Straight to the Point

The Solo Stove Bonfire is easy to set up and burns clean and hot. I also liked the portable Breeo Y Series fire pit, which has extendable legs.

One of my first reviews for Serious Eats was for the Solo Stove Bonfire . Before that, building a fire scared me, but I dug down deep, put on a brave face, and built a fire worthy of the Beacons of Gondor (fellow LOTR nerds will get it). Many years and many fires later, I can get one going faster than you can say “burn, baby, burn.”

So, I recently jumped at the chance to test a full lineup of fire pits. There are two popular styles: barrel-shaped, smokeless fire pits like the Solo Stove, and more traditional, shallow, bowl-shaped ones. I tested both, turning my backyard into a (contained) inferno to find the best pits for relaxing with friends or cooking up hot dogs .

The Winners, at a Glance

Smokeless fire pits burn clean and hot for a long time, and the Solo Stove is one of the best. It’s incredibly easy to set up and ignites quickly.…