The 5 Best Fire Pit Grills Tested By Our Expert Pitmaster

If you are looking for a fire pit for your backyard that can also double as a grill, we’ve got you covered.

I got my hands on all of the most popular fire pit grill combinations and tested them out.

I’m going to give you the pros and cons of each one, along with which one is my top pick.

The best fire pit grills for cooking on

A fire pit and grill combination is a great option for people with a small space that want the flexibility of having a great fire pit for hanging out around a fire, but also want the versatility of being able to cook on it as well.

Here are my picks for the best fire pit grills. These models are great for backyards but can also be a good choice if you enjoy camping or hiking outdoors and want something a bit more portable.

1. Best smokeless model: Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Smokeless Fire Pit

Read our full Solo Stove Bonfire review.

After testing all of the competition, I think the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0, when packaged with the Bonfire Hub and cast iron grill grates, is the best fire pit grill for most people.

Upon opening the box, I was immediately excited about the fact that there was pretty much ZERO assembly required.

The Solo Stove is lightweight and would be a fantastic portable option for people that plan to travel around, but it is also sturdy enough to be used as a more permanent fixture in your backyard.

Solo Bonfire 2.0 Specifications

Diameter	19.5 inches
Height	14 inches
Weight	23.3 pounds
Material	Stainless Steel
Fuel Source	Wood or Lump Charcoal

The Solo is a smokeless design and has a very sleek profile. The Bonfire 2.0 includes the main Bonfire unit, a removable base plate/ash pan, and a carrying case.

Now, an important thing to keep in mind is that if you want to cook food on the Solo Stove, you are going to be required to buy their cooking accessories in addition to the Bonfire itself.

• Bonfire Hub – the hub is a small, stainless-steel stand that fits right over the top of the Bonfire 2.0 and elevates your cooking surface. All of the cast iron accessories require the hub for installation.

• Bonfire Cast Iron Grill – the cast iron grill is a slotted, cast-iron plate that fits over the Bonfire hub and is great for traditional-style grilling. Steaks, hot dogs, sausages, and more will fit comfortably on the 17.75-inch cooking surface.

• Bonfire Cast Iron Griddle – the griddle is a great option for cooking up breakfast foods like bacon, eggs, and hash browns. It would also be a great option for grilling burgers or getting a nice, even sear on your grilled chicken. The 17.5-inch cooking surface is big enough to cook for multiple people at once.

• Bonfire Cast Iron Wok – the cast iron wok is a great option if you want to sauté food or cook a stir-fry outdoors. The 18-inch cooking surface is slightly concave and will allow you to cook in more of a wok-style environment.

The Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 is affordable, but as you start to add each of the cast-iron accessories, the price begins to climb rapidly.

It is something that you can build over time, so if you wanted to start with the Bonfire itself and the Cast Iron Grill, then you could purchase the Griddle and Wok down the road.

I loved that the Bonfire 2.0 came with its own carrying case, at no additional cost, making it super portable and easy to store and protect from the elements. I also loved that there was no assembly required, and it’s safe to use on a wooden deck with the stand.

This is a great option for both the backyard and as a portable unit to take on the go.

2. Best portable model: Breeo Y Series Smokeless Fire Pit

Read our full Breeo Y Series Fire Pit review.

The Breeo was designed with portability in mind. It is lightweight and the legs collapse for easy storage.

In the “Stow” mode, the fire pit is only 11 inches tall. The “Burn” mode brings it up to 15 inches, and it stands 20 inches tall when in “Cook” mode. It is only 31 pounds and comes with a handle on the side, making it easy to move and carry.

Breeo Y Series Specifications:

Diameter	21 inches
Height	20 inches (when fully extended)
Weight	31 pounds
Material	Stainless Steel w/ Pakka Wood handle
Fuel Source	Wood, Pellets, or Lump Charcoal

The Breeo Y Series is a smokeless design and the fire pit itself is very affordable. If you want to really turn the Breeo into a dual-function grill and fire pit, you will need to add the Outpost Grill accessory.

Outpost Grill Accessory – the Outpost Grill is built from 304 stainless steel and comes with the Anchorpoint system and carrying bag for easy transport. The really cool thing about the Outpost Grill accessory is that is can be used on its own, due to the inclusion of the Anchorpoint system. You can install it directly into the ground over any campfire, or you can attach it to the Breeo X or Y series fire pits.

The Outpost Grill, when attached to the Breeo Y series, can rotate 360 degrees, but an important thing to note is that the accessory should not be used when turned 180 degrees from the fire pit, as the fire pit will literally tip over. They warn you of this in the brochure, but I can see a potential accident waiting to happen with the top heavy design.

One thing I need to mention that I was really not pleased with on this fire pit is that when I opened the box, there were leftover metal shavings inside. They were very sharp and, in my opinion, dangerous. I think that their quality control department should do a better job of ensuring that manufacturing debris, such as metal shavings, do not accidentally make it into the box.

What I liked:

• Lightweight and portable
• Allows you to stack wood efficiently
• Handle on the side for easy transport

What I didn’t like:

• Not sturdy, risk of tipping over
• Sharp metal edges and metal shavings found in packaging

Overall, I think the Breeo Y Series is a great design and I love their commitment to portability, but I believe they need to tweak the design to redistribute the weight a little bit better to prevent accidents.

We have a whole article comparing our top two picks, check out Breeo Vs Solo.

3. Best budget model: Bali Outdoors Wood-Burning Fire Pit

Diameter	32 inches
Height	25 inches
Weight	27 pounds
Material	Steel
Fuel Source	Wood or Lump Charcoal

The Bali Outdoors Wood-burning Fire Pit is a traditional fire pit design with a removable grill grate that can be added for easy cooking. This grill has a fantastic design for both use as a standalone fire pit and also as a great, open-fire style grill for cooking outdoors.

The construction is very sturdy and there is a steel ring fixed on the four legs, making it an extremely stable fire pit.

It also comes with both the grill grate that is multi-functional and can be raised, lowered, and swung both over and outside of the fire burning area. There is also an outer ledge around the outside of the pit to place grill tools, bottles, beverages, etc. for easy access.

From a portability standpoint, the Bali Outdoors fire pit is lightweight and small enough to be transported in the bed of a truck or back of an SUV, but it is not a super-portable fire pit.

I think it is better suited for a more permanent home. The unit also did not come with a cover, which was disappointing but I believe you could find an off-brand cover option on Amazon that would fit over the grill, if need-be.

Assembly took about 45 minutes. There are a number of parts and components that have to be assembled, but it is something that can easily be done by one person.

What I liked:

• Lightweight
• Built-in ring for storing drinks or tools

What I didn’t like:

• Smaller in size, not a lot of cooking area
• Does not come with a cover for protection

All-in-all, I would say the Bali is a great choice for someone that wants a traditional-style fire pit in their backyard that can also be used for grilling and cooking over open fire.

4. Best high-end model: Burch Barrel Grill & Fire Pit Combo

Read our full Burch Barrel review.

Diameter	18 inches
Height	84 inches
Weight	Barrel: 45 pounds + Tripod: 20 pounds
Material	Cold Rolled Carbon Steel with 304 Stainless Steel Grill Grate
Fuel Source	Lump Charcoal, Wood Chunks or Chips

The Burch Barrel is really in a class of its own when it comes to fire pit grills. It allows the most cooking and grilling versatility, by far. It can be used as a grill, as a smoker, or as a fire pit.

The Burch Barrel is the only fire pit grill that I have found that includes an integrated temperature gauge and adjustable vents to control the heat of your cooking environment, making it much more of a grill than a fire pit.

It also includes a Pistol Grip Slider that will allow you to raise or lower the grill grates depending on how close you want your food to the fire. The charcoal basket can also be adjusted to any height within the barrel, depending on whether you want a searing hot direct heat under the grates, or if you want to back it down to cook more indirectly.  

From a portability standpoint, the Burch Barrel is portable, but I wouldn’t say it’s ultra-portable. You can remove the barrel and lid from the tripod and take it with you on the go, but between the barrel and the tripod you are looking at an all-in weight of over 65lbs.

What I liked:

• Most versatile for cooking with standard accessories
• High-quality materials and design
• Adjustable charcoal basket to control heat more precisely

What I didn’t like:

• Highest-priced model
• Extremely tall, may have issues depending on space

5. Best backyard model: Big Horn Wood-Burning Fire Pit

Diameter	47.24 inches
Height	33.46 inches
Weight	33.46 inches
Material	Steel
Fuel Source	Wood or Lump Charcoal

The Big Horn Wood-burning Fire Pit is a very versatile fire pit with a large cooking capacity. It is almost identical to the Bali Outdoors fire pit mentioned above but is significantly larger.

This is not a portable fire pit, it is definitely something that needs a permanent home in your backyard or desired space. The charcoal pan doubles as a wood grate, allowing you a lot of flexibility when building your fire and the cooking grate is height-adjustable, allowing you to cook your food as close to or as far from the fire as you need depending on how you want to control your cook.

The Big Horn comes standard with a cover to protect the grill from the elements when not in use, and it has heavy-duty legs and an oversized fire bowl. It also has a grate that gets installed around the outside of the fire pit so you can store sauces, beverages, or cooking tools right alongside the pit.

What I liked:

• Ample cooking space, can be used to cook for multiple people
• Sturdy design, well-built
• Fully rotational cooking grate, versatile cooking surface
• Comes with a cover standard so you can protect it when not in use

What I didn’t like:

• Heavier design
• Not portable

How to pick the right fire pit

There are a few, general things that you should look for when you are ready to choose a fire pit grill. Here is a quick list things to consider:

• Size – The most important thing when deciding what fire pit grill you should buy is going to be size. Are you looking for something that will be semi-permanently installed in your backyard? Are you looking for something more portable that you can take on-the-go or camping? Size is important because there are all types of models on the market and different sizes serve different purposes. Since you’re going to be grilling you also want a reasonable bowl depth to there’s enough clearance between the food and the heat

• Type of cooking – It is important to determine what type of cooking you are wanting to do on your fire pit grill. Are you planning to just have something that you can cook a few hot dogs on, or are you looking for a grill that you can smoke larger cuts of meat on? Are you wanting the versatility of a griddle or wok-style cooking surface so you can cook a variety of different meals?

• Price – At the end of the day, price is an important factor in determining what type of fire pit grill you want to buy. The prices range from a couple hundred dollars, to over a thousand dollars and the price point that you are comfortable with will play a big role in your decision.

• Smokeless or traditional – Some fire pit grills are what is known as “smokeless”, meaning that they provide a low-smoke environment. Essentially, this style of fire pit has a double-wall design that captures the smoke from the actively burning wood and re-burns that air to provide less smoke being emitted from the pit. 
  
  This is beneficial for people that want to enjoy a fire without having to deal with the smoke that many traditional fire pits will emit. Essentially, if you want to enjoy a nice fire in your backyard without a ton of smoke being blown in your face, a smokeless pit is the ideal option for you. It is also a more environmentally friendly option, as it produces little to no smoke.

• Accessories – different styles of fire pits offer different accessories, but most of those accessories come at a cost. When you are determining what style of cooking you want to do, it is important to take into account whether you will need additional accessories to achieve your goal and how much those accessories will tack onto the price of the unit. 

What type of fuel can you burn in your fire pit

All of the fire pits selected have been designed to work with wood, charcoal, or a combination of the two.

Solo recommends using a combination of charcoal and chunk wood to crank up the smoke flavor when grilling.

I would recommend using a good lump charcoal.You could get away with briqttues if you don’t have lump, lump charcoal burns hotter and won’t include any chemical binders.

Always use hardwood such as apple, hickory, oak and pecan, as softwoods with lots of sap don’t burn as well.

The Breeo is designed to also burn wood pellets,

Can you grill on any fire pit?

All of the fire pits we’ve selected have been designed to be used as grills. We haven’t picked any gas fire pits because these are not suitable for cooking.

Unlike a gas grill, gas fire pits are not designed to handle the oil and food drippings.

Fire pit safety tips

The fire pits we’ve included in this guide are generally very safe to use so long as you exercise some common sense.

Here are a couple of safety tips to make sure you don’t accidently start any fires:

• Be aware of the rules. Many campgrounds and parks prohibit ground fires, but allow contained flame such as a Solo fire pit so make sure you check what the rules are.
• Always place your fire pit away from the house, deck railings, fences and lighting fixtures and ensure the area above is clear of any overhanging items
• Avoid excess sparks by burning dry hardwood, or using a spark shield
• When you have finished using your pit always extinguish before leaving it unattended

Final thoughts

Fire pit grills are a great option for spending time outdoors with family and friends. You can have a great fire to spend time around and the grill attachments allow you to also cook and enjoy food together.

Which model you choose really depends on what you are looking for, as each model has its pros and cons. If you are looking for something that really focuses on cooking itself, I would recommend the Burch Barrel or the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0. These both have the most versatile cooking options.

If you are more focused on the fire pit functionality itself, I would recommend the Big Horn Outdoors. It’s a large, sturdy model that works fantastically both as a fire pit and as a simple, open-fire grill when you want to cook outdoors.

We hope that our tips and information shared today will help you while you are shopping for the perfect fire pit grill for you!