Specs are compiled from manufacturer listings and verified buyer reviews and can change over time — please confirm the key details on the product page before buying.
A woodless fire pit runs on propane instead of logs, so you get a live flame with no ash to shovel, no firewood to buy, and no smoke following you around the patio. That matters most on nights when a real campfire is banned, or when you want the fire going in two minutes flat. Below are the eight gas fire pits genuinely worth comparing, sorted by what each one is actually good at — a travel firebowl, a full fire table with cup holders, and a few units that would rather heat you than entertain you.
This guide is built by comparing the manufacturers’ published specifications and the patterns across verified customer reviews, so you get each pick’s real strengths and trade-offs instead of marketing spin.
The crowd favorite here is the Outland Living 893 Deluxe — 4.5+ stars across 17,000+ owners — and it earns that spot on a 23-pound carry weight and 58,000 BTU rather than bowl size. Read on for the picks that fit your own deck, campsite, or tailgate plan with the best woodless fire pit for your setup.
Top Picks
How To Choose The Best Woodless Fire Pit
Start with how you plan to use it. A fire pit you carry to a campsite has different demands than one that sits on a paver patio all season. Get that answer right and the spec sheet sorts itself out.
Portable bowl or fixed fire table
A portable firebowl is a round bowl that packs into a carry kit and rides in an RV bay or truck bed. A fire table is a flat-topped piece of furniture with a burner recessed in the middle, and it stays put. The Ciays 27-inch table sits at 27″ x 27″ x 25″, which makes it furniture you arrange seating around rather than gear you stow. If your evenings happen in one spot, the table shape keeps drinks and plates on a level surface. If they move, a bowl with a strap wins.
Hose length and tank placement
Every pick here feeds from a standard 20-lb propane tank that you supply separately. What separates them is the hose. A pre-attached 10-ft hose running to a regulator lets you tuck that tank behind a chair or off the deck edge, so the cylinder is not the centerpiece. Check that length against your own space before you commit — a short run forces the tank right next to your knees.
Heat output, and the limits of it
BTU stands for British thermal units, the standard measure of heat output. More BTUs mean more warmth, but only at the burner. The flame sits in the middle of the bowl, so a person on the far side of a wide table feels it less than someone leaning in. That is why a 58,000 BTU bowl can feel toastier around a tight circle than a 50,000 BTU table seated for six. Match output to your seating ring, not to the biggest number on the page.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Model | Best For | Heat Output | Footprint | Fuel Setup | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outland Living 893 Deluxe★ Best Overall | All-round camping and patio | 58,000 BTU | 19″ x 19″ x 11″ | 10-ft hose, 20-lb tank | Amazon |
| GasBRUH 19-Inch PortableMost Heat Per Dollar | Value camping setup | 60,000 BTU | 19″ x 19″ x 11″ | 10-ft hose, 20-lb tank | Amazon |
| Ciays 21-Inch with Grill GrateFolds Flat | Folding travel and storage | 58,000 BTU | 20.67″ x 20.67″ x 9.88″ | 10-ft hose, 20-lb tank | Amazon |
| Amazon Basics 19-Inch | Simple first gas fire pit | 55,000 BTU | 18.5″ x 18.5″ x 10.2″ | 10-ft hose, 20-lb tank | Amazon |
| Ciays 27-Inch Fire Table | Patio furniture replacement | 50,000 BTU | 27″ x 27″ x 25″ | 20-lb tank, pulse ignition | Amazon |
| Outland Living Firecube 805 | Small spaces and RV bays | 58,000 BTU | 14″ x 14″ x 9″ | 10-ft hose, 20-lb tank | Amazon |
| BALI OUTDOORS 50,000 BTU | Looks and gifting | 50,000 BTU | 23″ x 23″ x 26.5″ | 20-lb tank, pulse ignition | Amazon |
| Ninja Fireside360 | Flame or pure heat, your call | 80,000 BTU | 21.8″ x 21.8″ x 28.8″ | 20-lb tank, dial control | Amazon |
Detailed Reviews
1. Outland Living Portable Propane Fire Pit 893 Deluxe
Our pick — 4.5+★ from 17,500+ verified ratings; the strongest balance of quality and price.
A 19-inch bowl that throws 58,000 BTU and still packs into the car.
Here is the case for buying this one first. It measures 19″ x 19″ x 11″ and weighs 23 pounds, so it is a one-person carry from the tailgate to the picnic table. The 58,000 BTU/HR burner runs on a standard 20-lb propane tank (sold separately), and the included 10-ft hose keeps that heavy tank well away from where people sit. Setup takes minutes with no tools, and a propane tank stabilizer ring is in the box to keep the cylinder from tipping.
The detail that decides it for a lot of buyers is the ban question. This unit is CSA approved, which means a third-party lab has tested it to a recognized safety standard — so in most areas under a campfire ban, it is a legal flame when wood is not. Always check your own local restrictions before you light up. Outland Living also covers it with a one-year manufacturer’s limited warranty, and sells an optional natural gas conversion kit and a carry bag separately if you later want to run it off a home line.
What wins people over is how well it travels without feeling like a toy — the enamel-coated steel bowl and stainless steel burner survive repeated loading into a truck bed. The honest limit is heat spread. A 19-inch bowl makes a tight circle of warmth, so six people spread around a big deck will not all feel it. This is a fire you gather close to, not a fire you seat a party around.
What earns it first place
- Toss-in-the-truck size at 23 pounds with a no-tools setup
- CSA approval covers the campfire-ban case most buyers worry about
- 10-ft hose plus stabilizer ring keeps the tank hidden and upright
- Enamel steel bowl and stainless burner built for repeated use
Where it asks something of you
- 19-inch bowl concentrates heat — best for a small, close group
- Propane tank is not included, so budget for a 20-lb cylinder
- Lava rock set is 4.4 lb, less media than the GasBRUH’s 4.8 lb
Reach for this if: you want one fire pit that lives in the RV bay and lights on the patio the same evening.
Look elsewhere if: you are seating a large group around a wide ring — the small bowl will leave the edges cool.
2. GasBRUH Outdoor Portable Propane Fire Pit 19-Inch
The budget bowl that out-heats bigger, pricier fire tables on paper.
Sixty thousand BTU in a 19-inch bowl is the headline, and it beats the Ciays 27-inch fire table’s 50,000 BTU by a real margin. The bowl itself matches the Outland Living 893 at 19″ x 19″ x 11″, but you get 4.8 lb of natural lava rock against the Outland’s 4.4 lb, so the flame bed reads fuller from the start. A pre-attached 10-foot braided stainless hose and a fully adjustable regulator with a chrome knob let you dial flame height and park the propane tank out of the way.
Owners lean on the build. The recurring theme in the reviews is how solid it feels for the money, and the burn quality gets steady mention alongside it — buyers report 6-hour runs without a hiccup. Assembly is quick enough that setup night is not a project. The cover doubles as a carry kit, and the lid is labeled rainproof and rust-resistant rather than heat resistant, so let the bowl cool completely before you cover it.
The one caveat worth flagging is the lid warning, printed plainly on the listing: do not place it on the pit while in use. That is a normal gas-fire-pit rule, but it is worth knowing before a guest tries to be helpful. Tank not included, as with every pick here.
Where the money goes: output and burner quality, not furniture finish. 60,000 BTU and a stainless-braid hose at the entry tier is the value story.
The fine print worth reading: that lid is a cover, not a hot-plate — cool the bowl fully before it goes back on.
Best fit: the camper who wants maximum flame for the least outlay and does not need a tabletop.
Think twice if: you want a finished piece of patio furniture — this is a plain metal bowl.
3. Ciays 21 Inch Propane Fire Pit with Grill Grate
Legs that fold down to 21″ x 8″ so it disappears into a closet or trunk.
Storage is the whole point here. The legs fold, collapsing the pit to a 21″ x 8″ package — a shape that slides into a car trunk or under a shelf where a fixed bowl will not. A carrying strap, propane tank holder, lid, hose hooks, lava rock, and a preassembled 10 ft gas hose all come with it, so there is no accessory shopping list before your first fire. Set up, it measures 20.67″ x 20.67″ x 9.88″ and weighs 23.9 pounds.
Two safety features separate it from the cheap end. Flameout protection cuts the gas if the flame goes out — from wind, rain, or lack of oxygen — rather than letting propane keep flowing. And the piezo ignition lights with no batteries or external power: push and hold the electroplated knob for 3 seconds, turn to MAX, hold 5 seconds. There is also a rust-proof cast iron grate across the top, which is a rare extra at this size.
The honest trade-off is weight. At 23.9 pounds it is heavier than several 19-inch bowls here, so the folding convenience is real but you are still lifting a solid piece of metal. If you have a bad back and a long walk to the fire ring, the lighter Amazon Basics is the easier carry.
What the fold actually buys you: a full-size 58,000 BTU pit that stores in the footprint of a camp chair.
The safety upgrade: flameout protection plus battery-free piezo ignition — two things budget bowls often skip.
Pick this when: garage space is tight and you want the pit gone between trips.
Not the pick if: you want a featherweight carry — 23.9 pounds is a real lift.
4. Amazon Basics Portable Propane Fire Pit 19 Inch
The plainest, smallest, easiest first gas fire pit you can hand someone.
At 18.5″ x 18.5″ x 10.2″, this is the most compact bowl in the lineup — a shade tighter than the 19-inch Outland and GasBRUH pits, and light enough to move without thinking. The steel body wears a black high-temperature finish, and the 55,000 BTU stainless steel burner gives you a bit less punch than the 58,000 and 60,000 BTU bowls here, but plenty for a small deck. You get the carry strap, burner lid, lava rock, and a 10-foot hose with regulator in the box.
What people respond to is the size and the simplicity — it goes together fast, and there is no smoke to deal with at the end of the night. That combination of 18.5-inch size and 55,000 BTU makes it a low-risk gift or first propane pit. At 18.5 inches across, it is light enough for a teenager to carry to a friend’s yard.
The thing to know before you buy: the ignition system is the weak link on this model. Some units light right up, others have had trouble with the igniter. It is not a reason to avoid the pit — a long-nose lighter does the same job — but set expectations that the push-button start may need a little help.
The size argument: 18.5 inches across makes this the easiest bowl here to carry and store.
Set expectations: the igniter is the one part that divides opinion — keep a lighter handy.
Good for: a first-timer or a gift for someone with a small patio and no storage room.
Consider the Ciays 21-inch instead if: you want a reliable push-button light every time.
5. Ciays 27-Inch Propane Fire Pit Table with Cup Holders
A real table with a fire in the middle and somewhere to set your drink.
This is the pick if you want the fire pit to replace a coffee table rather than sit beside one. The footprint is 27″ x 27″ x 25″ and it weighs 55.3 pounds — that is furniture, and you place seating around it. Two cup holders are mounted under the tabletop edge, set just far enough from the burner that a beverage stays drinkable instead of warm. Four adjustable feet level the whole thing on rough concrete or uneven pavers, a detail that matters on old patios.
It runs a 50,000 BTU burner on cold rolled steel with a stainless steel burner element and lava rock to fill the bowl. The pulse ignition is the comfort feature: it fires the flame every time you turn it on, no wrestling with a lighter. ETL certification means an independent lab has tested it to a recognized electrical and safety standard, and that is the confidence marker you want on a gas appliance under your drinks.
Compare the numbers, though. It gives up output to the portable bowls — 50,000 BTU here against the GasBRUH’s 60,000 — because this one is built for seating and looks first. And at 27 inches across and 25 inches tall, it is a permanent commitment to one spot; you are not folding it into a trunk.
The trade you are making: 50,000 BTU and 55.3 pounds buy you a table with cup holders, leveling feet and a flame in the center.
Firm about placement: this lives where you put it — measure your deck corner before ordering.
Right choice for: a patio that needs a focal point with working tabletop room.
Wrong choice for: camping or tailgating — 55.3 pounds and 27 inches across is not travel gear.
6. Outland Living Firecube 805 14-Inch Square
A 14-inch square that still throws the same 58,000 BTU as its big brother.
Here is the clever part: shrinking the bowl to 14″ x 14″ x 9″ did not cost you output. The Firecube still runs 58,000 BTU/HR, matching the 19-inch Outland 893 Deluxe exactly — the same heat from a footprint you can set on a small balcony or slide into an RV passthrough. At 22.5 pounds it is the lightest of the Outland pair, and the cover-and-carry kit plus pre-attached 10-ft hose come standard, along with 4.4 lb of natural lava rock.
Couples and solo campers are the ones who get the most from it, because it makes abundant warmth for a small gathering without dominating the space. It carries CSA approval, so the campfire-ban use case applies here the same way it does on the bigger Outland, and the enamel-coated steel body with a gloss finish and decorative belt looks deliberate rather than utilitarian. A 20-lb tank runs it, kept out of sight on that 10-ft hose.
What you give up is spread. Fourteen inches of flame makes a personal-sized circle, which is the point, but nobody at the far end of a long deck will feel it. Also note the tank itself is not included, and the optional natural gas conversion is the same separate accessory as on the 893.
Why small does not mean weak here
- 58,000 BTU from a 14″ x 14″ x 9″ footprint
- 22.5 pounds — the lightest Outland in this lineup
- Cover, carry kit, hose, regulator and 4.4 lb rock included
- CSA approved for use during most campfire bans
What the compact shape costs
- 14-inch bowl serves a small circle only
- No propane tank in the box
- Natural gas conversion kit sold separately
Ideal for: balconies, RV bays, and two-person evenings where the bowl must stay out of the way.
Not for: a patio party with six chairs spread wide — 14 inches will not reach them.
7. BALI OUTDOORS 50,000 BTU Propane Fire Pit
Blue fire rocks in a round steel frame — the one guests comment on first.
Appearance is the draw, and it is not close. The 23-inch round body stands 26.5 inches tall on a reinforced frame with a stable base, and the glass-and-blue-rock fire bed makes it read as decor rather than a camping appliance. Stainless steel and glass construction put it a step above the plain enamel bowls. It weighs 53 pounds, so once you set it on the porch it stays there for the season.
The 50,000 BTU burner delivers even warmth across a round frame that some buyers find scaled just right for a gazebo or a corner of a larger deck. A CSA certification covers the safety side, and the pulse ignition lights smoothly without a lighter. Since it comes ready to connect, the first fire is a matter of attaching a 20-lb tank, which is not included.
The trade-off is in the fuel and heat numbers, not the finish. Fifty thousand BTU trails the 58,000 and 60,000 BTU portable bowls, and because the flame sits centered in a 23-inch round, warmth is a ring rather than a blanket. If your priority is maximum heat output, the cheaper bowls beat it. If you are buying for the look and the gifting angle, this is the pick.
Where it wins: that blue-rock flame bed and the round stainless-and-glass frame — a genuine centerpiece.
The honest subtraction: 50,000 BTU is mid-pack here, and the 53-pound body is not portable.
Best suited to: a covered porch or gazebo where the pit is part of the decor and the gift is the point.
Look past it if: you plan to move the pit between campsites.
8. Ninja Fireside360 Fire Pit and Heater
Three modes and 80,000 BTU — flame for the mood, heat for the cold.
Most gas pits give you one job: a flame you sit near and hope it warms you. This one separates the two. You choose flame only for a warm evening when you want the look without extra heat, heat only for a windy night when you want warmth without the fire, or flame and heat together for the full evening. Combined output tops out at 80,000 BTU — the highest number in this group by a wide margin, well clear of the 58,000 and 60,000 BTU bowls.
The control is a single dial: ignite, extinguish, and raise or lower both flame and heat by turning it. No waiting for wood to catch. The 21.8″ x 21.8″ x 28.8″ pedestal body weighs 40 pounds and is rated weather resistant for outdoor storage year-round. It is built to run without sparks or embers, so it is safe to use on grass, stone, and wood surfaces, and it comes with a AAA battery, ceramic rocks, and a quick-start guide. Reviewers consistently praise how fast the 80,000 BTU output warms a chilly deck.
Expect a learning curve on the dial logic, and note that 80,000 BTU means it burns through a 20-lb tank faster than a 50,000 BTU pit will — a fair trade for the warmth, but one to plan for. It is also the tallest pick here at 28.8 inches, so it stands above a low lounge chair rather than beside it.
The reason to spend more: flame and heat are separate here — 80,000 BTU of combined output and three modes nothing else on this list offers.
The honest math: that much heat drinks propane faster, and 28.8 inches of height changes how you arrange chairs.
Choose it when: you want a patio heater and a fire pit in one unit and will use both modes through the cold months.
Skip the spend if: you only ever want a flame for the look — a cheaper 50,000 BTU pit covers that.
Know the Specs
BTU and what it feels like
BTU, or British thermal unit, measures how much heat the burner puts out per hour. A higher number gives you more warmth, but only right at the flame. Because the fire sits in the center of the bowl, a wide table spreads that heat thinner than a tight portable bowl does. Pick your number based on your seating circle, not the biggest figure on the page. A 55,000 BTU bowl around four chairs can feel warmer than a 50,000 BTU table set for eight.
Ignition types compared
Piezo ignition creates a spark with a spring-loaded crystal — no batteries, no power. Pulse ignition uses a small electronic spark and is generally the most dependable light. Battery push-button ignition is the simplest and, on some units, the first part to give trouble. A long-nose lighter covers you either way. On the Ciays 21-inch, the piezo system needs no batteries and lights with a knob turn.
Lava rock and ceramic media
The rock bed is not just decoration. Lava rock and ceramic rocks sit over the burner, break up the gas flow, and scatter the flame into a flickering field rather than one hard jet. More media — like the GasBRUH’s 4.8 lb against the Outland 893’s 4.4 lb — makes a fuller-looking fire. It also helps the flame read as a campfire instead of a burner.
Hoses, regulators, and tank placement
A pre-attached hose and regulator connect your standard 20-lb propane tank to the burner and let you adjust flame height. Hose length is the detail that decides where the tank sits — a 10-foot run lets you hide that cylinder behind a chair, while a shorter one forces it into the seating area. Every pick here feeds from a 20-lb tank you supply separately, and each should be disconnected after use and checked for leaks before lighting.
Common Questions
Can I use a woodless fire pit during a campfire ban?
Does a propane fire pit give off any smoke or smell?
How long will a 20-lb propane tank last in a fire pit?
Do I need to buy the propane tank separately?
Can I use a woodless fire pit on a wooden deck?
Is a portable firebowl or a fire table better for a patio?
What do I do with the lava rock that comes with the pit?
How do I connect and check for leaks before lighting?
Will a small 14-inch pit really heat my balcony?
Does high BTU mean shorter burn time?
The Bottom Line
For most people, the woodless fire pit winner is the Outland Living 893 Deluxe, because it packs 58,000 BTU into a 23-pound bowl that travels easily and carries CSA approval for the campfire-ban nights. If maximum flame for the least outlay is your goal, the GasBRUH 19-Inch pushes 60,000 BTU and a fuller lava rock bed. And if you want the fire pit to be furniture, the Ciays 27-Inch fire table gives you cup holders, leveling feet, and a place to set the drinks down. With 17,000+ owners behind it, the Outland is the safe first woodless pit.
How we choose
We do not accept paid placement. Every pick is matched to a real buyer and a real use-case; we do not hands-on test units.
Sources
Specifications: manufacturer listings and product documentation. Review insights: verified customer reviews, as of November 2026. Pricing: not shown on this page (it changes often); check the current price via the retailer link.
As an Amazon Associate, Tactical Gear Guy earns from qualifying purchases. This does not affect which products we feature.