5 Best Fire Pits in 2024 For Cozy Gatherings

I’ve brought the lightweight and compact BioLite Fire Pit+ to campsites in the Blue Ridge mountains and utilized it right at home in my own front yard on Halloween. It’s received countless compliments. I think I “sold” at least three of these fire pits on Halloween. We got more questions about the BioLite fire pit than we did about our candy.

It weighs less than 20 pounds and is 27 inches wide, so it can truly be brought anywhere. There’s a mesh screen so you can see the fire and a battery-powered fan to control the size of your flame and circulate oxygen while starting your fire. The fan feature has made starting fires almost foolproof, even on the windiest days.

It also comes with a grill grate so you can cook on the portable fire pit. I’ve made everything from steak and potatoes to sausage and peppers on it! The compact size means you need to use logs less than 16 inches wide, but on the bright side, it’s smokeless.

Pros

• Compact and weighs just under 20 pounds
• Battery-controlled fan controls the size of the flame
• Mesh body so you can see the fire
• Included grill grate for easy campsite cooking

Cons

• Must use smaller logs

Sometimes, you just can’t beat the nostalgia of a campfire. If you want to feel really immersed in the outdoors—and roast some really yummy marshmallows—then you need a wood-burning fire pit. The East Oak fire pit offers that timeless feeling in a modern design. The unique trapezoid shape creates a warmer fire than traditional cylindrical fire pits, as detailed by Henn, a longtime fire pit user, in her East Oak Fire Pit review.

“And while I did notice that the East Oak fire pit seemed to have a larger heating radius than other competing fire pits, I also think it may have directed a little bit more smoke outward, too,” Henn says. “Still, I would definitely call the East Oak fire pit smokeless due to its design and the fact that the majority of smoke and fumes travel upward instead of outward.”

Henn was also impressed at how easy it was to clean—simply use your poker to lift the ashtray out of the pit and place it in the trash.

Pros

• Wood-burning and produces a good amount of heat
• Unique shape to radiate heat
• Multiple size and color options
• Easy to clean
• Smokeless

Cons

You can’t go wrong with Tiki Brand, a reputable brand that’s been decking out patios and pergolas for more than 60 years with the original bamboo torch. The company has expanded into all sorts of backyard essentials, including fire pits. This Tiki Brand smokeless fire pit features a modern and clean all-black, all-metal design. The smokeless technology is so good, that I use it on my outdoor deck without any smoke smell getting into the house. It took roughly 10 minutes for me to put it together by myself.

When used with a Tiki Brand wood pack (one is included with your purchase), this fire pit provides a 4-foot heat radius. You can also burn real firewood, but be sure that the pieces are no longer than 16 inches to fit properly.

This fire pit includes a slide-out ash pan to make cleaning your outdoor fire pit easy at the end of a long night. No more trying to fiddle with trash bags in one hand and a shovel in another.

Pros

• Features smokeless technology
• Has weatherproof powder coating
• Has a modern, sleek design
• One wood pack included

Cons

• Doesn’t come with a cover

Other Fire Pits We Considered

Here are other fire pits we heavily researched but decided not to test above our top five picks.

Why You Should Trust Us

I’m an award-winning writer and reporter with experience in various beats, with a degree in Print Journalism from St. John’s University.

Everyone involved in this review has extensive fire pit camping experience—some of us have been using fire pits our whole lives. We’ve used everything from in-ground fire pits to the more technologically advanced ones, either just for fun or because we had no other way to stay warm at night. That’s all to say we know what a high-quality fire pit looks and feels like.

We’re also expert shopping editors who are constantly researching and reviewing the trendiest fire pits and accessories. We’re always looking at what customers are saying in online reviews so we can take those points into consideration. This helps us share our honest opinions on equipment so you can make the best-informed shopping decisions.

I consulted Mike Millerson, a  professional survivalist, Trevor Riggs, a veteran Montana outdoorsman and Wendy Wang of F&J Outdoors. Millerson has a degree in Engineering and Electronics and is a former USA Army sergeant. He has extensive expertise in survivalism, homesteading, backpacking, hiking and hunting and has built his fair share of fires. Riggs has an informal education in outdoor activities and has spent thousands of hours teaching the next generations survival skills, including building and working with fires. Wang is the founder of F&J Outdoors, an outdoor furniture cover company. She’s immersed herself in the outdoors for years to ensure her products can withstand the elements and last for many seasons.

Fire Pits Tested (and Built) by Outdoors Enthusiasts

The Family Handyman team knows fire pits well. We’ve tested some of the best wood-burning, charcoal and gas fire pits, and we’ve also provided tips on how to build a stone fire ring and other DIY projects.

We started our journey to find the best fire pits by researching dozens of models before picking our top five for in-depth testing in our backyards and at campsites. We took note of assembly, the pit’s stability, how easy it was to start a fire, how long the fires lasted and, most importantly, whether they lent themselves to endless s’mores making. We then reached out to survivalists and outdoor experts to make sure our recommendations met their standards before recommending them to you.

FAQ

What’s the best material for a fire pit?

Fire pits should be made primarily of metal components, along with other materials, such as rattan, for style. Typically, the best material for a fire pit is steel.

How do I choose the right-sized fire pit?

To choose the right size for a fire pit, measure the space where you intend to put it. Measure twice, buy once! You should have several feet of space between the fire pit and any walls or structures, as most fire pits have a heat radius of several feet. A good rule of thumb is to double the heat radius and ensure you have that much space on each side of the pit.

How does a smokeless fire pit work?

Smokeless fire pits work via a double-walled design and secondary combustion. The double walls create extremely high temperatures within the fire pit and, essentially, reroute the smoke and debris from the fire so that it re-enters the flame a second time around. This results in the particles being burned off before they can reach your eyes, hair or clothing.

Is a fire pit considered open burning?

This may depend on your municipality or the activity that you’re doing. Fire pits aren’t always considered open burning. However, should you be camping in an area with fire restrictions due to wildfire, for example, you’ll probably not be allowed to use even a portable propane fire pit. The answer to this will also depend on the type of fire pit you have and the safety regulations where you plan to have the fire.

Can you put a fire pit on a wood deck?

A fire pit may be placed on a wooden deck if—and only if—it’s significantly raised on a stand, or you have a fire pit-specific mat or other barrier, such as layers of stone, between the pit and the deck. Some form of a barrier and a stand is the best combination. Never place a fire pit directly on a wooden deck, as it can lead to fire damage.