Bromic Patio Heater Review: Performance & Design

Most patio heaters disappear into the background. They’re functional, forgettable, and about as interesting to look at as a parking lot lamppost. The Hiland HLDS01-WGTHG 40,000 BTU Pyramid Patio Heater is not that. It makes a case for itself on looks before it even ignites, and then the flame column comes on and your guests stop talking for a second. That’s a real thing that happens.

I’ve tested a fair number of heaters for our Fire Pits & Patio Heaters coverage, and this one sits in a specific category that deserves honest treatment: beautiful, genuinely functional, but with tradeoffs that matter depending on how you use your outdoor space. Let me be direct about what this heater does well, what it doesn’t, and whether it belongs on your patio.

Quick Verdict

The Hiland HLDS01-WGTHG is a statement piece that also works. At around $180 to $210 depending on timing and retailer, it’s priced reasonably for what you get. The pyramid flame column is genuinely beautiful at night, the built-in wheels make repositioning a one-person job, and CSA certification means you’re not rolling the dice on safety. The quartz glass tube is fragile, and if you have a regular dinner-party crowd seated around a table expecting even heat distribution, a mushroom-style overhead heater will serve them better. But if the question is which heater will make your back patio look like something worth sitting on, the Hiland wins that argument with ease.

Bottom line. Buy it for the visual impact and the ambiance. Accept that it throws heat in a column pattern. Budget roughly $40 to $60 for a replacement glass tube, because at some point you’ll want a spare.

Key Specs

• BTU output. 40,000 BTU propane
• Fuel. Standard 20 lb propane tank (fits inside the base, concealed)

• Heat radius. Approximately 10 to 12 feet diameter at moderate settings
• Height. Around 87 inches fully assembled
• Ignition. Push-button piezo
• Safety features. Tip-over shutoff, pilot outage protection, CSA certified
• Mobility. Wheels built into base
• Finish. Hammered bronze
• Weight. Approximately 37 lbs without tank

The 20 lb propane tank concealed inside the base is a design win. Other freestanding heaters in this price range leave the tank exposed or require a separate cover. If you’ve ever tripped over a propane cylinder at someone else’s party, you understand why this matters.

Performance and Testing

Heat Output

Forty thousand BTUs from a freestanding propane heater is standard. The Briggs & Stratton crowd will tell you BTU numbers are marketing and they’re not entirely wrong, but 40,000 is the sweet spot for outdoor use in anything below about 50 degrees Fahrenheit without wind. I ran this heater through several evenings in the mid-40s and found it kept a roughly 10-foot radius comfortable for standing guests. Seated guests at a table placed directly in front of it got good warmth on their faces and upper bodies. Their feet were another matter.

That’s a column-heater limitation, not a Hiland failure specifically. Compare it to a mushroom-style unit like the AmazonBasics Outdoor Patio Heater or the Dyna-Glo 48,000 BTU model, which distribute heat downward from an overhead reflector. If you’re running a dinner party with six people seated around a 60-inch table, a mushroom heater warms the group more evenly. The Hiland warms the space more dramatically.

Ignition and Controls

Push-button piezo ignition worked reliably in my testing, though like every piezo system I’ve used, cold temperatures below freezing made it slightly harder to catch. Three or four presses rather than one. The flame height adjusts with a knob that turns smoothly, and the pilot outage protection kicked in correctly each time I tested it by blocking the burner briefly. (I tested this deliberately, which I realize sounds excessive, but CSA certification only tells you the design is approved, not that the specific unit in the box works.)

The tip-over shutoff is a gas valve mechanism that triggers when the unit tilts past a safe angle. I did not deliberately tip the heater, but I did push it sideways while running and felt the resistance of the mechanism engage. It functions as described.

The Glass Tube

The quartz glass tube is the centerpiece of the design and its primary vulnerability. The flame burns inside the tube, creating that column of fire visible from every angle. It’s a genuinely good-looking effect, especially after dark. The tube is also breakable. Not fragile in the sense that you’ll crack it by looking at it, but fragile in the sense that a tip-over on a hard surface or a strong impact will end it. Replacement tubes are available on Amazon for roughly $35 to $50, and I’d recommend ordering one when you buy the heater rather than scrambling for it later.

Wind is the other factor. The tube provides some protection for the flame, but sustained gusts above about 15 mph will cause flickering and heat loss. This isn’t different from most freestanding heaters, but the glass tube doesn’t provide the full flame protection you might assume from looking at it.

Mobility

The built-in wheels are a small thing that makes a meaningful difference. The tank adds weight, and without wheels a full heater at 57-plus pounds becomes a two-person job to reposition. With the wheels, I moved it from the flagstone area to the lawn edge by myself in under a minute. If you rearrange your outdoor furniture by season or just like options, this matters more than it might sound.

Pros and Cons

Pros.

• The pyramid flame column is a visual focal point that no mushroom-style heater matches at this price
• Built-in concealed propane tank storage keeps the setup clean
• Wheels make solo repositioning practical
• CSA certification with functional tip-over and pilot safety systems
• Hammered bronze finish holds up well and doesn’t show minor scuffs

Cons.

• Quartz glass tube will not survive a hard tip-over on concrete or stone
• Heat distribution favors column pattern over even overhead spread, which matters for seated dinner-party use
• Piezo ignition gets stubborn in freezing temperatures
• No cover included at this price point (budget an additional $25 to $40 for a fitted cover, or look at options in our propane fire pit cover guide for comparable sizing notes)

Who It’s For

The Hiland pyramid heater is for people who use their outdoor space as an extension of their interior and care about how it looks. If your back patio has furniture you thought about, lighting you chose deliberately, and a fire element that’s meant to do more than just warm you, this heater fits. It also works well for anyone hosting cocktail-party-style gatherings where guests move around rather than staying seated. A standing crowd gets heat more evenly from a column heater than a seated crowd does.

It’s not the best choice for a covered pergola with fixed seating and guests who want to stay warm from ankle to shoulder. For that use case, a wall-mounted option or an overhead unit serves better. Our coverage of wall mounted patio heater options is a better starting point if your setup is fixed and covered.

It’s also worth being honest about the comparison to fire table products. If you’re already weighing whether you want a heater or a fire feature, a fire pit with coffee table configuration offers a different kind of visual and social anchor. The Hiland makes sense when you want genuine heat output plus a visual statement and don’t want to dedicate surface space to a table unit.

For properties with mixed-use zones, there’s a case for running both. I have a fire table on the main entertaining terrace and have used column heaters like this one to extend a second seating area without running a second fire feature. That’s probably more heater investment than most people need, if I’m being honest about it.

Where to Buy

The Hiland HLDS01-WGTHG Pyramid Patio Heater is available on Amazon, currently priced around $180 to $210 at the time of writing. Prices move with season, so if you’re reading this in September, you’ll likely pay less than if you’re reading it in October after the first cold snap reminds everyone they own a patio.

For anyone building out a full outdoor heat and fire setup, the broader outdoor fire and heat section covers the product categories worth comparing before committing to a single solution.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long will a 20 lb propane tank last on the Hiland pyramid heater?

At full 40,000 BTU output, a standard 20 lb tank runs roughly 8 to 10 hours. Running at medium heat extends that to 12 or more hours. Most people don’t run these at full blast for an entire session, so plan on 10 to 14 hours of real-world use per tank depending on your settings and ambient temperature.

Can I use this heater on a wood deck?

Yes, with normal precautions. The base is wide enough that tip-over risk is low on a level surface, and the flame is enclosed in the glass tube rather than open like a fire pit. Keep it away from overhanging fabric, umbrellas, and low deck awnings. The CSA certification applies to outdoor use including decks. Check your deck material and any HOA restrictions before use.

What happens if the glass tube breaks?

Replacement quartz glass tubes for this model are available on Amazon for roughly $35 to $50. The heater will function without the tube but loses the pyramid flame visual effect and exposes the flame to wind. Order a replacement before you need it rather than after.

Is the Hiland pyramid heater suitable for covered patios or pergolas?

Only with adequate clearance. Propane combustion produces carbon monoxide and requires ventilation. Fully enclosed spaces are not appropriate. A pergola with open sides and at least 8 to 10 feet of clearance above the heater head is generally workable, but verify airflow before use. For fixed, covered outdoor spaces, an electric or wall-mounted heater is a safer design choice.

How difficult is assembly?

Assembly takes most people 30 to 45 minutes with two people, or closer to an hour solo. The base, pole sections, and burner head connect with hardware included in the box. Instructions are adequate but not detailed. The pole sections are heavy enough that a second person makes getting the upper sections aligned easier. No special tools required beyond a wrench.