Best Portable Heater, Big Buddy, Dyna-glo Or Mr. Heater Sunflower, Big Buddy Heater??

[waxworm09]

I am trying to decide which heater to buy to use in my portable.I'm deciding between a big buddy for $100, or a Mr heater sunflower for $35 or Dyna-glo sunflower heater in 2019. Is the big buddy worth the extra money or should I stick with the sunflower heater? Which sunflower heater is best? With the hose it would be about $85 more to buy the big buddy, just wondering if its worth the extra money?? Thanks

[oleWalter]

I can't say anything along the lines of the Big Buddy but I do have the Sunflower heater attached to a 20lb tank w/hose. I leave the tank outside of my hub, slide the heater under the flaps, and bank the flaps with snow to keep out any drafts.

I have no complaints with this setup. The hub stays warm with the heater on the low setting. The sunflower is also capable of functioning as a cooker/burner.

[leechlake]

I have both and usually use the sunflower. It's kind of loud and saps a lot of oxygen (my eyes sting sometimes) but I like that it doesn't have the safety thing that the buddy has that turns it off unless you move it really carefully. The thing is like a tank but the noise can get to a guy.

[pushbutton]

Guess it boils down to how much you do or do not want to spend on how much carbon monoxide you want to take in. If cash is not an issue, it is almost a no brainer. If it is, suppose many things in life can be bad for you, and you will have some more cash to buy more of that instead Often have really young or old people with me, so went with the "safer" route, if it was only me, would be comfortable flipping a coin. A sunflower on a 5 lber is a great set up in a porty......

[redneckdan]

I went with the big buddy. My 4 gas analyser does not detect any CO when it is running at WFO in my otter lodge. First time I used it I had problems with the regulator freezing up on the external tank hose. The tank had been sitting outside over night, the ambient temp was in the mid 20s with high humidity. Hoar frost started growing on the regulator and I think that sucked all the heat out of the regulator and jamed it up. Since then I keep the tank in the corn of my shanty and have not ahd problems.

[Getanet]

My dad had the sunflower in the portable when I was growing up. My buddy and I use the buddy heater now. I personally would never go back to the sunflower. I know people seem to have less issues with the sunflower - but I certainly don't miss the headaches or burning my clothes on them.

How big is your portable? If you go with the buddy heater You can probably get by with the regular buddy (room for one 1 lb. tank) instead of the big buddy (room for two 1 lb tanks). They typically are $15-20 cheaper.

[tazimna]

hands down the sunflower is a much better way to go.Taz

[aanderud]

I had the heater/cooker, and used it for almost a decade. Bought the big buddy 5 years ago (4?) and haven't looked back. It's so quiet, plenty warm, and burns SOOO much cleaner. No headaches, when it seemed very commonplace for me to have a headache after a night of fishing in the past. It's also a lot more kid/dog friendly in that they won't burn stuff on it nearly as often.

The cost seems high at 3x what the sunflower costs, but over the lifespan that 85 bucks isn't a lot. You'll probably use it what 10 years (conservative estimate)? That's basically a chipotle lunch per year of cost. Pretty darn low cost, IMHO, considering the other expenses involved with 10 years of ice fishing.

[FshBloodRiverMud]

I have used:

1) Little buddy

2) Big Buddy

3) SUnflower Heater/Cooker (2 of them)

4) Double sunflower.

Only one i don't own still is the big buddy.

I returned the big buddy within a week of purchase.

I've been using a sunflower ever since.

The double sunflower gets used on weekend COLD overnighters.

My turnoffs to the big buddy -

1) It's HUGE.

2) Fart at it and it'll go out.

3) Nudge it and it'll go out.

Pro's for sunflower:

1) WOrks everytime, all the time.

2) Can't blow it out.

3) 1&2....Heater is meant to heat.

I run my sunflower in my 1-man, i attach it to the top of a 20# tank.

It takes up very little room this way and doesn't melt anything else in the sled because it's not on the floor of the sled like a buddy would be.

I can also flip my house up in 40mph wind and my sunflower stays lit!

I don't worry about CO, because the sunflowers generally put out enough heat, that i can have a decent amount of air flow in/out of the house and stay warm; and safe.

I cook on my sunflower; frequently. Not many options to do that on a buddy. I use my sunflower to melt lead/cast weights. Sunflower goes in the boat for weekend trips when it's cold, or when i want coffee.

So; put me STRONGLY into the sunflower category.

[B-man715]

No more sunflowers for this guy for the aforementioned reasons (I will only use it in the boat: open air)

Big buddy for my bigger portable and as a backup in the wheelhouse.

Little Buddy (the round one) for in my one man Kenai.

[Bureaucrat]

There is no shortage of threads in this forum for Big Buddy heaters. Lots of guys like them and have had luck with them. Lots have not. You'll spend time fixing, buying extra parts, and scratching your head when it doesn't work. I've used a handful of them, and they've all been major distractions if not outright failures and barriers to fishing.

I wouldn't declare a buddy a solution to the CO problem either. Count me in the sunflower column. I fish out of a larger portable, and I use a 3000 BTU mini sunflower and do just fine on heat.

[CaptainMusky]

You'll spend time fixing, buying extra parts, and scratching your head when it doesn't work.

None of these are issues if you just follow the directions.

I used a sunflower heater for the first 10 years I ice fished. Never could figure out why I would have intense headaches and vomit after a long day on the ice until I bought a Big Buddy heater and never had the issues again.

I melted canvas, fishing line, bibs, burned my gloves, etc all on that dam sunflower and never had one single issue with my big buddy heater.

Buy the low pressure quick connect hose or use 1# tanks and there will never be issues.

[JigginIsLife]

I used a sunflower heater as long as i can remember. My dad and I have both gotten big buddy heaters about 8 years ago and neither one of us have looked back. smaller chance of burning the house and the pant leg has been worth a ton. I still have my sunflower for what its worth. Its always my back up when things go wrong.

[FshBloodRiverMud]

I melted canvas, fishing line, bibs, burned my gloves, etc all on that dam sunflower

I've seen a sunflower do many odd things; but i've only seen those things happen when running off a sh**ty 1# tank.

Never seen any issues running off 20# tanks. I strictly use 20# tanks...Even in my 1-man.

I think the 1-# tanks can't handle the rate of fuel consumption that a sunflower draws and it can freeze them open. Example; often times when i used a 1# thank, turning off my sunflower wouldn't work; i'd have to unscrew the 1# tank. That never has happened when using a 20#.

Just my experience.

Ya gotta have air exchanging guys, or you'll get CO poisening with extended exposure.

[CaptainMusky]

I've seen a sunflower do many odd things; but i've only seen those things happen when running off a sh**ty 1# tank.

Mine was mounted to a 20# tank.

I also had one of those Coleman Focus heaters that I was hanging on to if I needed a backup. I was going to give it to my brother and nephew because they are getting started ice fishing and dont have all the tools yet. I was having trouble getting it lighted so I figured it needed a new thermocouple or something. Searched online for parts and all that I could find were the wrongful death lawsuits due to CO poisoning. I immediately threw it in the trash.

[Down2Earth]

I spent a bunch of money on a new otter and bought the buddy heater for the sole purpose of not putting holes in the canvas. My old house had a bunch of holes from my sunflower. However I do bring the sunflower along as a backup. My big buddy has only let me down on one occasion.

[redneckdan]

I only had issues once with mine, I had some slush spray hit the pilot area when I was getting ready to move. I did not dry it out sufficently. When I got to my new spot the sparker would not fucntion. I used a match to get it going, once it dried out it was fine.

[RIPN LIPS]

Big Buddy hands down, the low oxygen level sensor is worth its weight in gold and the high setting heats up the shack in minutes then you can turn it down to medium and you stay toasty all day. Being able to push it up against the wall is pretty nice as well.

[leechlake]

I think most of the pros can cons have been presented. I'm not very good at taking care of my stuff. My heater/cooker can handle not being taken care of. The Buddy needs to be taken care of better, it's all my doing so I'm not blaming the heater. If I had little kids with me I'd only use the Buddy but the heater/cooker from my experience can be abused and it still works. It's also more dangerous, I started a hose on fire with one and had a fire in the portable, not good.

[Wirenut]

Big buddy for me for all the above reasons, sunflower only used in emergencies and then all windows are open. I do like using the sunflower heater inside the fish house in the garage to dry out the canvas after each use.

[hamms-scooter]

I was running my big buddy today in my thermal hub. I went out to the truck for something and came back to have the smell of propane bad in there. I shut it off and ran my htr/cooker mr heater the rest of the day. The big buddy has worked well all year for me but that's why you have a back up with. I always have the htr ckr with takes up little space in truck. I also have to add that I am so sick of the 1 pounders! They freeze up and always have some left in them.. I put my big buddy on top of a bucket so it isn't on ice.I have a 5pounder and a 20. The 20 is getting filled asap.

[mn86]

i never cared for sunflowers, only because its hard to find a happy medium with temperature for me. in my old school one man flip over fish trap that has the canvas rather than nylon or thermal denier i have never had an issue staying warm with my little buddy. my buddy has the full thermal otter lodge and when we are fishing in the most brutal temps his big buddy never leaves low. i really love the little buddy because its small, compact, and light in the sled. if u fish from any style one man i believe the little buddy will produce more then enough heat on the coldest days. i would suggest the big buddy if you have a larger portable simply because the little buddy doesnt produce enough heat when its super cold. if u dont like 1# tanks then the little buddy is not the heater for u because to the best of my knowledge there is no adapter for it. has anyone seen an adaptor?

[waxworm09]

As far as burning my clothes and the house, im not too worried about that. I have only owned a sunflower and have been ice fishing with it for about 12 years, and have never burned my house or a piece of clothing. Is the big buddy a lot safer than the sunflower? I have never had headaches or anything like that like some people have mentioned. I can get the sunflower on sale for $35 and the big buddy for $99 plus the hose so about $80 more to go with the big buddy. I dont think the smaller buddy heater would work, i fished a few years ago with a friend and his buddy heater barely heated my 5' by 6' portable. How long has the buddy heater been available? And what did people use before it was available? Was the sunflower the only option or is there another heater to look into?

[fishyspringer]

I highly recommend the Buddy heaters! I fished for years with a Mr Heater/Cooker. It was always a struggle to keep from being to hot inside the fish trap. Along with that it was noisy and the fumes got to me after a long day on the ice. With the buddy heaters they are silent and provide a safer heat. The fan is nice too on the big buddy. You do still have to be careful of CO because I used my big buddy heater in my wheel house with a CO detector. The CO detector has a display to show the level it detects. The level definitely rose and was close to sounding the alarm when I checked it.

[Rick]

Which sunflower heater is best?

Dyno-glo or Mr. Heater - pros and cons?