Fire Pit & Patio Heater Reviews

Whether they're plain or fancy, a wood-burning fire pit's main function is to safely contain a fire. Design choices are only limited by your -- and the manufacturer's -- imagination. In this report, we discuss the most popular types of wood-burning fire pits -- freestanding units that are attractive, yet fairly affordable and easy to use. These are somewhat portable so that they can be placed as needed for an occasion or stored away once winter weather sets in. Some are relatively small and lightweight, so they can travel with you when you go on an outing or on vacation. Wood burning fire pits can also be permanently installed, but those are usually part of a larger design plan and are often customized. Fire pit tables incorporate a surrounding metal, stone, glass or ceramic surface that may be large enough to use for holding food or drinks.

While wood-burning fire pits are inexpensive and versatile, gas fire pits have advantages of their own. Propane-fueled fire pits are easier to light than wood-burning models, they produce less smoke and soot, and you don't need to deal with the ash and debris that remain after the fire is extinguished. They can also produce quite a bit of heat -- some are rated to produce as many BTUs as a propane patio heater. However, they tend to be quite a bit more expensive than wood-burning fire pits and are generally not portable, or even very easy to move around. Some, especially stone gas fire pits, are designed to be permanently installed on your patio.

If you are more interested in heat than ambiance, a patio heater might be right for you. Most patio heaters burn propane, also called LP gas, from the same kind of refillable tanks used by gas grills and propane fire pits. Free-standing models, which cost between $100 and $300, stand a bit over 7 feet high and can warm up people within 5 to 10 feet of the heater. Smaller tabletop models, which draw their fuel from disposable canisters rather than refillable tanks, are also available. These are priced between $100 and $200. However, table top patio heaters often don't receive the best feedback as they produce less heat than the large freestanding models, leading to disappointment for some, especially those who don't understand their limitations.

Those who want to avoid dealing with propane and propane tanks can opt for electric patio heaters instead; these use either infrared or halogen bulbs to generate heat. Electric patio heaters, which can cost anywhere from $100 to $450, are relatively inexpensive to run and eliminate the hassles of dealing with propane, but put out less warmth than most propane models, including tabletop propane heaters, again leading to less than stellar user reviews in many cases.