Most of the best days I’ve had ended around a campfire. Few things are as conducive to friendship as sitting around a fire, sharing food and drink with friends and family. The outdoor fire pit is probably one of our ancestors’ first inventions.
There’s no need to go caveman to recapture that ambiance and feeling though. There are dozens of outdoor fire pits on the market—wood-burning, propane, smokeless, tiki-themed, and everything in between. It can be overwhelming, so we’ve put together this guide to help you find the best fire pit for every outdoor space, whether you have a tiny patio or acres of wilderness out the back door.
Be sure to read our many other outdoor guides, including the Best Camping Tents, Best Coolers, and Best Portable Grills.
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Photograph: Amazon
Best Overall
Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
The Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 is probably what you picture when you think of the new generation of wood-fired fire pits. At 19.5 inches wide and 15 inches tall, it’s small enough to toss in the truck and lug to the beach or a tailgate, but big enough to gather a group of a half-dozen friends around without feeling like you’re sitting around a Sterno can. Made from stainless steel, it weighs about 25 pounds. Mine has developed a slight patina after three long burn sessions.
Solo Stove was early into the smokeless firepit market and has a well-designed product that includes a double wall, a removable ash pan, an aerated riser that keeps the pit from roasting the surface below, and a series of air holes along the top ridge that succeeds in spewing less smoke (this pit is not truly smokeless, but neither are the competitors). There’s an assortment of accessories, including a long-handled popcorn popper I’ve enjoyed while testing the pit in the grass in my backyard. But the one must-buy accessory is the lid, which is helpful if your pit tends to stay put in the backyard during inclement weather, and even more helpful if you’re taking it tailgating and need to extinguish the flames before kickoff. You can get that plus a carrying bag in a bundle. —Martin Cizmar
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Photograph: Martin Cizmar
Best Upgrade Fire Pit
Breeo X24 Series Smokeless Fire Pit
A Solo Stove will meet the needs of most weekend warriors thanks to its flexibility and portability, but the Breeo X series fire pit feels like a gateway to a lifestyle. If you’re going to make a regular habit of sitting around the fire pit most evenings, this is the one you want. I’ve been testing this heavy-duty American-made pit in the 24-inch size for the past three months. It weighs 62 pounds and should be moved by at least two people. I requested a model made with Corten Steel, which develops a coppery patina with age—the impatient among us can speed that process up by rubbing it down with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, salt, and vinegar. I love the look—it’s given my back patio a whole new ambiance.
The fire bowl is 2 feet wide so this pit is big enough to handle most precut firewood laid flat instead of vertically. The Breeo base is a square of aerated stainless steel sturdy enough to support the pit’s weight without wobbling and inspires enough trust that I’d put it on my wood deck. Best of all is the wide constellation of accessories, which makes this a pit you won’t get bored of. In addition to a delightfully sturdy and stylish fire poker (I have to stop myself from poking with it for no reason), there’s a grill attachment that allows you to sear meat over live fire (I made delicious, smoke-kissed carne asada) and a pizza oven that sits on top and turns your pit into a live-fire pizza oven. —Martin Cizmar