Coleman 5053A751 ProCat Perfectemp Catalytic Propane Heater with Instastart Technology

by Coleman

Product Features

• Catalytic heater with platinum technology provides flameless warmth
• Cordless heater can be used in a garage, shop, house, tent, or ice shanty
• Pressure-regulated propane fuel system, designed with a fan for better heat circulation
• Operates up to eight hours on 16.4-ounce Coleman propane cylinder
• 3,000 BTU; designed for indoor use; limited lifetime warranty

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Coleman 5053A751 ProCat Portable Catalytic Propane Heater with Electronic Ignition provides consistent heat where no other sources are available without the danger of open flames. Whether you need a backup heater for power outages or want to heat a garage, shop, tent, boat, or ice shanty, this cordless heater for indoor use is ready to go wherever you might need some warmth.

Constructed with 3,000 BTU output, the catalytic heater with platinum technology provides flameless heat from a pressure-regulated propane fuel system that produces a steady fuel stream, even in cold weather, at high altitudes, or when fuel is low. The starting mechanism is a fast-acting piezoelectric sparker that ignites the propane in the presence of atmospheric O2. Easy to operate, you simply screw a 16.4-ounce propane cylinder on the back, turn the knob to "on" for a few seconds, and hit the ignition switch. The portable heater moves the heat efficiently with a fan, powered by two D batteries (not included), for better circulation. The Coleman ProCat operates for up to eight hours on 16.4-ounce Coleman propane cylinder.

Manufacturer Warranty
Limited lifetime warranty

About Coleman
The Coleman Company has been creating and innovating products for recreational outdoor use since W.C. Coleman started selling gasoline-powered lanterns in 1900. Inventor of the hugely popular fold-up camp stove, Coleman developed a plastic liner for his galvanized steel coolers in 1957--the birth of the modern cooler--and the company has been improving their utility and design ever since. The array of products that bear the Coleman name now includes just about everything you might need to work or play outdoors, from tents and sleeping bags to boats, backpacks, and furniture.

Product Description

Heater, ProCat E.I. Catalytic 3,000 BTU

Product Details

• Item Weight: 7.8 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 7.5 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0009PURYU
• Item model number: 5053A751
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #41,121 in Sports & Outdoors (See Top 100 in Sports & Outdoors)
  • #15 in Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Camping & Hiking > Safety & Survival > Emergency Warmers

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

125 of 126 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thee best tent heater on the market.... period !, December 19, 2006

By 

Paul Cochran - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Coleman 5053A751 ProCat Perfectemp Catalytic Propane Heater with Instastart Technology (Sports)

I purchased this catalytic propane heater to heat my tent for winter camping with my son for his Cub Scout winter camps. I tried the heater out on a three night camp out the last week of October, 2006 at 7,000 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains. Those nights dipped in the high 20's. The heater worked very well with only a few concerns, which were easily overcome. I placed the lit heater in my tent well in advance of retiring for the evening and 6 hours later replaced the emptied propane cylinder right away and re-started the heater for the remainder of the morning. My son and I were nice and warm when we went to bed and stayed warm all the night through. Sure is nice to be able to stand up and dress in a warm tent in the morning. Next we will be trying the heater out at a snow camp in February with temps expected to be in the low teens.

Reading the directions dismissed any apprehensions of opertion. And yes, as another reviewer commented... the unit does throw out a small fire ball when first lit. YIKES! However, should you read the instructions BEFORE USE... you are forewarned about this and the reader is instructed NOT to light the heater facing anyone/pets/tent or indoors because of this issue. Instructions are not placed with the item for looks you know, you have to read them! OK, it spits out a small fire ball at first. Big deal... nothing too intense that an average human can not adapt to.

As for the "hot oil smell," noted by another reviewer... yes, there is a "smell," that emits from the operating unit. How one describes that smell will vary. Each individual person's sensitivity to that smell will also vary. To me the "smell" was simply like sightly hot metal, as with any other heater, and faint enough that it did not bother me at all. However, should one be rather sensitive to the "smell" it may prove uncomfortable.

The battery operated fan that blows the heated air away from the unit is awesome. The fan does not blow the volume of air like a fan on your desk or counter top might. The fan is much smaller, yet it does greatly aid in the ciculation of the heat. Without the fan on, the heat is simply radiated out and the heat is not evenly distributed throughout the tent. One huge issue with the fan... it eats batteries like a child eats candy. Two "D" batteries will run the fan for one full night. That's it, no more. Recharable batteries are strongly recommended to keep the battery budget in check, because the fan really needs to be used.

Some advise... 1.) Light the heater OUTSIDE of your tent (remember there will be small fire ball emiting from the heater when it is lit). 2.) Start the unit and place in your tent at least one full hour before going to bed. That way your tent will be nice and warm when you go to bed. 3.) Keep a replacement propane cylinder close by for replacement in the early morning hours. Should you allow the tent to cool before replacing the propane cylinder and re-igniting the heater it will take a very, very long time to warm the tent up. Remeber... nights are coldest the hours just before dawn (usally) which is much colder than when you started to warm your tent up the previous evening. Also, the larger the tent (or area being heated) the longer it will take to bring up and maintain the temp. I am going to buy a second heater for my large three room tent. This way I can start one heater well before going to bed to heat the tent, and then 6 hours before I plan to wake up I can start the second heater. With two heaters operating at the same time in my large tent the heat will be easily maintained (hopfully even with winds) but also the first heater will will run out of fuel and shut off in the night and the second heater will continue heating maintaining the temp without me getting up to change out the propane cylinder. 4.) Place the heater in an area of your tent in which nothing will come in contact with it. The heater grid gets very hot and will burn you or any other item that contacts it.

All in all, this ProCat Catalytic Propane Heater is a great heater. It is larger than others on the market (the heating head is larger in diameter), including other Coleman brand heaters. It appears to be the only one with a fan to assist in heat distribution. It puts out a good amount of heart. The only serious failing on this ProCat heater is that the output can not be regulated. The heater is either on full blast or completly off.

Please note though, the more ventilated your tent the less effective any heater will be in heating such a tent, let alone this particular heater. Thus, should you have a "summer family camping tent" that is very well ventilated either consider purchasing two heaters to heat your tent, or in addition to this heater purchase a tent that is designed for cold weather (which is less vented than summer family tents).

64 of 65 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a fantastic heater!, October 15, 2002

By A Customer

Just back from a cold and rainy columbus day weekend camping trip in the White Mountains, and this heater was the item that saved the weekend! on a cool night(45deg.) this easily brought the temp inside my large coleman tent above 70(it was downright hot!). On a raw rainy afternoon my daughter and I could tough-it-out in great comfort in the tent. and the following 35degree morning was nice and toasty inside! This will definitely increase the enjoyment and comfort of your "shoulder season" camping. In an emergency I've little doubt that this could easily heat a 9x12 room.
Lights quickly with no matches, wide base is very stable, fan is quiet and really makes a difference in heating a larger area, no odor/fumes. unit is larger than it looks, standing about 15" tall...but it fits in an old bookbag size backpack for easy transport.

*update 9/04*** After reading a lot of hoo-ha about CO and heaters I tested this unit with my home CO detector. Running for an hour in my closed tent the heater never moved the detector above zero. I'm comfotable that at the, relatively, low reaction temps of the catlytic heater there's simply no CO generated. CO2 is another matter and ventilation is still critical!

26 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Heater, January 10, 2005

By 

Kat (Iowa) - See all my reviews

I bought this heater in an emergency when out of town and heater went out in my car (and the windchill was -20f) it worked great not that I would recommend it for that use like I said it was an emergency. I have also used this in the tent and it works like a dream, and puts out quite a bit of heat (no more cold damp sleeping bags at bedtime) If I were to change one thing it would be to make the fan more powerful (yes I would be willing to put in more batteries even)<br /> <br /> Kat<br /> BTW for the guy with a gripe about the can not lasting 8 hours the box states UP to 8 hours and actually it does last that long on a fresh can on the lowest possible heat setting