Fire Pits and Fire Bowls

A fire pit or fire bowl turns a cool evening in the garden into an evening for staying outside. On this page you compare fire baskets, fire bowls, low-smoke fire pits and accessories side by side, with the key specifications and the current price at the shop. Boender Outdoor does not sell anything itself: you always order from the shop, with its delivery and terms.

What will you find in this category?

• Fire baskets: baskets with open or cut-out sides, fire buckets, fire globes and tabletop fire pits.
• Fire bowls: low, wide bowls on legs or a base, also with a grill grate, plancha or log store.
• Low-smoke fire pits: fire pits and bowls with a double wall that, according to the manufacturer, produce less smoke.
• Accessories: grill grates, planchas, tripods, lids, covers, stands and spark guards.

Fire basket, fire bowl or tabletop fire pit?

A fire basket is taller and often has open or cut-out sides, so you see the flames from every angle. A fire bowl is lower and wider: a group can sit around it, and many bowls are also suitable for cooking. A low-smoke fire pit has a double wall through which air rises for secondary combustion, as the manufacturer describes it. A tabletop fire pit is a small version for a sturdy table; check the manual to see which surface the manufacturer recommends. The Type filter shows you which types are available.

Material: steel, Corten steel, cast iron or stainless steel

Most fire pits and fire bowls are made of steel, often in black. Corten steel develops a rust-brown layer outdoors that is part of the material's character. That rust can rub off, especially at first, so avoid placing such a bowl straight onto light paving you want to keep clean. Cast iron is heavy and robust. Stainless steel is found mainly on low-smoke fire pits and grill grates. Use the Material and Colour filters to compare finishes.

Size and diameter

The size determines how many people can sit around it comfortably and how much wood fits in. With the Diameter filter you find small fire pits of around 30 cm up to large fire bowls of 150 cm. A large bowl also needs more space around it, because you keep your distance from anything that can burn.

Cooking over the fire

Many fire bowls and some fire baskets come with a grill grate or plancha, or you can add one later. The With grill grate filter shows which models include one. Among the fire pit accessories you will find separate grill grates, planchas, tripods for hanging a grate above the fire, skewers and ring-shaped griddles that sit around a fire bowl. Mind the size: a grate or plancha is usually made for a specific diameter or model.

Burning with less smoke

Low-smoke fire pits, such as those from Solo Stove, Höfats and Petromax, produce less smoke thanks to a double wall with secondary combustion, as the manufacturer describes it. A wood fire is never entirely free of smoke: even in a low-smoke fire pit, damp or oversized logs give off more smoke. The Low-smoke filter shows which models the manufacturer labels as low-smoke.

Burning safely

• Only use a fire pit or fire bowl in the open air. Never indoors, in a tent or in any other enclosed space, and never under a canopy, pergola, parasol, awning or roof.
• Keep plenty of distance from your house, trees, hedges, fences and anything else that can burn, and follow the manual.
• Place the fire on a stable, non-combustible surface such as paving, gravel or a base plate. Not on wooden decking or on grass without protection.
• Never leave the fire unattended and keep an eye on it, especially when children or pets are nearby.
• Keep something to put it out close at hand: water, a bucket of sand or a fire blanket.
• Burn dry, untreated wood or the fuel stated in the manual, and pellets only if the manufacturer says so. No rubbish, painted or treated wood, and never pour methylated spirits or lighter fluid onto a burning fire.
• Only throw away the ashes once they have cooled down completely.

Local rules

Local rules for open fires differ from place to place, so check with your local council what is allowed where you live. In still or poor weather, restrictions may apply; in the Netherlands, for example, the RIVM issues burning alerts (stookalert). Think of your neighbours too and keep an eye on the wind direction.

Maintenance

Let the fire pit cool down completely after use and remove the ashes. A lid or protective cover keeps rain out, so water does not collect in the bowl. Store a smaller fire pit somewhere dry out of season.

Warmth without a wood fire?

If you want warmth on the patio without wood, take a look at patio heaters. Fire tables running on gas or bioethanol have their own category.

Brands

Here you compare fire pits, fire bowls and accessories from Solo Stove, Höfats, Petromax, BonFeu, RedFire, CookKing and Esschert Design.