Smokeless XL Wood Fire Pit Just $299 on Sam’sClub com Regularly $499

Plus, we love all the accessories that can be added to make it safer and easier to use for cooking. A chrome valve knob allows you to control the flame height, and it comes with a lava rock set that enhances the flickering effect to better mimic the look of a traditional wood fire. Its high-quality steel exterior and a stainless-steel burner ensure durability for several years to come. A flared bowl adds a sleek touch to the overall design, and a 10-foot hose lets you keep your propane tank out of sight and out of the way. It also has a removable ashtray for quick cleanup once the unit has cooled.

Rocket stoves, developed in the early 1980s, utilize the same principle. And now so do our modern smokeless fire pits, with the addition of air being pulled into the top of the fire around the rim of the pit. The X Series also has an advanced airflow system designed to facilitate secondary fuel burn, similar to the smokeless fire pits from Solo Stove. It puts out plenty of heat as it burns away at full temperature, but the pit’s secondary burn releases hardly any smoke.

With a 25-inch diameter, this fire pit is large enough for a large backyard. In testing, we were impressed that this budget pick delivered comparable performance to the Inno Stage, except the pellets burned up faster and cleaner. Construction is similar as well, but this model has more airflow coming through the pellet base grid, resulting in a faster, cleaner burn and higher flames. Burn-down time was about 35 minutes, and all material was burned up within 1 hour.

After about 3 hours, there was almost no material left inside the burn chamber. Overall, the visual flame quality, warming heat , and smoke control were excellent, though the heat deflector does inhibit sightlines somewhat. Burn length was good, but fuel does go quickly because of the highly oxygenated burn chamber. This wood carved gnomes would be an excellent choice for backyard use, picnics, or base camping. A quick reminder that the smokeless concept relies on getting the sidewalks inside very hot to superheat the air and cause secondary combustion. This means that you need to have a large fire inside with sufficient wood to reach and heat the sides.

The fire didn’t offer the same visual entertainment value we got from natural wood or wood pellets, but the heat radiating from the lava rock felt cozy. It bears mentioning that the 10-foot gas hose lies on the ground and could become a tripping hazard, especially after dark. You’ll want to use seasoned wood—that means it has had time to dry out over six or more months. Wood that’s still green or wet will burn more slowly and may produce smoke even if you use it in a smokeless fire pit. Some models, like the Tiki we tested, are also designed to burn wood pellets.

We then stacked the logs together so at least some portion of each was touching the others. It comes with a removable tray for cleanup, a cover, a lid, and a screen for keeping the wood popping from burning you. For nights when a fire isn’t desired but you’d still like to keep warm, select one of the powerful outdoor heaters available. Outdoor heaters run off of propane gasoline and can be placed around the patio outside or in the garage. These devices give off immense heat, and they are great for colder nights. This post will talk about the good and bad to help you decide if getting one is right for you.

The Kante Round Modern smokeless fire pit lets you get a fire going quickly—just connect your propane tank to the included gas regulator hose and you’re ready to go. The FirePit Plus, made by Brooklyn-based BioLite, weighs under 20 pounds and is built for portability. Measuring 27 by 13 by 15.8 inches, it’s relatively long and narrow, making it really good for patio use. However, it holds a little more wood than you’d think, with room for up to four cordwood logs.

With the fan set to high, those wisps almost completely disappeared. Our post-fire cleanup was facilitated by the removable ash pan—a very welcome feature. All we had to do was sweep the ash around in the bottom of the fire pit, allowing it to fall through holes into the pan.