You are correct, sir. I could jam it in somewhere around here.

Now I'm thinking about the Coleman BlackCat Portable Catalytic Heater. I've read several good reviews of it at epinions.

Reviews of the Mr. Heater Portable Buddy seem much less positive, overall.

-- Craig

Twenty-pound tanks are out of the question right now. We live in a townhouse development and there is very little storage. Barely enough for your winter clothing.

I, too, have been thinking of getting one for a van I'm putting together. Cabela's has (or had) them on sale for a while now. They're listed to heat an area of about 200 sq.ft., which is about the size of a van interior. I'm not sure how they'd do in a larger house.
I have to tell you that I heard that propane should never - under any circumstances - be stored inside your home. I'm told it's a gas that's heavier than air, so that if the container leaks, this stuff will pool around ground level just waiting for an ignition source, like a furnace or water heater, to ignite it - with catastrophic results. They really can be a bomb waiting to happen. - Dave

P.S. - Have you ever considered a kerosene heater? I have two 'just in case.'



I find I really like mine. They're simple and reliable. There's still the problem of storing fuel. I keep (so far) eight 5-gallon cans of kerosene in my garage (with an additive in them to keep the fuel usable). Each heater holds about 2 gallons of fuel and will burn about a day on that much. One thing though, you might want to borrow one to use a time or two to see if you really like them before you buy. Some people swear by them, others at them. I understand your storage issue, can you add an outbuilding at a later date?

Edited untill I learn how to spell - Dave <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

Ok, I just found their website -

Mr. Heater

They list quite a few heaters, including the Portable Buddy and the larger Big Buddy, rated at heating 400 sq. ft., and it says 'For Home Emergency Use.'

For some reason, I'm getting a better feeling about buying one of these Coleman Catalytic Heaters.

They seem very portable, utilitarian, versatile, and inexpensive.

-- Craig

I got the Coleman Black Cat catalytic heater.

I used it twice in a tent, being careful and all that. It generates a very decent amount of heat, but depending on tent design, it may or may not warm the tent up that much.

I bought it after a camping trip where my girlfriend was very, very cold during the night. Since she won't invest in good gear, I had to buy the Black Cat for the "psychological effect". She finds it's helpful, so hey, good buy.

I guess such a buy is an investment. You don't use it very often, but once in a while, it comes in handy. It's also useful for emergencies in the winter.

In regards to camping though, don't count on the thing to make the tent very warm. If your girlfriend wants to get good gear, I would go that route instead.

Bye!

The only camping I do is in front of our TV set. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

And that is exactly where I'd use the Coleman BlackCat, in our living room. We have a nice flat slab of black slate in front of our almost useless fireplace. The fireplace is functional but so tiny it's basically decorative. I'd put the heater on the slab of black slate.

-- Craig

In this case, run to the nearest Coleman retailer store near you! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Go, go! And don't bother with the electronic ignition, get the cheaper model you can light with a match or a lighter.

My girlfriend and I are going camping this weekend and she bought the Coleman Black Cat catalytic heater for a 3-5 person tent with only two people in it. Will it be enough? I am manly and of course do not need a heater when camping but just in case it were to get to cold is there any cheats to keeping the tent warmer, other than the obvious. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Craig, if your fireplace is functional but too small, have you ever considered replacing it with a larger one? Is it natural gas or propane? I'm thinking a propane one, with a big bottle of propane on the premises would be a nice and self-contained source of heat. I'm not sure about natural gas fireplaces. I don't know much about natural gas service, and if or how often they go down in an emergency.