Smokeless Fire Pit vs Gas Fire Pit (Which Is Best)

A gathering of friends and family is an event that, when done properly, can be an unbelievably enjoyable experience. If you’re outdoors, such as in the garden, then having a centerpiece like a firepit for the fun to revolve around is the perfect way to create a sociable atmosphere.

In this article, we’re going to show you once and for all which is best, a smokeless or gas fire pit. There can be only one winner!

That being said, which is best out of a smokeless fire pit or a gas fire pit will depend entirely on your budget and what you’d like to get out of the fire pit.

That’s what this article is here to do, we’ll even throw in some recommendations for excellent fire pits at the end…

Heating Up

On the surface, it might appear that adding a fire pit to your outdoor area should be a straightforward task.

If you’ve been doing a little shopping around to decide on the best fit aesthetically and practically, then you’ve no doubt run into a couple of questions.

With offerings like smokeless fire pits and gas fire pits available to you, at a variety of different costs, there can almost be too much information to process.

Hopefully, by taking a look at the benefits and drawbacks of each you’ll go away with the hots for one particular type of fire pit.

No Fire Without Smoke?

Fire Pit at night showing glowing embers.

The relaxed atmosphere and vibes that a fire or fire pit can bring to a social dynamic have long been one of the main appeals of having one.

Despite this, the main complaint that the majority of people have is the smoke that a fire will create.

Although not everybody will have an issue with fire smoke, the way that it seeps into everything in the surroundings, including clothes or other cloth materials nearby, can almost be more hassle than it’s worth.

This is where smokeless fire pits come in, and why they are one of the two main contenders that you should be considering when going down the route of purchasing a fire pit.

Even though this is a huge attraction to this style of fire pit, there is one other that offers a similar benefit.

Now We’re Cooking With Gas

A lot of the benefits that we just mentioned about smokeless fire pits are also applicable to a gas fire pit.

So what exactly separates the two, and why would you choose to take the significantly increased costs of a gas fire pit installation over a smokeless fire pit?

Well, there’s a couple of reasons, and we’ll be going over as many of them as we can think of.

Aside from costs, there’s a number of considerations that you might have overlooked, such as the choice of materials available in the varying fire pits.

Propane Or Natural

3d rendering image of classic gas cylinder

Before we dive too deep into the comparisons between smokeless fire pits and gas fire pits, it’s good to remember that there’s some differentiation to be made between propane fire pits and natural gas fire pits.

Both propane and natural gas have the smokeless plus, and burn fairly cleanly, though they differ greatly in the difficulty of installation.

Generally speaking, a propane fire pit is a highly portable device, seeing as how the table itself will be lightweight and you can easily shift around the propane that fuels it. If you want a fire pit that doesn’t use propane, though, you’re going to need a gas line.

Benefits of a Smokeless Fire Pit

Alright, now that we’ve made clear who the contenders are on the battlefield of back-garden fire providers, let’s have a more detailed look at what we’re dealing with in the corner of the smokeless fire pit.

Starting off with what we’ve already mentioned: The lack of smoke.

That clean burning isn’t just for show, and understanding how the science behind the lack of smoke works actually informs us of just how practical the smokeless technology is. It’s the more efficient burning of fuel that results in the lack of smoke.

It’s the mixture of fuel, oxygen, and heat that causes the material to burn. What causes the smoke isn’t a result of the burning material, it’s the lack of oxygen.

Thanks to how a smokeless fire pit is built you’ll never run into this issue. By having additional sources of oxygen built into them, the fuel will not only burn better but smokelessly too!

The fact that the material has fully burned, instead of being reduced to a ruin of smoking embers, also brings additional benefits. Cleaning will be easier, odors will be reduced, and generally speaking, your neighbors will hate you a lot less for lighting it!

Even though it might cost you a marginal amount more than a standard fire pit, you’ll more than make the difference of any costs in wood that burns longer and hotter.

Benefits of a Gas Fire Pit

Since you aren’t actually burning anything, a lot of the benefits we talked about with a smokeless fire pit are automatically inherited by gas fire pits.

Their main selling point though comes down to two things: Convenience and control.

The convenience factor is even further strengthened if you’ve got a permanent fixture with a gas line attached to it, as you won’t even need to worry about having to replace the propane tank.

As for the control, that’s the biggest benefit to having a gas fire pit. Instead of having to worry about burning material like wood, it’ll be as simple as turning a knob to easily set the mood and get that fire roaring.

In addition to the control factor, there’s also a lot less to worry about from the effects of the burning. Sparks, embers, and other hazards commonly associated with a normal fire pit will all be things of the past.

Which Brand Is Hottest?

If you’ve decided on a smokeless fire pit or a gas fire pit, then there’s only one thing left to consider about your purchase: Which brand do you go for?

Since it’s such a popular item for homeowners, campers, and outdoors types everywhere, there’s no shortage of potential brands to choose from.

Perhaps a quick peek at some of the more popular picks can help shed some light on which to buy.

The Solo Stove

Propane fire pits don’t have a monopoly on portability, and Solo Stove is the perfect example of that fact.

Boasting lightweight designs that can be easily carried around, the products provided by Solo Stove are the on-the-go solution for your smokeless fire pit needs.

Whether you need to cook, boil water, or just keep yourself warm when you’re out for an overnight stay underneath the stars, these carryable companions will have you covered.

Click on the image above or click here to pick up your solo stove!

Breeo Zentro

If you’re after something for the garden or the patio and have aesthetics in mind, then the Zentro line of ring insert smokeless fire pits from Breeo are a surefire choice. Not only will you keep your guests nice and warm, but you’ll also have them complementing your taste in outdoor decor.

One disadvantage of these is that, of course, they aren’t as easily portable as something like the Solo or small propane gas fire pits. With the larger models, though, you’ll have quite the bonfire going that can be enjoyed by a far larger number of people.

Get your breeo zentro here.

Endless Summer

In the world of gas fire pits, you’ve got just as much of a choice here as you do with the more traditional style of a smokeless fire pit. For a slightly higher cost, you can opt to go for a brand like Endless Summer.

Aptly named, these long-burning propane-fueled products will keep you bathed in warmth for as long as you’ve got the fuel to keep them going.

They offer a variety of pits and pit tables, most of them ideal for a garden situation rather than portability.

Click on the image above or click here to pick up your endless summer fire pit!

Heininger

If you’re set on the idea of a gas fire pit and portability is your #1 concern, then consider a Heininger.

They offer a fantastic range of fire pits that are ideal for taking with you whenever you expect to be needing a quick warm-up.

This brand in particular easily rivals any permanent or portable fire pit in style, too. You’ll be basking in the sleek design as well as the warmth.

Click on the image above or click here to pick up your heininger fire pit!

The Final Decision

Both traditional smokeless fire pits and gas fire pits have a huge selection of great buys. It really entirely depends on which you prefer, and whether or not you are going to have easy access to gas or wood to burn.

Gas fire pits will usually cost you a little more since there is more to their design than a standard smokeless fire pit, but it’s not such a huge difference that it should sway you one way or the other when deciding to purchase one.

No matter if you decide to go for a smokeless fire pit or a gas fire pit, you’ll have plenty of customization options for both. Really, the biggest influence over the final choice should be whether or not you prefer the kind of classic wood-burning aesthetic that a smokeless fire pit can offer you, minus all of the downsides.

Alright, that’s it for this article guys, if you found it useful then a share on social media or your website would be cool!

All the best

Steve

ps here’s a few articles related to this one you might find interesting:

Propane Vs Wood Fire Pit Environmental Impact (The Numbers)

How to Keep a Fire Pit Going (Get More Hours of Burn Time)

Steve Foster

Suburbanite, tech geek, handy man, automation enthusiast who started blogging about the stuff I do around my home and found he had a knack for it.

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