King Electric PSH2440TB Portable Shop Heater Review
A 3,750W / 240V portable shop heater with a thermostat, a mounting bracket, and a plug — garage heat without hardwiring if you have a 240V outlet.
The verdict
The King PSH2440TB is for people who have (or can cheaply add) a 240V outlet in the garage and don't want a permanent install: it plugs in, it has its own thermostat, and the included bracket lets you hang it on a wall or set it on the floor and point it at the bench. At 3,750 watts (about 12,800 BTU) it's smaller than the ceiling units, right for a one-car garage or a workshop corner rather than a whole two-car bay. Build quality is King's usual heavy-duty standard; the price reflects it.
$199on Amazon
Price as of Aug 23, 12:31 AM ET — subject to change.
What we like
- +Plug-in 240V — no hardwiring if a suitable outlet exists
- +3,750W / ~12,800 BTU with a built-in thermostat
- +Mounting bracket included; use it on the wall or as a portable floor unit
- +Heavy-duty King construction and a quiet-for-class fan
- +Overheat protection
What to know
- −Less output than 5,000–6,000W ceiling units — size it for ~350–400 sq ft insulated
- −Needs a dedicated 240V circuit with the matching receptacle; never an extension cord
- −Pricier per watt than the hardwired budget units
Full review
Most 240V garage heaters assume you're hardwiring them to the ceiling. The King PSH2440TB assumes you have a 240V receptacle — the kind a welder, compressor, or dryer uses — and would rather plug in, set a thermostat, and get to work. The included bracket means you can still mount it out of the way, but it doesn't have to live there; it can follow you to a different corner, or a different house.
At 3,750 watts it's deliberately sized smaller than the ceiling units. Using the 10-watts-per-square-foot rule for an insulated space, that's about 375 square feet — a one-car garage, a shop corner, or a workshop bay — and it handles that well, bringing the space up in under an hour and cycling on its thermostat. In a two-car garage it takes the edge off but won't hold 65°F on a cold day; for that, step up to the DR-966 or Comfort Zone on a hardwired 30A circuit.
The usual rules apply with one extra: the outlet must match the plug and be on its own properly sized circuit, and it must never be run through an extension cord or an adapter. If the garage doesn't have a 240V outlet, adding one costs about the same as hardwiring a ceiling unit, which shifts the math toward the ceiling units — this heater's advantage is for people who already have the outlet.
Best for: One-car garages, workshop corners, and renters or anyone who wants 240V heat without a permanent install.
Specifications
| Heat output | 3,750W (~12,800 BTU) |
|---|---|
| Voltage | 240V, plug-in (dedicated circuit with matching receptacle) |
| Heater type | Fan-forced electric, portable / wall-mount |
| Thermostat | Built-in adjustable |
| Mounting | Bracket included; also freestanding |
| Room coverage | ~350–400 sq ft insulated space |
| Safety | Overheat protection, steel housing |
| Noise | Moderate shop-fan level |
| Size / weight | Compact steel housing with handle |
| Cord | Short 240V cord and plug; never use with an extension cord |
| Warranty | 1 year |
Ready to get one?
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$199on Amazon
Price as of Aug 23, 12:31 AM ET — subject to change.
Head-to-head comparisons
Alternatives in Garage & Shop Heaters
Best Overall
Dr. Infrared Heater DR-966 Garage Heater
A 3,000 / 6,000W hardwired 240V shop heater with a built-in thermostat and wall/ceiling bracket — the most heat you can get from a standard 30A circuit.
Most Heat
Mr. Heater Big Maxx MHU50 Natural Gas Unit Heater
50,000 BTU of natural-gas heat — roughly three times what a 240V electric unit makes, at a fraction of the running cost — for garages that are big, uninsulated, or both.
Best Value
Comfort Zone CZ220 Ceiling-Mount Garage Heater
5,000W of hardwired 240V fan-forced heat on a ceiling bracket for about a hundred dollars — the cheapest way to heat a garage permanently.