Best Patio Heaters 2021
A selection of the best types of heaters to warm your patio all year round
In our selection of the best fire pits for patios, we are going with the classic meaning of the word.
We are talking about a fire bowl where you can burn wood or coal. There’s something primal about getting those flames going yourself and the material it’s made of is key.
Cast iron fire pits for wood burning are very popular, but heavy to carry if you don’t want to make a permanent fixture in your garden. Portable pop up fire pits, usually made of aluminium or stainless steel, are cheaper but won’t last as long. There’s always a tradeoff.
This is why we’ve create this list of best fire pits for warmth, for cooking, and for style. So regardless of what your needs are, we’ve got your covered.
Our pick of the best fire pits to buy
- Harbour Housewares Cast Iron Fire Pit – Best Overall Classic Fire Pit
- FOBUY Fire Pit – Best All in One Fire Table and Grill
- Esschert Fallen Fruits Oxidised Woodland Globe – Best Decorative Fire Bowl
- MTS Cast Iron Garden Fire Pit – Cheapest Fire Pit For The Garden
- Solo Stove Bonfire Stove – Best Smokeless Fire Pit
1. Harbour Housewares Cast Iron Fire Pit – Best Overall Classic Fire Pit
Harbour Housewares Cast Iron Fire Pit
- Easy to assemble
- Creates lots of heat
- 2 year warranty
If you are looking to gather a few friends around the flickering ambers of a roaring fire, then the Harbour Housewares Cast Iron Fire Pit is for you.
Made of cast iron, with 3 legs to keep it steady on uneven ground, this is the perfect fire pit for gardens. You have 2 side handles to help you move it around, so you don’t have to wait for the fire bowl to cool to move it. That said, bear in mind that the largest size weighs a sturdy 15kg weight.
We love the classic industrial style that is both practical and a great centrepiece for any garden. This is a large fire pit bowl for a reason: plenty of space for your fuel of choice, whilst giving the fire plenty of airflow, allowing it to burn for longer.
It comes in three sizes (55.5cm, 75 cm, 85.5cam), but it’s worth going for slightly larger than you think you need as with no safety grill, you’ll want to give the fire space to pop and crackle in the bowl.
As its cast iron this fire pit bowl can be left outside between use, but still requires maintenance during the season to keep it rust free and spruced up. You’ll also need to get a cover to keep it in perfect condition, especially if left for months at a time outside.
Pros
- Generates a wide area of heat thanks to large bowl and good airflow
- Tripod legs makes its steady on grass or dirt
- Easy to assemble (just an Allen key needed)
- Tall, standing at 38cm from the ground
- Handles means you can move the fire pit before bowl is completely cool
- Deep bowl fire pit able to burn 5-6 large logs
- Cast Iron construction is designed to stand the test of time
- 2 year warranty as standard
Cons
- No fire grills for BBQ
- No safety grills
- Doesn’t come with a cover
2. FOBUY Fire Pit – Best All in One Fire Table and Grill
Fire pit tables tend to be more expensive and for good reasons. These are luxury fire pit that are made to be a feature in your garden, with more than one use. Which is where the FOBUY Fire Pit come into play.
Reasonably priced for a fire table, this is still more expensive than your standard bowl. That said, if you are cooking on fire pits, you want a sturdy design that is safe and secure so big and little hands don’t get burnt.
You can burn big log woods and get lots of heat just like the Harbour Houseware, or you can burn coal. With coal you’ll be able to put the fire mesh on for extra protection, or use the table as a BBQ.
The mesh lids won’t fit when a fire wood is at full blaze as it’s not quite deep enough, but when the fire dies down, it does prevent burning embers from blowing. As standard you’ll get a poker which can be used for the fire or to lift the grate safely.
This Brazier square table fire pit will look good in your garden and patio, though make sure what you’ve placed it on is sturdy and fireproof.
When placed on grass, the heat this table generates can turn the area brown so best as a decorative feature in the patio. As a bonus, you can use it as an ice tray in the summer, with the sturdy steel frame give you year-round tables for drinks and small plates.
Pros
- Stylish 32” wide tabletop design
- Safety mesh lids included – no stray spark or ash jumping out
- Heat resistant base has a hole to easy clean the ash
- Wood grate and poker included in the price
- 3 in 1 fire pit use: BBQ, Warmth or Ice Pit
- Waterproof cover included in the price
- Value for money for a coal and wood burning fire pit table
Cons
- Not portable
- Best for patios and concrete – extra protection would be needed for decking or grass area as its gets very hot closer to the ground
3. Esschert Fallen Fruits Oxidised Woodland Globe – Best Decorative Fire Bowl
Esschert Design Fallen Fruits Oxidised Woodland Globe
- Artwork for your garden
- Creates 360 degree heat
- Low maintenance
You are not looking to BBQ, burn garden waste, or create heat for a large party. You want a beautiful elegant Fire Bowl that will elevate the ambiance of your outdoor space on those long cool nights. Something that adds charm to a cool evening snuggled in with a loved one.
You are looking for the Esschert Fallen Fruits Oxidised Woodland Globe. The laser cut shapes create a beautiful natural spectacle in the shadows as you burn a few logs and stare at the stars with a glass of something warm.
Because of the rust effect, this is a low-maintenance piece of art for your garden. As it continues to rust through fire, weather and time, this luxury fire bowl will just feel more authentic. If you need a more practical fire pit, the lower wood-burning fire pit separates to allow easy cleaning or to simple use as a fire bowl without the globe on top. But what would be the point in that?
This is durable cast iron at its best and its most beautiful.
Pros
- Artwork for your garden or patio
- Create a centrepiece for your outdoor space
- Low maintenance – rusts adds to the rustic charm
- Laser cut woodland picture creatures a unique atmosphere
- Bowl shapes emanates 360 heats
- Easy assembly with just 3 screws
Cons
- The whole thing gets very hot – including the legs
- You want art, you are paying for art. Definitely the more expensive option.
4. MTS Cast Iron Garden Fire Pit – Cheapest Fire Pit For The Garden
MTS Cast Iron Garden Fire Pit
- Compact design for small patios & gardens
- Detachable Legs for easy storage
- Light to move around
The MTS Cast Iron Garden Fire Pit is pure value for money. It looks good and you get exactly what you pay for: a round bowl that safely burns wood or coal and disperses heat around it.
However, for the price, you won’t be surprised to find that this is a cast iron ‘design’ – so it’s made to look like cast iron, but it’s actually made of pressed steel. Don’t let the title deceive you, you will need to put this fire pit under cover, preferably inside a hut or shed once it has cooled down.
It’s not huge, but will create beautiful light and ambiance on a cool autumn’s night or a light spring evening. The three sturdy legs means it can be placed almost anywhere and it will look the part during any gathering.
Pros
- Compact 50cm x 20cm size make it easy to fit in most patios and garden
- Traditional fire pit design creates a great centrepiece for any outdoor event
- Light and easy to move around once cool
- Easy to assemble
- Detachable legs means you could easily bring it along to camping trips
Cons
- Not actual cast iron, but made to look like cast iron. Pressed steel means it will need to be stored away as it will not survive the battering of winter weather outside.
- Small size means it’s more suited for sheltered outdoor spaces for maximum warmth
- No drain hole or handles
5. Solo Stove Bonfire Stove – Best Smokeless Fire Pit
Solo Stove Campfire Stove
- Smokeless design
- Portable - great for camping
- Safe on all surfaces
Where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire – but the Solo Stove Bonfire Stove proves them all wrong.
If you are willing to pay a premium so your hair and clothes don’t smell like Guy Fawkes on the 5th of November or a pit master on the 4th of July, smokeless fire pits are the way to go. And the Solo stove is right at the top range, but you really do get what you pay for.
With heat sensitive surfaces that won’t ruin your decking, grass or burn hands, this already had our attention. But then it just kept adding features.
Like a double wall design that maximises airflow, and bottom vent holes that create a burst of hot hair over the fire, reducing smoke. Not batteries or fans needed. It’s portable, assembles in minutes, and is so efficient that every last bit of ash practically disappears by the end of the night.
And no, there’s no gas or propane involved, even if the image would have you believe that no real fire could look so beautiful or mesmerising. Made from the highest grace 304 stainless steel, you will need to store this baby away, but it will soon become a feature in your backyard time and time again.
How long is this meant to last? Well, it has a lifetime guarantee. So that tells you something.
Pros
- Safe on all surfaces – decking, patios, or grass
- Smokeless design means your clothes don’t smell
- Great airflow burns away every shred of wood
- Generates great heat for a gathering of people around it
- Easy to burn wood and get a blazing fire in less than 5 minutes thanks to design
- Comes with a carry bag to store away
- Easy to assemble and move around
- Modern stylish design
Cons
- Pricey
- Not the traditional fire pit design
- You could toast marshmallows but would not recommend BBQ
What is the best outdoor fire pit?
Depending on the size of your garden or patio, the best outdoor fire pit is going to be the one that warms your space and doesn’t smoke you out.
So if you have a decent size garden and need to heat a gathering of 10 people, that Harbour Houseware will give you that classic feel. If you have a small balcony, but want to enjoy the cool evenings without smoking out your neighbours you might want to invest in the Solo Stove.
For our money, those are our favourite, but this is the best fire pits list for a reason. All the choices above are good for different reasons.
Can I build a fire pit on my patio?
When building a fire pit on patios you should always consider any prevailing winds, proximity to house and doors (for the smoke), and burns to the bricks. Never build wood burning fire pit under a covered patio as the fumes can be toxic, and ensure your fire pit is in an open area with lots of ventilation and away from anything that could burn.
What fire pits are safe for decks?
Decking is made of wood. Wood burns. Fire pits burn wood. You seem where we are getting at?
Fire pits safe for decks is one that has a cool to touch base as a safety feature: such as the Solo Bonfire Stove. It’s a little more expensive but worth investing to protect your decking.
What do you call an outdoor fire pit?
Outdoor fire pits have many names, because anything that burns wood or coal in a bowl can be considered a fire pit. From fire tables, to fire bowls, to wood burning stoves and chimneys, outdoor fire pits can be as simple as a dirt pit in the ground, to natural gas luxury fire tables.
What is the safest type of fire pit?
The safest types of fire pits are ones with mesh guards so embers and ash can’t fly out and cause burns or fire. The Solo Stove also has a safety feature which makes the bottom of the outside of the pit cool to the touch and won’t burn the ground around it from secondary heat.
Can I use a fire pit as a BBQ?
Yes you can. You can typically turn any fire pit into a BBQ for grilling on with the right accessories. Find out what you’ll need and how to make the best of your fir bbqing experience in our post – Can you use a fire pit as a BBQ?
What type of wood is best for a fire pit?
Seasoned or kiln-dried hardwoods are the best types of wood to throw on your fire pit if you want a longer burn, higher heat, and less smoke. Find out what types of wood you can and can’t burn on a fire pit.
