Why Every Backyard Needs a Fire Feature — and the Six Best Ones to Consider
From budget-friendly wood-burners to show-stopping concrete fire tables, there's a perfect flame for every outdoor space.
5/10/20266 min read
There's a moment that happens every single time I light up my outdoor fireplace. My phone goes face-down. Someone pours another drink. The conversation slows into something real. I don't know if it's primal wiring or just the novelty of an actual open flame in the modern age, but fire does something to people — it draws them in and keeps them there.
I became a little obsessed with outdoor fire features a few years ago when my neighbor rolled out a gorgeous concrete fire table onto his patio and suddenly his backyard became the place everyone wanted to be. I watched people wander over from parties four houses down, just to sit around that thing. That was the moment I started researching.
What I found was a massive range of options — from incredibly accessible wood-burning fireplaces you can have crackling by Saturday afternoon, all the way to handcrafted gas fire features that feel like permanent architecture. All of them deliver the same essential thing: a reason to stay outside a little longer and actually connect with the people around you.
"Fire does something to people — it draws them in and keeps them there. That's not a small thing."
I've put together this guide ranging from the most wallet-friendly entry point all the way to a truly top-tier splurge, so you can find what fits your space, your lifestyle, and your budget. These are affiliate links — if you buy through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. But every one of these picks is something I'd genuinely recommend to a friend.
FROM LEAST TO MOST EXPENSIVE
Six Fire Features Worth Every Penny
$$ Budget PickWOOD BURNING
Sunjoy Wood-Burning Outdoor Fireplace with Storage & Chimney
Sunjoy
If you want to get into outdoor fire living without a serious financial commitment, this is where I'd tell anyone to start. The Sunjoy chimney fireplace gives you the real thing — actual wood-burning fire with the crackle, the smell, the whole experience — at a genuinely approachable price point. The matte black powder-coated steel frame has a cement-look finish that reads far more expensive than it is, and the built-in side log holders mean your firewood is always right where you need it.
What won me over in the reviews is how practical Sunjoy made the whole setup. The chimney directs smoke up and away (a non-negotiable for actually enjoying your fire, not just tolerating it), twin locking mesh doors keep sparks contained, and the removable grate means cleanup doesn't become a Sunday-morning chore you dread. A PVC cover is included so you're not scrambling for protection when the weather turns.
Wood-burning with chimneySide log storageRemovable ash gratePVC cover includedLocking mesh doors
$$ Gas UpgradePROPANE / GAS
Gardenbee 35" Outdoor Propane Fireplace — CSA Certified
Gardenbee
There's a version of outdoor fire that doesn't involve stacking logs, nursing kindling, or going to bed smelling like a campfire — and the Gardenbee propane fireplace is it. This one sits in the middle of the price range but punches above its weight in terms of the experience it delivers. Fifty thousand BTUs through an adjustable turn-knob means you can dial up a roaring heat for cold nights or keep it low and ambient for a summer evening.
The thing that makes this stand out from cheaper propane options is the CSA certification — this isn't a unit that cuts corners on safety. The tank hides away in the base, the ceramic log inserts give it the visual warmth of a real wood fire (without any of the ash), and the included dust cover means it stays protected between uses. If you have a patio, deck, or covered pergola where a wood fire would be impractical or prohibited, this is your answer.
50,000 BTUCSA certifiedHidden tank storageAdjustable flameSmokeless operationDust cover included
$$$ Mid-RangeWOOD BURNING
Sunjoy Stone Look Tile Fireplace with Golden Highlight
Sunjoy
This is the Sunjoy that stops people mid-sentence when they see it in your backyard. Where the entry-level model delivers function, this one delivers design. The powder-coated steel frame is wrapped in natural stone-style ceramic tile with golden highlight accents — it looks like something you'd find at a boutique hotel patio, not something you assembled yourself on a Saturday afternoon.
But it's not just aesthetics. Sunjoy added a genuine combustion support system here — an airflow design that improves circulation so your fire burns hotter, more consistently, and with bigger flames. The chimney is oversized to handle the smoke efficiently, the twin locking doors give you safe access without fumbling, and a rain cover is included so this beautiful piece doesn't get weathered the moment you're not watching. For a wood-burning fireplace that genuinely elevates your outdoor space, this is the one I keep coming back to in this category.
Ceramic tile designGolden highlightsCombustion support airflowFull chimneyRain cover included
EDITOR'S PICK
$$$$ Fire TablePROPANE / NATURAL GAS
Elementi Manhattan Concrete Fire Pit Table — 36" Square
Elementi
This is where things start to feel genuinely elevated. The Manhattan by Elementi is the fire table that made me understand why people spend serious money on outdoor fire features. It's handcrafted from glass-fiber reinforced concrete — not a plastic shell with a concrete look, but actual high-performance cast concrete that's built to last for years in the elements. Sitting at a low 36" square, it works equally as a conversation piece you gather chairs around or as a dining table centerpiece.
The 45,000 BTU stainless steel burner (304 grade, 16-gauge — the premium spec) delivers serious heat, and the electronic push-button ignition with auto safety shut-off means this is as safe as it is stylish. Lava rocks are included. A canvas cover is included. The whole package is CSA and CE certified. What I love most is the flexibility: it runs on liquid propane or natural gas, so if you ever run a gas line to your patio, this table grows with you. This is the one I'd call a permanent feature, not an accessory.
Cast concrete construction45,000 BTUElectronic ignitionCSA & CE certifiedPropane or natural gasLava rocks & cover included
$$$$$ PremiumPROPANE / NATURAL GAS
Elementi Manchester Fire Pit Table — 42" Rectangular
Elementi
If the Manhattan is a statement, the Manchester is the collection piece. Where the Manhattan works as a square conversation hub, the Manchester's 42" x 39" rectangular shape makes it feel more like furniture — something that commands a real space and anchors an entire outdoor room. The cast concrete finish in redwood or classic gray adds a rustic warmth that somehow also reads as completely modern, which is a difficult trick to pull off.
Everything that makes the Manhattan impressive carries over here: the 45,000 BTU stainless steel burner, the electronic ignition with auto safety shut-off, the lava rocks and canvas cover, the CSA and CE certifications, the propane or natural gas flexibility. But at this size — 121 pounds of substantial concrete presence — it becomes less of a product and more of a destination. Reviewers regularly describe it as the focal point their entire outdoor furniture arrangement gets built around. That's the effect you're paying for at this tier.
42" x 39" rectangularCast concrete45,000 BTURedwood or gray finishCSA & CE certifiedDual fuel compatible
$$$$$+ Top of the LineCUSTOM GAS FIREPLACE
American Fyre Designs Contractor's Model Outdoor Gas Fireplace
American Fyre Designs by RH Peterson Co. — Made in the USA
And then there's this. The American Fyre Designs Contractor's Model isn't just a fireplace — it's the infrastructure for a completely custom outdoor fireplace, handcrafted in the USA by RH Peterson Co., a name that carries over 50 years of heritage in premium fire features. At 67" wide, 37" deep, and 96" tall, this is a structure. It ships in nine manageable pieces for installation and weighs in at 1,220 pounds of glass-fiber reinforced concrete that's built to last a lifetime.
What makes this so compelling — and so uniquely different from everything else on this list — is that it arrives as a blank-slate shell. The white GFRC exterior is designed for you to finish with stone, tile, stucco, or veneer of your choosing. This is your fireplace, in your materials, matching your architecture. Both vented and vent-free gas log configurations are supported. It's ANSI certified and backed by American Fyre Designs' three-year limited warranty on the GFRC exterior. If you're building or renovating a real outdoor living space and want a fireplace that becomes part of the home — not just an item you bought online — this is the one. This is the pinnacle of what a backyard fire feature can be.
Made in the USA1,220 lb GFRC construction67" wide x 96" tallCustom-finish readyVented or vent-free gasANSI certified3-year limited warranty
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The Bottom Line:
Just Start a Fire
Whether you're working with a modest budget or you're ready to invest in something that becomes part of your home's architecture, the best outdoor fire feature is whichever one actually gets you outside. Start there. The rest — the conversations, the s'mores, the nights that go longer than you planned — that's all waiting on the other side of the flame.