Want a portable heater that you can use during power outages or to heat a workspace?
Your two main options are kerosene heaters and propane heaters.
Here’s what you need to know about kerosene vs. propane heaters to choose which is better for your needs.
Quick answer:
For occasional or emergency use, propane heaters are the better option. Compared with kerosene heaters, propane heaters are easier to maintain, and you don’t have to worry about the fuel going bad.
For regular use, kerosene heaters are more convenient and cheaper if you can access bulk kerosene. However, having multiple fuel types is always smart, so you have a backup.
See our favorite portable emergency heaters for indoor use:
Cost of Kerosene vs. Propane Heaters
There isn’t much difference between the price of kerosene and propane heaters. However, there may be a significant price difference for fuel.
If you stockpile large amounts of fuel or use your heater regularly, the fuel costs can add up. You’ll want to choose the heater which has cheaper fuel. Kerosene heaters are usually cheaper to run than propane heaters.
Kerosene vs. Propane Prices Per Gallon
Propane is almost always cheaper than kerosene when compared on a gallon-by-gallon basis.
Below are some 2021 retail prices for a gallon of propane or kerosene. Note that kerosene prices are much lower at a pump. If you buy it at a hardware store, 1-K kerosene can cost more than $10 per gallon. Likewise, large propane cylinders are much cheaper per gallon than small canisters.
Vermont:
- Kerosene: $3.43
- Propane: $3.01
New York:
- Kerosene: $3.57
- Propane: $2.95
Colorado:
- Propane: $2.44
- Kerosene: $2.05
Cost per BTU of Energy
While heating with propane may seem cheaper than kerosene, you need to look at the cost per energy potential.
A gallon of kerosene has roughly 135,000 BTUs of potential energy, whereas a gallon of propane has roughly 91,333.
Heating with kerosene is much cheaper than propane when calculating the cost per BTU.
To calculate cost per BTU:
- Find the price per gallon of the fuel
- Divide the price by the number of BTUs in the fuel
- Multiply by 1000
- This is the price per BTU
Other Fuel-Related Costs
Many other factors can affect the price of heating on kerosene vs. propane. For example:
- Fuel going bad: Kerosene will eventually go bad and burn poorly. By contrast, propane never goes bad. When you factor in the cost of kerosene, you may need to throw away propane can end up cheaper.
- Additives: You may want to put additives in your kerosene for long-term storage. These are an additional cost. Propane doesn’t need any additives.
- Storage tanks: Propane cylinders and underground tanks are expensive. Canisters and drums for kerosene are usually cheaper.
- Accessibility: Kerosene is only cheap if you can buy it at a pump. If you travel far to get it, the costs will add up. Propane is usually easier to find, and even delivery service costs aren’t that high in many areas.
Kerosene vs. Propane Storage
When it comes to storing fuel, propane heaters are better than kerosene. Propane tanks can safely be stored outdoors, even in the rain or snow.
While it isn’t generally recommended, you can even store a propane cylinder in a garage or shed. You may need to paint the tanks to prevent rust occasionally, but they can theoretically last for decades.
By contrast, kerosene must be stored in cool, dry places away from sunlight. It should not be stored outdoors. The ideal place for storing kerosene is a shed, which not everyone has.
Also Read: How to store kerosene
Shelf Life
Propane has an indefinite shelf life, so you don’t have to worry about it going bad. By contrast, kerosene typically does go bad within 2 to 5 years. There are kerosene additives that will extend the shelf life, but these are an additional cost. You can also clean old kerosene fuel, but it might damage your heater.
Read: Does kerosene go bad?
Maintenance of Kerosene vs. Propane Heater
Propane heaters require almost no maintenance at all. They just need to be kept clean and checked for leaks regularly.
By contrast, kerosene heaters require much more maintenance. You’ll need to empty the fuel before putting the heater away each season and completely clean it. The wick also needs to be trimmed, cleaned, or replaced regularly.
Read:
Burn Cleanliness
Of the two types, propane heaters burn cleaner than kerosene heaters. However, both can cause air pollution. The primary pollutants include:
- Carbon monoxide
- Carbon dioxide
- Nitrogen dioxide
- Sulfur dioxide
For this reason, you must always have ventilation when using a kerosene or propane heater indoors. You also must have a carbon monoxide detector.
Read:
Portability
Kerosene heaters are generally much easier to transport than propane heaters. With propane heaters, you have to transport the heavy, bulky propane tanks. By contrast, it is relatively easy to transport kerosene.
You can even store it in large drums and use siphons to transfer it to smaller, more portable containers, such as if you need to take it in your vehicle.
Moisture
One difference between kerosene and propane heaters that often gets overlooked is moisture. Both kerosene and propane put off moisture, but kerosene puts off much more.
- Kerosene: 1.1 gallons of moisture per gallon of kerosene burned
- Propane: 0.98 gallons of moisture per gallon of propane burned
This might seem a small difference, but it can matter in some situations. For example, propane heaters are generally better in tents because less condensation will drip on you than with a kerosene tent heater.
What type of heater do you prefer? Let us know why in the comments section below.
Related
See our guide to indoor heaters that don’t require electricity.
https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/Energy-Prices/Propane
https://publicservice.vermont.gov/about-us/plans-and-reports/fuel-reports/retail-prices-heating-fuels
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004565351401409X
Good summary, thanks!
Thank you for this article, it has really has taught me a lot and I am moving over to Kerosene now.
This is a good article. I’m sorry to see Kerosene disappearing from most gas stations. The last “at pump” place near me closed down a long time ago. Now I have to drive at least 20 miles (40 round trip) to get Kero at a pump. Still cheaper than the hardware store rip-off price, but really factors in when comparing to propane that is more readily available.
Unless you are heating a lot with Kerosene, it just isn’t worth the effort of obtaining the fuel anymore.
Good article. I like your books and plan on ordering. You have many interesting articles.