Measure, Then Cover: The Best Fire Pit Covers by Size and Shape

A fire pit lives outside all year, and most of its life is spent cold. Rain pools in the bowl and mixes with the ash, leaves and pollen pile up, and bare steel starts to rust. A cover is the cheapest way to keep the pit, and the grate you cook carne asada on, in good shape between fires.

This guide sits under our main best fire pit roundup and covers only what goes on top: fitted fabric covers for round and square wood-burning pits and for rectangular gas fire tables, from Classic Accessories, Duck Covers and Sunnydaze. None of the products here appear in that guide. The rule that matters most comes first: never cover a fire pit that is still hot.

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Quick verdict: which fire pit cover to buy

The table compares those five, one for each kind of pit. All seven covers are reviewed in full after it, followed by how to measure and when it is safe to cover.

Five fire pit covers side by side

Shape, fit and fabric for our five standout picks, as each maker or Amazon listing states them.

Product images from Amazon. Fit sizes are as each maker or listing states them; measure your pit and check the listing before you buy.

Our picks for the best fire pit covers

These seven covers fit the shapes most backyards have: round bowls from 30 to 44 inches, square pits, and rectangular gas fire tables. Each pick lists the size it fits, how it fastens and the warranty, says who it suits, and gives one honest reason to skip it.

What about metal lids and snuffers?

A steel lid sits on the rim of the pit instead of draping over it, and it keeps rain and leaves out of the bowl. The best ones are made by the fire pit makers for their own pits. Breeo’s user guide for its X Series fabric cover recommends pairing it with the X Series Lid for extra protection, and Solo Stove sells lids and fitted Shelter covers for its pits, often in bundles. A lid made for your exact pit fits better than a generic one.

We looked for stand-alone metal lids on Amazon from identifiable makers and found none in stock when we checked; the ones available came from sellers we could not identify, so we left them out rather than recommend them. If you want a metal lid, buy it from the maker of your fire pit. And do not treat a lid as a way to put a fire out: follow your pit’s manual and the fire-out steps below.

How to choose a fire pit cover that fits

Four things decide whether a cover protects your pit or just blows around the yard.

1. Measure width and height

Measure the pit at its widest point, including any outer ring, and from the ground to the top of the rim. Buy a cover rated for the same size or a few inches larger. Too small and it tears at the edges; too big and it sags, collects water and catches wind. Square pits and rectangular gas tables need a cover cut for that shape.

2. Waterproof or water-resistant

Water-resistant covers shed rain but can let water through in a downpour; covers sold as waterproof, such as the Duck Covers Ultimate, add taped seams. For a pit in an open yard in a wet climate, pay for waterproof. Vents matter as much as fabric, because a sealed cover traps humidity and can make a steel bowl rust from the inside.

3. How it stays on

An elastic hem is fine on a sheltered patio. In wind, look for straps (Veranda 30-inch and 56-inch, Duck Covers), leg loops (Terrazzo) or a drawstring (Sunnydaze).

4. Wood pit or gas table

A wood-burning bowl needs a cover that drapes over the rim and down the sides. A gas fire table needs a cover cut like a table cover that keeps rain off the burner and the glass or lava rock. If your fire pit came with a cover, as the Sunnydaze Crossweave and TIKI Reunion in our fire pit guide do, start there and replace it with one of these when it wears out.

When it is safe to cover a fire pit

Fabric covers are not fireproof, and none of the makers here describe theirs as heat-resistant. Every maker manual we read says the same thing in its own words:

• Sunnydaze says in the care sheet for its round covers: ensure the fire pit is completely cool before using this cover.
• Solo Stove says in its Shelter instructions: allow your fire pit to cool completely before covering with Shelter to avoid damage.
• Breeo says in its fire pit cover user guide to wait until your Breeo fire pit is completely cool before putting the cover on.

That means after the fire is completely out, not when the flames die down. Steel and ash hold heat long after the last flame. For putting the fire out, the US Forest Service’s Smokey Bear campfire safety guidance is to make sure the fire is entirely out before you leave it, and to feel for heat with the back of your hand over the ashes; check your fire pit’s manual too, since some steel-pit makers advise letting the fire burn down rather than pouring water on hot metal. When in doubt, cover the pit the next morning.

How we picked these seven covers

We started from what a kitchen expects of any cover on an outdoor cooker: it has to fit the shape, shed water, let moisture out and stay on in wind. We limited the field to covers sold on Amazon in the United States, from identifiable makers (Classic Accessories and its Duck Covers brand, and Sunnydaze), and in stock when we checked; several Classic Accessories Ravenna and Duck Covers sizes were left out because they showed low stock or no stock. Fit sizes, fabrics and fasteners come from the Amazon listings; where a listing omitted the warranty, we took it from retailer listings or the maker’s care sheet and say so.

The safety guidance comes from the makers’ own manuals for Sunnydaze, Solo Stove and Breeo covers, and the US Forest Service. We checked each brand against the US Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall list. We have not used these covers for this guide, and we did not rely on outside reviews.

Fire pit cover questions, answered

What are the best fire pit covers, according to reviews?

We do not summarize star ratings, but on specifications the Classic Accessories Veranda covers are the most complete: laminated water-resistant fabric, vents, padded handles and, on most sizes, straps. Duck Covers Ultimate is the waterproof choice, and Sunnydaze’s vinyl cover suits open fire bowls.

Which fire pit comes with a cover?

In our best fire pit guide, the Sunnydaze Crossweave 36-inch and the TIKI Reunion include a weather-resistant cover in the box. Solo Stove also sells bundles that include a lid and Shelter.

Can I cover a fire pit right after using it?

No. Sunnydaze, Solo Stove and Breeo all say to wait until the pit is completely cool. A fabric cover on a warm pit can melt or burn.

Should a gas fire pit table be covered?

Yes, when it is off and cool. A cover keeps rain, pollen and leaves out of the burner and the fire glass. Use one cut for a table, like the Veranda 56-inch rectangular.

Do fire pit covers cause rust?

They can if moisture is trapped. Choose a vented cover, do not let water pool on top, and take the cover off to dry the pit after a long wet spell. Empty rainwater from a bowl without drain holes before covering it.

Our final pick to protect your fire pit

Buy the Classic Accessories Veranda 44-inch if you have a typical round fire bowl and want a vented, well-made cover. Choose the Duck Covers Ultimate for waterproof protection, the Veranda 56-inch for a rectangular gas table, the Duck Covers Elegant 50-inch for a square pit, and the Terrazzo 44-inch on a budget. Whatever you buy, measure first and cover the pit only when it is cold.

For the pit itself, see our best fire pit guide and the best fire pit grill for cooking over the flames; if you are still deciding between shapes, read chiminea vs fire pit, and for the grill next to it, the best gas grill cover. Or let us light the fire: see the menu or call to order.