Patio Heaters / Chimineas - any good?

[Milliways]

Just been on patio with a glass of wine - had to come in when it got cold & we got to disussing patio heaters. Our friends have a Chiminea which they double as a BBQ & kids thought it was fun. I think they have more character than electric heaters. However, we get conficting reports on upkeep. Some say wax them, bring in in cold weather, others say leave them out all year?

If you have either, could you comment on their usefulness/effectiveness. Any recommendations gratefully received.

Thanks

Did have a Chiminea, great thing left it out all winter now got a great big bloody crack in!

Is that a terracotta/clay one, Gomez? I'm tempted to get a cast iron one. Would also like to hear peoples' opinions - how good are they for cooking? Our BBQ rusted to death and we haven't replaced it.

It was clay, is now recycled. Was fairly expensive version too. New calor gas patio heater this year.

We nearly bought one of these at the Newbury show last year, but was worried about cracking. Saw some more recently, also clay, and the lady said they wouyldn't crack.

Sorry to hear about yours breaking Gomez. We have brick BBQ's, but looking forward to any more comments from anyone else.

We've got a huge terracota one, cost about 150 smackers.

Used it once, can't get much on it to bar b q and if it's cold outside, tend more to come in, or put coat on.

Will be selling on E-bay shortly. P&P is gonna be some.

Yeah but a garden gnome looks nice and you can't cook on it and it doesn't give out much heat - and it's a damn sight cheaper than a chimenea

There was another patio heater thread a week or two ago had some input...

Message withdrawn

I was at a party last year where they had a calor gas tall patio heater and it was lovely. Enough heat for a table with 20 people, lovely atmosphere!

Got a lovely cast-iron one in 10% day in Homebase yesterday - about £90.

Re environmental issues - will only be burning the twigs & sticks from garden that would otherwise get burnt on the big bonfire. Our garden has so many large trees, we have to get rid of the wood somehow (have NEVER had to buy logs for the log fire).

And I use reusable nappies and compost and recycle and using any kind of patio heater in Ireland where we get nice weather once a year, is not likely to impact hugely on the environment.