.
Type of heaters
There are currently two types of heaters sold today: electric and propane-driven. Electrical heaters can be great for garages and in other small areas where you have an electrical outlet, but for us hunters, a propane heater is the best choice. Since this will last longer, at least for us who don’t have a power outlet.
Can these heaters be used in a tree stand as well?
Yes! Although this is a deer blind and duck blind heater review, all the heaters in this list can be used in a tree stand. If you primarily use a tree stand while you hunt, we recommend you go for a more powerful and bulkier heater than you would in a ground blind. A good example of such a heater would be the Mr.heater big buddy or buddy, which suits well for tree stand hunters.
In a tree stand, the heaters are more prone to wind and harsh weather conditions, which is why we recommend sturdier models.
How to avoid low oxygen levels in the ground blind
Most heating elements sold in today’s market have features that automatically detect this and shuts-off. If you have such a heater would be no reason to worry about this, but there are certain scenarios where you have to.
If you have a heating element without such a feature, we recommend having some airflow into your ground blind. Leave a window or a zipper open to get and ensure that you get enough oxygen throughout your hunt. A CO detector could be handy equipment that can alert you if the oxygen levels are too low.
But regardless of the hunting blind heater, you should ensure that you always have sufficient oxygen levels with constant airflow or gadgets to alert you if the oxygen levels fall below optimal.
Please Note: We do NOT offer professional safety advice; you should always speak with a professional if unsure.
Why should you buy a ground blind heater?
Because of efficient manufacturers and clever designs, you can get a premium heater for about $100, which is not a lot, at least when you have the benefits in mind.
When we hunt, we spend several hours sitting and watching. Wouldn’t it be clumsy if a deer suddenly strolled by, but your fingers were too cold to shoot it?
A her can increase your comfort and happiness levels throughout your hunting season; sitting in the cold is not fun, at least not for long.
Instead of having to pack five layers of clothes, it’s easier to bring along a compact heater. They don’t weigh much nor take up a lot of space.
There are many benefits of having a ground blind heater and so few negative aspects. I am sure if you decide to invest in a solid ground blind heater, your friends will thank you as well.
Last words
We understand that it can be hard to choose which ground blind hunter to buy, but with our best ground blind heater, you should be at least a few steps closer to deciding which heating element you should purchase.
If you disliked all the heaters on our list, then make sure to read our checklist on what to look for in a heater, this way, you can be sure that you buy a heater that is worth your time and money.
I hope you found this article helpful and that you either learned something new or saved yourself some time in research for the best ground blind heater.
