Top 11 Wood Burning Fire Pits

Here are the 11 best wood burning fire pits:

Self contained wood burning fire pit tables and pits are less hassle than having to build a fire, making sure that nothing can be accidentally set ablaze and then having to dispose of ashes safely and responsibly. The fire pits allow more people to enjoy real flame fires in backyards and gardens, or bonfires when out hiking or you have gone camping. 

There are different features to consider that make each wood burning fire pit useful in their own way. They come in various shapes and forms such as a wood burning fire pit table and portable versions. These can be made of different materials including steel, stainless steel and wrought iron. Some of the stainless steel models are left unpainted. However the steel and wrought iron wood burning fire pit tables and cauldrons are painted to look better and to prevent rust. Some of the products have intricate designs as well, these will be described in each description.  

When reviewing the various outdoor fire pits the ease of assembly, the portability of the wood burning fire pit, the amount of wood that can be burned at any one time, whether it is prone to rust, and the designs were taken into account. Here are the top 11  high performing wood fire pits and wood burning fire pit tables ready for you to use. 

Solo Stove, Bonfire Wood Burning Fire Pit

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The Solo Stove wood burning fire pit is a star performer, that stood out from the rest. We selected this stove as the editor’s choice because it lights up so easily and generates a great deal of heat. It only needs a new log every once in a while. Overall it is the standout stove to have in your back garden or to take on camping trips. A truly great outdoor wood fire pit. 

It has a double wall to retain greater amounts of heat yet it does nothing to restrict the air flow. It is the top performing stove or fire pit of all the ones we reviewed. 

This stove is 14 inches tall, 19.5 inches wide, and weighs 20 pounds.  A tote bag is also included with this stove, which makes it easy to transport. 

Landmann, 23875 Fire Dance Bear and Paw Wood Fire Pit

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The Landmann 23875 is made of strong stainless, and it includes a full diameter handle so it is easy to move it around. Furthermore stray sparks and embers are contained by it’s spark screen. And as an added benefit this fire bowl has pretty and decorative cut outs.

I have used one of these fire bowls for a few years and it is always reliable and sturdy. It will not let you down. Low maintenance, easy to transport and no hassle to clean. A class act of an outdoor wood fire pit.  

Catalina Creations, Heavy Duty Cast Iron Wood Burning Fire Pit

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This cast iron pit is 29.5 inches wide, 19.7 inches wide, and weighs 45 lbs, demonstrating the extra strength given by the cast iron construction. The cauldron is supported by three strong legs. This product comes complete with a cover and spark screen. 

Over all we like this stylish, practical and reliable wood burning fire pit. It looks good, and the cast iron makes it sturdy. We were grateful for the drainage hole in the bottom, it saved us drilling a hole in ourselves. 

Sunnydaze, Crossweave Outdoor Wood Fire Pit

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This is a 36 inch pit that is ideal for bonfires, and as a patio or backyard fire pit. As well as the 36 inch diameter it is 24 inches high, and has a depth of 11 inches. It weighs 29 lbs without the spark screen. It also comes with a cover to provide it with extra protection from bad weather. 

I like the larger size of the Sunnydaze as it makes it useful for larger gatherings of family and friends. The extra size means that more wood can be burned, and that also equates to more guests being kept warmer. One of the best larger outdoor fire pits around. 

Landmann, 25282 Barrone Wood Burning Fire Pit

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The Landmann, 25282 Barrone features a contemporary style firebox decorative in a crosshatch design. It comes complete with a poker and a wood crate. It has a 26 inch diameter and is made of steel. 

What we really like about this outdoor wood burning fire pit is that it cooks food as good as a grill can with that cooked on a campfire taste. The antique bronze look is also a nice touch that goes well with the decorative design.  

Sunnydaze, Northern Galaxy Outdoor Wood Fire Pit

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This 32 inch square outdoor wood burning fire pit is ideal for patios and backyards with a BBQ grill grate. It is made of strong steel. 

I think that the combination of BBQ grill grate and using it as a camp fire is a wonderful one. I have taken it on camps and cooked a tasty BBQ on it. It’s easy to set up this outdoor wood burning fire pit in the backyard or at a campsite. 

F2C, Outdoor Heavy Steel Wood Fire Pit

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The Hex shaped F2C is made out of steel and is 24 inches in diameter. Despite the wide diameter it is a light weight model as it only weighs 15.75 lbs. 

We like the size and the Hex shape of this outdoor fire pit and the depth of the bowl keeps the wood burning for hours. 

Global Outdoors, Adjustable Leg Square Slate Top Wood Burning Fire Pit

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The Global Outdoors pit comes supplied with spark screen, a waterproof cover, and also a safety poker. The frame and bowl are made of metal, only the genuine slate top is not made of metal. The 34 inch diameter makes it a larger outdoor fire pit for burning logs in. 

I thought the adjustable legs was an inspired idea, especially for having the stove further off the ground. The deeper bowl makes it warmer on cold winter nights for a bonfire with friends gathered round a warm wood burning fire pit table.  

Yaheetech, Outdoor Metal Square Table Wood Fire Pit

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The Yaheetech table is an outdoor wood fire pit for use in backyards, patios, and gardens. It is supplied with a spark screen, a log poker and a cover. Available in a patterned black design while safety features are of notable quality in this product. 

We have found the table area surrounding the bowl is really useful as there is plenty of space to put food, drink and cooking utensils. It was simple to put together and all the tools were included, which was helpful to us. 

Amazon Basics, Natural Stone Wood Burning Fire Pit

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This outdoor wood burning fire pit is made with a combination of stone and copper, it comes supplied with a log grate, spark screen and a fire tool. It has a length of 33.9 inches, and a height of 23.6 inches, plus it weighs 50 lbs. 

We liked the natural stone material used in this stove as it is a nice design. We like the big, warm camp fires it gives us when we have taken it on camping trips. 

Sun Joe, SJFP28-STN-CS Fire Pit

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The entire base of the Sun Joe is made from cast stone with a metal fire bowl. That 28 inch metal fire bowl can take up to two logs 21.5 inches in length at the same time. 

We found that this all stone pit was fine for smaller gatherings of family and friends. It is better to use in the summer as it would not be warm enough in the winter. 

Conclusion

After reviewing 11 outdoor wood burning fire pits we reached the decision that the Solo Stove Bonfire Wood Burning Fire Pit was the model, which we preferred the most. Overall it was the Solo Stove that impressed the most over the criteria we use to evaluate wood fire pits and wood burning fire pit tables. 

This stove ticked all of the boxes for us so it was a straightforward decision to make it our editors choice. It has all the good qualities, which we were looking for and it was what we found to be consistently good at matching and sometimes exceeded the criteria for outdoor wood fire pits. It will compliment your existing patio furniture, instantly bumping up the ambiance. 

FAQs

1. What kind of wood do you use in an outdoor wood fire pit? 

Generally, kindling, logs and small pieces of wood are used for burning in a wood burning fire pit. You can buy wood meant for stoves. Alternatively you could cut up your own logs from pine, birch or oak trees. Avoid ash trees as the logs produce too much smoke even when dried out.  

2. What can you burn in an outdoor wood fire pit? 

Mostly wood and kindling to get the fire started. These wood fire pits are designed for only burning wood so it is best to stick to just burning wood. Do not use an accelerant, or put anything oil based into the pit. The deeper the fire bowl the longer the pieces of timber that can be used.  

3. Can you put an outdoor wood fire pit on wood decking? 

You cannot place wood burning fire pits or stoves directly onto wood decking. Consider placing on stone, breeze blocks or concrete flags so that the heat is unable to set the decking on fire. Only consider doing if your pit or stove has a spark guard or if you are prepared to keep an eye out for embers to prevent the fire spreading. If it is not possible to do either of those things do not risk setting wood decking on fire.  

4. Are outdoor wood fire pits safe? 

Wood fire pits are safe when they are used safely. Pits have the potential to be dangerous if you do not respect fire. When using pits comply with the safety tips that came with the instructions, and use common sense. Avoid putting accelerants and oil based products on the fire, do not over fill the pit, and do not leave it unattended. 

Make sure that the wood burning fire pit is on a level surface that is fireproof and heat resistant to prevent accidental fires breaking out. Keep spark screens on the fire pit until you are sure that the fire has gone out and that there are no embers left. 

5. Should I cover my fire pit? 

You should cover your outdoor wood fire pit or wood burning fire pit table when it is not in use, especially if it is made of steel in order to prevent rust. Provided that the cover has air holes or it includes meshing cutouts, then it should be fine to put the cover on once the fire has stopped burning and it has cooled down enough. 

Indeed covering the outdoor wood burning fire pit will potentially extend it’s lifespan as it should prevent any of the metal parts of it rusting, especially if left out in the rain. You can purchase a cover or diy it, as long as its protected it should be fine.

6. What do you put under an outdoor wood fire pit? 

You will need to put fireproof or at the very least heat resistant things underneath your outdoor wood burning fire pit. Stone, breeze blocks, pavers and heat resistant bricks will contain the heat and will not catch fire themselves. If you are not certain whether the material under the pit is heat resistant or fireproof then put something you definitely know will not catch fire under the wood fire pit itself. 

7. Why does my outdoor wood fire pit smoke so much? 

There can be a few reasons why a wood burning fire pit can smoke so much, and will not take long to find out why. The air vents in the wood burning fire pit table or stove could have got blocked. You will need to check the wood before placing it in the pit, if it is still green then it will produce more smoke than if it has dried out. Make sure there are no leaves, and that the wood has been kept dry if there has been a fair amount of rain recently. Make sure leaves have been removed from logs before placing these in the fire. 

8. Can I put a fire pit on decking? 

The answer depends entirely on what the decking you plan to put the wood fire pit on is made from. If the decking is made from composite, vinyl or wood then it would be too dangerous to place a wood burning fire pit table directly on top of it. On the other hand if the decking is made from concrete or stone then it would safe to place the pit directly on top of it. Should you still want to put a pit on top of wooden or other combustible material then you would either have placed something that cannot burn in between the decking and the pit, or you can choose to place away from the decking instead. 

Always error on the side of caution, if you are not sure that the decking is fireproof place the wood burning fire pit table on some surface you know cannot catch fire. 

9. Can you put an outdoor wood fire pit under a deck? 

It would be best to avoid placing any wood burning fire pit under a deck as the risk of a fire is too high.  

10. What’s the hottest burning wood? 

The hottest burning woods are Apple, American Beech, White Oak, Yellow Birch and Red Oak. Wood from any of these species with give a high amount of heat provided that the timber has been dried out completely. All these woods will burn well in a wood burning fire pit table or outdoor wood burning fire pit because they can sustain the high temperatures. 

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