Is Costco's Stylish Patio Pellet Heater Worth Buying? Here's What Reviews Are Saying

On cool days and even cooler nights, enjoying your patio or deck may seem like a far-fetched idea. After all, there's nothing relaxing about shivering and wishing you were back inside. However, with the right patio heater, you can create a comfortable atmosphere that transforms your outdoor space into a low-maintenance oasis that's equally cozy and functional.

Costco sells an 81-inch Steel Patio Pellet Heater by FlamePro. This patio heater offers a clear view of its fire through the windows in its base and is noted to provide up to four hours of burn time. It also features a PVC cover for protection from debris after the heater has completely cooled, allowing you to keep it out even when you've stored your patio furniture for the off-season.

When choosing an outdoor heater, it's important to look beyond the specs and see how it performs in real conditions. One of the best ways to do this is by taking the time to read reviews and learn what other consumers have to say about their purchase. At the time of writing, the FlamePro patio pellet heater has a 3.4-star average across 276 reviews on Costco's website.

Overall, the FlamePro pellet heater received mixed reviews on the Costco website, with 127 five-star ratings and 75 one-star ratings. Many customers praised the low-smoke ambiance it created. One reviewer said: "I am very pleased with the product. It puts out just enough heat for an intimate evening. It adds so much ambience to our patio even when seated close or 20 feet away." They added that the heater produces almost no smoke, provided "you keep your pellets free of moisture." Another verified buyer shared a similar sentiment in their review, discussing how the smoke is channeled through the chimney rather than free-flowing: "This is basically a woodstove disguised as a patio heater. Better than a patio heater because it throws off heat from top to bottom. Better than a fire pit because the smoke goes up the chimney."

While many reviews were positive, several buyers reported issues worth noting. For example, several people received their heater with shattered windows. One reviewer reported that "two of the three glass panes were broken," while another said the "glass on the front door was broken," along with dents on the lid and base. As far as functionality goes, one verified purchaser left a four-star rating praising the assembly and appearance of this heater. However, they did include a note about its heat production, saying: "Be aware that this provides more of a stove-like radiating heat than reflective heat like a traditional propane outdoor heater."

To evaluate the FlamePro steel patio pellet heater, Outdoor Guide reviewed its specifications and publicly available ratings. This provides an overall perspective of how the heater worked and what the customers on the Costco website thought about it. However, we wanted to look beyond the numbers to see what people truly experience by diving into reviews. This approach highlighted both positive and negative feedback, including potential issues that even satisfied customers mentioned.