While most of our selections are wood-burning fire pits, there is something to be said for propane choices. I like pellet pits more than wood now, and the Pit Boss has helped me in that decision. Pellets burn more evenly than wood chunks, so the ash never has unburned lumps. It also comes with a quality-feeling cover to keep the rain off and a removable ashtray to make dumping out the pellet ash pain-free. It releases more smoke as you start it, but it goes away as the fire heats up. I used a small spray of barbecue lighter fluid on mine, and it worked perfectly. Lighting it was easy, though pellet pits can take an external accelerant to get going. Like a lot of modern fire pits, the Pit Boss uses a design to catch the smoke and recirculate it so you mainly get fire rather than smoke. The Pit Boss pellet fire pit kept me warm from 6 feet away on a brisk November morning, and the pellets lasted a long while before they needed a refill. The smell can be different, especially if you throw in some pellets designed for smoking meats, and the fire feels more intense. Using a pellet fire pit instead of wood is a different experience. And after years of testing numerous fire pits, our CNET experts determined the is the best overall fire pit of 2023. As we test fire pits, we take all of these factors into account. Lots of them also come with extras like a cooking grate, so if you're feeling extra outdoorsy, you can grab your cast-iron cookware and make your dinner over the embers in your backyard fire pit instead of in the kitchen. You can even spend $1,500 or more on a fancy propane fire pit. You can find inexpensive $50 models and high-performance pits that'll set you back hundreds of dollars. What is the best overall fire pit?įire pits, which are essentially outdoor fireplaces, differ widely in size, weight and price. If you're shopping for your first fire pit or looking for a replacement for the one that's spent a little too long in the sun and rain, our tried-and-tested list includes a variety of styles and sizes, so you'll find an ideal fit for your yard and can stay cozy across multiple seasons. If it sounds romantic, that's because it is.

Having a good fire pit in your outdoor space means you can sit around the warm glow with friends and family, and roast marshmallows while looking at the night sky. Sitting out in the backyard with a fire late into the crisp fall evenings is a little slice of paradise. OK, that was a bit dramatic, but it is getting colder, and a fire pit becomes more and more appealing every day.

Fire pits for sale