Five of the best portable heaters for al fresco hosting

This rustic-looking heater (designed to resemble a chiminea) has a flame effect, for extra cosiness. Lightweight but with a maximum output of 1800W, it will quickly heat up a small to medium-sized room.

At the top of the range, this Dyson heats very well (and cools too) while removing impurities from the air. The temperature can be controlled on an app and it’s very energy efficient.

Great for small spaces, Russell Hobbs’s well-priced retro heater has a handle that makes it easy to move between rooms, and the controls (though limited) are easily accessible.With 2500W of power, this is “the supercar of the heating world”. It provides brilliant heating coverage, has a useful timer and can be controlled from afar with a remote (£229; ao.com).

With 2500W of power, this is “the supercar of the heating world”. It provides brilliant heating coverage, has a useful timer and can be controlled from afar with a remote.

If you need instant heat, this is a good choice. It has controls that make it easy to customise the heat output; it can be used with or without the fan and can be tilted to focus heat, but the cable is a little short.