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Backyard bonfires define summer for a lot of us, and rekindling that love for the outdoors and the time spent around the fire with our loved ones isn’t that far out of reach. We’ve rounded up the best wood burning fire pits to create new memories around with your friends, family and loved ones! Sifting through the tons of different models available for these things isn’t quite as easy as you might think, which is why we’ve made a guide to some of the most durable, easy to use and best looking fire pits out there!
What is the Best Wood Burning Fire Pit?
Here we’re going to delve into what makes a good fire pit, and why they’re a fantastic addition to your outdoor spaces! Fire pits are ambiance and entertainment all wrapped up into one package. These pieces are a great way to show off your favorite type of outdoor landscape and design, while also creating a welcoming and warm space to entertain guests around during summer evenings when the sun starts to go down. Also, who can forge the ubiquitous marshmallow roasting, and cooking franks over the fire? There’s a ton of possibilities for these pieces to create lasting memories and fun times for you and your closest peeps.
What Types of Fire Pits are There?
One of the most common ones you’re going to find is what’s known as a fire ring. These types of fire pits are designed to simply sit on top of the dirt or grass, with only the outer ring touching the ground. The rest of the piece is typically hollow, with either a steel mesh screen on top, or a grill. The fire burns freely in the middle, where you can stack logs and kindling. The next is known as a fire bowl, these are a lot of what the name itself describes. They consist of a large metal bowl shaped construction, with three to four small legs on the bottom. The fire burns in the center of the bowl and usually fits a steel mesh screen on top. These keep the burning wood off of the ground if you’d like to preserve the patch of grass you’re using it on.
Another type of fire pit is known as a chiminea, which consists of a smaller fire bowl design surrounded by steel mesh with a large chimney looking piece on top. These don’t hold as much wood, and thus flame, but are designed to keep the smoke out of your eyes. These are a great example of the type of fire pit you might use on a wood deck or patio. Outside of these three basic designs, you might see some variations in the form of the material they’re made of as well as added features. Below, we’ll dive into some reviews that cover some of the best models of each design we could find in order to give you a good sense of what to expect when you’re looking to buy a wood burning fire pit of your own!
Best Wood Burning Fire Table
GOOGNICE Fire Pit With Ceramic Tabletop
First we’ll kick things off with a popular variation on the ‘fire bowl’ design. This is what’s known as a ‘fire table’, which is in essence a fire bowl, except with a square construction, grill and ceramic tabletop surrounding the base where the wood burns. These are making quite a bit of a resurgence, since they not only offer a durable and safe place to burn firewood, but also somewhere to set a glass of wine, or small plate. It’s completely made from steel, and includes a mesh fire-safe cover to keep embers off of your porch, as well as a poker to adjust logs.
Best Ornate Wood Burning Fire Pit
Best Choice Hex-Shaped Fire Pit
This fire pit is slightly smaller than the one we’ve reviewed prior at about 24in, and comes in a similar fire-bowl style design. This one however, is primarily mesh around the sides and features a unique and somewhat ornate hex shape. If you’re looking for a good fire pit to keep you warm during the cooler summer evenings, this one is a good bet thanks to the steel mesh grate construction which allows heat to flow straight through. The brushed bronze steel pattern comes in a sort of trellis design which is equally eye catching, and it even includes a hexagon shaped mesh lid that goes over the top, making it safe to use on a patio or wood deck if desired. The one slight drawback to this pit would be the flat bottom of the bowl which wouldn’t ordinarily allow for very even airflow, but does include three steel risers to help prop up your logs and improve the flame slightly. If using it on a wood deck, be sure to include a fire proof mat.
Best Chiminea Wood Burning Fire Pit
CharaHome 44” High Pagoda Style Chiminea Fire Pit
You could very well describe the look of this stell fire pit as modern, and you wouldn’t be far off. Harsh edges and an all matte steel construction makes it a versatile and visually interesting piece that would fit well with just about any outdoor design you’re going for. If you’re looking for the type of fire pit that can keep you warm while giving off an enchanting and atmospheric flame, this might just be your best bet. We love the mesh chimney stye design, and while it’s not solid on the sides like a typical Chiminea, it offers a more vertical structure to build your fire in. The only clear drawback is that it really isn’t suitable for roasting marshmallows or anything else besides simply enjoying the ambiance and heat it gives off. The mesh sides act as an effective spark screen, thankfully.
Best Extra Deep Wood Burning Fire Pit
Pleasant Hearth Martin Extra Deep Fire Pit
Looking for a bowl-style fire pit that’s a bit deeper than the rest? Either you like to stoke a pretty hefty bonfire, or you like a fire that you can set and leave to burn for a while without too much maintenance. Either way, you’ll get that with this square 26-inch deep fire pit by Pleasant Hearth which also makes for a great piece in your backyard escape! Included is of course a mesh cover for when you want to keep loose embers and ash under control, but there is one more feature that you’ll more than likely take interest in!
This firepit also features a food safe steel grill that fits over top of the fire pit’s opening. That means you can BBQ right over the flame, which makes for a great way to entertain your guests during the summer months!
Best Wood Burning Firepit With a Cooking Grill
Bali Outdoors Wood Burning Fire Pit
The Bali outdoors firepit is a versatile and simplistic design that makes for a great way to enjoy a fire with your friends and family on a summer’s evening. It assembles very simply, and is roughly 32in wide. This is closer to a traditional fire bowl with a slightly rounded frame, a combination of steel mesh and pattern on the sides, with a steel ledge that’s perfect for resting a roasting stick or even a drink. For those of you who want to get a good burn going, there is an interior collapsible triangular frame which is ideal for resting logs on top of to make for optimal airflow.
The Bali also has a coated steel ring that runs the circumference of the bottom of the firepit. This is a useful feature that doesn’t appear in the other models featured, and one that you can rest your feet on, as well as keeping wandering toes away from the scorching hot base of the fire pit.
Thanks for checking out our reviews for the best wood burning fire pit! These entries represent some of our favorite models, as well as the different variety you can find when looking for one of your own. Have you purchased a fire pit in the past? Let us know in the comments down below what other consumers should look up for ahead of time!
