Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater vs Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater

How they differ in real use

Built from our space heaters for garages scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.

Both the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater and the Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater made our Top 5 Space Heaters for Garages, at #2 (best premium) and #5 (best budget). The pick when a 120V heater is not enough. Bob Vila's tested best-infrared 240V pick, the DR-988 draws 5,600W at 240V through a NEMA 6-30P plug and its industrial forced-air blower with a 37–113°F thermostat covers workshops and detached uninsulated garages a plug-in cannot. It ranks below the Phoenix because it needs a dedicated 30-amp 240V outlet before you can use it (an electrician job for most homes), and its Amazon buy box typically routes through third-party sellers rather than Amazon direct. The budget pick now that Amazon no longer sells the Comfort Zone CZ285. Its stablemate, the CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse heater, is the cheapest way here to put thermostat-controlled heat at a workbench: 1300W or 1500W (about 5,120 BTU) from a standard 120V outlet, a fan-only setting, and both a tip-over switch and overheat protection with a caution light, in a 5 lb housing with a carry handle. It ranks last because owners report that its small fan throws heat only a few feet, some also report a warm cord at full output, and it lacks the DR-968's electronic thermostat, timer and remote. Buy it to spot-heat a bench or one bay, not to warm the whole garage.

We score space heaters for garages on Heating Power for Garage Size (30%), Warm-Up Speed & Coverage (20%), Installation & Portability (15%), Safety Features (15%), Running Cost & Efficiency (10%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater totals 8.3 out of 10 and the Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater 7.4. The widest gap is Heating Power for Garage Size, where the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater scores 9.5 against 6 for the Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater: BTU or watt output matched to typical garage square footage and insulation. Warm-Up Speed & Coverage also separates them: 9 for the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus 6 for the Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater. The Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater claws back ground on Installation & Portability and Value.

On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Heater Type: Electric infrared + forced air on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus Electric fan-forced (milkhouse style) on the Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater; Voltage: 208V / 240V (NEMA 6-30P plug) on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus 120V (standard outlet) on the Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater; Power: 4,800W (208V) / 5,600W (240V) on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus 1300W / 1500W (≈5,120 BTU) on the Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater; Coverage: Large 1- and 2-car garages, workshops, warehouses on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus Spot heating: a workbench, single bay, or small shop on the Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater; Thermostat: 37–113°F adjustable on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus Adjustable dial; high, low, and fan-only settings on the Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater; Mounting: Portable, wall, or ceiling on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus Portable, carry handle on the Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater.

Check current pricing at the merchant links below. Owners praise the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater for genuine 5,600W (240V) output covers workshops far beyond a 120V heater's reach and portable, wall-, or ceiling-mountable so it works in existing shop layouts; the most common complaint is requires a dedicated NEMA 6-30R 240V/30A outlet, an electrician job for most homes. Owners praise the Comfort Zone CZ798 Deluxe Milkhouse Utility Heater for the lowest-cost heater here, with an adjustable thermostat and tip-over switch plus overheat protection with a caution light; ETL listed; the most common complaint is owners report its small fan throws heat only a few feet, so it spot-heats rather than warms a garage.