Reddit reviews Mr. Heater F274800 MH18B, Portable Propane Heater,Red,Regular

I feel like first and foremost you need to educate yourself a little on some of the dangers and risks associated with different heaters. Take it from a man who heats his home primarily with a wood stove, what you don't know can kill you. Be smart, first and foremost.

Now since you're posting in frugal, I'll run down some more affordable options for you. The most frugal thing to do is not to heat your garage, but to heat you. Who cares if the garage is -30 so long as you are comfortable? Get either a good sleeping bag, or a ton of good comforters. I prefer to sleep in a cold room and love being under one or two synthetic down comforters. Good ones are very warm and while it is a bit of an up front investment, I'd prefer to spend $50-$200 in down comforters than $20 on a portable heater and $30/month on electric every month (random figure could be far higher if you are using multiple heaters full time in this poorly insulated space). I presume you are sleeping on a bed but just in case you are using a futon or something like that, know that you need to insulate the top AND the bottom of your body and a thin mattress will not retain as much heat.

Still cold? More options...
these zippo hand warmers run on lighter fluid and could go in pockets for ya. To put them out cut off the oxygen by sealing them inside an airtight container like a ziplock.
for sleeping an electric blanket would be far more efficient to keep you warm than heating the whole garage.
have you tried sleeping in a hoodie or with a stocking cap on? That makes a big difference in my experience winter camping. There is a reason that in the poem "twas the night before Christmas" that they talked about "And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap," that's because everybody slept with nightcaps on back in the day because the house gets cold overnight without modern HVAC.
Wool socks. seriously - check them out.

Now you asked about propane and I don't want to ignore your question. I have one of these Mr Heater buddies and have used it in the past with the little 1lb propane cylinders. I got it on clearance years ago for $30 and obviously you'll pay far more buying one now at the beginning of the season. Frankly it'll help heat your garage but I don't think it would get it up to totally comfortable levels for you from the sounds of it.
Better yet I happened to come by one of these job site heaters for a steal and this is the kind of thing that could heat your space. Now you are using 20lb propane cylinders but trust me they can push out the heat.
Just please, please promise me - if you get a propane heater get both a smoke alarm and a carbon monoxide alarm, because misuse of these things get people killed every year.

Get a Mr.Buddy Heater, they are safe for indoor use and you will also need to stock up on propane, the little 1lb tanks (2$ on clearance at Wal-mart right now) or get the adapter that can run off of your 20lb tank that is commonly used for your grill. They start at 65$ and go up to $120. Also to maximize your heat, you should cover your windows and ceiling with cheap Mylar emergency blankets.

It works really well. I don't know about a portable cooling unit powerful enough but heating is easy with this thing. It's around 18 outside here and 65 in the garage with all flaps closed.

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy says that it is good for up to 200 square feet:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002G51BZU/

The "Big Buddy" is good for up to 400 square feet but costs $134:

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-MH18B-Portable-Propane/dp/B0002WRHE8/

I have this. It's amazing. Electric won't get you there.

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-MH18B-Portable-Propane/dp/B0002WRHE8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449266494&sr=8-1&keywords=mr+heater+big+buddy

I own one of these. The tents were an extreme example, a rented gymnasium would likely work best.

this is what I use, Mr. Heater There is no worries about Carbon monoxide, I bought a Carbon monoxide detector and it has never even changed from 0. I live in WI, its been freezing here the last few days and I can heat my 17x15 room in my garage in about 10 min. I can work out in shorts and a T shirt. After a good 30 min. I turn it off or down to low. From a different post

Here is the desktop version of your link

If you were in the southern U.S. I might recommend replacing the AC if you're planning on living there for several more years, due to the electricity you'd save during the cooling season. A newer AC unit might drop your electric bill by half or more in the summer.

However, in Michigan, I'm guessing your summers are short and probably not that severe. A newer furnace would use less energy but efficiency improvements over the past 20-ish years aren't nearly as good on heating as they have been on cooling.

I say keep the ones you have until they're dead. Get a couple space heaters for emergencies, preferably at least one that is non-electric. This one runs off 1lb propane cylinders, safe to use indoors and works really well. Be sure to get a half dozen or so propane cylinders with it as it goes through them pretty quick on the high setting.

1. Wool and linen. NO COTTON! Socks, tunics, scarves, gloves, hats. Lots of wool, and linen underneath.
   
   
2. Use a product like Montana Pitch Blend or Sno-Seal to make your boots water-resistant. Reapply regularly.
   
   
3. Propane heaters for unheated buildings! We have eight of these, they're great: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002WRHE8
   
   
4. Pace yourself, make sure you eat and drink, and go indoors for a warming break BEFORE you need to.
   
   We gets lots of snow in upstate New York. :)
   
   http://i.imgur.com/sLqdgFc.jpg
   
   http://i.imgur.com/otc62rc.jpg

I used this all last winter in my garage. Worked great, though I sent through a ton of propane. It's indoor safe.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002WRHE8/ref=pd_aw_sbs_1?pi=SL500_SY115&simLd=1&dpPl=1&dpID=51MeNdw3nDL._SY200_QL15_&slTrans=0&ref=nsDpPl#

I bought it from either home Depot or lowes.

Edit: this thing puts out a lot of heat. I melted a pair of jeans by resting my legs right next to this. My mistake, but this will keep you warm IMO.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002WRHE8/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1420810986&sr=1&keywords=propane+heater

I bought this, HIGHLY recommended.

Also, I got 6mm plastic and lined all the ceiling and walls. Then got the $0.50/sq/f cheap carpet at home depot and line the floor and walls with it. insulates pretty decent.

Okay thanks. Just did a quick search for propane heaters, these look good https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-MH18B-Portable-Propane/dp/B0002WRHE8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486232562&sr=8-1&keywords=mister+heater+big+buddy

When there's no electricity, the most effective way is to use a catalytic propane heater. Something like this.

First, be extremely careful. Many sources of heat will produce carbon monoxide, which is deadly.

A properly installed fireplace or wood stove is best. If you can't install those, you'll want kerosene or propane heater which are certified as safe for indoor use. This is the one I recommend.

> Mr. Heater, Big Buddy

Is this the one you're talking about? It's getting great reviews. I'd just connect a hose to a 20lb propane tank. Is that what you do?

Big Buddy propane heater. It has an oxygen and tip over sensor and is safe to run indoors. You can hook it up to larger (5 gal+) propane tanks with the caveat that the tank is outside and you get the proper hook up line with a regulator. They have battery powered fans or you can purchase an ac adapter. I love mine, use it for camping (in the tent), for cold spring baseball or fall football games and practices, outdoor activities and as back up if the power goes out. https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-F274830-Indoor-Safe-Portable/dp/B0002WRHE8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484197402&sr=8-1&keywords=big%2Bbuddy%2Bheater&th=1