Buying guide
Best Portable Fire Pits 2026
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Our picks are researched from the manufacturers’ specifications and are our own editorial opinion.
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Editor’s Choice
GOLABS Smokeless Fire Pit 19.5″
The lightest full-size smokeless wood pit we compared, at 13.3 lbs with a carry bag, in 304 stainless steel.
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Best propane for camping
Florise Portable Propane Fire Pit 24″
60,000 BTU with a grill grate, mesh screen, lava rock and a lockable lid that doubles as a carry case.
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Most heat
80,000 BTU combined output and separate flame and heat modes, in a 35 lb unit.
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Lightest wood burner
Solo Stove Ranger 2.0 15″ with Stand
A 15″ stainless steel smokeless pit with a stand and a removable ash pan, at 16.5 lb, sized for 2 to 4 people.
The best portable fire pits are light enough to carry with one hand, burn clean enough that you can sit next to them, and fold or pack down into something that fits a car trunk. For most people that means the GOLABS Smokeless Fire Pit if you want a real wood fire, and the Florise Portable Propane Fire Pit if you would rather skip firewood and ash. This guide compares five of them on fuel, weight, size, heat and materials, then explains how to pick between them.
“Portable” means different things to different buyers. A camper wants a pit that weighs under 15 lbs and packs flat. A patio owner wants one that moves from the garage to the deck without a dolly. We cover both, and we flag which models really belong at a campsite and which are better kept at home.
Portable Fire Pits Compared
| Product | GOLABS Smokeless EDITOR’S CHOICE | Florise Propane | Outland Living Propane | Ninja Fireside360 | BALI OUTDOORS 30″ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Image |  |  |  |  |  |
| Price | $$ | $$$$ | $$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| Fuel | Wood | Propane | Propane | Propane | Wood |
| Diameter | 19.5″ | 24″ | 19″ | 24.5″ | 30″ |
| Weight | 13.3 lbs | 8.8 lbs (excl. tank) | 23 lbs | 35 lbs | Not stated |
| Heat output | Wood fire | 60,000 BTU | 58,000 BTU | 80,000 BTU | Wood fire |
| Material | 304 stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Not stated |
| Carry case or lid | Carry bag | Lockable lid | No | No | Not stated |
| Amazon | Check price on Amazon | Check price on Amazon | Check price on Amazon | Check price on Amazon | Check price on Amazon |
EDITOR’S CHOICE
GOLABS Smokeless
- Price
- $$
- Fuel
- Wood
Show specificationsHide specifications
- Diameter
- 19.5″
- Weight
- 13.3 lbs
- Heat output
- Wood fire
- Material
- 304 stainless steel
- Carry case or lid
- Carry bag
Florise Propane
- Price
- $$$$
- Fuel
- Propane
Show specificationsHide specifications
- Diameter
- 24″
- Weight
- 8.8 lbs (excl. tank)
- Heat output
- 60,000 BTU
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Carry case or lid
- Lockable lid
Outland Living Propane
- Price
- $$
- Fuel
- Propane
Show specificationsHide specifications
- Diameter
- 19″
- Weight
- 23 lbs
- Heat output
- 58,000 BTU
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Carry case or lid
- No
Ninja Fireside360
- Price
- $$$
- Fuel
- Propane
Show specificationsHide specifications
- Diameter
- 24.5″
- Weight
- 35 lbs
- Heat output
- 80,000 BTU
- Material
- Stainless steel
- Carry case or lid
- No
BALI OUTDOORS 30″
- Price
- $$$
- Fuel
- Wood
Show specificationsHide specifications
- Diameter
- 30″
- Weight
- Not stated
- Heat output
- Wood fire
- Material
- Not stated
- Carry case or lid
- Not stated
Portable Fire Pit Reviews
Each review covers what the manufacturer lists, how the design works in practice, and who the pit suits. Specs come from the product listings, so check them against the manual before you buy.
GOLABS Smokeless Fire Pit 19.5″
The GOLABS is the one to buy if the pit has to travel. At 13.3 lbs with a carry bag, it is the lightest full-size wood pit in this guide, and the 19.5″ bowl still takes real logs. The double-wall body feeds extra air into the fire, which is how this style of pit cuts smoke once it is burning well. The listing quotes a 300% airflow increase, which is a manufacturer figure, so treat it as a description of the design and not a measured result.
Key features:
- ✅ 13.3 lbs, the lightest pit in this comparison
- ✅ Double-wall smokeless construction
- ✅ 304 stainless steel body
- ✅ Removable ash pan for cleanup
- ✅ Carry bag and stainless fire poker included
- ✅ 19.5″ × 19.5″ × 13.2″, small enough for a car trunk
Best for: Campers, van lifers and anyone who moves their pit often and still wants a full-size wood fire. Compared with cheaper folding pits, the double-wall body is the reason it smokes less, and the poker in the box is something many rivals sell separately.
Keep in mind: It is a wood pit, so you need dry, seasoned fuel and a way to deal with ash. It has no gas option, so it will not help where wood fires are banned.
Florise Portable Propane Fire Pit 24″
The Florise is the most complete propane kit here. It is rated at 60,000 BTU and arrives with a mesh screen, a rust-proof electroplated grill grate, an 8.2 ft hose and a set of natural lava rock (8.8 lbs). The lid locks and has a handle, so the pit packs itself away for transport. At 8.8 lbs without the tank, it is also the lightest propane pit we compared.
Key features:
- ✅ 60,000 BTU per hour
- ✅ Grill grate for heating food or liquids over the flame
- ✅ Lockable lid with carry handle
- ✅ Mesh screen, hose and lava rock included
- ✅ Adjustable regulator with a chrome valve knob
- ✅ Built-in support for a standard 20 lb propane cylinder
Best for: Campers and patio owners who want propane and do not want to shop for accessories. The lava rock gives the flame a wood-fire look, and the long hose keeps the tank a few feet from the pit.
Keep in mind: The tank is separate, and it sits in the support you carry along, so the real packed weight is higher than the 8.8 lbs on the listing.
Outland Living Portable Propane Fire Pit 19″
The Outland Living is the simple, no-assembly propane pit. It is rated at 58,000 BTU and has a pre-attached 10 ft hose with regulator that connects to a standard 20 lb tank. A chrome valve knob sets the flame, and the pit comes with a 4.4 lb lava rock set. At 23 lbs it is heavier than the wood pits, so it suits a tailgate or a patio better than a hike-in site.
Key features:
- ✅ 58,000 BTU per hour
- ✅ 10 ft hose and regulator attached
- ✅ Adjustable flame from the valve knob
- ✅ 4.4 lb natural lava rock set included
- ✅ No assembly required
- ✅ Listed as CSA-approved
- ✅ Natural gas conversion kit and cover sold separately
Best for: Patio owners, RV campers and tailgaters who want gas heat without smoke, ash or firewood. Because there are no open logs, a gas pit is often the easier option where wood fires are restricted, but rules differ by campground and season, so check first.
Ninja Fireside360 Outdoor Heater & Fire Pit
The Ninja Fireside360 is the pit to buy for cold evenings. It has three modes: flame only, heat only, or flame and heat together, with 80,000 BTU of combined output, the highest figure in this guide. Push-to-start ignition means no lighter, and the charcoal finish suits a modern patio.
Key features:
- ✅ Three modes: flame, heat, flame and heat
- ✅ 80,000 BTU combined output
- ✅ Push-to-start ignition
- ✅ Flame height set independently of the heat setting
- ✅ CSA-compliant, per the listing
- ✅ 24.5″ diameter, 35 lbs
Best for: Patio owners who use the pit across seasons and want to turn the heat down for a mild night without losing the flame. At 35 lbs it is portable in the sense that you can move it around the yard or load it for a short trip, not carry it far.
Honorable Mention
BALI OUTDOORS Portable Fire Pit with Grill (30″)
The BALI OUTDOORS 30″ is a fire pit and grill in one. The rotating grate sits at several heights, and a large spark screen goes over the fire. At 30″ it is a backyard pit that can be moved now and then, more than a camping pit. If cooking is the main reason you want a fire, it is worth a look.
Fuel: Wood, Propane or Natural Gas
Fuel decides almost everything else about a portable fire pit: its weight, what you carry with it, where you can use it and what each evening costs.
Wood
Wood pits are the lightest, because there is no burner, hose or tank. They give the crackle and smell people want from a fire, and you can cook over the coals. They also need dry, seasoned wood, an ash plan and attention. They put embers in the air, which matters on windy nights and in dry seasons. Our wood-burning fire pit guide goes deeper on bigger, fixed pits.
Propane
Propane pits light at the turn of a knob and shut off the same way. There is no ash and no firewood to source. The cost is weight, since you carry a tank and a hose, and a fire that looks good but does not smell or crackle. You can work out how long a tank lasts from two numbers. The US Energy Information Administration lists propane at 91,452 Btu per gallon, and Wikipedia gives liquid propane a density of about 4.2 pounds per gallon at 60 °F. A 20 lb cylinder therefore holds about 4.8 gallons, or roughly 435,000 Btu. Divide that by your pit’s BTU rating per hour. A pit rated at 58,000 BTU burns through a full tank in about 7.5 hours on high, and lower settings last longer.
Natural gas
A natural gas line suits a fixed pit and is not portable in any useful sense. Some propane pits, such as the Outland Living, offer a conversion kit, but then the pit stays near the gas line. For lines, tables and built-in pits, see our propane and gas fire pit guide.
Size, Height and BTU
Use the manufacturer’s numbers when you compare pits, and look for them in the manual and the listing. Three of them matter for portable models.
Diameter and height
Diameter tells you how many people sit around the fire and how long a log you can add. The pits here run from 19″ to 30″. A 19″ to 20″ pit suits two to four people. The GOLABS is 13.2″ tall, so seating should be low. For patio layouts, see how big a patio should be for a fire pit.
Weight and packed size
Weight is the figure to check first. The wood pits are the lightest, and the propane pits add a tank and hose on top of the listed weight. If you hike in, only a wood pit under 15 lbs is realistic. If you drive to the site, the trunk size matters more than the weight.
BTU
BTU per hour is a burner rating for gas pits and is not a heat guarantee. A higher rating means more fuel burned and more warmth nearby, in the open air, but wind and distance take much of it away. Wood pits have no BTU rating, because their heat depends on the wood, not on a burner. If you want warmth more than flames, see do gas fire pits keep you warm.
Material and Rust
A portable pit lives in a trunk, sits on damp ground and gets heated hard, so material matters more than on a pit that never leaves the yard.
Stainless steel
Every pit we reviewed is listed as stainless steel, and the GOLABS as 304 stainless. Stainless resists rust far better than plain steel, and it fits a pit that is packed away wet. It is not rust-proof, though. Heat discolors it, and leaving ash in contact with the steel for days can mark it.
Steel gauge and cast iron
Thickness shows up as gauge, and a thinner sheet warps faster. Many listings do not state the gauge, so check the spec sheet. Cast iron holds heat and lasts, but it is heavy and rusts if left bare, so it suits a fixed pit better than a portable one.
Coatings and care
Dry the pit after use, empty the ash and store it with a cover or bag. Our fire pit cover guide covers sizes and fabrics.
Smoke, Spark Screens and Covers
What “smokeless” means
Smokeless wood pits use a double wall. Air enters at the bottom, warms between the walls and is blown back over the fire, burning smoke that would otherwise rise. They still smoke while the fire is starting or when the wood is wet, so use dry, seasoned wood. Propane pits make no smoke to speak of.
Spark screens
A mesh screen stops embers from drifting, which matters in wind, near a tent or on a dry lawn. The Florise and BALI OUTDOORS pits include one, and for pits that do not you can buy one that fits the diameter. Aluminum or powder-coated steel is a sensible material.
Covers and bags
A carry bag or lid keeps soot off the trunk and keeps rain off the metal. The GOLABS comes with a bag, and the Florise has a lockable lid. For the others, see our fire pit covers picks.
Where to Put It
Set the pit on bare earth, gravel, pavers or concrete, never on dry grass, and not on a wood deck unless the manual allows it and you use a heat shield. Keep it clear of the house, fences, tents, vehicles and overhanging branches, and follow the clearance in the manufacturer’s manual. Do not run a fire pit in a tent, RV, garage or any enclosed space. Gas and wood fires both produce carbon monoxide.
Rules for recreational fires differ by city, HOA and campground, and they change in dry seasons, so check your local fire code before you light anything. For layouts and distances around a patio, read how big a patio should be for a fire pit.
How to Choose a Portable Fire Pit
For camping
Choose by weight and packed size. A wood pit like the GOLABS is the easiest to carry. If the campground restricts wood fires, a propane pit is the one to check with the site first.
For the patio
Choose by heat and convenience. Propane gives you on-off control, and the Ninja Fireside360 adds a heat mode. If you want a larger, cheaper pit, see cheap fire pits compared.
For both
The Florise sits in the middle, with a lid that locks and a weight that is easy to lift, and it cooks as well. Match the pit to the job you do most often, and do not buy for the one weekend a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Keep Reading
- Best Fire Pits: Full Reviews
- Cheap Fire Pits Compared
- Best Wood Burning Fire Pits
- Best Fire Pit Covers
- How Big Should a Patio Be for a Fire Pit?
Shopping for the backyard rather than the campsite? Our team’s guide to the best smokeless fire pits covers 19 to 27-inch patio models.