Mr. Heater Buddy vs Buddy Flex (UPGRADE or Save Your MONEY?)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ธ.ค. 2020
- Time to upgrade? Mr. Heater Buddy Heater or the new Buddy Flex heater? Try out Squarespace for free and get 10% off when you are ready to purchase by going to www.squarespace.com/playingwit...
As we break down the differences between the Mr. Heater Buddy Heater and the new Buddy Flex heater there are a few questions you need to ask yourself? Will you be heating more than one person with your portable heater? Will you ever want to upgrade at some time to a portable stove? Will your heater primarily be used for camping and ice fishing? Or do you plan on using it more in your small camper trailer? Those are just a few of the obvious questions upgrading to the Buddy Flex Heater will present. This heater review was created to help you answer those questions as well as a number of other questions you may not have thought of in in regards to what is the best heater for you.
For more small camper gear we use and abuse check out www.amazon.com/shop/playingwithsticks
By purchasing items through these links there is no additional cost to you. Our family gets a small kickback from amazon for any purchases you make using these affiliate links.
Mr Heater Buddy Flex Heater amzn.to/3b03gaC
Buddy Flex Cook Stove amzn.to/2L2vRRR
Mr Heater Portable Buddy Heater amzn.to/3hu9Fwk
Mr. Heater Little Buddy Heater amzn.to/3pwXf9r
Mr. Heater Big Buddy Heater amzn.to/2WZebsY
Mr. Heater Buddy Heater Approved for California amzn.to/3n0afCQ
The stove we briefly showed with 360 degree heating and the ability to cook on top of it amzn.to/3mZnOme
The smaller version of the stove above, that we actually LOVE amzn.to/2JuwaEL
*At the current moment it looks like all the Mr. Heater products are more affordable from your local box stores.
Our playlist for tips and tricks for staying warm in your small camper trailer or your campsite • Electric and Solar POW...
3 Ultimate Mr. Heater Hacks (Simple Buddy Heater Modifications) • 3 Ultimate Mr Heater H...
All our other playlists / @playingwithsticks - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
On the older heater, hold the button down longer between clicks. Move to pilot then depress the knob and hold it for 5-10 seconds, then repeat. Do not continuously click, click, click. Hold it down to get the gas to flow. If you are click, click, clicking, you are stopping the gas from reaching the output tube every time you lift off the button.
Done this for the past year thanks to this comment and it has worked awesome. Thank you BTW!!
I just used my Bic lighter if it starts going click click click
So, your saying this guy's an idiot, probably has a shit ton of money therefore too, always with the irony
The irony is that in the video, I said it was a quality control issue. I do appreciate people sharing solutions here, but that was not the point. He’s absolutely right that is the solution that we use as well. However, with ALL that money I have, I have the opportunity to try out a lot of these heaters. And it’s ridiculous how often they fail right out of the box. The clickety-clack was a narrative, not a solution. Basically saying if you get one that doesn’t work on your first try, take it back to the store. We should not have to accept inferior products. It’s our job to make some noise and say hey, these things aren’t made well. This is our hard earned money. Put some of that back into quality control.
@@PlayingwithSticks so the newer ones fire right away? I'm not pissed about mine being the way it is. I got a big buddy brand new in the box of Facebook for $20 so I'm still way ahead.
I'll stick with the two old Big Buddy and one Little Buddy ones I have. I've had them for several years and the ceramic burners never oxidize. They've been 100% reliable and trouble free. They're still like new.
I have a little buddy I found in the middle of the woods. Cleaned the rats nest out, took it apart and cleaned the lines. Works like new.
@@zbruh7268 you should make a vid of the heater before ans after would be interesting. Just bought a hunting buddy.
@@beeswax2182 yeah, it's all cleaned up now lol 😆 I should've tho. I'll be pulling a rats nest out of my garage refrigerator this spring. So maybe I will then 🤷♂️
@@zbruh7268 yes should do that interesting to watch old engines and parts restored very cool.
If your old Big Buddy is like mine, it has a built in squirrel cage fan.
Easy to use right out the box th-cam.com/users/postUgkxAvrAfikbUEMthp3AZ6iX5FKdiHfzy_RP . Next step is to get a heat activated fan to move the heat. I'm impressed by how long it can go on 1 lbs of propane at the low setting which lasted more than 6hrs. You'll have to adjust it lower than the low setting. Used for personal heating at 30° to 50° at low setting in an open garage, it's quite comfortable. It would warm up a good size single car garage if its closed off.
I think just a traditional buddy heater is best for us solo travelers. I often use the little buddy heater. I find it often performs better at elevation too compared to the regular buddy
I've never had trouble lighting my original buddy. I'm guessing you know this but just didn't mention it, but if you press the button down just a little some gas will come out so if you hold it there in that position for a couple seconds before fully pressing to hit the igniter it lights pretty easy and usually on first try even in wind.
Thank you for this. You are absolutely correct. I should have demonstrated my issues more on the video. Sometimes I am so focused on keeping the video short I overlook major details like this. Thank you for filling in the gaps.
I hold the pilot button down for 10 seconds every time I start my Buddy. The pilot lights every time with one click. When I hook up the long hose to the 20 pound propane tank, I purge the air out of the lines by holding the pilot button down until I smell a bit of propane. It lights on one click almost every time.
I run a big buddy heator in my 2001 ram it lights up every day perfectly on the first tryi use a 20 pound bottle
My dad has one of these that's I don't even know how old, but he's had it for years. It starts every time without a hiccup.
You might have just saved mine from being crushed. I'm trying that rite now because reading your comment I remembered doing that and it did help
These would come in handy for a back-up heating situation ( 20 gal. ) during an extended grid power outage. Texas - Feb 2021.
You're not supposed to use them inside a house.
@@ToriLynnH Your correct; I said it could come in handy and do not own one. I guess freezing to death would be a better option ? Wood stove and/or generator back up best.
@@benjaminrush4443
You just went through a horrendous freezing storm. And in reality, though they are not 'legal' for indoor use, it would be an option to freezing. Especially if you have a functioning co2 sensor
@@benjaminrush4443 The Buddy is rated for indoor use. The Flex is not. I grew up with ventless Deereborn propane stoves warming our house. Look for propane ventless heaters for safe indoor use
@@TinkleBotv Thank you.
A small kinetic fan works great on top of either of these heaters to even out the heat in a room. I heated a 300 SF cabin with the old gen Buddy heater. Worked great. The small storage is for filters and which you should use, and other small parts.
Ignorant question - what sort of filters?
@@drumrgrrrl4319 -Not ignorant at all. Here is a link. Hopefully it works or just look up propane filter for mr. heater.
The storage is to shallow for the filter. I have the flex version
I used the original buddy heater (4k-9k btu) on the 4k setting to keep my 1,200 sq ft shop at 40-42 degrees F this past week when we had a full week below freezing and every night a bit below zero. It’s not a living space, but I have things in the shop I don’t want to freeze. Running it at 4k btu, it lasted right at 124 hours on a 20 pound tank. Been thinking about getting a Flex, but not sure I like 8k btu being the minimum for my usage. Great video either way though! Thank you, sir!
I have a Big Buddy in my uninsulated trailer I use as my smoking area when its cold or rainy. I have me door opened and two roof vents cracked open with carbon detectors. I crank it onto high for 15 minutes and it cooks me out of here, I turn it down to low with a battery operated fan under it blowing the hot air around. I love this thing.
Great video. You're experienced and responsible, so I hope the new heater shutoff being less sensitive doesn't cause accidents with people who are not as astute as you.
I'm a huge fan of buddy heaters,I've had both the 9000 and 18000 models.the improvements to regulator the screen shield and wrap around are exactly what buddy needed.now make them in the 18000 models
That little Buddy should be in every trunk or truck, years ago I was caught in a Cold Vortex that hit Texas, the folks there had never seen anything like it, it froze even the Camper heaters, fortunately, Yes, we had a Buddy, never leave home without it!! Great Vid, Safe Camping!
At the highest setting the Buddy Heater is good to warm up quickly a fishing cabin (runs for about 2h on small bottle). At the lowest setting is too weak but can be used to keep the cabin temperature (runs for about 5h). By the way, some people mentioned you can put the knob in between the Min and Max. Well, in the instruction manual it says NOT to do so. It doesn't say why, but I would think that between Min and Max the gas/air mix will not adjust properly to the design of the burner and will cause incomplete burning and more carbon monoxide. So I would leave it either at MIN or MAX for safety reasons. While there, Buddy says to always start at MAX until it glows orange, then turn down to MIN as needed to have proper burning at MIN with the surface fully hot. Speaking of carbon monoxide, I tested mine inside my room for 10-15 minutes and I already got dizzy, so play it safe, always ensure good ventilation and don't fell asleep with the burner on - and Buddy also says to remove the small bottle if you store it inside
Thank you for sharing this. I didn't even think of looking at the manual regarding that. Oh man, and then I always start at low. Now I am just feeling embarrassed for not reading the manual better. I will say I read this new Flex Heater manual cover to cover, but that was just because it was new. Also didn't know about the bottle. Wow, I am really glad you posted all of this.
A future video that shows how theses work in an enclosed tear drop trailer would be fabulous. Especially for safety, condensation, efficiency, smells.
You know that is a great idea. We just learned a new technique that we really want to put to the test. Would definitely make for a beneficial video for the community. Thanks for the idea!
I have a teardrop trailer and ended up using a diesel parking heater. It runs dryer, cheap to operate (between a quart to half gallon of diesel per night), and unlike a Buddy heater, will operate at higher altitudes. Mr Buddy is rated to 7,000 feet and I am routinely camping in excess of 9,000 feet.
@Cherokee Blood Sigma Soul that’s an excellent point, too, is that the diesel parking heater has hardly any exhaust smell and what it does have is piped to the outside.
@Cherokee Blood Sigma Soul - true. I built out a 4-cell LiFePo4, 100 ah battery and use a pair of 50 watt solar panels and lithium capable charge controller to keep it juiced. However, while the heater sucks 10 amps at startup, it drops down to .85 amps after the glow plug shuts down. I usually have 90+ battery remaining after an 8 to 10 hour run.
I’m glad I watched this! I thought it came with the stove. I’ll keep my regular buddy. It’s smaller and not running so hot. Thank you!
We would agree with your take on this video. Unless you need the 180 degree heat, it is basically the same. Even a bit backwards in terms of fuel consumption.
and battery starts run out in the field,I'll keep my big buddy.
Your videos are always so well done! I used to own a graphics company for 25 years. Thank you for your clear, efficient, and caring messages!
Love your vintage Shasta. My little brother used to have one just like it. Good memories of a trip to Yosemite in that little camper.
A trip to Yosemite in one sounds amazing! When we got it we really thought it would fall apart 2 blocks down the road. But, it has been holding up strong to these Alaskan conditions so far.
Drew, great review! Going on our first teardrop camping trip in two weeks and thank you for this info! We heat water for hot water bottles and put them into our sleeping areas prior to bed and stay well-warmed all night. Of course we are in NC where we are generally a bit above 30 degrees even this time of year! We are taking a small heater in case the weather changes on us suddenly. Thanks also for the Square Space info and coupon.
Glad you enjoyed it. Funny what you just mentioned is in our next video. Like you I also use the hot water bottles and have the heater as a backup. Even here with the colder temps I don't need the heater very often. But, trying to get May out more I have been using the heaters and electric blankets more often this year. Your trip sounds great! I don't think I have ever asked you what type of teardrop do you have?
@@PlayingwithSticks It's awesome you make sure May and the boy's are comfortable! We have a Little Guy Silver Shadow 6x10. We got a van a year ago, started converting it and were going to sell the teardrop...but I couldn't do it. Love the drop too much. Now we take them both out and it's awesome. Love, love love your channel! Happy New Year. Hi May!
I run a big buddy in an Eskimo 949i tent ice fishing. I run it on medium (9000btuh) with the door opening, and closing during the day. And on low (4000) when I’m sleeping. I’m comfortable down to 0°F. I just bought a bigger tent (outbreak 650xd) to be able to bring my daughters. But I do like the idea of a heater that emits heat in different directions. Thanks for your review.
I've set "Mr. Heater Buddy Heater" between high and low and it worked just like a Medium setting.
That is great to hear. We are going to have to try it again. You are about the 4th person to mention this. So we took ours out today after a little field repair and you are exactly right. Not only does ours now have a heat setting between high and low, we have nice incremental settings all in between. Thank you for sharing this.
I use my buddy heater when the power goes out. I bought an adapter and hose to attach it to a bbq propane tank
Great idea. Also big fans of using the larger propane tank.
Me 2
From time to time I end up on this channel for when I need info about some camping stuff... thanks for the vid
I use a Little Buddy heater in my 50 year old mobile home here is Wisconsin to keep it warm and it's doing a great job so far (about a month now). I have a small clip-on fan that I attach to the handle & it does a good job in moving the heat out rather than going straight up. I've had no problem lighting it by just holding the first push down for a few seconds & then on the second push it starts right up. But oh springtime, where are you already?
I was using 2 Mr. Buddy heaters since they were quiet, but having to get replacement tanks, restart them, them going out due to the Oxygen sensor "tripping" I went to a couple electric that work relatively well (even though the thermistor/thermometer don't actually register the correct temperature).
Thank you we use this older version like this runs a long time ! But getting up in the cold & putting new bottle ouch
Loved this! After experiencing outage a couple of weeks ago in Texas, I got a lil buddy to use inside.
Those little buddy's are rockstar. Great idea for your next power outage.
I used mine to get through that freeze... picked up another one for backup this summer... just in case.
Awesome review, good information and good tips. Exactly what I was looking for. Thanks.
Thanks for the info I always watch your videos because the honesty and the way you compare the products are great. Love the kids. Happy New Year.
You are most welcome Joyce! Glad to hear you like the honest reviews. Sometimes we feel like we can be a bit negative, but that is just how we are wired. I have always been more of a glass half empty guy when it comes to gear. Now, when it comes to life I am glass half full. Funny how you can be both. Happy New year Joyce!
Love my little buddy heater. Power went out and it kept a room warm for my sister and I.
I’ve got the Big Buddy and love it! We use it downstairs throughout the winter. It really helps on our natural gas bill. I use a lighter with a long tip if it doesn’t lit, but that’s rare.
Thank you for sharing Scott!
I was thinking to buy Buddy heater. Video helped to decide. Thanks man!
I might have considered the new model except your fan hack video was the perfect addition for my current Mr. buddy heater. Great video as usual.
That is awesome to hear! We have been getting some great feedback from folks who picked up the fan. Like you we have really been benefiting from it as well. Really the only benefit of the Flex is that omni-directional heat. If you don't require that the original buddy heater is smaller and uses less propane.
I bought 2 of those fans last night, one for each of our buddy heaters. We did use a box fan on low behind it but it would occasionally blow it out. I also wanted something that didn't take batteries or electricity. That was perfect.
We recently purchased the Mr. Buddy while camping in Utah this November. So far I love it and have used it in the garage also while I am working. I find that ours consistently lights on about the third click and it also is not sensitive to movement which I prefer. Compared to the FLEX, I think I will stay with our unit as it is smaller, burns less fuel, no batteries and since we camp in either a small Aliner A Frame trailer or our truck camper shell, it will work perfect. Thank you for the great review.
I would agree with you 100%. And I should have mentioned in the video, just this year the Buddy Heaters got new tip-over features. You can hear it rattling in yours. The previous version when you shake them do not rattle. We have the new one as well and it is still sensitive, but not near as much as the older versions most folks have. Really I think the folks who would want the Flex would be those using it outside to heat their family. My guess is that most people will keep the version they already own, as this upgrade really isn't an upgrade unless you are considering the omni-directional heat.
I saw this video and I’m planning investing this heater. I just subscribed your channel. Looking forward to see more of your videos.
They recently changed the "tip over protection" to be less sensitive but equally reliable. Ill stick to my little buddy, since 4K-8K BTU is plenty for my needs(so far)
Thank you for sharing this. And like you are a little buddy tends to get the most use. there are a lot of features about it that I wish were changed, but at the moment there isn’t anything else in the market that’s beating it.
@@PlayingwithSticks Could you use the cooking attachment as a smaller heater so make it last longer like the older Mr heater, I have both flex. I think it would work that way to make the fuel go further.
Excellent review of the flex, thanks 👍
I've had the Big Buddy heater that holds 2 cartridges for 5 years and it still works perfect.
That is great to hear. Always good to hear positive experiences on here. Thanks for sharing Greg.
Thanks for this comparative video. actually have smaller one now for about a year. Am considering the flex, due to living off grid in Texas since 17 November 2022. my small buddy has been a LIFE SAVER,DURING CHRISTMAS 2022 FREEZE!
been thinking about publishing my fishing trips. thanks for being a resource for what I love to do.
You should do it! I love it when people share their life with the larger community. A lot of folks can benefit from your everyday activities. Even if you think they are just normal fishing trips. To someone else it is a lifestyle they always wanted to try or want to learn more about.
Cool Thanks!
Love my MR. HEATER'S!
GREAT FOR CAMPING or Emergency!
Looking to upgrade to the flex heater awesome review, realy like how it attaches to the bottom.
That is us too. With a growing family and just carrying so many things lately. I love the idea of one less piece of gear to carry into the field.
I am glad you showed this.. thankyou
Thank you just bought mine!
I'm getting a flex now! Thanks
Both are nice products! Every home should have one.
Always well thought out and meaningful reviews. Many thanks!
Much appreciated Sean!
Love your channel...excellent content and objective, fair reviews- Thank you
Thank you. Glad you are enjoying it.
Very good review!! I've been looking at the Mr Heater selections and the Flex with the cooking stove accessory is a very nice option.
Glad it was helpful.
Sorry the way the flex works with the cooker I find poor. Needing the pilot on the flex in order to use the cooker I have screamed about trying to make coffee ice fishing. My honest opinion is if you want a cooker get a stand alone one.
Great review. Looking forward to having the flex at Northern Tool. I will already be trained on it. Thank you
That is fun that you get to play with all the products. Sounds like a great place to work.
Very helpful review bud. I was just in the process of deciding between these two heaters and this has allowed me to make that an easy decision.
Glad it was helpful Jamal!
I have run a big buddy heater for over a decade in Wisconsin ice fishing in an non-insulated 6 man hub shanty and have it t-shirt temp for 6 hours on 2 1lb tanks in below 10f Temps. My friend also uses his to get rid of the chill in a 2.5 car garage for packer games. New shiny items get my attention and normally my $ but when it comes to reliability and ruggedness I'll stick with what I have. I'm going to add a stove fan to reduce fuel usage and save $on batteries for fan..
@@PlayingwithSticks indeed it was, thanks again!
@@johng.9877 yeah, they are both great products and which one anyone prefers is ultimately a matter of personal choices or needs. I suppose a person can just own both and have the best of both worlds. I purchased two Flex Heaters and use them exclusively for outdoor travel in cold weather not for home use. I use other, more robust options for emergency indoor heating in case of an electrical outage that won't cause any carbon monoxide concerns.
I’m running the smaller one. Sucker gets real hot on low setting real quick in my 5x8 trailer. Condensates like crazy, too. Because propane burns wet. Had to insulate the heck out of the trailer. Almost done.
Also have to install big roof fan/vent to deal with the output smells/carbon monoxide. And a CO/propane alarm.
You nailed it on everything you said. We have had the same experience with these smaller campers and Buddy heaters.
@@PlayingwithSticksthey need to make an even smaller Little Buddy heater. About 3,000 or 3,500 BTUs would be great.
Thank you , this video was very helpful 👍🏻 Keep up the good work!
The older model has its vent slots are in a direction that you can mount a thermal fan on top. This increases the the warming factor. I would like a 2k to 6k btu
Thorough review, thanks for sharing!
Glad it was helpful!
Yeah!!! Been waiting for this review! Great video!
This gives us a nice chance to thank you and Barron for how many people you have inspired to just get out there and live their dreams. We have had so many amazing conversations with folks who got into this lifestyle because of your channel. If your friend ever decides to get that "vanstock" meetup here in Alaska definitely let us know. I am not sure if she/he ever had the chance to make that dream a reality. Take care you three. Safe travels and a Happy New Year!
Not even worth it for the cheaper model, when you can buy the sunflower style heater for $30. Its all metal, lighter weight, and it converts from a heater to a cook stove.
Super gratifying! This is the hottest subject I’ve watched all year.
Love the comment! Got a kick out of this one. Glad you enjoyed the video.
@@PlayingwithSticks is this still relevant?
Thank you this was a very helpful video.
I've had an issue with my big buddy heater not lighting because snow and slush got in the sled while pulling behind a four wheeler while ice fishing causing the heater to get wet. I purchased a form fitted case that protects the heater while in transport and never had an issue after that. I also had an issue a couple times from dust build up in the pilot tube causing that to give issue starting too. Storing it in the case also stopped that from happening during the off season. The case I have also has a pocket on each side for extra 1lb propane tanks. Long story short, I'm a fan of having a travel case for my heater.
We really appreciate this comment. I never even thought about having a case. We had a very similar issue to you in this video. When I was dragging it in the sled mine also got wet and was much harder to dry out in the field than I thought it would be.
@@PlayingwithSticks yes, in the field it is nearly impossible to remedy. I had to bring my heater inside to dry out for a day. It was caked in slush and had to cancel that day of fishing. Can't really dry it out in sub zero temperatures with no heat source. So I quickly learned that lesson. The heater cools off pretty quick too putting back in the case. When I know I'm going to leave I just turn the heater off and start packing up my stuff and leave the heater for the last thing to pack up. Probably say about 5 minutes or so and put it in the case. I'm not sure if the flex is different on how quickly it cools off but I know the big buddy cools off fairly quickly. I've never had to wait for it to cool off, after putting all the gear away first and packing heater last.
It needs a fan and lower setting so you don’t go through gas so fast. I use the original one in a Duck blind and I like that it goes off if bumped easily. On the original us a piece of wire to clean pilot light once and a while and it will start better with a larger pilot light.
Thank you 😊 God bless you and your family 🙏❣️
You are so kind Terry!
Just bought one hopefully warms my garage better coldest it gets here in Fresno California is low 30s occasionally 20s on a hard winter but not consistently garage is a two car garage tho.
I have a me big Buddy with dual tanks and they both have the tank conversion hoses with dual 20 lb tanks
That sounds like a great setup. No fussing with changing out tanks.
Approximately how long of a run time do you think you would get out of the two 20 lb tanks?
I have an older yellow faced Buddy still going strong.
Piezo went out years ago, long lighter is the way to go period.
Many people have reported lighting issues when using a 20 lb tank.
My process:
20 lb knob ON.
I turn Buddy knob to pilot and walk away for a few minutes.
Then I turn Buddy knob to Off and wait a few minutes.
Sometimes it lights now or repeat the process.
I have an older Yellow Buddy and this works much better than keeping the line 'open'.
Seems to want the line pressure to build somewhat.
You know you're close when using a long fireplace lighter the flames dances in the breeze, lol.
Great video. I am looking to use the flex heater for ice fishing and it seems like the perfect fit.
That is what we had envisioned ours for as well. Getting harder to heat all the hands with our growing family. Love your channel icon by the way. It really jumps out at you.
@@PlayingwithSticks I hear you there. I don’t have a growing family but I have a growing list of friends that always want to go with me. Haha THANK YOU! I’m new to TH-cam so I’m still figuring things out but I plan on being here for the long haul. Haha
We use an old one in your house, I mounted a fan on the top of it , it runs for 2 1/2 days on low with 5 gallon propane bottle. the new one low setting is high for us.
Nice review, we were just talking about upgrading!
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent video, totally objective evaluation. I use a Portable Buddy (9k) heater extensively. I live in Northern Michigan and heat a 24x32 fully insulated workshop. In 20 degree weather, I heat the space with a 30k Mr. Buddy ceramic plaque heater for one hour. I get the shop up to about 60 degrees with the big heater, then change to the 9k heater. I lose about 1 degree per hour with the smaller heater, but it's always comfortable in the shop. Many friends heat with wood, but spend 20% of their time in the shop dealing with the fire. Also, for the $2,000 investment in wood heating, I can heat the shop for about 10 years using about 70 gallons of propane per year with my ceramic propane heaters without the smoke, ash and the space the wood stove requires all year.
I really appreciate seeing how you did the math on this. Sometimes these don't seem efficient to folks. But then when you put it in perspective like you did, it really makes sense.
Thanks for another great review guys! Hope your staying warm up there
Thanks Mike! Glad you enjoyed it. And yes, we are staying warm. So far it has been a surprisingly warm winter. But the coldest two months are here. Will see if it gets back to normal soon.
Great information...... BUT that's not the singular problem with the pilot light not staying lit! My Big Buddy would not stay lit this week while camping and it was quite cold. So I went to TH-cam and did some searching and discovered the thermo coupler can be the problem also. What happens over time is the coupler gets dirty or carbon coating and that needs to be removed. Of course the proper way would be to replace the thermo coupler but I was at the mercy of mother nature and needed a fix now. So I took my wife's finger nail file and lightly sanded the carbon from the coupler and the problem was fixed. This is only a temporary fix because the next night I needed my heater it would not stay lit so I sanded it again and BOOM it stayed lit and I was able to turn the knob to LOW heat. I'm not trying to ignore your repair but wanted to make you aware other issues are possible.
Great job. I believe we will be getting the buddy flex
Thanks Kevin. The only thing I forgot to mention in the video was size. Yes, it is bigger (probably bigger than it needs to be), but I find carrying it around it still feels very easy to carry. There was one person in the comment section so far who said his broke after 2 months. Other than that we haven't received any negative feedback yet.
As of 02 Aug 2021 you can buy TWO Buddy's at $79.00 ea, for the price of ONE Flex at $150.00 to $179.00 from reputable dealers on Amazon and eBay. So if you need that much heat or that less by two Buddy's and have the best of both worlds. You'll just need two tanks though. Thanks for sharing. Best Wishes & Blessings. Keith Noneya
Another wonderful review and comparison!
THANK YOU!!!!
Good timing. We just watched your fireman monitored Buddy Heater video yesterday for the first time. Wanted to comment, but obviously couldn't with the disabled comments. It was like watching a true piece from television. Amazing job Eli! I have been rocking my RV East Coast shirt the last few days. My wife loves the design!
@@PlayingwithSticks thank you you are too kind my friend. I can't picture you wearing one of our t-shirts this is way to AWESOME!
I decided to disable the comments in our video a couple days ago. You know... Everyone has an opinion about these heaters and the comments were getting a bit out of control.
Great review. Lots of questions answered.
Glad it was helpful Gregory!
Thank you for an excellent review
You are most welcome Stephanie!
I use the Buddy Heater for the low btu and long run time
I just bought the bigger unit. Love the new heater!
Glad you are enjoying it! So far ours has been great as well.
Amazing heaters also great for power outages. I enjoyed the video 🤩👍😎
Glad you enjoyed Kevin. Good point on the power outages. Seems to be a lot this last week in the country.
Thanks for suggesting that. I've been researching emergency heating products for the past few days and keep coming back to this. We live in NY and just went through a 40 hour power outage. Worrying about my family I wished I'd had something like this.
Thank you! Great video.
I use a stove fan with my mr hunter buddy heater and it works great for distibuting the heat.
I have been looking for a garage heater for my videos I do in the winter. people say stay away from Mr buddy heater.
Thanks for the review.
Rich Mowers and Blowers OutDone
It is a tough one. We have owned many over the years. 50% have worked perfect, the others were awful. Seems like there are some quality control issues.
Great info, very helpful, thank you!
Glad it was helpful Tad!
I just down graded from the big buddy heater to the mr buddy heater.
I only use it in a fish hut and to cook on. I do plan on using this in hunting pop up shelter, OR even in the truck tent
Thanks for the comparison. What are your thoughts on FLEX 1 year later? Are there any other indoor heaters you'd go with? We have the jet outdoor one, but not indoor technically. For use in my shop I'm considering just buying Milwaukee heating jacket, versus trying to heat my whole shop. Thoughts on this??
Great review.
Awesome review. Thank you ! Good info
Glad it was helpful Elias!
Great review! One thing that is a drag with this one is no connection to the heater like the big buddy using a filtered quick connect hose?? I believe always filtering the propane is key to a100% trouble free system.
Good point on the quick connect. We never even realized it was missing. Strange that they have it for the stove attachment, but not for the propane.
I'm not a buddy heater fan, but the flex looks great..I'm saving for the wave 3 or 6..currently in a minivan, but hoping to grow up a bit to another conversion hitop..thx for the info..
Yes, the Wave is the way to go if you plan on it being stationary. Like you, we are not big fans of the Buddy heaters either, but there doesn't really seem to be a better option for PORTABLE heat. I love how efficient the wave heaters are. Most of the time we don't need near the heat these Buddy Heaters put out.
I purchased a Flex & was only able to use it 10 times before it absolutely refused to light. I had used the approved 10' hose to connect to a larger tank several times as on high, a 1 lb cannister only lasts about 90 min. I followed the cleaning instructions from Mr Heater using a Q tip, rubbing alcohol & compressed air. I was unable to remove the grill, it does not swing down like other models, so I had to use hemostats to hold the Q tips. I was able to exchange the heater. I've only used the new one about 5 times with new 1 lb cannisters and it is showing signs of clogging already. I've cleaned it and it helped, but I'm still waiting for a return call from Mr Heater. The techs don't have much experience with this one as it's so new. I store it in the bag designed for the heater, so it is clean & no bugs have made a home in it. Like I said, the new one is now showing signs of fuel starvation after 5 uses, so clogging is a problem somewhere between the 1 lb tank & the burner. I'm using it in dry conditions, about 40-50° F, so it has no excuse to be so fussy.
I do like the 180° heat & adjustable heat.
Great to hear a real world review from you. We still need to put ours through the paces more. We have only taken it out now on about 4 adventures I believe. Like you, we have found with other Buddy Heaters we have owned that the quality and inspection process is very hit or miss with Mr. Heater. You would think with a company that sells this many heaters to campers, hunters, and avid outdoorsman that they would have the budget to really hone in on the quality of what goes out the door. I have my fingers crossed that this unit of ours is going to be one of those ones without the quirks. Just this summer we purchased a Buddy Heater that broke in the field on day one. And the replacement has been going strong day in and day out with no issues. Super frustrating. I really feel for you with what you are going through with yours. And like you said, you are doing everything you can to ensure you have the best operating conditions.
With the approved Mr Buddy 10' hose, a filter is not required. The hose is allegedly made of a material that does not clog the heater. Other hoses do require a filter, but I used the approved one that does not. Also, my replacement heater has only run on the 1 lb tanks and one cannot use a filter with those.
I'm still waiting for my call-back. The phone system at Mr Buddy promised I wouldn't lose my place in line. I think it lost me.
@@annavanderveen3739 Did you ever get the help you needed from the Mr. Buddy company?
Mr Buddy & the retailer have been helpful. I've been able to keep the 2nd one running, but it does require cleaning. Been using only the Coleman canisters, which are small & don't last long as using a larger tank w/ approved Mr Buddy hose seems to cause issues. I bought a Mr Buddy filter, even though it shouldn't be necessary w/ the approved hose & will see if that helps.
Thanks! It looks like a nice “system”. They put some thought into it.
Your "system" term is what has peeked my interest. In the user manual they don't refer to the stove attaching to the Flex Heater. They call it an "accessory." Which makes me wonder if there will be other accessories coming out soon to be part of the "system." I can't think of any ideas at the moment, but I hope they have.
Seems like today they are getting pretty smart with the marketing by creating these systems. Basically you buy into them as an investment as you add the accessories over time. That is how I got suckered in to the Biolite system. Okay, I really wasn't suckered because I am so glad I got it. But honestly I would have never paid that much for a light, if it didn't have the benefits of an integrated system.
@@PlayingwithSticks Yes! Getting tied into a system is good marketing! Usually they had to fill some kind of need too, so not necessarily bad.
Yeah I will stick with my Big Buddy heater.
I would say that is a good choice!
Same/ with fan
That's really the comparison that should be made here. Big buddy vs flex. Does anyone else feel like they stopped manufacturing the big buddy because they were coming out with this?
@@patrickthenomad they still make the Big Buddy, it just doesn't have the fan.
@Cherokee Blood Sigma Soul I'll take them if you are serious about not wanting them.
Great comparison video! I’ve been researching these heaters so this came at a perfect time.
What mic are you using? Your production quality is great! 👍🏼
Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it. Glad the mic sounded good as well. I have had some mic issues this season. Due to everyone deciding to all go out camping at once this year I had to rely on the lapel mic more than our shotgun mic to eliminate the background ATV noise. The mic in this video was the Rode Pro + amzn.to/38189OR Crazy how much these Rode microphones have went up in price due to everyone being on Zoom. I think it probably sounded better than usual because it was so close to me. That really is the key with these mics. We have found even a budget mic sounds pretty great if you can get it to about a 1-2 hands in terms of distance from the speaker.
Can these be safely used will camping out of the back of an SUV or tent?
*Correction: Just found out this morning from someone in the comments that the Portable Buddy DOES have a variable control between low and high, which is GREAT news! I think our unit just needs a bit of field repair as it doesn't really have much control between the two settings and our oldest model sputters out between the two. Update #2: Got a working Portable Buddy Heater now. We have nice incremental settings between low and high. Thank you all for sharing this. If you like the features of this new Flex Heater, but don't really require the omni-directional heat you may want to check out the larger Mr Heater Big Buddy Heater. Comes with the battery operated ignition and a fan. But, look carefully because due to recent import tariffs, Mr. Heater has removed the fan on some models of the Mr. Heater Big Buddy (MH18B). If you haven't seen that video yet, it really is worth the time th-cam.com/video/Mjj8mCEuAnM/w-d-xo.html for those of you who own the traditional Buddy Heater or Little Buddy heater this video has some great hacks on how to get the most out of them.
According to your demonstration, people with a fireplace are only allowed to heat one person at a time since it’s “unidirectional” correct?
P.S. Wouldn’t it be best, for example in your shasta trailer, if the heater worked by thermostat so you wouldn’t have to only have low or high?
@@rayjarrett3051 Great point on both of these. Yes, before making this video I actually looked up the opposite of omnidirectional, the internet says it is "directional," but I am liking unidirectional more. You are correct if the heat source is large enough (fireplace) you don't need it to go in all directions, just a waste of heat. But when it is as small as a Buddy Heater that little output isn't going to directly warm anybody but the person hogging the space in front of it. And YES, it really needs a thermostat. I think this is why a lot of folks were disappointed in this model. Did it go backwards, no. But did it really take a big step forward? Well, yes in terms of omnidirectional, no in terms of heating a small space.
Big Buddy is the way to go! It has 3 heat settings, easy to control heat output.
@@tadcobert1307 It really does sound like the way to go for most. Also love that it gets up to 18,000 BTU.
@@PlayingwithSticks The Big Buddy does not have Battery Electronic ignition...the Batteries are for the FAN function...it still has the "Knob SNAP Igniter" like the Buddy...
I have been thinking of building something with one of those Chinese diesel heaters. How do you think that would compare to these? Efficiency and output specifically.
Seeing your tear drop trailer on the side of the Seward hwy makes me miss Alaska
It is always waiting for you Daniel! Glad we were able to bring back some memories.
Looks like Beluga Point or near there😎
Make sure to attach a filter from the propane tank to the Buddy when using larger tanks. It will prolong the life of your unit.
Just use the proper hose
Filter??
I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THE NEW ONE‼️
The Buddy Flex can be DANGEROUS for a person with hearing deficiency. It is easy for a person to use two hands to light it (one for the gas control knob and one for the igniter button. My hearing deficient brother did not realize he had relaxed his igniter hand pressure causing it to stop sparking, yet he kept holding the gas control knob, keeping the gas flowing. After a few seconds, he pushed the igniter more which caused the accumulated gas to explode in his face. The Flex unit should light with one knob like the earlier versions.
Thank you!!!!! Such great info!!!!
Totally worth it for bigger spaces. Being able to turn it on with ease is a major plus
Happy new year!
Happy New Year to you as well!
Great video! I am really drawn to the squarespace. I think I’m ready for my own website! Also I love having the heat while camping! Thanks for all you do! Love the info!
Awesome to hear! Was it those judgement free zone comments. I think that is what holds a lot of us back from sharing our passions with others. To be honest the comments on TH-cam can be a bit brutal which is what got me thinking how one could get around them. Glad these videos have been helpful Maykou!
suspicious
Haha. What makes it even more suspicious is this is my wife. This was a little inside joke between her and I. To let you in on it sometimes I get busy and put off some of the things she wants me to do. One of those was building her a website for her photography business. I know, bad husband. Haha. She jokes that the only way she can get a hold of me is through the TH-cam comments. 😂
@@PlayingwithSticks Ahhhh, cool cool.