Following the Tj tradition of giving Survival type Christmas presents, this year I gave a family member a "New" Mr. Heater Buddy.  Besides having two older models myself, I got such a good deal, Tractor Supply $65, I bought one for myself.  I thought you guys would like a review.

This review is based on you already know what the Heater Buddy is and how well they work, but just for those who don't, here's a fast review.  

The Mr. Heater Heater buddy is a catalytic small propane heater, indoor rated with no detectible CO (carbon monoxide), low Oxygen shutoff, and tip over protection.  Its a classic thermocouple pilot light stove with two heater settings, 4,000 btu/9,000btu.  IT operates on convenient 2lb cans like a Coleman stove/lantern and a low cost hose adapter for 20 gallon or larger tanks is available at about any Lowes etc.  Usual cost is retail around $100 with usual sales about $89.  I've used these little stoves since they came out, for years and find them reliable and flat out unbeatable compared to the Coleman line, which I have two of those too.  I use them indoors all the time and have in both tents and vehicles.  I've yet to have a CO detector activate.  On low, they are good for about a good nights sleep and about half that on high.   They're high on the Tj recommend list.  

The New Heater Buddy has a number of new features but still incorporates the major features we have become so enamored with in the older model.  

About the most noticeable new feature is they eliminated the pilot ignition button.  The old button was in the rear and it took two hands to light, one holding down the pilot button (lights just like a gas hot water tank) and the other to hit the ignition button.  This can be quite a pain at night in a sleeping bag in a tent.  The new system the ignition is in the same switch in the front.  This has some distinct advantages but also has a down side.  Unlike the old one, you can't just hold the pilot valve open button down, wait till gas comes out, then ignite.  Its in one movement now, which can mean you may have to do it a few times especially if the heater has not been used for a while.  Still its a one hand operation now which is a major plus.  Otherwise the control switching from pilot to low then high and back is the same.

The next feature is the female receiver for the small tank or hose connection swivels outward.  A two position, it then can swivel back in to the classic position for the 2lb tank.  Once again, this is a major improvement for one hand changing of tanks and no longer is it necessary to pick the little stove up to change them.  It is also in the out position a much better position for the hose big tank connector.  

Another new feature is the handle which is fixed into position on the old model, the new model now is higher and swivels back out of the way during operation.  The old handle works quite well but what this new one does is allow for the overall heater height to be the same as the old one, There is a reason for this.

The new Heater Buddy has a much larger heater plate surface area.  Totally redesigned, the new ceramic and catalytic screen is about the same width as the old model but much taller.  The BTUs being the same, this means a smaller pore size for the same amount of heat.  There is one advantage.  Though the amount of heat is the same, the larger surface area noticibly increases the radiant heat ability (the red light heat which is directional out the front of the stove). Obviously, this too is an improvement.

Overall the new model, mine is a nice woodland green, is a little lighter not as sturdy in appearance but otherwise works just as well even a little better than the older models.  

I have three of these little stoves now.  I use them on and off all winter every winter.  In fact, we are using one as I type this (the new one) and used one of my old ones in a tent at freezing temps during the last OHV camp here a few weeks back.  I can't honestly say I have a major preference, new model vs old model.  That in its self, I guess is an endorsement.  If for any reason, I'd probably recommend the old model for home regular use due to the potential less use of the ignition feature but the new one definitely gets the nod for tent use when one hand operation becomes a major plus.

I hope you enjoyed the review.  I really love these little heaters.  I also was given a gasoline Army tent heater this Christmas, which is a vented through wall, has a chimney.  I plan to do a review on that with pics (its quite unusual) after I get some time on it, sometime this winter.  

Tj

I'm glad you posted.  This brings up another comment.  

These things work just like a gas grill and if the temps are cold, it can present a problem.  The propane in the tanks is in the liquid form but it bleeds off in gas form.  The change of state from liquid to gas is an endothermic reaction.  In short, it creates cold.  Everyone probably has noticed this on their gas grills.  The outside of the tank will actually frost from the cold.  This typically doesn't happen on a Heater Buddy on low but is not uncommon when its on high.  

The only time this presents a problem is if you are using offbrand cheap propane which the gas was not dried so contains moisture. That moisture can freeze up in the lines making you think the tank is empty when its not.  

When using the small tanks, I highly recommend Coleman brand propane tanks with a second being Ozark Trails.  I've not had a problem with either of these brands, at least not yet.  

This is not a problem with the heater but the gas.  It doesn't hurt the Heater Buddy but sometimes when using cheap moisture ridden gas you have to turn the thing on pilot, let the tank thaw some, and then turn it up again.  

I remembered you had an issue the first night.  I didn't think of it then but when you gave me your empties, one of those was not empty but about half full.  It was a off brand tank then it came back to me in a head rush.

Tj

You know I don't want to get into this but will say, requires platinum to be catalytic is a market ploy.  Catalytic as an engineering term simply means has catalyst which in the case of the Heater Buddy is a wire mesh over the ceramic core that provides a secondary burn for a more complete burn.  An open flame implies no secondary burn simply an open flame.  The difference is an open flame heater does not remove CO while a catalytic heater does by means of a secondary burn.  What metal is used as the catalyst doesn't really matter as long as what is used works.  

Tj

Then I suggest you write a letter to Coleman and straighten them out.

Cold Front coming through and in for our first cold snap.  The Heater Buddy will be getting a work out.

We use it on nights like this to take the chill out of the air in the room we are in.  We simply turn it on till its toasty and then switch to pilot until needed again.  The heater on low, one little tank, we get about two to three nights depending on how cold it is.  

That's something I really didn't like about my Coleman.  Turning it off was a PIA and lighting it back also a pain.  With that pilot, the Heater Buddy is a lot faster so easier to use.  

With all these, yes catylitic uses a metal screen to reburn, stoves I've not had a problem with CO with not a monitor going off, however low Oxygen which Heater Buddy has is something I highly recommend.  

The first time I used a Coleman in a tent, I thought I had followed the directions to the letter.  A single wall tents which single walls really are best for heating in winter, I vented the recommended amount but high up on the tent.  The next morning there was so little oxygen, my Zippo wouldn't light.  I cracked the door at the floor and the lighter lit right up.  I learned then to vent both high and low.  

The Heater Buddy, you still have to vent but you don't worry about it as much.

Tj

UPDATE!

The all in one light button knob on the unit I bought at Christmas sucks.  I've taken to using matches to light the stove, they're ten times faster.  I much prefer the old stoves with buttons in the back, you have way more control over the gas and a much larger spark to ignite it.  This one on my unit has worn out to almost not effective in about 20 lights.  

Tj

It still works with a match just fine and dandy just like lighting a gas water heater.  

To be honest, the match is actually easier than the old push button.  A match its a one match light.  These spark things, you keep sparking it till the gas gets through the line so it can light.

I still like the folding handle, bigger screen, and fold out tank nozzle much better than the old one.  

It seems almost everything is a compromise sometimes.

Tj

Yeah, I'm not all that fond of the ignition setup on my new Big Buddy either.

Yes, pretty easily really.

You buy the hose kit, turn the fill tank upside down, place the smaller tank below the level of the upside down fill tank, then open it up and let it fill.  Its a good thing to hang onto those plastic covers and reuse them after filling.  After those valves on the small tanks are opened once, they tend to leak a little and those plastic lids hold just enough pressure back to prevent that most of the time.  

You turn the fill tank upside down so you are filling with the liquid form of the gas not the gas form. Its really gravity filling the tank not pressure.  The pressure equalizes very fast.  Where the big tank to heater buddy hose is a tank adapter to male connector, the fill hose is a tank adapter to female adapter.  

There's a number of threads on the topic on the site but that's about it really.  

Tj

The Big Heater Buddy uses a battery.  The small Heater Buddy is purely mechanical.  

The old model with the button in the back, the button is just to light, has a very long stroke so a much bigger spark, and your other hand controls the valve flow which means you can hold it down on a new tank till the line fills with gas, then click the starter.  

The new one was harder to light, neat you could do it with one hand, from the start but after a couple dozen lights now, its a lot worse.  The valve open button and the igniter are the same button which means you can't hold the valve open till the gas comes out then ignite without raising the button up again which closes the valve then push it down again.  

I guess my oldest Heater Buddy is almost ten years old now and still lights about the same as it did when it was new.  This new one, its like a grill light and going fast. The spark is very little.  I could probably do something like try to adjust the nozzle size and/or nozzle direction making sure it still hits the thermocouple  with pliers to achieve a lower flow and different air to fuel ratio, but heck a match works just fine and its instant on.

I do like this bigger screen a lot.  It obviously is not as intense to get the same result and has a much larger radiant heat aspect.  I guess I'll keep using the new one in my house most because it seems to work best as a area heater.  You can sit it across the room aim it at you and feel the heat right off better.  Old one does that too just not as well.  Kind of a shame though, the new one is a nice tactical green while my two old ones are red and yellow, depending on where you bought it.  

I have two Colemans.  These are still my favorites by a long shot.  

Tj  

My new big buddy has a piezo igniter.

The one I have absolutely doesn't work that way.  It clicks on the way down depressing the stem and has no movement in the depressed state.  We may be talking different models.  

What I can tell you is the one I have worked fantastic till about light 20-30 and now its PIA, easier to use a match.  I don 't have Big Buddy.  

Tj

Big Buddy would probably explain it.  Thread is on the Mr. Heater Buddy the little one.  That would definitely be better design.  It would allow you to keep the valve open while clicking.

Yep, but its also the hose over a period of time, not just filling tanks.  The rubber hoses lose integrity with time under pressurized gas.  It leeches out its elastomers causing it to flake.  

Most people who use the hose and 20 gallon tanks just for camping or short-term emergencies never see the problem let alone just filling.   Running a tank day in and day out, I really think you are better off with the "green" hose, which I believe is Viton and doesn't leech as bad.  The filter protects the stove but the hose is still going to leech into the filter with time.

Tj