Enjoy your garden for as long as possible!
You have a beautiful garden and of course you want to enjoy it from early spring to late autumn. Although we cannot seem to avoid climate change, we do have to reckon with some cooler days in our little chilly country. Nor are the evenings all tropical.

To make the most of your garden now and sit outside for as long as possible, there are several ways to make or keep it cosy. By adding a heat source, you can start enjoying the outdoors early in spring. And when summer comes to an end, you will still be sitting there!

In this blog, we like to list the use of different heat sources and highlight the pros and cons. So you can decide for yourself what suits you best.

Gas heaters
Gas heaters have the advantage that they have a long range, give off pleasant heat and can be used wirelessly. And because of the fire, they also provide a nice atmosphere. The disadvantages are that compared to alternative heat sources, they are expensive to use. Besides, a gas heater is always in sight, even when you don't need it. Unless you have enough space to put it away, of course. But then that means a lot of dragging around. If you want to use it for a long time, it helps to buy a protective cover. Extra cost, but longer enjoyment of your purchase. If you want to integrate the heater into your garden, choose a design model. There is so much choice in beautifully designed designer heaters that one will surely fit your garden design. In this way, it is not an obstacle, but a beautiful object that really adds something to your garden experience. By the way, make no mistake about a flame heater. They are less suitable as patio heaters, but their sleek design makes them a nice eye-catcher in the garden.

Electric heaters
Electric patio heaters are often hung on the wall, which saves space. You also see them a lot these days as parasol heaters. The same applies here as with gas patio heaters; standing them takes up quite a bit of space. In that case, you should prefer a really nice model for optimum user enjoyment. Again, a protective cover is recommended, unless you can put the heater somewhere indoors or under a roof after use.

Electric heaters are cheaper to use than gas heaters, but you often need more of them to heat the same surface area. Electric heaters almost all work on infrared radiation. Instead of heating the air, they heat objects.

By the way, don't take the range of both gas and electric heaters too literally. The heat feels strongest when you are close to the heater. The further away, the less warm it feels. In addition, heaters are always measured under ideal conditions. In this circumstance, there is little wind and the temperature outside is 18°C. In our little country, of course, this does not always occur. With a little wind, the temperature already decreases and the heat radiation will feel less warm. However, wind has less influence on one heater than another. Just like the shape of the heater, there is a choice to be made here too. For example, wind has little influence on a golden tube heating element and a lot of influence on a quartz heating element. Enough to think about. We therefore advise you to be well informed before making your choice!

Fire pits
Of a completely different order is a fire pit. A fire is easy to make. You don't need much. At most, you need a good place to light a fire without the whole thing catching fire. The right type of wood and especially dry wood is important, unless you like sitting in the smoke. Too wet wood produces a lot of smoke. Also make sure the wood does not contain paint residue, as this can release toxic substances. Fires in open spaces are not always advisable. Especially in times of prolonged drought, there is a great risk of fire.

Nowadays, there are also many types of fire pits, as well as fire bowls. No scorch marks in the garden and it looks nice too! Using a fire basket or fire bowl is a fairly inexpensive way to be cosy and warm outdoors.

It is incredibly fun to involve children in fire-making. They always enjoy learning how to make fire immensely. Besides the social aspect, there is then also an educational aspect to making fire. They not only learn how to make fire, but also what dangers fire entails. Things like working together and making agreements are addressed. Respect for nature, which wood to use and where to make a fire or not. Very instructive!

The disadvantage of a fire basket is that you often have to sit quite close around the fire to keep it warm. Another disadvantage is that the smoke gets into your clothes, which could use a wash after an evening around the fire.

Heat blankets and pillows
As a final heat source, we naturally like to highlight infrared pillows or blankets. Nothing more than an ordinary pillow or plaid, except that they contain heating elements. This makes the pillows and blankets wonderfully warm. Depending on the type of heat pillow, you can choose to sit on it, put it on your lap or place it under your arms or in your back. And if you choose a heating blanket, it is great to crawl under it. In all cases, your body is warmed from the inside, creating a pleasant feeling of warmth. This allows you to enjoy it even when it is colder outside.

The wonderful warmth given off by heat pads and heat blankets is, of course, a huge advantage over "ordinary" garden cushions and plaids. It really allows you to spend more time in the garden than you would without these heat products. Another advantage is that the heat is established quickly. You put the cushion on and in no time it is warm.

Another advantage is, we mentioned briefly, that you can also use the heat products indoors.

And as if this were not enough, there is also a health aspect to heat products. Infrared radiation has been proven to soothe sore muscles. Ideal after a sporting effort. There are even pillows that you can also use as a hot water bottle. Great for when you suffer from a stiff neck.

The absolute advantage is that you can also use the cushions indoors. If it is chilly but still too early to turn on the thermostat, heat cushions and infrared blankets are wonderful! And if you already have the thermostat on, feel free to turn it down a degree. The radiation gives off enough heat to feel comfortable. Not only does it save costs, it is also good for the environment. A truly sustainable solution.

Are there no downsides then? Of course there are! There is quite a growth in the supply of heat pads. With this, there is a huge difference in quality. Often this is also related to the price range. Of course, cheap does not always have to be expensive, but it can help to take a closer look at what is on offer. For instance, heating products work on a battery. Often there is a big difference in power. On the one hand, this is related to the number of heat elements in a heat product. Indeed, the more elements there are in a product, the better the heat distribution is often. But also, the higher the power of a battery, the longer you can use an infrared pillow or blanket. There is also a huge difference in use of the fabric. We think this is a very important aspect because you would like to enjoy your purchase for as long as possible. Is the cover removable and machine washable? Check it out. And are you going for a lovely soft pillow or do you prefer a firmer fabric? Our choice of colours and designs may not be very big, but you can be sure that our products are still lovely and soft after lots of washing!

What is also sometimes seen as a drawback is the battery itself. This is a hard element in the heating blanket or pillow. To use the infrared product wirelessly, such a battery is now needed. Besides being a hard element, a battery also needs to be charged. Again, the higher the capacity of a battery (this is expressed in mAh) the longer you can use it. But timing of charging is desirable. Especially high-power batteries take time before they are fully charged. Of course, there are fast chargers on the market, but they do not promote battery life. So consider in advance when you want to use your heat product. Or opt to buy an extra battery. Do these disadvantages outweigh the advantages? We don't think so! Is an infrared heat pad or blanket recommended over the other heat sources we mentioned above? That's entirely up to you! And, of course, a combination is always possible.