Not ready to give up spending time outdoors we have been putting The Firefly Electric Table Top Garden Heater from Primrose to use.

I know it can feel like we get a bit of a raw deal when it comes to Summer in the UK. Heavy rain one week followed by a week of heat almost unheard of. Then before you know it there’s a definite chill to the air morning and evening and the sense that Autumn is knocking on the door.

For us a family we spend an awful lot of time in the garden. L loves to play outside. I find it relaxing and husb enjoys it too. During the day it’s easy, there have been barbecues a plenty, picnic lunches and just chilling out watching the little one play.

The trouble is by the time evening comes and we’ve got L to bed and have the time to just sit outside with a glass of wine and relax it is often too chilly. This is where the Firefly TableTop Garden Heater has come into it’s own. We just pop the sun shade away and swap it for the heater. Then we can relax as long as we want.

We opted for the Electric garden heater, not gas, and it comes with three heat settings a low, medium and high. It’s really easy to use and looks great. Ours has a Black Rattan base which has left me lusting after some Rattan Garden furniture to match. There are other Garden Heater options, Primrose like to give you plenty of choice.

It has a running cost of 12.6p per hour, which isn’t bad. We’re never using it for more the 2 or 3 hours at a time and it’s much nicer than being inside, especially when we have guests. I guess when it’s generally cooler during the day we’ll use it more so that we can still entertain outside, but still it’s a small price to pay.

It radiates a nice level of heat, enough for everyone sitting around the table, but no further out than that. As it is the Halogen Bulbs creating the heat it is also another source of light in the garden for the evening, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to see your wine glass.

When the heater gets delivered it is in a huge box and very well packed, which is important as there are parts that are quite fragile. I found it very easy to make up. It took maybe 20 minutes and the little one enjoyed playing with the box and using the packing material to create snow in the garden, how delightful.

It’s not a very heavy item but thanks to a weighted base it is sturdy. So you don’t have to worry about it moving anywhere. The base and supporting pipe don’t get hot. But clearly the top section does, so do make sure to leave it a little while before putting it away, just in case.

It has a 3m long cable which is great. We do need to use an extension cable but we have outdoor sockets so it’s easy. It is something to think about though, when choosing between and electric or gas heater. We had the option to use electric and didn’t want the hassle of finding and replacing canisters. The halogen bulbs in our heater should last up to 5000 hours. That was a big plus point for us.

If you are thinking about a garden heater I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this. The table top design means it is smaller and takes up less storage space and is easy to use. It’s perfect for everyday gatherings of family and friends.

We have enjoyed using it. It has meant we won’t have to give up on our outdoor time for months yet. In fact I’ve got high hopes for celebrating L’s birthday outside in October now, providing it doesn’t rain!

Disclosure – we were provided with our heater in exchange for an honest review