Wood or Propane? Shopping for the Best Value Fire Pit

A fire pit turns a cool evening on the patio into a reason to stay outside after dinner. You do not need a stainless double-wall pit to get that. A bowl deep enough to hold a few logs, a spark screen and a place to stand it a safe distance from the house cover most of what a backyard needs, and a small propane bowl does the job where wood smoke is not welcome.

This guide is about value in backyard fire pits, wood-burning and propane. It looks at the entry tier of each maker’s range from Sunnydaze, Outland Living, Endless Summer, Fire Sense, Flame King and SINGLYFIRE. We do not quote prices, which change daily. Instead, each pick says what you get, what you give up compared with the fire pits in our best fire pit guide, and what the maker or listing says about size, materials and warranty.

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Quick verdict: which value fire pit to buy

The table compares five standouts, one for each kind of backyard. All seven fire pits are reviewed in full below it.

Five value fire pits compared

Fuel and warranty, as the maker or Amazon listing states them.

Product images from Amazon. Fuel, output and warranties are as each maker or listing states them; “Not stated” means the listing does not say.

Our picks for the best value fire pit

These seven are freestanding backyard fire pits: five burn wood and two burn propane. None is a fire table, a tabletop flame or a pit built mainly for cooking; for those, see our guides to the best fire pit table and the best fire pit grill. Each pick ends with one honest reason to skip it.

How to judge value in a fire pit

A cheap fire pit that rusts through in two winters costs more than it saves. These are the points that separate good value from a false economy.

Wood or propane

Wood gives more heat and the sound and smell of a real fire, but you buy and store logs, deal with smoke and empty ash. Propane starts with a knob, leaves no ash and makes no wood smoke, but the flame is smaller and you need a tank. If you are torn, our chiminea vs fire pit guide covers another option for pushing heat toward the chairs.

Material and thickness

Painted steel is the usual entry material. It works, but it needs a cover and will not last like stainless steel or cast iron. Porcelain enamel, as on the Fire Sense, resists corrosion. Cast iron is heavy and solid but rusts on the surface by design. Where a listing gives steel thickness, such as Sunnydaze’s 0.7 mm, use it to compare.

What is in the box

A spark screen, a poker and a cover are part of the value. The Sunnydaze 29-inch includes all three; the cast iron bowl includes none. For gas pits, check for a hose, regulator and lava rock, and whether a cover is included or sold separately. Our fire pit covers guide helps if yours comes without one.

Ash handling

Emptying ash is the chore that decides whether a wood pit gets used. A lift-out bowl, a lift-out ash catch or an ash plate makes it easier. Only empty ash once it is completely cold, into a metal container.

Warranty and certification

Most of these pits carry a one-year limited warranty. For propane, look for CSA approval, which Outland states for its Firebowl. Read the warranty terms, not just the headline; one listing here gives two different periods.

What you give up compared with our top picks

The fire pits in our main best fire pit guide, such as the Solo Stove Bonfire and the Breeo X Series, add stainless steel that does not need painting, double walls built for low smoke and accessories designed for cooking over the fire. Those are real advantages if the fire pit stays out all year or you use it every weekend.

Spend more if you burn often, want less smoke from every fire or plan to grill over it. If you light a fire a few times each fall and winter, a painted steel bowl with a screen and a cover, or a small propane bowl, will give you the same evening outside. For dedicated cooking, see our fire pit grill guide.

Fire pit safety from the US Fire Administration

Read your fire pit’s manual first. These points come from the US Fire Administration’s outdoor fire safety guidance:

• Keep it at least 10 feet from the house. The USFA says to use fire pits outdoors at least 10 feet away from your home or anything that can burn. That includes fences, trees and patio furniture, and local rules may ask for more.
• Use a screen on wood fires. The USFA advises a metal screen over wood-burning fires to keep sparks from floating out.
• Watch the children. The USFA says to closely watch children when the fire pit is in use and to keep matches and lighters out of their sight and reach.
• Put it out before you leave. The USFA says to turn off or put out fires before you leave the backyard.

The makers add their own rules. Sunnydaze says to set its pits on stone, brick, gravel or a fire-safe pad, and that cast iron handles get hot. Outland reminds buyers to check local fire restrictions before lighting even a propane pit.

How we chose these seven fire pits

We started with the entry fire pit in each identifiable maker’s range that is sold and in stock on Amazon US, and kept freestanding backyard pits; fire tables, tabletop flames and cooking pits belong in other guides. We left out every fire pit already reviewed in our other fire pit guides, except one: the standard Outland Firebowl, a plainer version of the 19-inch kit in our camping guide, because it is the clearest entry model in Outland’s range. No more than two brands on the page sell mainly on Amazon, and we did not consider products listed as scarce or out of stock.

Specifications come from the Amazon listings, named in our research notes. We checked the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall listings for these brands and did not find a recall for any fire pit here; Flame King has had earlier recalls of other propane products, not this fire pit. We have not used these fire pits at the restaurant; recommendations are based on specifications, maker information and what a kitchen that cooks over fire looks for. We do not quote prices, which change daily.

Value fire pit questions, answered

What is the best fire pit on a budget?

For most backyards, the Sunnydaze 29-inch Patio Fire Pit with Ash Pan: a lift-out bowl, spark screen, poker and cover in the box, and a one-year limited warranty. If you want propane, the Outland Living Firebowl 19-inch is the value pick.

Is a cheap fire pit worth it?

It can be, if you use a cover, keep it dry and accept that painted steel will not last as long as stainless. A thin bowl that rusts after a few seasons may still cost less than one premium pit over the same years. Look for a stated warranty and a spark screen in the box.

Are propane fire pits cheaper to run than wood?

That depends on what you pay locally for propane and firewood, so we cannot give a single answer. Propane saves on cleanup and storage: there is no ash and no woodpile. Wood gives more heat for the same evening.

How far should a fire pit be from the house?

At least 10 feet from your home or anything that can burn, according to the US Fire Administration. Check local rules too, which may set a larger distance.

Can I put a fire pit on a wooden deck?

Follow the maker’s instructions. Sunnydaze says to set its wood-burning pits on stone, brick, gravel or a fire-safe pad, which rules out a bare wooden deck. Keep the 10-foot distance from the house as well.

Our final pick for a value fire pit

Buy the Sunnydaze 29-inch if you want a complete wood-burning kit that is easy to empty. Choose the Outland Living Firebowl for propane without smoke or ash, the Endless Summer firebowl for a vented bowl on a stand, the Fire Sense Bessemer for wheels and a fire door, the Sunnydaze cast iron bowl for a big group, the Flame King for push-button propane with a cover, and the SINGLYFIRE for a basic bowl with an ash plate. For stainless and smokeless models, see our best fire pit guide, and if the fire is for cooking, read how to eat fajitas before you plan the menu.

And if you would rather sit by the fire and leave the cooking to us, see Julia’s menu or call to order.