Heaters for Outdoor Catering: What Pays Off
Every week the terrace remains usable longer in autumn is additional revenue. This guide shows how much heating power you need per seat, why infrared is almost always the right choice in gastronomy, and what the operation actually costs per evening.
Why Infrared and Not Gas
- Infrared warms people, not air: the heat reaches where the guest sits – outdoors this is the key difference
- Instant on: no preheating time, no cooling down – fits operations where guests come and go
- No bottle handling: no gas bottles, no storage, no changes during service
- Fewer regulations: gas devices involve installation and storage regulations, which many municipalities additionally tighten
How Much Power Do You Need?
| Situation | Rule of Thumb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Wind-protected, covered | approx. 300–400 W per seat | Table for 4: one 1,500 W heater |
| Open terrace | approx. 500–700 W per seat | Table for 4: one 2,000–2,500 W heater |
| Drafty, freestanding | approx. 800–1,000 W per seat | Table for 4: two heaters or one 3,000 W device |
Mounting height: 2.20 to 2.50 m is the usual compromise. Lower causes hotspot overheating, higher dissipates the effect.
What Does Operation Cost?
A 2,000 W heater consumes 8 kWh in four hours of operation. At 30 ct/kWh that is around €2.40 per evening per device. Six heaters over a 100-evening season result in about €1,440 electricity costs – for a table for 4 that thus gets occupied at all, this pays off quickly.
Practical saving lever: zone control instead of running everything constantly, and choosing devices with dimming or remote control. A heater over an empty table warms the sky.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wall, ceiling or freestanding unit?
Wall and ceiling mounting is less conspicuous, theft-proof and saves space. Freestanding units are flexible but require cables on the floor – a tripping hazard in the guest area.
Are heaters allowed everywhere?
On own premises generally yes. For special use of public spaces the municipality decides – some cities restrict heaters. Check with the regulatory office before purchase.
What protection rating do I need?
For outdoors at least IP44, better IP65 under open sky. This info is in the technical data of every device.
Are golden heaters better than red ones?
Gold tubes (“Golden”) emit less visible light and thus dazzle less – more pleasant for guests at the same heat output.
Heaters at Gastro-Nik
- Bartscher ST2000 E – 2,000 W, the budget entry
- Bartscher W2000 E – 2,000 W for wall mounting
- Bartscher W3000 E – 3,000 W for open areas
- Saro GOLDEN 2000 AMBER FOCUS – low-glare gold tube
- Saro 2400 GIANT – 2,400 W for large terraces
How many heaters does your terrace need?
Send us the area and seating capacity – we'll calculate power and connections.
Last updated on 1 September 2026.