Propane pool heaters
Propane is the answer when there is no gas line. It is also the most expensive fuel on this site per unit of heat delivered, and that is the number to settle before you choose a model.
Quick picks
Ranked on published input rating, on what the maker will say about efficiency, and on propane burned per hour — which is the cost that lands every month.
| # | Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Best for most propane pools Pentair MasterTemp 125 125,000 BTU Propane Pool and Spa Heater 125,000 BTU, the only one here that publishes a thermal efficiency figure, and the lowest tank burn per hour at about 1.37 gal. | A pool up to about 15,000 gallons, or a spa, running on propane | |
| 2 |  Best mid-size Hayward H-Series 150,000 BTU Propane Pool Heater 150,000 BTU for pools and spas to 450 sq ft, with connections that reverse left or right to suit your plumbing. | An inground pool up to about 450 sq ft with no natural gas at the property | |
| 3 |  Best for a fast heat-up Raypak 206,000 BTU Digital Propane Pool Heater 206,000 BTU and real construction detail published. Burns about 2.25 gal of propane an hour to do it. | A propane pool that wants a faster heat-up than a 150,000 BTU heater gives | |
| 4 |  Only for a spa or a tiny pool Slsy SUPA 105,000 BTU Portable Propane Pool and Spa Heater 105,000 BTU on the headline, 2,200 gallons in the fine print, and a 90-minute automatic shut-off. | A spa, a stock-tank pool, or an above-ground pool of about 2,000 gallons | |
| 5 |  The alternative to read first Hayward HeatPro Pool Heat Pump An electric heat pump delivers the same heat for about a tenth of the fuel cost, if you can wait overnight for it. | Lowest running cost per degree when you want real temperature control | |
| 6 |  Buy this whichever you choose Sun2Solar 1600 Series Ultimate Blue Solar Cover Every gallon of propane you save is a gallon you never buy. A cover is the cheapest propane reduction there is. | An inground pool you cover most nights, every season |
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
How we judged these
Three things, in this order. First, propane burned per hour at the rated input, because on propane that is the number that decides whether you use the heater or resent it. Second, what the maker will say about efficiency — one of the four below publishes a percentage and three do not. Third, the pool size the manufacturer actually names, which is frequently much smaller than the BTU headline implies.
We did not rank on price. Propane heaters cluster within a few hundred dollars of each other at a given size, and the fuel will outspend the purchase difference in the first two seasons.
The number that should decide this: propane costs more
Propane and natural gas burn in near-identical heaters. What differs is what the fuel costs per unit of heat, and the gap is not small.
| Fuel | Cost per million BTU delivered | Against propane |
|---|---|---|
| Solar (cover or panels) | $0.00 | Free |
| Electric heat pump | $10.75 | About 74% cheaper |
| Natural gas | $28.36 | About 20% cheaper |
| Propane | $35.66 | — |
| Electric resistance | $53.75 | About 3% cheaper |
US average residential fuel prices from EIA, divided through by efficiency: 82% for gas and propane, a COP of 5.0 for the heat pump. Propane is the second most expensive way to heat a pool on this site, and it is only second because electric resistance exists.
Read that table before you read the reviews. A pool that needs 1,666,000 BTU for a ten-degree lift on 20,000 gallons costs about $59.41 to warm on propane against about $47.24 on natural gas and about $17.91 on a heat pump. Do that a dozen times a season and the fuel difference alone buys the heat pump.
How much propane a pool heater actually uses
Propane carries 91,452 BTU per gallon. Divide the heater’s rated input by that and you have gallons per hour of burner time — the number no listing prints.
| Gallons per hour = rated input BTU/hr ÷ 91,452 | EIA energy content of propane |
| A 100 lb cylinder holds about 23.6 usable gallons | at the 80% fill rule |
| A 250 gallon tank holds about 200 usable gallons |
Cylinders are filled to 80% of water capacity for expansion, which is why a 100 lb cylinder is not 100 lb of propane in use.
| Heater | Rated input | Gallons/hr | Cost/hr | Hours on a 100 lb cylinder |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pentair MasterTemp 125 | 125,000 BTU/hr | 1.37 | $3.66 | About 17 |
| Hayward H150FDP | 150,000 BTU/hr | 1.64 | $4.39 | About 14 |
| Raypak PR206AEPC | 206,000 BTU/hr | 2.25 | $6.02 | About 10 |
| Raypak 406,000 BTU | 406,000 BTU/hr | 4.44 | $11.87 | About 5 |
At the US average residential propane price of $2.674 per gallon (EIA, week ending 30 March 2026). Your delivered price is the number that matters and it varies enormously by region and by whether you own or lease the tank.
This is where the bigger-is-better instinct breaks down. The 406,000 BTU heater is not four times more expensive to run than the 125 for a given pool — it delivers the heat in a quarter of the time, so the total gallons burned are similar. What changes is the tank management. A 406 on a 100 lb cylinder needs a refill every five hours of burner time, which is a weekend.
Sizing, and the trap that ruins the comparison
Gas and propane heaters are rated by fuel input. Heat pumps are rated by heat output. A “150,000 BTU” propane heater delivers about 123,000 BTU into the water at 82% efficiency; a “140,000 BTU” heat pump delivers 140,000. Comparing the two numbers directly overstates the propane heater by roughly a fifth. Our sizing guide works through it properly, and the BTU calculator does the arithmetic for your pool.
The tank is part of the purchase
- Cylinders (20, 40, 100 lb) — you haul them or swap them. Workable for a small heater used occasionally; miserable for a 206,000 BTU unit.
- A leased 250 or 500 gallon tank — the supplier owns it, delivers on a schedule, and often prices the propane higher because of it. This is the normal arrangement.
- An owned tank — larger upfront cost, and you can shop the fuel. If the heater will run every season for a decade, this is usually where the money is.
Where propane genuinely wins
Two places, and they are real. Speed: any of these heaters takes a cold pool to swimmable in a morning, where a heat pump takes most of a day and a half. And cold air: a propane burner does not care that it is 45°F outside, while a heat pump’s output falls away exactly when the shoulder season arrives. If you swim on impulse, or you are stretching into November, propane buys something electricity cannot.
The honest framing is a hybrid one. A cover cuts the evaporation that is roughly 70% of the loss, a heat pump holds the temperature cheaply, and the propane heater exists for the weekend you decided on Thursday. Used that way it is a fine purchase. Used as the only heat source on a 20,000-gallon pool, it is an expensive habit.
Buy the cover first, on propane more than anything
Every page on this site says this and the arithmetic is strongest here, because propane is the dearest fuel. A cover that halves your heat loss halves your propane bill. At $35.66 per delivered million BTU, a solar cover pays for itself faster on a propane pool than on any other kind — the payback page runs the numbers.
Every pick, in detail
What each one publishes, what is good and bad about it, and — the section this category usually omits — what we could not judge without owning one.
Pentair MasterTemp 125 125,000 BTU Propane Pool and Spa Heater
The small propane heater, and the only one in this group where the maker prints an efficiency number: Pentair states 82%, which happens to be exactly the figure this site assumes for gas heaters generally. Rated for pools up to 15,000 gallons on 1.5 in plumbing, so it suits an above-ground pool or a small inground one — and it is the propane heater to buy if the tank has to last.
Best for A pool up to about 15,000 gallons, or a spa, running on propane
| Rated input | 125,000 BTU/hrAbout 102,500 BTU/hr delivered at the stated 82%. | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| Thermal efficiency | 82%, described by Pentair as highest in classThis is the only heater in this group whose listing prints a percentage. It matches the 0.82 this site assumes across all gas arithmetic, which is a coincidence worth noting rather than a validation. | Manufacturer |
| Pool size the maker names | Above-ground pools, spas and inground pools up to 15,000 gallons | Manufacturer |
| Plumbing connection | 1.5 in | Manufacturer |
| Combustion | Pre-mixed combustion, described as giving fast heat-up | Manufacturer |
| Controls | Digital display and controller | Manufacturer |
| Weight | 120 lb | Retail listing |
| Propane use at full rate | About 1.37 gallons per hour125,000 BTU/hr over 91,452 BTU/gal. At $2.674/gal that is about $3.66 an hour. | Our arithmetic |
- The only one of these that publishes a thermal efficiency percentage
- Lowest propane burn per hour of the group, so a cylinder lasts longest
- 1.5 in plumbing suits above-ground pools without adapters
- 125,000 BTU/hr is slow on anything much over 15,000 gallons
- Stock on this listing has been thin every time we have checked
- Pentair's 'highest in class' phrasing is marketing, not a comparative test
- Whether 82% holds across the heater's life or is a new-unit figure
- Control board reliability, the common failure point on digital gas heaters
- Noise at the distance your deck sits from it
These need a unit in hand across a season. We do not have one, so we do not have an opinion worth printing on them.
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
Hayward H-Series 150,000 BTU Propane Pool Heater
The propane sibling of the natural-gas H150FDN this site already ranks, and the sensible starting point for a pool with no gas line. Hayward rates it for pools and spas up to 450 sq ft, and it takes water, gas and electrical connections on either side, which is the detail that decides how bad the plumbing day is. Read the running cost before the purchase price: propane delivers the same heat as natural gas at roughly three times the cost per BTU.
Best for An inground pool up to about 450 sq ft with no natural gas at the property
| Rated input | 150,000 BTU/hrGas heaters are rated by fuel INPUT, not heat delivered. At the 82% thermal efficiency this site assumes, about 123,000 BTU/hr reaches the water. | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| Pool size the maker names | Pools and spas up to 450 sq ft of surfaceHayward lists 600, 750 and 1,200 sq ft models above this one. Surface area, not gallons, is how this maker sizes the range. | Manufacturer |
| Fuel | Propane (LP) | Manufacturer |
| Connections | Water, gas and electrical on either the left or right side | Manufacturer |
| Emissions | Low-NOx | Manufacturer |
| Size and weight | 29.5 x 19 x 24 in, 145 lb | Retail listing |
| Cost per million BTU delivered | About $35.66 on propaneUS average residential propane at $2.674/gal (EIA, week ending 30 March 2026) over 91,452 BTU/gal, divided by 0.82 thermal efficiency. The same heater on natural gas would be about $28.36. | Our arithmetic |
- No gas line needed — a propane tank goes where the truck can reach it
- Reversible connections, which is the difference between an easy install and a re-plumb
- Same H-Series platform as the natural gas model this site already ranks
- Propane costs roughly 26% more per delivered BTU than natural gas at national average prices
- A 150,000 BTU/hr burner empties a 100 lb cylinder in well under a day of continuous running
- Hayward publishes no thermal efficiency percentage on this listing
- The delivered propane price where you live, which is the number that decides everything
- Heat exchanger life on your water chemistry
- Whether your tank regulator can actually supply the burner at full rate
These need a unit in hand across a season. We do not have one, so we do not have an opinion worth printing on them.
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
Raypak 206,000 BTU Digital Propane Pool Heater
More burner than the Hayward 150 for a comparable outlay, and the reason to consider it is the heat exchanger rather than the BTU. Raypak states copper fin-tube with a stainless steel tube sheet and polymer headers, which is more construction detail than most of this category publishes. On a propane pool the higher rating is a double-edged specification: it heats faster and it empties the tank faster.
Best for A propane pool that wants a faster heat-up than a 150,000 BTU heater gives
| Rated input | 206,000 BTU/hrInput, as the whole gas category rates. About 169,000 BTU/hr delivered at 82%. | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| Heat exchanger | All copper fin-tube with a stainless steel tube sheetCopper transfers heat well and is the standard choice. It is also the wrong choice on a salt pool — see our page on heaters for saltwater pools. | Manufacturer |
| Headers | Polymer | Manufacturer |
| Controls | Microprocessor-controlled thermostat, electronic ignition | Manufacturer |
| Water connections | 2 in CPVC | Manufacturer |
| Cabinet | PolyTuf powder-coated, described as non-corrosive and rust resistant | Manufacturer |
| Weight | 187 lb | Retail listing |
| Propane use at full rate | About 2.25 gallons per hour206,000 BTU/hr divided by 91,452 BTU per gallon of propane (EIA). At $2.674/gal that is roughly $6.02 an hour of burner time. | Our arithmetic |
- Publishes real construction detail — exchanger, tube sheet, headers — which most of the category does not
- 206,000 BTU/hr heats a mid-size pool in a single morning
- Digital thermostat rather than a dial
- Copper fin-tube is the wrong exchanger for a salt pool
- About 2.25 gallons of propane an hour at full rate — a 100 lb cylinder is roughly ten hours
- No published thermal efficiency figure on the listing
- Real-world thermal efficiency, which Raypak does not state here
- Burner and control board life
- Whether your propane supply can hold pressure at this draw in cold weather
These need a unit in hand across a season. We do not have one, so we do not have an opinion worth printing on them.
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
Slsy SUPA 105,000 BTU Portable Propane Pool and Spa Heater
Read the fine print before the headline. Slsy prints 105,000 BTU and 'world's fastest heating', then states in the same listing that the unit is recommended for above-ground pools up to 2,200 gallons and shuts itself off automatically after about 90 minutes of continuous running. That is not a pool heater in the sense the rest of this page means; it is a portable outdoor water heater that can warm a very small pool or a spa. Bought for what it is, it is cheap and it works. Bought for a 10,000-gallon pool, it will not get there.
Best for A spa, a stock-tank pool, or an above-ground pool of about 2,000 gallons
| Rated input | 105,000 BTU/hr (31 kW) | Manufacturer |
|---|---|---|
| Pool size the maker names | Above-ground pools up to about 2,200 gallons (8,000 L)This is the specification that matters, and it is buried in the fourth bullet of the listing while the headline says 105,000 BTU. | Manufacturer |
| Continuous run limit | Automatic shut-off after about 90 minutes, then about 15 minutes restStated by Slsy in the listing. It rules the unit out for any pool that needs a long heat-up, which is most pools. | Manufacturer |
| Temperature range | 77°F to 131°F, digital thermostat | Manufacturer |
| Portability | Wheeled cabinet | Manufacturer |
- Genuinely portable and needs no plumbing or gas line
- Honest about the pool size it suits, if you read past the headline
- Doubles as an outdoor shower or camp water heater
- The 90-minute automatic shut-off rules it out for a real pool heat-up
- 2,200 gallons is a spa or a very small above-ground pool, not a pool
- 'World's fastest heating' is an unsupported marketing claim
- How it behaves in wind, which matters on an open-flame portable unit
- Build quality and service life
- Whether the 90-minute limit can be worked around safely — we would not try
These need a unit in hand across a season. We do not have one, so we do not have an opinion worth printing on them.
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
Hayward HeatPro Pool Heat Pump
If you are heating a pool with electricity, this is the shape of machine to do it with. A heat pump moves heat instead of making it, and at the assumptions we publish it delivers a million BTU into the water for about a fifth of what an electric resistance heater costs to deliver the same. It is slower than gas and it fades as the air gets colder, which is exactly when you want it — that trade is the whole decision.
Best for Lowest running cost per degree when you want real temperature control
| Type | Air-source heat pumpThe manufacturer publishes no retrievable specification sheet; figure is as listed at retail. | Retail listing |
|---|---|---|
| Rating convention | Rated by BTU/hr OUTPUTThis is the trap in the category. Gas heaters are rated by fuel INPUT, heat pumps by heat OUTPUT. A 140,000 BTU heat pump and a 140,000 BTU gas heater do not deliver the same heat. | Published standard |
| Cost per million BTU delivered | About $10.75 at our published assumptionsUS average residential electricity at 18.34 cents/kWh (EIA, June 2026) and an assumed COP of 5.0. Both are substitutable on our running-cost calculator. | Our arithmetic |
- Cheapest running cost per delivered BTU of any controllable heater
- No gas line, no combustion, no flue
- Holds a set temperature rather than depending on the weather
- Slow — expect most of a day to move a full-size pool ten degrees
- Efficiency falls with air temperature, so it is weakest in the shoulder season
- High purchase price against a gas heater of comparable output
- The COP this specific unit achieves at your conditions
- Compressor and control-board longevity
- Noise at the distance your deck actually sits from it
These need a unit in hand across a season. We do not have one, so we do not have an opinion worth printing on them.
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
Sun2Solar 1600 Series Ultimate Blue Solar Cover
The cover to buy if you intend to keep using it in five years. 16 mil is the thickest tier the category sells, and thickness on a solar cover buys durability rather than heat — Bob Vila measured every cover in its hands-on group at the same 4 to 5 degrees, from 12-mil clear to 16-mil blue. Pay the extra for the one that survives being dragged over the coping twice a day, not for a temperature difference that did not show up in the only published one-hour test in this category.
Best for An inground pool you cover most nights, every season
| Price shown for | 24 ft roundThis product is sold in several sizes on one listing. The live price and photograph on this page are the ones Amazon returns for this variant; other sizes are priced separately. | Retail listing |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 16 milThe manufacturer publishes no retrievable specification sheet; figure is as listed at retail. | Retail listing |
| Color | Blue | Retail listing |
| Stated lifespan | 5 to 10 years for the 16-mil tierSwim University's published figure for 16-mil covers generally, not a Sun2Solar warranty statement. | Retail listing |
| Bubble side | Bubbles face the waterCategory-wide instruction, not brand-specific. The bubbles are the insulating layer and they have to touch the water. | Published standard |
4 to 5 degrees F in one hour
Claimed by Bob Vila, measured across all covers in their group. Conditions: One hour under 2pm sun on 89 to 92 degree F days. Source
Their figure was the same for every cover they put on the water. Read our reconciliation of what a one-hour reading actually measures before you plan around this number.
- Thickest tier sold, which is where the durability difference actually is
- Blue absorbs more of the incoming energy at the surface than clear does
- Cuts oversize to your pool shape with household scissors
- Heavy and awkward at 16 mil — a large inground cover is genuinely a two-person job without a reel
- Costs meaningfully more than the 12-mil version for no measured heating advantage
- Whether the seams hold up over five seasons of daily handling
- How the bubble layer survives repeated dragging over rough coping
- Whether the stated lifespan tier holds for this specific product line
These need a unit in hand across a season. We do not have one, so we do not have an opinion worth printing on them.
#ad We earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes the ranking. How this site is funded. Prices last checked October 17, 2026.
Questions people actually ask
How much does it cost to run a propane pool heater?
Is propane or natural gas cheaper for a pool heater?
How long does a propane tank last on a pool heater?
Can a propane pool heater be converted to natural gas?
Is a heat pump better than a propane pool heater?
- Average retail price of electricity to US residential customers: 18.34 cents/kWh, June 2026U.S. Energy Information Administration · read 2026-09-02
- US residential natural gas price: $24.09 per thousand cubic feet, June 2026U.S. Energy Information Administration · read 2026-09-02
- US residential propane price: $2.674 per gallon, week ending 30 March 2026U.S. Energy Information Administration · read 2026-09-02
- Energy content conversion factors: 3,412 BTU per kWh, 1,036 BTU per cubic foot of natural gas, 91,452 BTU per gallon of propaneU.S. Energy Information Administration · read 2026-09-02
- U.S. Department of Energy pool-energy figures (evaporation share, BTU per pound evaporated, cover savings, recommended temperatures, wind effect)Recreonics, reproducing and attributing the U.S. Department of Energy · read 2026-09-02
- Pool heater roundup: the 8.33 BTU per gallon per °F figure, attributed on the page to Alicia Toedter of Leslie'sBob Vila · read 2026-09-02
- Pentair EC-462025 MasterTemp 125 listing: 125,000 BTU propane, stated 82% thermal efficiency, 1.5 in plumbing, rated for pools up to 15,000 gallons, 120 lbPentair, as listed at retail · read 2026-09-20
- Hayward W3H150FDP listing: 150,000 BTU propane, rated for pools and spas up to 450 sq ft, low-NOx, reversible left/right water, gas and electric connections, 145 lbHayward, as listed at retail · read 2026-09-20
- Raypak PR206AEPC listing: 206,000 BTU propane, microprocessor thermostat, copper fin-tube heat exchanger, stainless steel tube sheet, polymer headers, 2 in CPVC connections, 187 lbRaypak, as listed at retail · read 2026-09-20
- Raypak 406,000 BTU digital electronic ignition propane pool heater listingRaypak, as listed at retail · read 2026-09-20
- Slsy SUPA listing: 105,000 BTU (31 kW) portable propane water heater, digital thermostat 77-131°F, recommended for above-ground pools up to 2,200 gallons, and stated to shut off automatically after about 90 minutes of continuous runningSlsy, as listed at retail · read 2026-09-20
#ad Where a retailer’s listing is cited above as the source of a published specification, that link is an affiliate link, at no extra cost to you. Independent sources and manufacturer documentation are never wrapped and earn nothing. How this site is funded.
Every URL above was fetched and returned content on the date shown. Where a figure is ours rather than somebody else’s, the arithmetic is on the page and on the methodology page. If you find an error in it, we would genuinely like to know.
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