Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater vs Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater
Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater (#2, best premium) vs Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater (#3): in our Space Heaters for Garages scoring the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater totals 8.3/10 and the Mr.
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Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater
$104.19Check price at AmazonRead full review
Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater
$116.25Check price at AmazonRead full reviewTopsFive comparison scores
Side by side
| Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater | Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $104.19 | $116.25 |
| Heater Type | Electric infrared + forced air | Portable propane (radiant/convection) |
| Voltage | 208V / 240V (NEMA 6-30P plug) | None — no electricity required |
| Power | 4,800W (208V) / 5,600W (240V) | 4,000 / 9,000 / 18,000 BTU on 1 lb bottles or 20 lb tank |
| Coverage | Large 1- and 2-car garages, workshops, warehouses | Up to 450 sq ft |
| Thermostat | 37–113°F adjustable | None — 3-position manual (Low/Med/High) |
| Mounting | Portable, wall, or ceiling | Portable, floor-standing |
| Safety | Overheat protection, tip-over shutoff | Low-oxygen shut-off (ODS), tip-over shutoff, overheat cutoff, piezo ignition |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year limited |
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 Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater made our Top 5 Space Heaters for Garages, at #2 (best premium) and #3. 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 escape hatch for garages without a suitable outlet at all. Consistently the top propane pick across Bob Vila, findingdulcinea, and Garage Gym Reviews, the Big Buddy MH18B runs on two 1 lb bottles or a bulk 20 lb tank and pushes 4,000 / 9,000 / 18,000 BTU across three settings — enough to warm ~450 sq ft with no electrical hookup. Automatic low-oxygen shut-off, tip-over shutoff, and piezo ignition make it the safest portable propane heater rated for indoor use. It ranks here rather than higher because propane demands active ventilation, and per-hour fuel cost at the top setting is higher than electric.
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 Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater 8.2. The widest gap is Installation & Portability, where the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater scores 9 against 5.5 for the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater — wiring requirements, wall/ceiling mounting, and how easily it moves between bays. Heating Power for Garage Size also separates them: 9.5 for the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus 8.5 for the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater. The Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater claws back ground on 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 Portable propane (radiant/convection) on the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater; Voltage — 208V / 240V (NEMA 6-30P plug) on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus None — no electricity required on the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater; Power — 4,800W (208V) / 5,600W (240V) on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus 4,000 / 9,000 / 18,000 BTU on 1 lb bottles or 20 lb tank on the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater; Coverage — Large 1- and 2-car garages, workshops, warehouses on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus Up to 450 sq ft on the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater; Thermostat — 37–113°F adjustable on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus None — 3-position manual (Low/Med/High) on the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater; Mounting — Portable, wall, or ceiling on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus Portable, floor-standing on the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater.
Pricing as of August 24, 2026: $104.19 for the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater and $116.25 for the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater, a $12.06 difference in the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater's favor. 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 Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater for no electricity required — the answer for detached garages and remote workspaces and 18,000 BTU high setting warms up to ~450 sq ft, comparable to a 5,000W electric unit; the most common complaint is propane combustion demands adequate ventilation — never run in a sealed space.
Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater
- Genuine 5,600W (240V) output covers workshops far beyond a 120V heater's reach
- Portable, wall-, or ceiling-mountable so it works in existing shop layouts
- Adjustable industrial thermostat (37–113°F) holds a target rather than cycling on max
- Bob Vila tested best-infrared 240V pick; well-established Dr. Infrared platform
- Requires a dedicated NEMA 6-30R 240V/30A outlet — an electrician job for most homes
- Forced-air blower is louder than a passive infrared panel
- Buy box on Amazon typically routes through third-party sellers rather than Amazon direct
Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater
- No electricity required — the answer for detached garages and remote workspaces
- 18,000 BTU high setting warms up to ~450 sq ft, comparable to a 5,000W electric unit
- Runs on two 1 lb bottles or (with the included fuel-line accessory) a bulk 20 lb tank
- Automatic low-oxygen shut-off (ODS) plus tip-over shutoff and overheat protection
- Propane combustion demands adequate ventilation — never run in a sealed space
- Fuel cost is higher per hour than electric at the top BTU setting
- Radiant heat is directional; the far side of a garage warms more slowly than the beam side
Which should you buy?
The Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater is the better fit for detached, poorly insulated, or 2+-car garages a 120V heater cannot warm and workshops with 240V wiring already run — it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Heating Power for Garage Size and Running Cost & Efficiency. The Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater is the better fit for detached garages, barns, and workspaces without a suitable outlet and owners who need occasional or seasonal heat rather than daily runtime, and the stronger choice if Installation & Portability and Value matter more to you than the overall score. Since the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater is both the higher scorer and $12.06 cheaper, the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater only makes sense for detached garages, barns, and workspaces without a suitable outlet. The Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater is a poor fit for homes without 240V wiring and no plan to add it; the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater is a poor fit for sealed, unventilated garages.
Choose the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater if
- Detached, poorly insulated, or 2+-car garages a 120V heater cannot warm
- Workshops with 240V wiring already run
- Owners who prefer a permanent, thermostat-controlled solution
Skip it if
- Homes without 240V wiring and no plan to add it
- Renters or anyone unwilling to hire an electrician
Choose the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater if
- Detached garages, barns, and workspaces without a suitable outlet
- Owners who need occasional or seasonal heat rather than daily runtime
- Job sites and shops where portability matters
Skip it if
- Sealed, unventilated garages
- Anyone who wants a set-and-forget thermostat-driven heater
Common questions
Is the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater better than the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater?
In our Space Heaters for Garages ranking the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater scores higher overall, 8.3 to 8.2, with the biggest advantage in Installation & Portability. The Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater is stronger on Installation & Portability and Value, so it is the better pick if those matter most to you.
How much more does the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater cost than the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater?
$12.06 more as of August 24, 2026: $116.25 for the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater against $104.19 for the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater. Prices move, so the merchant page shows the current figure.
What is the main difference between the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater and the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater?
The headline spec difference is Heater Type: Electric infrared + forced air on the Dr. Infrared DR-988 240V Industrial Garage Heater versus Portable propane (radiant/convection) on the Mr. Heater Big Buddy MH18B Portable Propane Heater. In use, the gap that matters most is Installation & Portability (5.5 vs 9 in our scoring): wiring requirements, wall/ceiling mounting, and how easily it moves between bays.