Fire pits can be used year-round — they’re a fun addition to summer bonfires and cookouts, and even better for cozy outdoor hangouts in the fall and winter.
With s’mores season right around the corner, we compiled some of the best fire pit options to shop as cold weather settles in. According to experts, there are plenty of quality options to choose from, and with proper placement and safety precautions, a fire pit can elevate the look of your outdoor space.
SKIP AHEAD The best fire pits | How to shop for the best fire pits
Best spluge-worthy fire pit$undefined$1,099.00
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How we picked the best fire pits
Fire pits are available in multiple sizes and configurations, from small and portable to larger single units to table-style with chairs. They’re also powered by a range of fuel options, from natural gas to wood to propane. But before you invest in a fire pit, consider both where you’ll want to place it and how you’ll use it. Will you be cooking up marshmallows or simply sitting nearby to keep warm? Do you want to take it on the road or will it stay in the backyard?
To help you decide, we consulted experts who recommend keeping the following factors in mind:
- Fuel Type: Fire pits can be fueled in various ways — mainly by natural gas, wood, or propane. Although we included a lot of wood-burning pits for their affordability and easy use, we also chose other types to suit different needs.
- Materials: All of the experts we spoke to recommend buying the best quality fire pit you can afford as they can get hot and crack. Judy Kameon of Elysian Landscapes suggests looking for fire pits made out of steel or concrete — Heather Hilliard of Heather Hilliard Design seconds this, and adds that concrete or stone material will stay comfortable to the touch. She also recommends fire pits with a broad lip to set the fire further from those gathered around with it.
Best fire pits to shop in 2024
Using recommendations from experts in outdoor landscape and design, along with other top-rated options, we rounded up the best fire pits to shop for your next backyard campfire.
Best overall fire pit: Ciays 28-inch Fire Pit Table
This gas-powered fire pit table has plenty of room for drinks, food and more, and provides up to 50,000 BTU of heat to keep you warm, according to the brand. It’s also easy to use — just connect a propane tank to the hidden compartment inside of the table. Aside from its simplicity, this pit is sleekly designed with lava rocks in the middle, and a silver control knob for maintaining the heat levels and flame. This fire pit is available in 32- and 42-inch models, and is an Amazon bestseller, with a 4.5-star average rating from 2,688 reviews.
Fuel Type: Propane gas
Best smokeless fire pit: Breeo X Series X19 Smokeless Fire Pit
This Breeo pit is perfect for anyone with a sensitivity to campfire smoke — it’s made from heavy-duty steel, and uses a double-walled design and secondary combustion holes to achieve a smokeless burn, according to the brand. As the wood burn grows, the walls heat up, causing pressurized hot air to rise and mix with the smoke, resulting in the smoke reburning without escaping the pit and potentially causing eye irritation. This pit — available in multiple finishes and sizes — has a 4.8-star average rating from 3,572 reviews on Breeo.
Fuel Type: Wood
Best affordable fire pit: Hampton Bay Piedmont 30-inch Steel Fire Pit
At under $150, this fire pit is one of the most affordable options on the market. It includes a cooking grate for grilling, a mesh screen and poker for safety, according to the brand. It’s also made out of durable steel, and has a safety ring and rotating cooking grid for barbequing. Plus, it has an average 4.4-star rating from more than 2,700 The Home Depot reviews.
Fuel Type: Wood
Best portable fire pit: Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
Solo Stove fire pits are built for ease and portability, and this smokeless option is a bestseller, with a 4.9-star average rating from over 23,500 shoppers on Solo Stove. It’s made from stainless steel, and comes with a removable ash pan and a carrying case for easy transport. It’s also smokeless, thanks to airflow technology that also makes it easier to start and maintain your fire.
Fuel Type: Wood
Best splurge-worthy fire pit: Outdoor Greatroom Company Stonefire Round Gas Fire Pit Table
The Outdoor Greatroom Company offers a variety of eye-catching fire pit designs, and this table-style pit is no exception. It’s made of a powder-coated aluminum frame with a mesh base and composite top, and also comes with a matching composite burner cover, according to the brand. It’s easy to move around your space, comes with a standard manual, battery-operated ignition sparker, and is also quite versatile — though initially set up for liquid propane, the pit can be converted to natural gas fueling using an included kit.
Type: Natural Gas, Propane
Other top-rated fire pits
Sunnydaze Crossweave Outdoor Fire Pit
Sunnydaze makes different outdoor products, including hammocks, fountains and patio umbrellas.The brand’s wood-burning fire pit has a relatively simple set up and is easy to move if you change your mind about where it should be. At 36 inches in diameter, it’s large enough for family and friends to gather around and comes with a metal, built-in wood-burning grate and poker. This fire pit comes in both Black and Bronze, and carries a 4.6-star average rating from 2,933 reviews on Amazon.
Fuel Type: Wood
Design Within Reach Plodes Geometric Fire Pit
Natural gas pits are most common with Kameon’s clients, but her top wood pick is made by Design Within Reach. It comes with a hefty price tag, but is available in two different sizes — small and large — both of which require a match light. Made from premium Corten steel, it can be used with wood or charcoal, and includes a plug for added airflow, according to the brand.
Type: Wood
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How to shop for the best fire pit
To help choose the best fire pit for your needs, we compiled expert advice on everything you need to consider, including fuel type, location, and safety precautions.
Fire pit fuel: Gas, wood or propane
- The first thing you’ll need to think about is your preferred fuel type. Options generally include natural gas, propane and wood. According to Hilliard, the most popular fuel sources are natural gas and propane. Propane tanks are portable, inexpensive and easy to install — plus, they burn clean. Many propane fire pits are also equipped with temperature control and easy to light, says Elle Meager, the founder of Outdoor Happens.
- If you go with a plumbed gas fire pit, which many of Hilliard’s clients choose for ecological and aesthetic reasons, make sure a gas line can be piped and plumbed to the desired location by a professional.
- The singular advantage of a wood fire pit is being able to create a fun and inclusive fire-starting experience. Anyone can get involved by helping to collect wood and twigs from the yard. Woodfire pits also tend to be cheaper than other types, according to Meager, and charcoal can be added to wood for longer-lasting heat, similar to a grill.
Where do fire pits belong?
Location, location, location is one of the most important things to consider when shopping for a fire pit, says both Hilliard and Kameon. Here’s how to best determine your fire pit’s prime real estate, according to Hilliard:
- Keep the fire pit a minimum of 12 feet away from a structure — “further if you have the room,” she adds.
- Avoid low-hanging trees — “there should be nothing overhead.”
- Select a clearing for your fire pit position — “ideally one out of the wind, and located on non-flammable surfaces.”
Seating distance is another thing to consider. Kameon prefers placement that allows seating on all sides of the fire pit while still having plenty of room for people to move around.
How does your fire pit ignite?
Some models come with electronic ignition — others you light with a match. Kameon says she has always used manual ignition fire pits — which require a match to ignite the pilot — and recommends them for added safety. “You have more control. No one can accidentally put it on,” she says. Electronic ignition is most helpful for gas-powered fire pits, she adds, since they burn clear and can go unnoticed if left on during the day without manual ignition.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Judy Kameon is the principal designer and owner at Elysian Landscapes, and author of Gardens Are For Living.
- Heather Hilliard is the owner and principal designer of Heather Hilliard Design.
- Elle Meager is the founder of Outdoor Happens, a homestead blog “dedicated to building incredibly amazing backyards”.
Why trust NBC Select?
Bridget Shirvell is a former NBC Select on NBC News contributor and freelance food, climate and parenting writer. For this article, she spoke to outdoor landscape experts about the best fire pits, including tips on how to shop for them. She also researched and compiled other top-rated fire pits.
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