There are two ways to keep the backyard going after the sun drops in November: a fire pit you gather around or a patio heater you sit under. The right one depends less on the product than on your space, your neighbors and your local fire rules, which is why the best pick for a big yard is the wrong one for a covered patio or a fourth-floor balcony.
We narrowed a long list down to 14 picks, each chosen for a specific job, from the best low-smoke fire pit overall to the smallest heater that fits on a bistro table. If you are not sure yet whether you want wood, propane or electric, start with the comparison right below the top pick.
We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Best Overall
If you only buy one thing for cold backyard nights, make it this one.
BEST OVERALL
Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Backyard Bundle
Size 19.5″ across · Fuel Wood · In the box Stand, shield, shelter, lid
The Bonfire is the fire pit most reviewers measure the others against. Its double-wall design pulls air in at the bottom and burns off smoke at the top, so you get tall flames with very little smoke, and the removable ash pan makes cleanup a two-minute job. This bundle adds the stand for decks and grass, a heat shield, a lid and a shelter to keep it dry, which is everything you would end up buying anyway.
Wood, Propane or Electric?
Most people start with the fuel, not the brand. Wood gives you the real campfire, propane gives you flames with the turn of a knob, and electric gives you heat with no flame at all.
| Wood | Propane | Electric | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Campfire feel and cooking | Instant flames, no cleanup | Covered patios and porches |
| Smoke | Low with double-wall pits, more with open ones | Almost none | None |
| Setup | Build a fire, empty the ash after | Turn a knob | Plug it in |
| On a wooden deck | Only with a stand and heat shield | Usually fine, check the manual | Yes |
| During burn bans | Usually not allowed | Often allowed, check local rules | Yes |
| Under a roof | No | Heaters only with the clearance in the manual | Yes |
Wood-Burning Fire Pits
The real thing: crackling logs, s’mores and the smell of a campfire. The double-wall pits below burn much cleaner than an open bowl, and the price climbs with size and build quality.
FOR BIG GROUPS
Solo Stove Yukon 2.0 + Stand
Size 27″ across · Fuel Wood · Seats 6+ people
The same low-smoke design as the Bonfire, scaled up for a real backyard circle. At 27 inches across it takes bigger logs with less splitting and throws enough heat for six or more people, and this listing includes the stand. It is big and heavy enough that you will not move it often, so pick its spot before it arrives.
BEST FOR COOKING
Breeo Y Series Smokeless Fire Pit
Size 21″ across · Build Stainless steel · Weight 31 lb
Breeo’s double-wall fire pit burns about as clean as a Solo Stove, but what sets it apart is the cooking system around it. It works with Breeo’s grilling accessories, so the same fire that keeps everyone warm can sear burgers or a steak. This stainless steel version keeps its shine, and at 31 pounds it can still be moved around the yard.
BEST VALUE SMOKELESS
East Oak Fuoco 21″ Smokeless Fire Pit
Size 21″ across · Build Stainless steel · Includes Stand and carry bag
The Fuoco uses the same double-wall, low-smoke design as the Solo Stove Bonfire for a lot less money. It has a removable ash pan for easy cleanup and comes with both a stand and a carrying bag, which are extras on most premium fire pits. If you want the smokeless experience without paying for the brand name, start here.
BEST BUDGET
Amazon Basics 27″ Steel Lattice Fire Pit
Size 27″ across · Build Steel lattice · Fuel Wood
If you want a classic crackling fire and do not mind some smoke, this is the simplest way in. It is an open steel bowl with lattice sides that show off the flames all the way around, it goes together in a few minutes, and it costs a fraction of the low-smoke picks. Expect more smoke than the double-wall pits, so set it up downwind of your seating.
Which Solo Stove Size?
Solo Stove makes the same low-smoke fire pit in several sizes, and the right one comes down to how many people you usually have around it.
| Mesa XL | Bonfire 2.0 | Yukon 2.0 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | A tabletop glow for 1 to 2 | Most backyards, 3 to 5 people | Big groups, 6 or more |
| Diameter | 7″ | 19.5″ | 27″ |
| Fuel | Wood or pellets | Wood | Wood |
| Stand | Included | Included in this bundle | Included |
| Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon |
Propane & Portable
Flames in seconds, no wood to haul and no ash to dump. These two pack up for camping and tailgates, and propane is often the only kind of fire allowed when burn bans hit.
MOST PORTABLE
Ignik FireCan Elite Portable Propane Fire Pit
Output 55,000 BTU · Fuel Propane · Certified CSA-compliant
The FireCan closes up into a rugged box with a lid, so it rides in the trunk for camping, tailgates and beach nights. Open it, hook up propane and you have real flames in seconds, with no wood to pack and nothing to clean up afterward. At 55,000 BTU it puts out serious heat for something this compact.
WHEN WOOD FIRES ARE BANNED
Outland Living Firebowl 893 Deluxe
Size 19″ across · Output 58,000 BTU · Includes Cover and carry kit
Many areas still allow propane fire pits with a shutoff valve when wood fires are banned, which makes the Outland a smart backup for dry months. Check your local rules first. The 19-inch bowl puts out 58,000 BTU, comes with a cover and carry kit, and sets up on a patio, campsite or deck in minutes, with no smoke to chase you around the circle.
Fire Pit Tables
A fire table does double duty: flames in the middle and a wide ledge all the way around for drinks, plates and propped-up feet. Add one of our favorite outdoor rugs underneath and it becomes a whole outdoor living room.
BEST FOR ENTERTAINING
BALI Outdoors 42″ Propane Fire Pit Table
Size 42″ rectangle · Fuel Propane · Includes Lid and glass rock
At 42 inches long, this table gives a full group room to gather around with a drink and still have somewhere to set it down. The rectangular shape fits along a sofa or a pair of lounge chairs, the glass rock dresses up the burner, and the lid turns it back into a plain table when the fire is off.
BEST VALUE FIRE TABLE
Ciays 28″ Propane Fire Pit Table
Size 28″ · Output 50,000 BTU · Certified CSA-listed
A smaller, less expensive way to get the fire table look. It is CSA-listed, puts out 50,000 BTU, and comes with a lid and lava rock, so there is nothing else to buy before the first night. At 28 inches it fits a smaller patio or the corner of a deck where a long table would crowd the seating.
Patio Heaters
When you want warmth more than a fire to look at. Pick by where the heat needs to go: around an open patio, over a dining table, or under a roof.
BEST VALUE HEATER
Amazon Basics 46,000 BTU Propane Patio Heater
Output 46,000 BTU · Heat radius 9 ft · Height 91″
The classic mushroom-top heater you see on restaurant patios, at a lower price. It warms a circle about 9 feet across, rolls on wheels to wherever the party is, and has a base you fill with water for weight so it stays put in the wind. The heat is adjustable, and it runs on a standard grill-size propane tank.
BEST FOR DINING TABLES
Cuisinart Perfect Position Overhead Patio Heater
Output 38,200 BTU · Arm Swivels 359° · Tank 20 lb, hidden in base
Most patio heaters put a pole right where you want the table. This one stands off to the side and reaches over with a swiveling arm, so the heat lands on the people eating instead of the empty space above a tower. The 20-pound tank hides inside the base, and the arm turns almost a full circle, so you can aim it wherever everyone ends up sitting.
NO PROPANE NEEDED
Briza Infrared Electric Patio Heater
Power 1,500 W · Type Infrared electric · Includes Tripod stand, wall mount, remote
Infrared heaters warm people and surfaces directly instead of the air, so you feel the heat right away even with a breeze. This one plugs in, so there is no tank to refill and no flame, which makes it the right pick for covered patios, porches and garages where propane is a bad idea. It comes with both a tripod stand and wall or ceiling hardware, plus a remote with three heat levels and a shutoff timer.
| Amazon Basics | Cuisinart Overhead | Briza Infrared | Tangkula Tabletop | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Open patios | Dining tables | Covered patios | Balconies |
| Fuel | Propane | Propane | Electric | Propane |
| Heat output | 46,000 BTU | 38,200 BTU | 1,500 W | 11,000 BTU |
| Placement | Freestanding tower | Freestanding, arm over table | Tripod stand or wall/ceiling | Tabletop |
| Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon |
Small Spaces & Balconies
For apartments, bistro sets and tiny patios, one small fire and one small heater. Check your lease or HOA before lighting anything on a balcony, and see our small patio guide for ways to make a tiny space feel bigger.
SMALLEST FIRE
Solo Stove Mesa XL Tabletop Fire Pit
Size 7″ across · Fuel Wood or pellets · Weight 2.3 lb
A real wood fire small enough for a table. The Mesa XL uses the same low-smoke design as its bigger Solo Stove siblings, burns wood or pellets, and comes with a stand that keeps heat off the surface underneath. It is more about the glow than the warmth, so think of it as a centerpiece for s’mores and drinks rather than a heater.
SMALLEST HEATER
Tangkula Tabletop Propane Patio Heater
Output 11,000 BTU · Fuel Propane · Safety Tip-over and flameout shutoff
A small propane heater that sits on a patio table and warms the few people around it. It has an adjustable flame, simple ignition, a weighted base and an aluminum reflector that pushes heat outward, plus automatic shutoff if it tips over or the flame goes out. A good fit for balconies and bistro sets where a full-size heater would take over.
Before You Buy a Fire Pit or Patio Heater
Check your city and HOA rules first, since some places ban wood fires outright and many restrict them in dry or windy weather. Keep any fire pit well away from the house, fences and low branches; many fire departments suggest at least 10 feet. On a wooden deck, always put a wood fire pit on a stand with a heat shield. And propane heaters and fire pits are for open air only, never an enclosed porch or garage. Under a covered patio, follow the clearance listed in the manual, or go electric.