We’re reader-supported and may be paid when you visit links to partner sites. We don’t compare all products in the market, but we’re working on it!
Top rated for safety, Bosch beat out brands like Rinnai and Real Flame to win the Finder Award for the best gas heater brand. It also rated highly for features and functions and performance.
Australian gas heaters come in two main types: flued and unflued.
One thing that causes a lot of concern when buying a gas heater is the fear of a room filling up with dangerous fumes and emissions. A flued gas heater solves this problem as it has a pipe that takes gases outside so the air in your room stays clean. Since installation is required, there are extra costs involved, and you won't be able to move your heater from room to room. Many models offer features like a remote control, a programmable timer and child locks, and you can often use an existing fireplace to place your heater and take advantage of the chimney.
Cons
An unflued gas heater is a portable heater that uses a gas bottle tucked into the back. Most of the gas turns into heat, and it can heat up a room quickly. There are rules around what type of room you can use an unflued heater in, so they are recommended for living areas rather than bedrooms or studies.
Unflued heaters come in two different types:
Cons
Unflued heaters tend to cost anywhere between $400 and $1,500, whereas flued heaters range from $400 to $2,200.
Not all gas heaters have the same heating ability, so it's important to understand what you should be looking at when browsing your options. Check out our round-up of the best gas heaters on the market this year for more information.
The heater that you buy should be able to adequately heat the room size that you will keep it in. Since it is illegal to use unflued heaters in smaller rooms, you will need to check the regulations on what is considered a small room in your state. Unflued heaters are better for larger rooms and living areas, but you'll also need to consider the heat output versus the size of the room.
As a guide, you can count on 1kWh being able to heat around 10 square metres (sqm). So if you have a smaller room of around 30sqm, your heater will need 3kWh of heat output to heat the room efficiently. Larger areas of 80sqm will need 8kWh of heat output.
To heat your room faster, look for the highest MJ/h rating in the heaters that are suitable for your room size. Gas is measured in megajoules (MJ), and the higher this number, the more gas will be used for faster heating. Flued heaters have a maximum input of more than 20MJ, and unflued heaters have a maximum input of around 10MJ.
If you are specifically looking at flued heaters, consider the following features:
Deciding on whether a gas or an electric heater is the right choice for your home can be difficult. Check out the main differences between the two so you can find the right solution for your heating needs.
Check out our full guide to electric heaters
If you and your family are not sensitive to gas emissions, have larger rooms that you want to heat and don't mind paying a bit extra upfront, a gas heater could be the right choice for you.
| Total Score | Overall rating | Value for Money | Features & Functionality | Performance | Safety | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bosch | 8.17 | 4.48 | 4.16 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.48 |
| Rinnai | 8.16 | 4.47 | 4.37 | 4.43 | 4.45 | 4.33 |
| Braemar | 7.81 | 4.17 | 4.28 | 4.39 | 4.28 | 4.33 |
| Paloma | 7.58 | 4.14 | 4.43 | 4.11 | 4.29 | 4.25 |
| Cannon | 7.56 | 4.09 | 4.16 | 4.14 | 4.14 | 3.98 |
| Other | 7.53 | 4.08 | 4 | 4.08 | 4.25 | 4.17 |
| Real Flame | 7.52 | 4.17 | 4.09 | 4.09 | 4.26 | 3.96 |
| Everdure | 7.46 | 4.07 | 3.97 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.07 |
| Brivis | 7.16 | 3.88 | 4.03 | 3.85 | 3.94 | 4.21 |
We’ve done the research to find the 8 best gas heaters in Australia to help combat the winter chill.
