Best Portable, Smokeless Fire Pits For Perfect Warm Gatherings
Updated: Mar. 23, 2024
Prepare to spend more time outdoors this season with the best fire pit in your yard.
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You’ve got your best grill ready to fire up, your patio furniture set up and your outdoor speaker system prepared with a killer playlist in the queue. The only thing that could make this setup better is a fire pit (and maybe some fire pit lighting and seating). If you’re stuck on finding the best fire pit for your outdoor living situation, just remember that functionality matters more than design—though the latter is nice, too.
“Design should always come second to practicality in this case,” says survivalist, Mike Millerson. “Remember that durability and weather resistance are more important than having the fanciest-looking fire pit on the block.”
Out of all the options available, we’ve personally tested the very best ones that are worthy of a spot in your backyard. Prepare for many late-night memories to come!
What to Consider When Buying a Fire Pit
Don’t buy a fire pit before accounting for these factors:
- Size: Measure the space where you want to place the fire pit.
- Fuel type: Weigh the pros and cons of wood vs. propane fire pits before committing.
- Accessories: If you want your fire pit to be more than a fire pit, take note of available accessories, such as table inserts and grilling attachments.
- Neighborhood, HOA or building restrictions: Ensure your desired fire pit meets any criteria for your living situation.
- Safety: “A spark screen is incredibly important to prevent embers from flying out and starting a fire,” says veteran Montana outdoorsman, Trevor Riggs. “Also, make sure the fire pit is made of durable materials and has a stable base to prevent it from tipping over.”
- Material: Fire pits are made with different materials, each with its own pros and cons. “Cast iron and steel offer durability, but can rust over time,” says Wendy Wang of F&J Outdoors. “Aluminum is a lighter, rust-resistant option while brick and stone are sturdy, aesthetic choices.”
Types of Fire Pits
- Gas-burning: These burn propane and are generally very easy to operate, and the fire starts quickly, too.
- Wood-burning: This type takes longer to get going and requires more cleanup (ash). However, it provides the nostalgic and wonderful smell of a campfire and is safe for roasting marshmallows and other foods.
- Smokeless: Smokeless fire pits utilize secondary combustion technology to provide all the positives of wood fire pits without the smoke.
- Portable: These can be gas, wood or smokeless, and can be transported easily.
The Best Fire Pits
- Best Overall: Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
- Best Budget: SunnyDaze Screened Cosmic Fire Pit
- Best Portable: BioLite Fire Pit+
- Best Wood-Burning: East Oak Fire Pit
- Best Smokeless: Tiki Brand Smokeless Fire Pit
Best Overall Fire Pit
Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
With smokeless technology being all the rage, our top pick just had to be a smokeless fire pit. The Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 fire pit has that smokeless technology and can even replace your grill or smoker. With the right accessories, such as the BonFire Griddle, cast-iron grill top and BonFire wok, you can use this model to grill out and chill out!
Family Handyman shopping editor, Mary Henn, tried the Solo Stove for herself and called the design “timeless, simple and polished” in her Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 review. “Whether you need something that works with your carefully decorated backyard or a rugged campsite, this fire pit is a seamless addition,” she says.
What’s more, this best fire pit is an easy-on-the-eyes centerpiece that’s available in five different colors. You’ll get all of the benefits of a wood-burning fire, like the satisfying crackle and nostalgic scent, but without the hassle of smoke and lingering smells on clothes and in hair.
“The flames in the Solo Stove were higher and hotter than I’ve seen in other backyard fire pits,” Henn adds. “The fire lasted a while, too.”
Pros
- Features smokeless burn technology
- Sleek, stylish design
- Available in five sizes
- Available in eight colors, including new metallic colors
- Doubles as a grill or smoker with accessories
Cons
- Expensive
Best Budget Fire Pit
SunnyDaze Screened Cosmic Fire Pit
The SunnyDaze screened fire pit is available for a wallet-friendly price, making it a great value for a high-quality product. It features mesh-backed starry night-esque cutouts that serve a dual purpose: fun aesthetics and great ventilation.
This 41-inch fire pit is constructed of steel and coated in a high-temperature patina-colored paint that Sunnydaze says is heat-resistant to protect against corrosion and rusting. Plus, your purchase comes with a poker to get your fire pit accessories collection started.
The assembly took under five minutes, and the included grate provides peace of mind that no embers will shoot out while everyone’s sitting around the warm fire.
It seems very durable and well put together for something that’s so affordable. We had one person who enjoyed ours so much they purchased one for themselves. You can fit a good amount of wood in the pit to keep the fire going as long as you’d like.
Pros
- Affordable
- Has a built-in wood grate for airflow
- Features a fun starry design
- Has a durable steel frame
- Includes a poker accessory
Cons
- The base is only 10 inches tall
Best Portable Fire Pit
BioLite Fire Pit+
I’ve brought the lightweight and compact BioLite Fire Pit+ to campsites in the Blue Ridge mountains and utilized it right at home in my own front yard on Halloween. It’s received countless compliments. I think I “sold” at least three of these fire pits on Halloween. We got more questions about the BioLite fire pit than we did about our candy.
It weighs less than 20 pounds and is 27 inches wide, so it can truly be brought anywhere. There’s a mesh screen so you can see the fire and a battery-powered fan to control the size of your flame and circulate oxygen while starting your fire. The fan feature has made starting fires almost foolproof, even on the windiest days.
It also comes with a grill grate so you can cook on the portable fire pit. I’ve made everything from steak and potatoes to sausage and peppers on it! The compact size means you need to use logs less than 16 inches wide, but on the bright side, it’s smokeless.
Pros
- Compact and weighs just under 20 pounds
- Battery-controlled fan controls the size of the flame
- Mesh body so you can see the fire
- Included grill grate for easy campsite cooking
Cons
- Must use smaller logs
Best Wood-Burning Fire Pit
East Oak Fire Pit
Sometimes, you just can’t beat the nostalgia of a campfire. If you want to feel really immersed in the outdoors—and roast some really yummy marshmallows—then you need a wood-burning fire pit. The East Oak fire pit offers that timeless feeling in a modern design. The unique trapezoid shape creates a warmer fire than traditional cylindrical fire pits, as detailed by Henn, a longtime fire pit user, in her East Oak Fire Pit review.
“And while I did notice that the East Oak fire pit seemed to have a larger heating radius than other competing fire pits, I also think it may have directed a little bit more smoke outward, too,” Henn says. “Still, I would definitely call the East Oak fire pit smokeless due to its design and the fact that the majority of smoke and fumes travel upward instead of outward.”
Henn was also impressed at how easy it was to clean—simply use your poker to lift the ashtray out of the pit and place it in the trash.
Pros
- Wood-burning and produces a good amount of heat
- Unique shape to radiate heat
- Multiple size and color options
- Easy to clean
- Smokeless
Cons
- Pricey
Best Smokeless Fire Pit
Tiki Brand Smokeless Patio Fire Pit
You can’t go wrong with Tiki Brand, a reputable brand that’s been decking out patios and pergolas for more than 60 years with the original bamboo torch. The company has expanded into all sorts of backyard essentials, including fire pits. This Tiki Brand smokeless fire pit features a modern and clean all-black, all-metal design. The smokeless technology is so good, that I use it on my outdoor deck without any smoke smell getting into the house. It took roughly 10 minutes for me to put it together by myself.
When used with a Tiki Brand wood pack (one is included with your purchase), this fire pit provides a 4-foot heat radius. You can also burn real firewood, but be sure that the pieces are no longer than 16 inches to fit properly.
This fire pit includes a slide-out ash pan to make cleaning your outdoor fire pit easy at the end of a long night. No more trying to fiddle with trash bags in one hand and a shovel in another.
Pros
- Features smokeless technology
- Has weatherproof powder coating
- Has a modern, sleek design
- One wood pack included
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a cover
Other Fire Pits We Considered
Here are other fire pits we heavily researched but decided not to test above our top five picks.
- Ukiah Tailgater X Portable Fire Pit
- Inno Stage Smokeless Fire Pit
- Yaheetech Wood-Burning Fire Pit
- Pit Boss Smokeless Fire Pit
- Outland Living Portable Fire Pit
- Breeo X Series Fire Pit
Why You Should Trust Us
I’m an award-winning writer and reporter with experience in various beats, with a degree in Print Journalism from St. John’s University.
Everyone involved in this review has extensive fire pit camping experience—some of us have been using fire pits our whole lives. We’ve used everything from in-ground fire pits to the more technologically advanced ones, either just for fun or because we had no other way to stay warm at night. That’s all to say we know what a high-quality fire pit looks and feels like.
We’re also expert shopping editors who are constantly researching and reviewing the trendiest fire pits and accessories. We’re always looking at what customers are saying in online reviews so we can take those points into consideration. This helps us share our honest opinions on equipment so you can make the best-informed shopping decisions.
I consulted Mike Millerson, a professional survivalist, Trevor Riggs, a veteran Montana outdoorsman and Wendy Wang of F&J Outdoors. Millerson has a degree in Engineering and Electronics and is a former USA Army sergeant. He has extensive expertise in survivalism, homesteading, backpacking, hiking and hunting and has built his fair share of fires. Riggs has an informal education in outdoor activities and has spent thousands of hours teaching the next generations survival skills, including building and working with fires. Wang is the founder of F&J Outdoors, an outdoor furniture cover company. She’s immersed herself in the outdoors for years to ensure her products can withstand the elements and last for many seasons.
Fire Pits Tested (and Built) by Outdoors Enthusiasts
The Family Handyman team knows fire pits well. We’ve tested some of the best wood-burning, charcoal and gas fire pits, and we’ve also provided tips on how to build a stone fire ring and other DIY projects.
We started our journey to find the best fire pits by researching dozens of models before picking our top five for in-depth testing in our backyards and at campsites. We took note of assembly, the pit’s stability, how easy it was to start a fire, how long the fires lasted and, most importantly, whether they lent themselves to endless s’mores making. We then reached out to survivalists and outdoor experts to make sure our recommendations met their standards before recommending them to you.
FAQ
What’s the best material for a fire pit?
Fire pits should be made primarily of metal components, along with other materials, such as rattan, for style. Typically, the best material for a fire pit is steel.
How do I choose the right-sized fire pit?
To choose the right size for a fire pit, measure the space where you intend to put it. Measure twice, buy once! You should have several feet of space between the fire pit and any walls or structures, as most fire pits have a heat radius of several feet. A good rule of thumb is to double the heat radius and ensure you have that much space on each side of the pit.
How does a smokeless fire pit work?
Smokeless fire pits work via a double-walled design and secondary combustion. The double walls create extremely high temperatures within the fire pit and, essentially, reroute the smoke and debris from the fire so that it re-enters the flame a second time around. This results in the particles being burned off before they can reach your eyes, hair or clothing.
Is a fire pit considered open burning?
This may depend on your municipality or the activity that you’re doing. Fire pits aren’t always considered open burning. However, should you be camping in an area with fire restrictions due to wildfire, for example, you’ll probably not be allowed to use even a portable propane fire pit. The answer to this will also depend on the type of fire pit you have and the safety regulations where you plan to have the fire.
Can you put a fire pit on a wood deck?
A fire pit may be placed on a wooden deck if—and only if—it’s significantly raised on a stand, or you have a fire pit-specific mat or other barrier, such as layers of stone, between the pit and the deck. Some form of a barrier and a stand is the best combination. Never place a fire pit directly on a wooden deck, as it can lead to fire damage.
Originally Published: April 24, 2023
