Mr. Heater Portable Buddy MH9BX vs Camplux Portable Propane Heater

The Mr. Heater Portable Buddy is the better pick for campers, anglers and anyone who needs heat away from an outlet: it runs on a 1-lb bottle, weighs under 10 lb and folds flat to carry. The Camplux is a floor-standing tank heater that puts out up to 18,000 BTU and rolls on casters, so it suits a garage, porch or jobsite where a 20-lb tank can sit. The Buddy has a long track record and thousands of owner ratings; the Camplux has far fewer ratings, so its reputation is thinner. Build on both is basic steel and plastic, and both rely on an oxygen depletion sensor and tip-over shutoff rather than anything fancier.

• Choose the Mr. Heater Portable Buddy if you want heat you can carry in one hand and run off a small propane bottle on a deck, in a tent or on the ice.
• Choose the Camplux if you need to heat a larger space like a garage or patio and can keep a 20-lb tank parked next to it.