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If it's too cold or too hot, I'll sit in my truck with the temperature regulated. Hot and cold weather can influence the taste of your cigar. Ideal smoking conditions are the same as your cigar's ideal storage conditions.

I'm seriously thinking about getting a patio heater so that I can smoke outside this year. I don't know anything about them. Propane? How long does a tank last?

I like the heat. And much prefer smoking outside if possible.

I usually have a cigar each morning after my workout as part of the cooldown. Many times it is already upper nineties by then but I have a patio ceiling fan that helps. Afternoon or evening cigar is often on a floaty in the pool during summer and the weather is mostly fine the rest of the year in Az.

You should get one, they're great. I have the type that stands about 7 feet tall with a base that houses a gas grill propane tank and a top that looks like one of those flying saucer sleds turned upside down. I use mine all year long but mostly in the winter. I can sit outside toasty warm with no coat even in the coldest New England winters. Mostly I just park it near the grill and it melts everything around it and keeps me warm grilling. My basement workshop is my cigar lounge, I have a walkout and a bunch of windows.

Nice! Perhaps one day I will change my basement family room into my cigar lounge. That sounds like a great idea.

Luckily I am an adult man with thousands of years of robust genetic pedigree. As a man with means I have my own lounge in my home, so when the temperature rises to ranges only suited for Haitian yard workers, I smoke inside at a cool 68 degrees. Likewise, as an adult man with prodigious genes, I do not need a heater or a blanket when the winter witch comes. If you cannot sit outside and enjoy a cigar anytime the temp plummets below 50 degrees, you should acknowledge your genetic malfeasance and pass on spawning that fetid ill-constructed DNA. But your mileage may vary; however, I suspect most adult men with even middle class genes will smoke, hot, cold, day, night, and even in front of their mommy or wife.

Unfortunately for me it's outside only. I hate summer the most. Hot and humid is the worst. In winter a long sleeve shirt, down vest and a hat is all I need. Whatever hand is not holding the stick stays in the pocket. Though I will say Robustos and Nubs tend to rule the winter.

Sweet! Thank you.

So on damn near 0° day one of those is enough to keep one comfortable outside?
I don't mind the cold and can tolerate pretty low, but im not opposed to a little comfort.

Yes Sir, toasty!

Yup set at maximum. I should probably give it a cleaning so no webs or stuff are blocking the hose, but yep. Highest setting

I bought a big patio heater, one of the mushroom types. I also used Cynch for the propane, and it was super easy. Way better than me driving to do that chit. That was a boss recommendation.


I just finished off the first tank. I was a little disappointed that it didn't last longer. My heater is 50k btu, but I had it turned down to about halfway or less because it hasn't been super cold. I was just using the heater to knock the chill out of the air, not to be toasty.

Mr. Whiskey, how do you get 20 hours out of these things? Even with mine turned down, I probably got 10ish.

Do you check for leaks using the soap method I've seen online? I haven't done that because the hose is attached as tight as I can get it by hand. If there's a leak, not sure what I can do about it.

Anybody tried plumbers tape on the tank outlet?


Yes, I am new to propane and propane accessories.

Sounds like you have your forever set-up!

I need to get back on the search for a heater for those few nights when the temps drop to below 70, the humidity is in the lower 60s and the wind over 10 mph.

Mexican serapes huh? Never ever thought of getting one of those but now that I think about it, seems like a good alternative to sweatshirts, sweatpants and long tube socks. Anything I need to consider when looking for one?

there are a couple styles: with hole for head; and without head opening...go for the one with a head hole -- it'll stay on and stay centered leaving your arms free to smoke rather than fussing with adjusting the serape...

two primary materials: wool and cotton -- although the wool ones are thicker and warmer, they can get a bit itchy, especially if you have an allergy to wool...I prefer the cotton ones...softer, thinner, more pliable and easier to fold, plus SoCal doesn't get all that cold where wool is an advantage.


these came in handy when we had herfs at our former house...guys of differing sizes would come unprepared for the cool nights and being outside to enjoy beverages and smoke cigars...serapes are one size fits all and easier to put on and take off than sweatshirts or jackets that may be too small or too big...

Cigars dont taste right to me in weather under 40 or over 94 or so.
Fortunately i dont have to deal with that too often.

What is this "rain" you speak of?

Teflon/PTFE/"plumbers" tape or thread sealant/pipe dope is necessary for all gas fitting threads unless the fitting is flared and/or contains a rubber O-ring or gasket. However, do not use the white tape that's made for water pipes the stuff for gas pipes is yellow. I also recommend torquing both hose connections slightly with a wrench with the exception that you have a hose with a plastic hand tightener on the tank side then only wrench the heater side unless it was already installed by the factory. Not as tight as possible though about a half-turn past hand tight or as tight as u can with 2 fingers pushing the wrench.
I asked Hank Hill and he said a 20 lb. tank of propane contains approx. 420K BTU. 4.6 gallons×91k BTU per gal. so if ur unit runs 50k btu on high it should last approx 8.5 hours. So you should be getting more on medium and you may be leaking at the fitting. Good luck hope this helps.
Also be aware that if u decide to do a tank exchange instead of a refill, most exchange companies don't fill the tanks to their max 80% capacity (20% left for gas expansion) like the Refill station or company will. Blue Rhino for instance only puts 15 lbs (about 3.5 gals.) in their tanks.

gas, like almost anything, needs room for expansion, without which disasters could happen...

reminds me of the time I bought a pair of slim cut pants. Fit like a small hotel...no ballroom.

Frankie Tripiod



oh, I might be back.

Welcome back, Frank

Costco has an electric infrared heater on sale right now. I picked one up since the wifey pointed out that it only costs three propane tank refills. Trying it out right now. One side of me is currently very warm.

I usually wear a hoodie and a coat when I use my propane heater, but since this is IR, I actually get warmer without the coat.

I'm interested in how that IR works out Stogie. Sounds like you got a deal. I've looked at them, but the bigger ones run hundreds of dollars or more.

I do not like the hot or the cold... which is why I am waiting on the contractor to enclose my lanai. That'll be the "Inclement weather" smoking lounge. Portable AC and all.

I call that a win stogie

the weather here sux. 35 to 40 degrees, which isnt actually too bad for January in NY, but the rain is ruining my smoking time. Im toying with a getting a shed, converting it to a man cave, and spending my time in there watch Football and smoking. Wife gave me her blessing...but i dont think she realizes what a 10 x 10 shed costs...

I have it at about 11:00 relative to me sitting and while there are some cold spots on me, overall I'm nice and comfortable even in the 30s and 40s. It's weird, the less you wear the warmer you are (IR heats your skin much better than your clothes).

Because it's IR, I dont think there are btu ratings, at least none I could find. I would say that on high it feels just like my propane heater on max. I rarely ran the propane heater on max though since it would kill a tank in a few hours. The two main advantages of the IR in my mind are the wind proof effect of the IR and no need for buying tanks of propane.