Best fire pit 2021 for your garden or outdoor space

Best: Overall

• Dimensions: 60cmx 60cm x 640cm

Most firepits start out pristine but look old and worn after just a few uses. This one starts out looking old and worn but is all the better for it. Available in three sizes, it started life as a steel oil drum, and has been recycled in Northern India to make it suitable both as a heater and a barbecue. The wrought iron stand and grill gives the durability, and the weathered, russet-toned appearance makes it a real thing of beauty, perfect in a more rustic setting. It comes with tongs and a wire brush.

Best: For heat output

• Dimensions: 45.42cm x 61.75cm x 61.75cm

As with Weber’s barbecues, this fire pit is well designed and efficient, giving excellent heat output and keeping all the ash in the bowl even on blustery evenings. Made from porcelain-enamelled steel, it has a minimalist, contemporary aesthetic and is made to last, looking as good as new several years later. We also like the clever lid that can be turned into a bracket to act as a holder, windbreak and heat reflector – and, when it’s time for bed or there are children nearby, you can use it to instantly extinguish the fire.

Best: For cooking on

• Dimensions: 50cm x 78cm x 74cm

This Danish-designed, contemporary chrome steel fire pit has elegant Scandi looks and can be left outdoors without rusting, although you can buy a cover separately. A lid is also available, should you wish to turn it into an outside table. It’s multi-fuel so you can use it with wood or charcoal and it has a particularly good distribution of heat. It’s really solid, with excellent steel build quality, and that goes for the 6mm cooking grill, too – a world away from flimsier ones we came across. We rate it for portability as well.

Best: For luxury

• Dimensions: 30cm x 46cm x 25cm

Prices for these beautiful stainless steel fire pits, which are handcrafted in rural Herefordshire, start at £390 but their more expensive flagship fire pit is our favourite. The oak leaf design gives it a uniquely attractive and rustic finish, as well as throwing out twinkling light from the holes and acting as the fire’s oxygen intake, pulling in air at differing levels to help the wood burn consistently and efficiently. It doubles up as a garden table and you can cook anything from paella to pancakes and bread to barbecues using the heavy duty grill and cooking tray.

Best: Value for money

• Dimensions: 33cm x 58cm x 75cm

This is our top recommendation for anyone after an affordable and traditional firepit to keep them toasty warm on cooler evenings. It sits at low level, making it easy to keep adding more logs, and it’s a great size even for a crowd, with handles to help move it about (do use them as dragging it can stain the patio) and hang up when not in use.

It comes flat-packed but the steel legs take a matter of minutes to attach to the cast iron drum which weathers naturally over time. Don’t be alarmed by the surface rust which can appear after a few months – it’s all part of the charm and doesn’t make it any less durable or efficient.

Best: For camping

• Dimensions: 43cm x 43cm x 32cm

Any seasoned camper will know that a fire pit can be an essential bit of kit for colder evenings under the stars, making this portable model a must-have for anyone planning a trip in the great outdoors over the coming months. Made up of four components and a carry bag, it’s a doddle to pack flat and bung in the back of the car, and it’s equally easy to pop them back together when you’re ready for your campfire. The removable charcoal plate makes it simple to keep clean and, if you want to turn it into a barbecue, you can buy a tripod, pot and griddle separately from the same company.

Best: For a camouflage look

• Dimensions: 67.5cm x 67.5cm x 59cm

The combination of the stone wall effect and black mesh lid gives a nice neat finish to this deep fire pit, which was among the least likely of all the fire pits we tested to spit or send ash flying around. The wall effect is good for a more camouflaged look when it’s not in use, and you’ll have no worries about rust even if you leave it in the garden during winter. Looks just as good years later, too.

Best: For easy storage

• Dimensions: 21.5cm x 62.0 cm x 62.0cm

It’s not too often that a product’s rust is its key selling point, but this fire pit has a stunning burnt orange colour as a result of the oxidisation, which it marries with a contemporary shape, making it a real statement piece for your garden. The fire bowl is detachable – handy for storing it away when not in use – and its depth is decent enough to get quite a few logs burning for a warming fire without the ash flying everywhere, even on windy days.

Best: For minimalist style

• Dimensions: 44cm x 87cm x 87cm

We love the combination of simple straight lines and curves and black matt colouring of this large stylish fire pit. It’s particularly good for bigger crowds and has a base that can be used to store logs. The manufacturer warns there could be some eventual rusting but as the top easily comes away from the bottom, it’s easy enough to store away. Much better value than similar fire pits we tested that were a lot more expensive and which didn’t make the cut.

Best: For safety

• Dimensions: 91cm x 40cm x 91cm

Can’t be bothered with the hassles of a real fire – lighting it, sourcing logs, flying ash and wayward flames? This fire pit provides gas-powered warmth to larger crowds via its lava rock centre while doubling up as a handy coffee table around the edge. Made from durable glass reinforced concrete, it’s a showstopper to look at and comes with a cover so you can keep it outside throughout the year. The 5kg gas bottle (not included) can be hidden inside and will provide around six hours of use, with the control panel on the side of the firepit.

Best: Fire pit with spark screen

• Dimensions: 8.1cm x 39.9cm x 39.9cm

Another rust-resistant option, this one has an on-trend square concrete base and a tall black spark screen to stop your clothes being ruined and your guests being burnt, as well as helping to stop the ash flying everywhere. It comes with a lid, which means you can turn it into a coffee table when not in use, and a tool to help position your logs to get the most from the flames. It’s currently out of stock, but is expected back in October, just in time for some late-autumn gatherings.

Best: For looks and affordability

• Dimensions: 17cm x 71cm x 63cm

This manufacturer has turned a basic fire pit into a sculptural piece of art while keeping the cost nice and low. Made from three sections that come already completely assembled, the decorative steel fire pit sits straight on the ground and cups the logs really well while keeping the ash in the bowl. It’s not huge, so it’s better for smaller gatherings.