Buying guide for best fire pits

There is something elemental and beautiful about fire. Fire brings people together as they toast marshmallows and share stories. Fire in an outdoor grill brings out the best in a chef as he or she dazzles guests with charred steak, burgers, hot dogs, and roasted corn. Fire is fun, hypnotic, and a mood stabilizer, with its calm crackling and multicored hue against a dark and starry night.

If you want to bring a good old-fashioned campfire to your own backyard, a fire pit is a great way to do that. A commercially made fire pit is an upgraded campfire set in a self-contained, pre-made unit of solid, strong material. It is this type of fire pit that we will discuss in detail in our shopping guide.

Instead of pitching a tent, setting up chairs, and building a blaze in the great outdoors, consider purchasing a fire pit. A well-designed fire pit brings that wonderful feeling of a roaring campfire — and all that goes with it — to your backyard.

What is a fire pit?

In recent  years, commercial fire pits made of metal, clay, stone, and brick have been big sellers. Buying a commercially made fire pit not only saves you a good deal of physical labor, it also gets you up and running quickly.

A fire pit can do more than simply set the mood. With a grate on top, a fire pit can be used for cooking. And those using a continuous heat source, such as a propane-based unit, can create enough warmth to heat up an entire patio on a chilly night.

Types of fire pits

One way to figure out which type of fire pit would work best in your setting is to eyeball your outdoor living space. Be sure to measure the space before installing the fire pit, allowing plenty of room for your guests to maneuver comfortably and safely around it.

Here’s a look at three major fire pit types: wood-burning, propane, and natural gas fire pits.

Wood-burning fire pits

The vast majority of fire pits for sale at home improvement stores utilize wood as their fire base. These vary in size from tabletop models to those that come with large fire bowls (the round part that holds the fire) and sit on legs for easy portability. Wood-burning models generally come with a grate that can be used for cooking, a mesh spark guard, and a poker. The spark guard prevents embers from escaping the fire bowl without obscuring the view. The poker is used to safely move the wood and coals around to keep the fire going.

Propane fire pits

Generally larger in size, a propane pit is often the star of the outdoor setting and can be ornate in design. Operating on a self-contained propane tank (much like an outdoor grill), this model can range from a portable unit to a state-of-the-art model in which the fire pit is built into a table.

Natural gas fire pits

If you are fortunate enough to have a natural gas line accessible to your outdoor space, natural gas can be a great option, as the fire pit will never run out of fuel. But if you opt for a natural gas model and do not have a gas line running to your outdoor space, be prepared for a hefty plumbing charge.

How to safely start and put out a fire in your fire pit

For those who use a wood-burning fire pit, it’s important to understand the dos and don’ts of safe fire pit operation. The last thing you want is to be the culprit of a forest or residential fire.

• Step 1: Collect kindling, tinder, and fuel. Tinder can be straw, dry pine needles, or newspaper. Kindling consists of small twigs or sticks. Fuel is the word used to refer to the larger logs that keep the blaze going.

• Step 2: Build the fire by placing one or two handfuls of tinder in the center of the fire pit. Make a teepee of four to five kindling pieces over the tinder.

• Step 3: Light the tinder with a match and observe as the tinder begins to light the kindling.

• Step 4: Add some smaller logs to the fire after the kindling begins to burn. The kindling may give way once the logs are placed on top. This helps create long-lasting, glowing embers.

• Step 5: As the smaller logs begin to burn, add some larger logs to keep the flames roaring. Over time, the fire will gradually diminish. To keep it going, add more tinder and kindling.

• Step 6: Allow the fire to die down gradually. One hour before you want the fire extinguished, do not add any more fuel. Put sand or dirt on the fire when only a few embers are left.

Maintaining your fire pit

• Use a broom-and-shovel tool set to clean out the ashes from your fire pit on a regular basis. After the ashes have cooled off, place them in a metal container.

• To keep your fire pit from rusting, use a cover during rainy weather.

• Buy a fire screen to keep sparks or flames from escaping the fire pit.

Price

Under $100

In this price range, you can find affordable wood-burning fire pits that may require a bit of assembly, such as putting the legs on the bottom of the unit.

Under $150

Moving up in price range affords the consumer some choice in the wood-burning category.

Here you can find units with larger and deeper fire bowls, as well as some that feature ornate designs built into the outside of the metal unit.

Under $250

As budget becomes less of a concern, consumers can opt for fancier wood-burning fire pits or consider a propane unit. Propane-based fire pits are a matter of taste, as some buyers may wish to avoid any appliance (such as a grill or heater) where you have to come in contact with the fuel.

Keeping in mind the cost of adding a natural gas line to your backyard, if you want to go with a fire pit other than wood-burning, a natural-gas model (which requires professional installation in most cases) can range from $200 at the low end to several thousand dollars if you want to be the star of your neighborhood.

In Papua, New Guinea, the name for a fire pit and the food resulting from this form of cooking is called mumu. In Hawaii, a fire pit for cooking and entertainment is called a kalua and is a key part of a luau.

FAQ

Q. Can I cook on a fire pit without a grate?

A. Yes. There are a number of foods you can cook on a carefully placed stick over a wood-burning fire pit, including hot dogs, bacon, biscuits, and of course, marshmallows.

Q. What sort of stick should I use when cooking over an open fire pit?

A. Select a fresh stick that is long enough to safely reach into the fire without burning your hand. Shave off some bark at the end of the stick, and whittle a sharp tip to keep your food in place.