Choose a fire pit by how many people will sit round it, then by what it is made of: 3mm steel or thicker lasts for many years outdoors. Decide whether you want to cook on it, add a lid to keep rain out, and plan a safe spot on gravel, brick or older slabs, well away from decking, fences, sheds and trees.
1. What size fire pit?
Start with the number of people you usually have round the fire. Firepits UK, who make our British steel fire pits in Wales, use this sizing guide:
| Fire pit diameter | Ideal for | Fuel |
|---|---|---|
| 50cm | Up to 4 people | Charcoal |
| 60cm | Up to 6 people | Charcoal or logs |
| 70cm | Up to 8 people | Logs |
| 80cm | Up to 10 people | Logs |
| 90cm | Up to 12 people | Logs, especially if you have your own supply |
| 120cm | Up to 20 people | Logs, especially if you have your own supply |
Remember the space round the pit as well as the pit itself. A 90cm bowl with chairs around it needs a circle roughly 4 metres across, and bigger fires burn more wood. If in doubt between two sizes, think about your usual evening rather than the one big party a year. For groups of ten or more, see our large fire pits, 90cm to 120cm.
2. What is it made of?
- Thick bare steel (3mm or more). The long-life choice. It weathers to a rust patina, which is normal; Firepits UK say their pits made from 3mm steel or thicker withstand more than ten years outdoors. See why steel fire pits rust.
- Thinner steel (around 2mm). Lighter and easier to move, which suits portable pits, but there is less metal to lose to rust. Keep it dry and it will still give years of use.
- Cast iron. Heavy and heat-retaining, such as the Gardeco Aragon fire basket with cast iron sides and a chromed BBQ grill.
- MgO composite. A stone-look body with a metal fire bowl, such as the Lifestyle Calida (750mm, with cooking grill and spark mesh) and the compact Lifestyle Adena (480mm).
- Masonry. Needs firebricks and refractory mortar to avoid cracking, and a cover to keep water out of the brickwork.
3. Shape and height
| Style | Example | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Low bowl | Celeste, 32cm to 40cm high | Low and simple; sits inside a stone surround |
| Tripod | Classic, 50cm to 120cm | The widest size range |
| Deep with raised grate | Solex, 55cm high | Air under the logs for a hotter, cleaner fire |
| Raised on a stand | Wine Glass, 57cm high | Flames nearer seated height |
| Tower with log store | Fire bowl with log store, 82cm high | Logs stored underneath; less heat on the ground |
| Wide rim | Saturn, 80cm to 110cm overall | A rim to rest plates and feet |
Height changes how a fire pit feels. Low bowls are for ember-gazing from low chairs and suit a sunken seating area. Taller designs bring the warmth and flames up towards people in ordinary garden chairs, and are kinder to the surface underneath.
Low and simple
Low bowl
The Celeste sits 32cm to 40cm high in 3mm British steel, and can sit inside a stone surround.
Hotter, cleaner fire
Deep bowl, raised grate
The Solex lifts the logs off the base so air gets underneath, in 70cm and 82cm sizes.
Fire at seated height
Tower with log store
A 60cm or 70cm bowl raised to 82cm, with logs stored in the tower underneath.
Somewhere to rest a plate
Wide rim
The Saturn's broad outer rim and two handles, with bowl sizes from 60cm to 90cm.
4. Do you want to cook on it?
A fire pit makes an excellent wood-fired barbecue once the logs burn down to glowing embers. Firepits UK recommend lighting at least an hour before you want to cook, so a proper bed of embers can form; cook over flames and food burns outside before it cooks inside.
The Plain Jane with swing arm BBQ rack has a half grill, half plate rack that swings over or away from the fire, so you can refuel without lifting it. Bigger groups suit the Plain Jane 90 with three racks or the Plain Jane 120 with four. The Legs Eleven comes with a removable swing arm rack, and a half moon mesh rack covers half the bowl and leaves the other half open to feed the fire.
Season racks before first use. Firepits UK treat their cooking accessories with oil for delivery. Heat the rack over the fire, wash it well, dry it and rub over a little cooking oil. Avoid olive oil, which does not cope with high temperatures, and do not leave racks over fierce flames for long.
See all fire pits with BBQ grills.
5. Add a lid
A lid keeps rain, leaves and snow out of the bowl, snuffs the fire at the end of the evening, keeps children away from hot ash and turns the pit into a table. Firepits UK design their lids to overhang the bowl by 5cm all round so rain runs off rather than dripping in. The flat table top lid is made in six sizes for 50cm to 120cm round pits; order the same size as your fire pit (Firepits UK does not make a lid that fits the Legs Eleven). A dry bowl lasts longer and lights faster.
6. Wood or charcoal?
Firepits UK recommend charcoal for pits of 60cm or less and well-seasoned logs for larger ones, and say not to use house coal. Burn kiln-dried or seasoned wood under 20% moisture: it lights easily, burns hotter and makes less smoke. In England, wood sold in volumes under 2 cubic metres must be certified Ready to Burn, which confirms it meets that limit.
Never burn painted, treated or pressure-treated wood, plastic or rubbish, and never use petrol to start a fire. Fire services advise starting with kindling and adding larger wood slowly. Expect the first half hour to be the smokiest; our guide to getting a less smoky fire has more.
7. Where to put it
- On gravel, a brick platform or older slabs. Firepits UK advise against new paving (it can stain) and lawn (it scorches).
- Never on timber or composite decking. Fire services advise against it. See fire pits on decking and patios.
- Well away from fences, sheds, hedges and trees. We suggest at least 3 metres, and never under a gazebo, parasol or branches.
- Steady and level. Fire services advise making sure a fire pit cannot topple.
- With the wind in mind. Smoke that causes a nuisance can lead to a council abatement notice.
- With water or sand nearby. Supervise children, never leave the fire unattended, and make sure it is out, or the lid is on, before bed.
8. Made in Britain
Our Firepits UK fire pits are handmade in Wales. Firepits UK say they hand make most of their products, often to order, and pits such as the Celeste are hand-forged from 3mm British steel. Being handmade, each one has slight variations in finish, and the steel is left untreated because any coating would simply burn off.
Portable or permanent?
Most fire pits live in one spot in the garden, but some are made to move. If you want a fire on the beach, at a campsite or just in a different corner of the garden, look at weight and how it packs down:
- Portobello: a low, portable 58cm fire pit with a deep bowl in 2mm British steel, 38cm high and 11.5kg.
- Flat Pack fire pit: slots together from five pieces without tools and packs flat to 51 x 32 x 6cm, with a grill. 12kg.
- Lifestyle Kaida Traveller: a 720mm folding fire pit with pin-lock legs, cooking grate, fire guard and carry bag. 5.4kg.
Check first that fires are allowed where you are going: in England, the Countryside Code says not to light fires in the countryside, and to have barbecues only where signs say you can. Wherever you take it, the same rules apply: a stable, non-combustible base, nothing flammable nearby, and never use a fire pit or barbecue inside a tent, awning or any enclosed space, because of fire and carbon monoxide.
Fire pit, chiminea or fire basket?
| Fire pit | Chiminea | Fire basket | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | Open bowl | Enclosed firebox with a flue | Open-sided cage |
| Feel | Sociable: everyone sits round it | Directional warmth from the mouth | A tall, visible fire |
| Smoke | Goes where the wind takes it | Carried up the flue | Goes where the wind takes it |
| Cooking | Swing arm racks and grills over embers | Some have a grill or rack | Often a grill on top |
If smoke in a small or windy garden is your main worry, a chiminea may suit you better. If you want the fire to be the centre of the evening, a fire pit is hard to beat.
Before you order
- Count your usual guests and pick the size from the table above.
- Check the steel thickness, not just the finish.
- Decide on cooking now; a swing arm rack is easier to have from the start.
- Add a lid in the same size as the pit.
- Plan the base: gravel, brick or older slabs, at least 3 metres from anything that burns.
- Allow for delivery time. Firepits UK make most pieces by hand, often to order, so allow up to two weeks, longer in the summer peak.
Questions and answers
What size fire pit do I need?
Firepits UK rate a 50cm pit for up to 4 people, 60cm up to 6, 70cm up to 8, 80cm up to 10, 90cm up to 12 and 120cm up to 20. Allow space for chairs round it.
What is the best material for a fire pit?
Thick steel, 3mm or more, lasts many years outdoors. It rusts on the surface, which is normal. Cast iron and MgO composite are alternatives.
Can I cook on a fire pit?
Yes, over glowing embers. Light it at least an hour before cooking. A swing arm BBQ rack, like the one on the Plain Jane, lets you swing food over or away from the fire.
Should I burn wood or charcoal in a fire pit?
Firepits UK recommend charcoal for pits of 60cm or less and well-seasoned logs for larger pits. Use dry wood under 20% moisture, and never house coal.
Where should I put a fire pit in my garden?
On gravel, brick or older slabs, away from fences, sheds and trees, never on decking or straight on the lawn. We suggest at least 3 metres from anything that burns.
Do I need a lid for my fire pit?
It is the most useful accessory: it keeps rain out, snuffs the fire, keeps children away from hot ash and doubles as a table.
Will my fire pit rust?
A bare steel fire pit will start to rust within days and develop an even patina. On thick steel that is normal and does not affect durability. Empty wet ash and use a lid.
Can I use a fire pit in a smoke control area?
In England, usually yes. Smoke control rules apply to smoke from the chimney of a building, not to an open fire in the garden: government guidance says you can use outdoor barbecues, chimineas, fireplaces and pizza ovens in a smoke control area, and that garden bonfires are allowed if you follow the rules on bonfires. Nuisance rules still apply everywhere, so burn only dry wood or charcoal. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own smoke control rules, so check with your council if you are unsure.
Related guides
Find your fire pit
Handmade British steel fire pits from Firepits UK, plus cooking racks, lids and portable pits for every size of garden.
