Best Wood Burning Fire Pit for fall of 2018 Under $100

Wood Burning Fire Pit

Like the smell of a wood burning fire pit over the looks of a gas fire pit, look at the list I have given in this article to help with your decision for under $100.  Will the great outdoor sensation of the wood smell and the visuals of the big fire out weigh the fact that with a gas fire pit you just light it and forget it.

Lets get the pros and cons of a wood burner out of the way first and then talk about each one.  I will list the details of each fire pit in this article, and you will have to decide what looks best and works best for you.  I have the cheap one at this time and enjoy it very well.  It is starting to rust a little after about 10 years, I do keep it indoors in a shed when not in use.

Pros of a wood burner

• Smell of the wood burning
• Aesthetics of the wood fire
• Can cook on most fire pits
• Some are very lightweight, easy to move when not in use

Cons of a wood burner

• Getting and storing wood before your fire
• Have to keep feeding and stirring fire wood
• Cannot be used on a wood or composite deck
• Messy cleanup when fire is done

 

After looking at the pros and cons, you think that a gas fire pit would work better for you, see my information on what is available in gas fire pits this fall in this article.

Round Mainstays 28″ Fire Pit

Price when article was written: $29.44

 

 

What do you get in the box

You will get a cheap fire pit (under $30) that can be moved when not in use to any area.  You can take this pit to the lake or the tailgate party at the big game this fall.  Just make sure it is cool when loading back up in the truck to bring home, my friend started a fire in his truck bed coming home from Daytona one year.

The round fire pit is 28 inches across and 4.5 inches deep and will weigh 11 pounds empty.  You will probably leave the fire screen off when you have a fire to cook hot dogs or other things on a stick.  The bowl is not very deep, I only used my screen when I was done with the fire and wanted to let it burn down.  Poker is great for lifting the screen when needed.

The bowl and base are not connected, when moving this fire pit you must take care on how you pick it up to take it all at one time.  This does make it easier to dump the ashes as all you need to carry is the bowl.  I have just gotten used to picking mine up with the bottom frame.

Assembly and care

Assembly of the base is all that is needed for this fire pit.  Add the four legs to the two rings and you are ready.  The fire bowl just sits on the top ring, so you can dump your ashes with out picking up the entire fire pit.

Care of your fire pit should be cleaning out the ashes when done so that they do not collect moisture to start rust.  A poly cover comes with this pit for use when cool.  I have not done any thing else with mine except keep it out of the weather when not in use.

Pros

• Lightweight easy to move when cool
• Easy assembly
• Full cover, spark cover and forked tool included

Cons

• With out proper storage may last only one season
• Does not hold a lot of wood
• No grate for cooking

 

Mainstays 30″ Square Fire Pit

Price when article was written: $31.76

 

 

What do you get in the box

If you like the square look and do not want to spend a lot of money, this fire pit could be for you.  This fire pit has a lot of good lines for under $35.

It comes with a poker to lift the mesh screen and stir the wood in the fire.  A poly cover is included for some weather protection when not in use.  A deep bowl will allow you to stack a lot of wood in this pit. A grate on the bottom will keep the wood up to allow better airflow when burning.

The pit is 30 inches across and 20.5 inches to the top of the cover.

Assembly and care

This unit will require legs and support straps to be attached to the bowl.  Just a few minutes for most people and you are ready for your first fire.

Cleaning the ashes out of the bowl will be most important in the wood burners.  If you leave the ashes in they will collect moisture and start your bowl to rust quickly.  Clean it out and store it in a shed or out of the weather to make it last several seasons.  The cover is good, just not enough protection against rain in the long run.

Pros

• Light weight easy to move
• Poly cover, mesh cover and poker included
• Easy assembly

Cons

• Needs to be stored out of the weather when not in use
• No grate for cooking
• All one piece, harder to dump ashes when done

 

Axxonn Malaga Fire Pit

Price when article was written: $89.98

 

 

What do you get in the box

If you are looking for something you can use year round, this fire pit/table combo will be for you.  With the expensive look of a tile top and the ability to turn from a fire pit to a coffee table in minutes will be the advantage of this fire pit.

At 30 inches across and 17 inches tall with the flat top, 22 inches tall with the mesh screen installed, this fire pit is on the heavy side at 42 pounds empty.  The fire pit is larger than some at 20 inches across and 4 inches deep.  You can store the top insert on the shelf below the pit, it will get quite hot when you have a fire though.

The tiles are not a standard size, be careful not to break any during assembly or use.  Poker is included, no poly cover is included for this fire pit.

Assembly and care

Some stated problems with bent or twisted metal parts when opening the box.  Assembly will start with attaching the legs to the top frame.  Bottom shelf will connect to all four legs next.  Set up on legs, add fire bowl, log grate and tiles. You then will be ready for your first fire.

Sizes of tiles are odd size, if broken you may have to replace all of them at once to match color.  Cutting to size will take some work as they come in three different sizes.  The four large squares are 9.4 inches across, four small squares are 4.5 inches across and eight rectangular pieces are 9.8 by 4.5 inches.

Cleaning your ashes will be most important with this fire pit as it will be harder to move and store because of its weight, you will also want to keep out to use as a coffee table when you do not have a fire.  The bowl and grate can be removed to dump the ashes if needed.

Pros

• Has the look of an expensive fire pit with table top insert
• Mesh cover, poker, log grate and top insert included
• Top cover can be stored on bottom shelf when not needed

Cons

• Very heavy, hard to move 42 pounds empty
• Tiles just sit in top and cover, can fall out and break if not careful
• Heavy, hard to clean out when done with fire

Landmann Fire Pits

Price when article was written: starting at $80.99

Follow this link for the many styles of this Fire Pit

 

What do you get in the box

Landmann wood burning fire pits are built with a deep fire bowl and will have many designs to choose from with cutouts on the sides.  These well built fire pits will start well under $100.  Buying one of these designs will make your fire pit more of your personal design.

All cutouts on the sides will have screens to keep ashes and sparks from escaping the pit.  Very strong legs will support this fire pit very well.  A mesh guard will keep the sparks from escaping the top.  A forked tool will help remove the hot mesh guard to stir the fire.  A porcelain grate is included for cooking, cannot over load with wood when cooking on grate.

The round fire pit will be 32.5 inches across with a 23 inch fire bowl.  It will weigh 32 pounds empty.  This fire pit would be great for camping, tailgating or driveway get togethers.  We do this on Halloween, many in our town do.

Assembly and care

Pros

• Choose from many designs
• Fire bowl is very deep, can hold a lot of wood
• Has a grate for cooking

Cons

• Heavy not easy to move
• Sides can get very hot

My finial thoughts on these wood burning fire pits

When looking for a wood burning fire pit, I have given you several choices that start for under $100.  I have one very similar to the Mainstays 28 inch round model.  I have used it for about 10 years and it is still usable. The poly cover has long since expired, I do keep it in a shed when not in use to keep it out of the weather.  If I was to replace it today, I would choose one of the Landmann designs, as it is a little heavier built and comes with a cooking grate.

Please note that you cannot use a wood burner on a wood or composite decks without quality deck protection, see my information here.  A better choice for these surfaces is a gas fire pit,  see some of my examples in a post here.

Let me know what you have or use for your heat in your outdoor space.  Leave me any questions or comments with the forms below.