Best Fire Pits

Outdoor Gear Lab's favorite portable propane fire pit is the Outland Mega, which scored 82/100 in their 17-pit test and landed just behind two Solo Stoves overall. At 24 inches across with 58,000 BTUs of output, it bridges the gap between a camping firebowl and a true patio centerpiece. A pre-attached 10-foot hose, CSA fire-ban certification and 7-9 hour burn time per 20-lb tank make it the easy pick when you want fire without firewood.

Scaled down to dinner-table size but still built around the 360-degree airflow design, the Mesa XL is the tabletop sibling to Solo Stove's full-size smokeless pits. Bob Vila called it a 9.5/10 best tabletop pick. On pellets it runs 45-60 minutes per fill, makes virtually no smoke once heated, and packs to a 7-inch footprint. Its job is ambiance and conversation rather than warmth, and nothing in the tabletop class does that job better.

Camping, RV and patio review sites default to the Outland 893 Deluxe for one simple reason: it works, it's CSA-certified, and it costs half what its rivals charge. At 23 lbs and 19 inches across it fits a truck bed or a small patio corner, and it runs 7+ hours on a 20-lb tank. The reviewer at YuenX scored it 4.35/5 across performance, ease of use and value after long-term ownership testing.

For over a decade Landmann's Big Sky has been the benchmark entry-level traditional wood fire pit. Its 24-inch deep firebowl with the iconic star-and-moon cutouts handles full fire bundles and throws warm radiant heat in all directions, and screen, grate and poker are all included for well under $150. Smoke management and finish quality don't match the Yukon, but the backyard fire experience is authentic for roughly a third of the price.