A fire table turns your terrace into a place where you want to stay, even after the sun has gone down. The flame sits in the middle of the table, you put your glass beside it, and everyone looks at the same fire. But do you choose gas, bioethanol or wood? How big should it be, what height, and where do you put the gas bottle? In this buying guide you'll read about the differences, what to look for in size and material, what you need to know about safety, and which fire tables you can compare.
In short: a gas fire table is the easiest: light it with a button, no smoke, and the gas bottle sits in the table. Bioethanol works without a bottle and without smoke, but gives less heat. Wood gives the most authentic fire, with smoke, sparks and ash. Choose the height that suits your lounge set or dining table, allow for space for the gas bottle, and always follow the distances in the manual.
What is a fire table?
A fire table is a table with a burner in the top. Around the flame there's room for glasses, plates or a platter of nibbles, and when you're not using it, you often put a lid over the burner and have an ordinary table. That's what sets it apart from a fire basket, which you place freely in the garden, and from a patio heater, which mainly gives warmth and little atmosphere.
On the fire tables page you can compare gas fire tables from Cosi and Happy Cocooning, plus separate parts such as glass surrounds, lids, protective covers and built-in burners. Bioethanol or wood fire tables are not included. Even so, you'll read about those two below, so you know why gas is the logical choice for most terraces, and when it isn't.
| What | Fire table | Fire basket | Patio heater |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Atmosphere and a table | Atmosphere around an open fire | Warmth where you sit |
| Heat | Mainly close to the flame | All around, on the side of the fire | Directed and noticeable |
| Smoke | None with gas and bioethanol | Yes | None |
| Position | In the middle of the seating area | Open spot, far from the house | Wall, ceiling, freestanding or on a table |
If you're torn between a fire table and a patio heater, read fire table or patio heater: what suits your terrace?
Quiz: which fire table suits you?
Four questions, and you'll see which direction best suits your terrace. Afterwards, read about each element to see what to look for.
Which fire table suits you?
Where will the fire table go?
- In the middle of the lounge corner, in front of the sofa
- As a dining table, with chairs around it
- On a small balcony or in a small seating area
- Somewhere at the back of the garden, far from the house
What matters most to you?
- Convenience: press a button and you're done
- Eating together and lingering at the table
- No gas bottle and as little space as possible
- Crackling wood and real flames
How often will you use it?
- Often, especially in spring and autumn
- Often, every time we eat outside
- Now and then, for the atmosphere
- A few times a year, with friends
What's the situation with the neighbours?
- Close by, so I'd rather avoid smoke
- A reasonable distance away, but I don't want smoke
- Very close: a balcony or a narrow garden
- Far away, and the council allows fires
A gas fire table at lounge height suits you. It stands low in front of the sofa, lights with a button and produces no smoke. Look for a size that suits your lounge set.
A fire table at dining height suits you. You eat at it and the flame sits in the middle of the table. Make sure the top is big enough for plates around the burner.
A small fire table, or a tabletop burner on bioethanol suits you. Bioethanol works without a gas bottle, but gives less heat. A small gas fire table measuring 60 by 60 cm is the alternative.
A fire basket or fire bowl burning wood suits you better than a fire table. You light a fire in an open spot, far from the house, and you keep smoke and the fire advice in mind.
Gas, bioethanol or wood
The fuel determines how you use the fire table, where it's allowed to stand and how much fuss comes with it. Here are the differences at a glance:
| Gas | Bioethanol | Wood | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lighting | Button or ignition | Fill the burner and light it | Stack the wood and light it |
| Smoke and smell | No smoke | No smoke | Smoke, smell and sparks |
| Heat | Noticeable up close | Limited | Plenty, but uneven |
| Control | Flame higher and lower | Often with a slider | Hardly any |
| Hassle | Fetching and swapping the gas bottle | Buying fuel and refilling safely | Dry wood, clearing away ash |
| Suits | Most terraces | Balcony, small seating area | Large garden, far from the house |
Gas: the most popular choice
A gas fire table has a burner in the top, filled with lava stones or glass, and a gas bottle in the base cabinet or beside it. You turn the knob, the flame lights, and you adjust it higher or lower. No smoke, no ash and no sparks, so no complaints from the neighbours about smells either. The output is often listed in the product information, for example 9,000 watts on many Cosi models. That tells you something about the flame, but a fire table is mainly an atmosphere maker.
Bioethanol: no gas bottle
A bioethanol burner is filled with liquid fuel or gel. No gas bottle or hose is needed, so it's compact and easy to move. On the other hand, it gives less heat, you have to buy fuel, and refilling must be done exactly as the manual says: never while it's burning or still warm. The flame is hard to see in daylight, so check carefully that it has gone out.
Wood: the most authentic fire
A wood-burning fire table is really a fire bowl with a rim or top around it. The fire crackles and smells of wood, but you also get smoke, sparks and ash. That smoke drifts easily towards the neighbours, so check the wind direction, your council's rules and the fire advice before you light it. Wood belongs in an open spot, on a non-combustible surface, and never under a roof or parasol. You can read more about wood fires in the fire basket section of the patio heating buying guide.
Going for wood? Then the next question is an open basket or a bowl. The differences in size, material and use are explained in fire basket or fire bowl: which suits your garden?
Lounge height or dining height, and which size
Most fire tables are lounge tables: low, so they stand in front of a sofa or between lounge chairs. A smaller group has dining height, so you can eat at it from ordinary garden chairs. So choose the height based on your furniture, not on the fire table.
| Type | Height in the product information | Example | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low lounge table | Around 30 to 50 cm | Happy Cocooning Estate Round 76, Cosi Cosiloft 120 | Lounge sofa, low lounge chairs |
| Side table | Around 60 cm | Cosi Cosibrixx 60 | Beside a chair or in a corner |
| Dining height | Around 67 cm | Cosi Cosiloft Relax | Dining lounge set, garden chairs |
For the size of the top, a simple rule of thumb helps: the more people around it, the bigger the top. A square table of around 60 by 60 cm fits a small seating area for two or three. A rectangular table of 120 by 80 cm, or an oval 140 cm long, works well for a large corner sofa. Leave room around it to walk, and keep the flame away from cushions and throws.
Measure your seating area, not just the table
Arrange the chairs and sofa the way you use them, and lay out a piece of cardboard the size of the fire table on the floor. Can you still walk past it, and does everyone have room for their knees? Then the size is right. A fire table that's too big for the corner often gets pushed to the edge, and then half the group sits too far from the fire.
Top and frame: which material?
The top determines how the table looks and how much maintenance it needs. In the product information you'll mainly come across these materials:
| Material | Look | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | Sleek, lightweight | Often with a top in stone look or teak |
| Concrete | Sturdy and heavy | Heavy to move |
| Composite | Natural stone look, such as travertine | Lighter than real stone |
| Teak | Warm and natural | Greys outdoors, just like teak garden furniture |
| Lava | Rough and natural | Wipe up spilt food and drink quickly |
Choose a colour and material that match your lounge set. A teak lounge set goes well with a fire table with a teak top; with an aluminium set, a sleek top in anthracite or beige works best.
The gas bottle: inside the table or beside it
With many gas fire tables, the bottle sits in a cabinet beneath the top. That looks neat, but not every bottle fits every table. The manual tells you which bottle, which pressure regulator and which hose belong to the table; also measure the inside of the base cabinet. If the bottle doesn't fit, it stands next to the table. Happy Cocooning offers separate gas bottle covers for this, such as the Gas bottle cover Rib, which hide the bottle from view and can also serve as a side table.
Check the hose and connections before the first use of the season. A well-known way to find a leak is to brush soapy water over the connections: if bubbles appear, gas is escaping and you shouldn't use the table. Follow the manufacturer's manual here too.
You buy a fire table for the atmosphere, not for the warmth. If you know that in advance, you'll choose the right size and place and won't be disappointed afterwards.
Safety: what to watch for
A fire table is safe when you use it the way the manufacturer intends. A few fixed rules apply to every fuel:
Always outdoors
A gas or bioethanol fire table belongs outside, with plenty of fresh air. Burning produces gases you don't want indoors. Never use it inside the house, in a tent, in a greenhouse or under an enclosed canopy.
Distance from fabric and wood
Keep cushions, throws, a parasol and the canopy away from the flame. The manual states the clearance above and around the burner; stick to it, even if it feels cosier to sit closer together.
A glass surround against the wind
In wind, the flame blows in all directions. A glass surround around the burner keeps the flame steady and stops loose napkins blowing in. For many tables it's available as a separate part, such as the glass surround for the Cocoon Table.
Children and pets
The top around the burner gets hot, and the flame is sometimes hard to see in daylight. Stay nearby if children or pets are around, and switch the table off when you leave.
Five fire tables compared
To make the choices concrete, below are five gas fire tables on sale, each suited to a different situation. The sizes and materials come from the product information; you can see the current price and retailer on the cards.
| Fire table | Type | Size (l x w x h) | Material |
|---|---|---|---|
| Happy Cocooning Cocoon Table small | Lounge table | 60 x 60 x 40 cm | Lava |
| Cosi Cosibrixx 60 | Lounge table, tall | 60 x 60 x 63 cm | Aluminium, concrete look |
| Happy Cocooning Estate Round 76 | Lounge table, round | 76 x 76 x 34 cm | Composite, travertine |
| Cosi Cosiloft 120 | Lounge table | 120 x 80 x 50 cm | Aluminium, stone look |
| Cosi Cosiloft Relax | Dining height | 120 x 80 x 67 cm | Black frame, teak |
Happy Cocooning Cocoon Table small: compact for two
A small square fire table measuring 60 by 60 cm and 40 cm high, with a black lava top. It fits a small seating area or a generous balcony where gas is permitted. Check the product information for where the gas bottle goes.
Cocoon Table square small
Cosi Cosibrixx 60: taller and compact
A square fire table in aluminium with a concrete look, 60 by 60 cm and 63 cm high. Thanks to that height, it also works well beside a lounge chair or in a corner. According to the product information, 9,000 watts.
Cosibrixx 60 concrete look
Happy Cocooning Estate Round 76: round in travertine
A round, low fire table of 76 cm in a composite travertine look. A round top fits nicely between separate lounge chairs, because everyone sits the same distance from the flame. According to the product information, 13,500 watts.
Cosi Cosiloft 120: for a large lounge corner
A rectangular lounge table measuring 120 by 80 cm and 50 cm high, in sandy beige with a stone-look top. Big enough for a corner sofa, with room for glasses and platters around the burner. According to the product information, 9,000 watts.
Cosi Cosiloft Relax: dining by the fire
The same range, but at dining height: 120 by 80 cm and 67 cm high, with a black frame and teak. You eat at it from garden chairs or a dining lounge set, with the flame in the middle.
Useful accessories and add-ons:
Cosi: Cosiloft 120 protective cover
View cover →
Cosi: ceramic logs
View logs →
Cosi: built-in burner 40 x 40 cm
View burner →With a separate built-in burner, you can turn your own table or surround into a fire table. Do have the connection and ventilation of the surround checked, and follow the manufacturer's installation instructions.
How to choose quickly
- Convenience and no smoke: a gas fire table
- No gas bottle and little space: a bioethanol burner
- Real wood fire: a fire basket or fire bowl, far from the house
- For the sofa: lounge height; for eating: dining height
- Always: space for the gas bottle and a protective cover
Common mistakes
Buying a fire table as heating
A fire table gives atmosphere and warmth up close, but it won't heat a terrace. If you really want to sit warm, combine it with a patio heater or shelter from the wind.
Forgetting to measure the gas bottle
Not every bottle fits in the base cabinet. Measure the inside space and check the manual to see which bottle belongs with the table before you order it.
Placing the fire table under a parasol
A parasol canopy, a canopy with a low ridge or cushions right next to the burner are too close. Stick to the clearance in the manual.
Refilling bioethanol while it's still warm
Wait until the burner is completely out and has cooled down. Refilling a hot burner is dangerous, because the fuel vapour can ignite.
No cover in winter
Rain, leaves and dirt in the burner make the flame unsteady and ignition less reliable. A protective cover is a small effort.
Checklist before you buy
- You know whether you mainly want atmosphere or also warmth
- You've chosen between gas, bioethanol and wood
- The height suits your lounge set or dining table
- The size fits your seating area, with room to walk
- You know which gas bottle belongs with it and whether it fits in the base cabinet
- There's enough clear space above and around the flame
- You have a protective cover and possibly a glass surround
Ready to choose? Compare the fire tables from Cosi and Happy Cocooning, or take a look at patio heaters if you're mainly looking for warmth. An outdoor rug and a throw will make the seating area even cosier.
Frequently asked questions
Does a fire table give enough warmth to sit outside?
A fire table mainly warms those sitting close by, on the side of the flame. It makes a cool evening more pleasant, but it does not heat the whole terrace. If you mainly want to stay warm, a patio heater is more targeted. Many people combine the two: the fire table for atmosphere and an infrared heater for warmth.
Which gas cylinder do you use for a fire table?
This is stated in the fire table's manual: it tells you which gas, which pressure regulator and which cylinder size belong with it. The cylinder often fits in the base of the table, but not every cylinder fits every table. So measure the internal space and compare it with the size of the cylinder you want to use.
Can a fire table stand under a canopy?
That depends on the model and the space. A gas fire table belongs in the open air, with enough clear space above and around the flame. Under an open canopy this is sometimes possible, but never in an enclosed space. Always follow the distances the manufacturer gives in the manual, and never place it under a parasol.
Is bio-ethanol safe on the terrace?
Yes, as long as you follow the manufacturer's rules. In daylight the flame is hard to see, so check carefully whether the burner is still alight. Never refill while the burner is lit or still warm, use only bio-ethanol intended for the burner, and keep the bottle well away from the fire.
Can a fire table stay outside in winter?
The frame and top can often stay outside, but a protective cover keeps rain, leaves and dirt out of the burner. Disconnect the gas cylinder and store it outdoors in a ventilated spot, not in the house or in an enclosed shed. Check the product information or ask the manufacturer whether they give any guidance on frost and winter storage.
