There really is something special about sitting outside by an open fire, telling stories, drinking hot chocolate, roasting marshmallows, or cooking hot dogs. Almost everyone has a great memory of time spent with loved ones around a campfire.
Campfires are indeed magical places, but building one from scratch is difficult, tending it is a pain, and most of the time, they are illegal and dangerous to build in backyards, beaches, or at campsites.
That’s where fire pits come in — they’re contained, safe, easy to start, easy to turn off, and best of all, easy to clean up. There are four kinds of fire pits: wood burning, propane gas burning, gel fuel burning, and natural gas. For the sake of this article, we’re going to discuss only the first two, as they are the most popular and most portable. Gel fuel fire pits are difficult to find, and natural gas fire pits need to be built into the structure of your backyard, either as part of a patio hardscape or pool deck.
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Best Wood Burning Fire Pits Wood burning fire pits are the most like an actual campfire, because like a campfire, they burn wood. They smell like a fire, they give off heat like a fire, and they roast marshmallows like a campfire. In addition, they are hard to maintain and should be attended to at all times, and you’ll have to add wood to keep it going — although that means it can theoretically go on forever, unlike a propane fire pit. Experts recommend cooking over a wood burning fire pit rather than a propane one, because gas and other chemicals in the propane fire pit can change the taste of your food.
Before buying or using a wood burning fire pit, check with your local laws and regulations about open flames. In rural areas or parts of the country that are prone to wildfires, there may be limitations on where and when you can use a wood burning fire pit.
Prettiest Tiki Tiki 25 inch Black Patio Fire Pit ($395; amazon.com and homedepot.com)Amazon
Made from a combination of heat-treated stainless and powder coated steel, this fire pit is made to maintain its sleek design and beautiful finish. With a heat radius of four feet, it’s plenty big enough to gather around with friends and family. There’s a patent-pending airflow system that keeps smoke to a minimum, and the ash pan keeps mess down as well. Reviewers love the ease of setup, and at only 45 pounds, it’s fairly easy for two people to move when it’s cooled off.
You can use regular firewood, or get one of the manufacturer’s special wood packs and start your fire with ease, with a solid 30 minute burn. It can be found on Amazon and HomeDepot.com for $395.
Best Under $200 Sunnydaze Black Cross Weave Round Steel Wood Burning Fire Pit ($199; amazon.com and homedepot.com)Amazon
Sure, it’s just under the $200 cut off, but with the beautifully designed crossweave pattern and the included all-weather cover, fire pit tool, wood grate, and spark screen, it’s worth mentioning here. You get a lot of heat for the money — the large 31 inch diameter bowl throws off plenty of heat for an average sized patio, and assembly is easy. Like most wood-burning pits, it’s not recommended for wooden decks unless you use a fire-proof pad, but wherever it ends up, this beauty will be the envy of the neighborhood.
The Sunnydaze wood burning fire pit can be found on Amazon and HomeDepot.com for $199.
Expensive But Worth It Solo Stove Yukon with Stand Fire Pit Combo Bundle ($479.99, originally $559.99; amazon.com)Amazon
One of the biggest complaints about sitting around an open fire is the lingering smell of smoke in hair and clothing. Solo Stove has solved that problem with the Yukon Stainless Steel Wood Burning Fire Pit. It’s a little industrial looking, and pricey at $479.99, but it creates almost no smoke thanks to their signature air flow design, which also creates very little ash to clean up. Reviewers love the quality of the flame and the heat radius. It’s also backed by a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer.
Best Propane Fire Pits Prettiest Teamson Home 37 inch Round Stone Look Outdoor Propane Gas Fire Pit ($367.77; homedepot.com)homedepot.com
If you want the look and feel of a built-in rock fire pit, without the expense or hassle of building one, look no further than this beauty from Teamson. It’s beautiful design looks and feels like stone, but weighs only 77 pounds. The lava rocks add a sophisticated flair to the flames, and the table cover (included) protects it from the weather, and the 50,000 BTUs give off plenty of heat, perfect for toasting marshmallows.
Best Under $200 Heininger Portable Propane Gas Fire Pit ($149.99; amazon.com)Amazon
If you’re into camping or that RV life, this portable propane gas fire pit from Heininger is the perfect choice. It’s lightweight, easy to carry, and stylish without skimping on the heat source. At 58,000 BTUs, it creates a lot of heat all while burning clean and smokeless.
It’s safe to use on beaches and most campsites, and the manufacturer says it’s even safe to use during most campfire bans (although you should always check with local authorities before burning anything). And with the glossed enamel finish on galvanized steel, it looks good. It’s currently on sale for $149.99 at Amazon, and $151.21 at HomeDepot.com.
Expensive But Worth It Real Flame Forest Ridge 42 inch Fiber-Cast Concrete Propane Fire Pit Table ($1,761.29; homedepot.com)homedepot.com
This fire pit table has everything you could ever want in a fire pit — cool weathered design, room to sit around, 50,000 BTUs of heat, and gorgeous looks that will add instant ambiance to any backyard. It runs off a standard 20-gallon propane tank that remains out of sight under the table, but can also be converted to natural gas by using the included conversion kit. The flames burn in beautiful decorative lava rock and cast a heat source up to 900 square feet. At 173 pounds, it’s definitely not portable, but it’s beauty makes it worth it.
Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.