Maybe you’re not even a particularly outdoorsy person. You’re just someone who is proud of their home–who’s installed a pond or a flower bed or some kind of specialized garden or even an outdoorkitchen in their backyard, all in the name of aesthetics, in the name of beauty. You like to entertain guests in your backyard to show off your sense of style and your meticulousness. You may like to unwind out there with your friends and your loved ones, in mirth, enveloped in just a little bit of nature. But of course, none of this is fun when the temperatures start dropping. That means you have to limit showcasing or enjoying–or both–the outdoor living space that you’re so proud of. Oh well, guess you’ll just have to get over it.
Wait a minute–that’s not true at all!
You have a choice between two types of propane fire pits. The first is the portable kind; this is great for those outdoorsy people. Portable propane fire pits were designed specifically to light in weight and easily packable. So if you’re looking to go camping or traveling in an RV, you’ll want to take a close look at some of the portable options. But if you fall into the other category, the category of the meticulous, stylish homemaker, you’ll want to take a look at some of the nonportable options. These are big and heavy and powerful–and some of them are also sleek and have a very elegant look that can blend in and even compliment the rest of your set up. Can you imagine it? Sitting around a crackling, glowing, beautiful fire pit outside in your own patio, surrounded by people you love, all on a crisp, chilly night–feeling warm all the while? Well, you can stop imagining. There are plenty of great options out there for you. You just have to look for them.
For campers, it’s all about a clean burning stove that will help keep the chill away and not create that wall of smoke that makes you smell like an old cigarette. For drier areas of the country the smaller firepits on our list are easily storable and CSA compliant which means you’ll be able to light them up in some areas where more traditional firepits are off limits.
So how do you choose a propane fire pit? There are tons of them available out there and they’re all designed differently, have different features, and even different uses. Some even have different heating capabilities.
Most of the entries here are eminently affordable as well. There are high-end products out there that will break the bank, but for our list, we tried to stick to products that are durable, strong, and attractive but fall into a ‘reasonable’ price range.

As you can see, there are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to propane fire pits. Many of these options may even seem similar to one another. And things become even more muddled when you realize these aren’t the only kind of fire pit you can choose from: there are gas-powered fire pits and fire pits powered by bio-ethanol, too! You may be wondering why this list focuses solely on propane fire pits. Is there something about propane that it makes it superior compared to other sources of energy? Is it less expensive perhaps? But if that’s so, is that a good enough reason to completely disregard other fuel sources? After all, other fuel sources may even be more effective than propane, couldn’t they?

These are, of course, valid concerns.

First off, there are a few things you may not know. The first is that natural gas is actually a composite of multiple gases. These gases are butane, ethane, methane, and–you guessed it, propane. Or maybe you didn’t guess it. And that’s okay because you’re not alone. A lot of people don’t know this. And another thing you may not know is that when raw natural gas is processed at gas facilities–to prepare it for commercial use–propane is actually forcibly separated from the other components (butane, ethane, and methane). This separated propane is then sold to dealers who specialize in selling propane, who sell it to consumers by the gallon.

You may have also noticed that all of the fire pits on this list boast of being capable of an output of up to tens of thousands of BTU’s. The higher the maximum BTU output, the more heat a fire pit will emit. Well, it may interest you to know that propane has more than two times the amount of energy than natural gas. To be specific, one cubic foot of propane contains 2516 BTUs; while one cubic foot of natural gas contains 1030 BTU’s. That’s a huge difference, to be sure. It means that propane is by and large more efficient than natural gas.

Another thing that may or may not be important to you–although it probably should be–is the fact that propane is actually non-toxic. That is, it doesn’t have any sort of adverse effect on the environment; it’s eco-friendly. This is true before combustion, as well as after it. Indeed, it’s considered what is known as a “green fuel” for a reason. Natural gas, on the other hand, is a greenhouse gas–which means while it’s burning, it traps heat in the atmosphere, which has the effect of keeping the earth’s surface warmer for a longer time. You’ve probably heard of global warming. If you believe it–and most scientists do–you probably want to reverse it, or prevent it. Natural gas actually contributes to it, or exacerbate it, and that’s just another reason why propane is the superior choice for fuel. This is especially true if you’re an outdoors enthusiast, looking to enjoy the natural world without contributing to destroying it.

Mobility

One of the main things that should factor into your decision is that of mobility. This much should be obvious. But this list was compiled for both types of people, the outdoors traveler–the adventure seeker–and the person who just wants to enjoy a little bit of nature right outside their own. There are several portable propane fire pits on this list, and you’ll notice that they are all quite similar. These portable fire pits are designed to be lightweight and easy to carry. In fact, most of them come with covers and a carrying kit. Some of them don’t, however, so it’s important that you pay attention. They vary too in maximum BTU output, in construction, and of course in design. One even includes adjustable roasting sticks so you can cook right over the fire–just like a naturally made fire, except without all the hassle!

There are also several stationary propane fire pits on this list. These also have many similarities between them. These differ almost entirely on design. Remember, you want something that’s going to compliment and accent the style of your patio, so you’re going to want to pay close attention. Many of the models on this list also come in different color schemes and patterns; if you don’t like one, do look at your other options. It’s possible you’ll find one to fit your needs. Moreover, these stationary fire pits all have propane tanks stored directly into the structure itself, and the tanks themselves are hidden from view so as not to be displeasing to the eye or cluttering in any way. They’re much like cars in that way–cars are designed so that their fuel tanks are hidden, too.

Features

Each propane fire pit on this list has been chosen with an immense focus on features. As has been said already, most of the fire pits on this list are similar to each other. This is because a fire pit is only supposed to do one thing: keep you warm. To get back to the car metaphor, cars are supposed to get you from point A to point B, without breaking down. So how do you choose between cars? Big cars, small cars, low cars, cars high off the ground, radio types, seat construction, leg room, push to start or turn to start–and on and on that list could go. You choose based on the features. And these features must align with your wants and needs. If you’re a big guy, you probably won’t opt for a small Fiat, for example. It just wouldn’t be comfortable–and you’ll probably be embarrassed driving around in it.

The same applies to propane fire pits. Some of the propane fire pits on this list come with some great features that are unique to them. For example, some come with a ten-foot hose with an attached regulator. This is so that you can keep your propane tank far away from you and the source of the fire. This makes your view a little better, and less clutter, but more importantly it makes you safer. What makes you even safer still is that some of the propane fire pits also include–along with this ten-foot hose–a safety ring with which to secure the propane tank, and make sure it doesn’t fall over and potentially cause a disaster. And there are other propane fire pits that come with safety shutoff valves, in case of emergencies. You can never be too safe, and there is no cost that is too much to ensure not just your own safety, but the safety of your loved ones as well. So do make sure–remember your decision doesn’t only affect you; it affects your friends, your family, your fellow campers, or your guests as well.

Cost

And of course, there’s the cost. Who isn’t concerned about cost? Even the richest among us care about cost–we work hard for our money, why waste it on products that lack quality? Each product on this list was chosen specifically because it was affordable or because it was deemed a good value. This latter means that if a fire pit on this list is expensive, it’s only because it offers features that other comparable fire pits do not; or it’s tried and tested and proven to be durable and functional. Remember, the value of anything isn’t simply a reflection of its cost at face. A product can be dirt cheap, but if it lasts only a few days, that means you’ll have to keep buying it every few days if you really needed to use it–in the long run, you could end up spending a small fortune. If you by an item that seems expensive from the outset, however, and it lasts you years, that could end up meaning that you actually saved a small fortune. That said, you don’t always get what you pay for, but sometimes you do. That may seem like the most unhelpful statement you’ve ever read, but it should serve as a reminder to you to always do your homework, to always pay attention, to know what you want, and what you need, in order to make the best decision for you.