portable ice house heaters

[redseal]

whats the best one in your experiance for a flip house/quick fish?

mr heater cooker

mr heater buddy

etc

[B-man715]

I have used them all. I personally use the Big buddy most often. It provides a lot of heat, safer in confined spaces, less chance of burning tent fabric and has a fan to blow heat if you want.

That said, the cooker/sunflower style are cheaper to buy and are lighter in weight if that is of concern. I still use a sunflower on occasion if I happen to pull my one man out by hand.

As for reliablity both will have problems. The sunflower types have thermocouplers exposed that get beat up and break. On my first buddy heater the ceramic plate fell out and lost the clips. The second one (Big Buddy) developed a leak on the tube to the pilot light (wouldn't light). It took me 45 minutes on the ice to tear the whole thing apart and tighten that fitting (thank God for leathermans!)

[Tyler23]

go with a buddy heater. i got one and will never go back. i got the original one but my buddy has a big buddy that thing puts out so much heat its amazing. i would never use a sunflower anymore there to dangerous.

[Bottle Fish]

Buddy heater for sure.

[TravP]

Buddy heater here too. I had a cooker for the last 6-8 years but it gets too hot for me. Also, with a buddy heater you can set it in your sled while in use, saves lots of space.

[Big A]

Big Buddy. No question about it. safe, reliable, powerfull

[jwhjr]

Big Buddy.

[Bob Schroden]

I like the Mr. Heater sunflower that connects directly to a 11# refillable tank.

No hoses to connect, no tipping of the heater, no problems with lighting or staying lit.

Plain and simple, it always works.

I have been using the same sunflower heater for almost 20 years.

Just take care of it and it will keep you warm.

[zamboni]

I use the smaller Buddy in my Scout, due to no legroom and a Big Buddy otherwise. Both great units

[BpAki987]

Big Buddy in my quickflip 3. dont have to worry about it melting my house is a plus. and the fan is great.

[Drewski]

The buddy heaters work great.

[hunter101]

using the big buddy heater "gas" up the house as much as a sunflower heater? i cant take that anymore

[Marbleye'd]

I use a mr heater/cooker and really like having hotlunch but IF i could afford a buddy heater I would have one for sure. (my unemployment is a bad joke....but I'm fishing everyday)

[Northland Sportsman]

the buddy style is the way to go, big buddy in a larger style portable or perm. They do not fume you out like the heater/cooker or sunflower types-no heater hangover! They are supposed to be indoor safe, now is the time to buy if you can find what you want.

[crothmeier]

BIG BUDDY

[Lisa Almquist]

I use a Buddy Heater in my Otter Cabin. Works great! I've also used the sunflower but with my smaller portable, it was just too hot!

[NCLaker]

For 1 man/small 2 man, little buddy. 2-3 man flipover I love my big buddy (hooked up to an external tank for longer outings). I love the fact that it is less likely to burn stuff that come in contact with it.

Only catch is that it is a tad bulky to haul, fragile, and questionable reliability. Had a problem with mine in -16 degree temps, good thing my buddy had a sunflower as a backup (put out more heat IMO). Now I am looking for a cooker/sunflower to buy so I always have a backup.

[jimmyjames76]

Another vote for big buddy heater. I have a sunflower heater too, and it's great, but I start getting light headed/nauseous after awhile even with the vents open on my portable. Personally I think the big buddy puts out just as much heat too, and actually Mr. Heater has it rated as slightly more (14,000 vs 18,000).

[shizzy]

I use a buddy heater in my Quick fish 3. Only on the real cold days has it been a little on the chilly side.

[GrumpyOldCrappie]

I have a sunflower that works well in my 8x8 house on skids.

Regular buddy that I sold to a friend after I bought a Big Buddy.

The BB is the ticket! Double the heat than the highest setting on the regular Buddy. Gets a little too warm when it's nice outside but perfect for those cold days!

Reeds in Onamia has the Big Buddy on sale for $89.

That's about as cheap as you'll find them.

Well worth the price!

[Jon P.]

We've typically used a sunflower cooker and melted the zipper on the portable last year. We're going out this week and we borrowed a regular buddy to try. Should be an interesting comparision. I'm hoping the Buddy melts the ice and snow around it less and looking forward to not worring about the zipper/fabric.

[jigginjim]

I run a buddy heater, works good. Be sure to bank up your shelter if you can. A breeze will effect the burner, when ya 1st light it.

[Mainehazmt]

Big buddy (big tough buddy lowes version) I have 3 of the big ones and 1 of the small ones they are great and have never had an issue On super cold days I use 2 in my otter village and it is nice and toasty in there (village is 6x12)