There’s nothing quite like sitting around the campfire and looking up at the stars. Portable fire pits allow you to bring that experience with you wherever you go, be it a festival, the park, or just your backyard. We’ve done the research to help you find the best portable fire pits for you and your family to enjoy.
Top Picks
In a hurry? Here’s the bottom line:
  | Best Overall: Outland Firebowl 893 Deluxe Portable Propane Gas Fire Pit. This propane fire pit is lightweight, compact, easy to assemble, and features an extra-long hose, making it the best portable gas fire pit in our book! |
  | Best Budget: UCO Flatpack Portable Stainless Steel Fire Pit. It packs down flat, it sets up fast, you can use it as a grill and an open flame, and it’s super affordable – what else could you want? |
  | The “Green” Pick: Radiate Portable Campfire. This innovative little tin uses 100% recycled soy wax and recycled paper briquettes to provide you with an emissions-less flame on the go. |
  | Best on Wheels: Bessemer 01471 28” Fireplace. Now you can enjoy a full-sized campfire no matter where you are thanks to this screen-enclosed fire pit on wheels. |
  | Best Tabletop: Terra Flame Table Top Fire Bowl. This little concrete bowl is filled with rocks and powered by a gel canister, and is perfect for both indoors and outdoors. |
  | Most High-Tech: BioLite Outdoor Smokeless Fire Pit. You probably didn’t know there was a portable fire pit out there with Bluetooth-controlled air jets that let you control your fire from your phone, but now you do! |
Best Portable Fire Pits: A Closer Look
1. Outland Firebowl 893 Deluxe Portable Propane Gas Fire Pit
The best portable fire pit overall
Brand: Outland Living | Dimensions: 19 x 19 x 11 inches | Weight: 23.3 pounds | Fuel: Propane | Price: 💰💰💰
Our pick for the best portable outdoor fire pit is the Outland Firebowl 893 Deluxe. The circular unit is powered by propane gas and utilizes natural lava rocks to disperse heat and flame. This gives you the look of a wood campfire without the ash, smoke, or mess! At less than 2 feet wide and less than 1 foot high, this little fire pit won’t take up too much space in the car. It comes with a lid and carry straps that hold everything inside and make it easy to tote around. The 10-foot pre-attached hose means you can keep your propane tank well out of the way, making it arguably the best portable propane fire pit around.
Reviewers Like
- Comes with 4.4 pounds of natural lava rocks and a 10-foot hose
- Sparkless manual ignition with simple chrome dial to adjust gas input
- Open-flame design has all the benefits of a campfire with none of the mess
Reviewers Dislike
- Doesn’t put off as much heat as a real campfire
- With no built-in igniter, you have to use a long lighter to get a flame close enough to the gas source, which can take a few tries to get the hang of
2. UCO Flatpack Portable Stainless Steel Fire Pit
The best budget portable fire pit
Brand: UCO | Dimensions: 13.5 x 10 x 1.5 inches | Weight: 3.3 pounds | Fuel: Wood/Charcoal | Price: 💰
If you’re looking for a cheap portable fire pit for camping (or any outdoor adventuring), consider the UCO Flatpack. At just over 3 pounds, this lightweight unit folds completely flat, making it easy to bring with you pretty much anywhere. The V-shape of the stainless-steel basin eliminates the need to move logs around as they burn, making for a virtually maintenance-free fire. In just 30 seconds, you can set up the UCO Flatpack with or without its included grill.
Reviewers Like
- Detachable grill for use as cook surface and open fire pit
- Folds down to 1.5 inches thick and weighs just over 3 pounds
- Available in standard and miniature size for even easier portability
Reviewers Dislike
- The basin isn’t long enough for a standard chord-sized log of wood
- Attaching/detaching the grill is difficult and possibly dangerous to do unless both the pit and grill are cool
3. Radiate Portable Campfire
The best eco-friendly portable fire pit
Brand: Radiate | Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 3.5 inches | Weight: 4 pounds | Fuel: Soy Wax | Price: 💰
When it comes to campfires, the eco-friendly community has its qualms with wood fuel and propane gas alike. That’s where the Radiate Portable Campfire comes in. This portable tabletop fire pit uses recycled soy wax and recycled paper briquettes to create a smokeless, ashless, emission-less flame. With a single match (or, for an even “greener” solution, an electric lighter!), you’ll have a small flame that’s perfect for making s’mores. The can containing the wax comes with a replaceable lid that lets you close your fire pit and save it for later. You can also use the lid to snuff out the flame, so you don’t have to worry about finding something to dampen it with on the go.
Reviewers Like
- Made of recycled materials with zero emissions
- Standard campfire and eucalyptus scent options
- Compact, lightweight, and encased in a closed tin for unparalleled portability
Reviewers Dislike
- The wax gets incredibly hot and liquid, and once the unit is lit, it should not be moved to avoid spills or sloshing
- The unit only gets about 3 to 5 hours of burn time on average, but it can be refilled with additional soy wax and then reused
4. Bessemer 01471 28” Fireplace
The best portable fire pit on wheels
Brand: Bessemer | Dimensions: 32.7 x 28 x 45.7 inches | Weight: 29.9 pounds | Fuel: Wood | Price: 💰💰💰
Small and compact fire pits are great, but if you don’t want to sacrifice fire size in the name of portability, why not consider a portable wood fire pit on wheels? The Bessemer 01471 looks a little like an old-fashioned backyard grill. It stands on 2 wheels and a U-shaped leg, and comes with a rotating pull handle. The fire bowl is made of porcelain enamel for corrosion-resistant durability and features wrap-around screens to keep wandering fingers away from the flames. The domed lid, also made from porcelain enamel, helps contain the fire and push heat outwards for warmer get-togethers.
Reviewers Like
- Sized more like a standard campfire than other portable fire pits
- Vents in the bottom of the fire bowl encourage airflow to keep flames going
- Large door in the wrap-around screens with lock and handle for easy access to fire
Reviewers Dislike
- Initial assembly is a little complicated and time-consuming
- The design isn’t easily compatible with grill plates for cooking use
5. Terra Flame Table Top Fire Bowl
The best tabletop portable fire pit
Brand: Terra Flame | Dimensions: 11.13 x 11.13 x 4.31 inches | Weight: 14 pounds | Fuel: Gel Fuel | Price: 💰💰
If you’re looking for a portable tabletop fire pit rather than a large basin that mimics a campfire, consider one of the concrete fire bowls from Terra Flame. There are multiple different shapes, colors, and sizes to choose from. Each comes with 3 Terra Flame Gel Fuel containers for tons of burn time, and additional fuel containers are available for purchase. Fill your bowl with the included heat-resistant rocks, or pick out your favorite lava stones or fire glass.
Reviewers Like
- Available in a variety of designs
- Comes with 3 fuel canisters and heat-resistant rocks
- Attractive designs are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use
Reviewers Dislike
- Many reviewers wished the bowl came with more rocks, and recommended supplementing to achieve the advertised effect
- Due to the nature of the concrete materials used, many reviewers noted slight color variations between what they received and the product listing
6. BioLite Outdoor Smokeless Wood and Charcoal Burning Fire Pit
The best high-tech portable fire pit
Brand: BioLite | Dimensions: 22.99 x 14.88 x 15.24 inches | Weight: 20.06 pounds | Fuel: Wood/Charcoal | Price: 💰💰💰💰💰
The BioLite Outdoor Fire Pit proves that one device can do it all. With 51 different air jets, all strategically located to improve combustion and maintain uniform temperature, you can go from spark to fire in less than 30 seconds. These air jets are powered and controlled by a rechargeable power pack. As a bonus, the power pack has USB outputs so you can charge your phone and other devices. The x-ray mesh body of this fire pit lets you see everything that’s going on inside, so you can check on the status of your charcoal or enjoy the dancing of the flames. A removable grill grate lets you cook hibachi-style or enjoy an open campfire.
Reviewers Like
- Mesh body allows for 360-degree viewing
- Fold-down legs and lightweight design is easy to transport and store
- You can control the air jet system from the power pack or via the free Bluetooth app on your smartphone
Reviewers Dislike
- Though durable, the unit is not rust-resistant, but most reviewers found this did not impact performance
- The two highest air jet settings are a little loud, but most reviewers said that they didn’t use them very often
What to Look For
Portable fire pits are pretty simple contraptions that serve a pretty simple purpose. But there are still some key points that you’ll want to keep in mind as you compare different models:
1
Fuel Source
The most significant difference between the different portable fire pits on this list is how they make fire. Some designs contain a standard wood fire, while others need to be hooked up to a propane tank to produce a flame. Wood or charcoal-burning fire pits are great for getting that campfire feel and are usually the preference for cooking food. But, to use them, you need access to lots of firewood, and trying to bring that with you can be a pain. On the other hand, propane tanks get their fuel from a compact cylinder that’s easy to bring along.
2
Size
Size and consequently weight are two important things to consider when looking at anything you’re planning to tote around. While all these fire pits claim to be portable, some are certainly heavier and bulkier than others. If you don’t need to haul your fire pit much farther than a safe distance from your car, then you can go for a bigger, heavier model. But, if you need to take your fire pit with you on a hike, you want the smallest, lightest version available.
3
Uses
While all these fire pits can, of course, be used to make a fire, some are still more versatile than others. If you need a fire pit that you can easily cook food over, you might want to try a fire pit that comes with a grill or griddle. If you want a fire pit you can roast marshmallows on, you might want something with an open flame.
Our Process
For this guide on best portable fire pits, our team spent 2 hours researching the most popular options from over 10 brands and manufacturers big and small. We then read about sixty user reviews (both positive and negative) to discover what shoppers thought about each portable fire pit. After comparing this data, we narrowed our list down to the top 6 on the market. You can count on this research to guide you to a mindful purchasing decision.
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Further Reading
