BioLite FirePit+ Outdoor Smokeless Fire Pit and Grill

Product Information

Make sure the fire has plenty of oxygen - your fire won't last long without a steady flow of O2; give it plenty of space to breathe. You can get a variety of designs, including coffee tables, dining tables and high-top tables; they’re almost always powered by gas or electric, but you can get wood-burning ones, too. We list brands to buy in our garden furniture buying guide. Hardwoods, such as oak, hawthorn and ash, are the best types of wood for a steady, long-lasting burn. They're dense woods, and will produce less smoke and residue when lit.

Our expert guide to using your fire pit covers everything you need to know, including how to get it burning, the useful fire-pit gadgets to look out for, how to maintain your fire pit, plus top fire safety tips from the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service. While it doesn't produce as much heat or light as a regular fire pit, we found it to be warm when we were less than a foot away, and we enjoyed the soft, ambient light it produced. And although we did notice a small chemical smell from the fuel canister, we didn't notice much smoke at all. Keep in mind that you will have to buy replacement canisters (each one lasts for three hours), which like the bowl itself are a bit pricey. But overall, if you are unable to add a woodburning or propane fire pit to your outdoor space, we think this is an easy way to add a natural element and cozy ambiance to your patio table. We also enjoyed grilling hot dogs on the fire pit. However, you will need some patience—because of the shallowness of the bowl, we had to wait 45 to 50 minutes for the flames to go down enough for grilling to be possible. No outdoor heater is ‘good’ for the environment. Unfortunately, wrapping yourself up in a blanket or throwing on an extra jumper is the only real eco-friendly way to stay warm in your garden.A patio heater won’t give the same experience as a fire pit or a chiminea, though, and you won’t be able to cook on it, either. The steel will oxidise naturally over time, so it shouldn't need much maintenance. Where to buy a fire pit Chimineas are front-loading, freestanding fireplaces with a round bottom and a vertical chimney. Typically they're made of clay, cast iron or steel and come in a variety of sizes – opt for a model that you can cook on, too. Use our expert advice to help you choose the best type and brand, discover interesting fire pit ideas and even learn how to make your own.

Keep it clean and dry - this will avoid you burning old fire pit debris, help protect from rusting and corrosion, and keep whatever wood is burning dry. Testing this fire pit for four months confirmed that it's a great smokeless option, especially if you like a simple, stainless steel design. After our initial learning curve, we had no problem setting the fire up properly to fully unitize the smokeless feature. We continued to appreciate how the smoke was funneled upwards, so we never smelled like smoke or could feel smoke blowing at us. We also found it very easy to clean out and store and noticed no changes to the appearance over time. Just note that we did find it heavy to move, so make sure you have someone around to help.A BBQ fire pit is a great multifunctional tool, in that you can use it for flame-grill cooking as well as warmth (perfect if you're short on space). It makes an interesting centrepiece for any garden event, and if you opt for a larger than average pit, it can accommodate food for big parties. However most fire pits will give you a full 360-degree view and allow you to make a larger fire. Patio heaters

Although this unit is not noted as being a smokeless fire pit, it produced less smoke than we expected. We also found it easy to clean, as we only needed to lift the unit to expel the ashes from the pit. Note that while this fire pit has a large bowl, we do recommend making sure it's not overloaded with wood, to keep the smoke, embers, and sparks under control. When using regular kindling, we did detect smoke, although it was not an overwhelming amount. However, when we used the wood pellets and pellet adapter, we were able to enjoy smokeless warmth. The fire pellets did require more fire maintenance on our part, though, and we only recorded about 10 minutes of solid burn time when using the pellets. You can add more pellets to sustain the fire, but we recommend adding them slowly, because one time when the fire was getting low, we dumped a bunch of pellets at once and smothered the flames entirely. Clear all the ash and debris from the inside of the fire pit. You should wait until the day after it’s been used to ensure the fire has gone out and the ash has cooled. Whether you want to keep warm in your garden, spruce up your patio or you’re looking for a more authentic way to cook your dinner, an outdoor fire pit could fit the bill.

Gas fire pits: in addition to wood, these fire pits can also be powered by gas. However, gas is bulky, expensive and non-renewable. We were very impressed with the Tiki Fire Pit’s heating performance. While standing five feet away from the pit, we were still able to significantly feel the warmth. Even at a greater distance, we could still feel it, even though it wasn't as strong. Overall, we found the heat to be evenly distributed and to have a nice feel. Built to sit directly on an existing surface, a tabletop fire pit is great if you're looking for something small and portable.

Stone fire pits are completely fireproof and weather resistant; however, they can be expensive and very heavy. Most are powered with bio-ethanol, which means it won’t create smoke and should be easy to switch on and off. It should also have some type of safety screen or glass surrounding it. Hanging fire pits: these fire pits are suspended above the ground on metal chains to further reduce the risk of scorching a patio. According to Larry Campbell, a member of The Spruce Home Improvement Review Board, when considering where to place your fire pit, you need to keep in mind “safety is always first,” and “you need to be sure the area you plan to use the fire pit is a fireproof-type surface. If you choose wood, a dirt area surrounded by paver stones works well to be safe.”Whether you crave the quintessential English garden or a chic minimalist urban outdoor room, we have the perfect fire pit to suit. The gas powered fire pits from Happy Cocooning are the ideal stylish contemporary European designed piece to perfectly complement your urban chic living space, ideal if you don’t want the hassle of cleaning out ashes. If your outdoor space is more traditional then the Cool King fire pits allow you to have the authentic outdoor fire experience by burning well seasoned logs. Rinse the soap off and then dry the pit completely. Leaving water residue can cause the metal to rust. We were able to assemble the unit in around 10 minutes. Although there were no instructions, each part was clearly labeled, and we only had to place the various included parts, such as the grill grate and screen, into the main unit. The Teamson Home 30” Gas Firepit with tempered glass is a must for all patio and garden areas, no matter what time of the year.