Best Fire Pit for Cooking in 2024: Backyard Summer Grilling

A fire pit does more than warm your backyard. It becomes a focal point for socializing, a place for family and friends to gather, share stories, and enjoy good food together.

Having the right fire pit for the outdoor cooking enthusiast can take your culinary adventures to new heights. You’re not limited to roasting marshmallows; you can sear, smoke, grill, and even bake pizza with the right setup.

Why choose a fire pit for cooking? There’s the undeniable flavor of food cooked over a real fire that even the best barbecue grills can’t replicate. Then, there’s the versatility, with fire pits accommodating anything from grills to rotisseries to griddles. Who doesn’t love the primal appeal of cooking over an open flame, under the open sky?

In this guide, we’ll explore the best fire pit for cooking, considering factors like functionality, safety, and style. Whether hosting a backyard party or enjoying a quiet evening with family, we’ll help you find the perfect fire pit to transform your outdoor dining experiences. Let’s get cooking!

Best Fire Pit for Cooking Reviews

From smokeless fire pits to fire pit grill combos and propane fire pits you can cook on, we’ve covered everything on this list. Take a look at our in-depth reviews below on the best fire pits for cooking:

Best Overall – Solo Stove Bonfire Cooking System

The Solo Stove Bonfire Cooking System tops the charts for the best fire pit for cooking. 

Once you buy the hub (the stand for the top of the fire pit) for the cooking plates, you can choose from a:

• Grill Top 
• Griddle Top
• Wok Top

All three tops are made from cast iron, weigh approximately 17 pounds, and have a large cooking surface of up to 25 inches (the griddle top is the largest). 

These quality cooking tops are designed to last a lifetime. They are also interchangeable, using the same stand, so you only need to buy the hub once.

Solo Stove has also released the Pi Fire – a pizza oven accessory for the Yukon 27-inch, Bonfire and Ranger fire pits. You can make authentic stone-baked woodfired pizzas right in your own backyard. This is a separate cooking system with a taller stand.

When it’s time to travel, pack it up in the included carrying bag. It’s the best portable fire pit for people who are always on the move.

Best Wood Burning Fire Pit for Cooking – PaPaJet 36 inch

The PaPaJet double grill fire pit is an economical choice for a wood-burning fire pit for cooking. 

What I like about this fire pit is the two adjustable cooking racks that come standard with the fire pit. The larger bottom rack is 18 inches in diameter, and the smaller top rack is 15 inches. 

Each cooking rack swivels 360 degrees, and you can move them independently of each other. 

It is made from powder-coated steel, so you cannot cook directly on the racks. Instead, PaPaJet recommends covering the grates in foil. I would recommend using a cast iron skillet placed on the racks. 

The fire pit itself is a large 36 inches and will hold up to 15 pounds of wood. 

The cooking racks and pole stores inside the fire pit when not in use, and the flat fire pit lid turns the fire pit into a low table – a great feature. 

Best Propane Fire Pit For Cooking – Ignik FireCan Deluxe

The Ignik FireCan Deluxe Portable Propane Fire Pit and Grill is a game-changer for outdoor cooking during a burn ban. 

It is smaller than other fire pits on this list, with a cooking surface of 10.5 x 5.25 inches. What I love about this, however, is the removable grease trap. The cooking grill sits inside the FireCan, making cooking and cleanup a breeze. 

Including a tool-less, quick-release 5-foot hose with an adjustable regulator allows you to control the flame height and heat output (up to 38,000 BTU), giving you the perfect cooking experience every time.

You can use it like an oven with the lid on or a grill with the lid off. 

Weighing 14 pounds, it is about the size of an ammo can and is great for cooking for one or two people.

Best Smokeless Fire Pit – Inno Stage Portable Fire Pit & Grill

If you don’t have the budget for a Solo Stove cooking system, take a look at the Inno Stage portable fire pit and grill. While it is smaller than the Solo Stove bonfire and doesn’t offer any cast iron components, it is made from 304-grade stainless steel so that you can cook directly on the grill plate.

The cooking surface is 11.4 inches wide – around half that of the Solo Stove Bonfire or Yukon. Even the small Solo Stove Ranger has a larger cooking surface than this (14.25 inches). But what it lacks in size, it makes up for with portability and price.

You can use both wood and wood pellets in this smokeless fire pit. One user has complained about the stainless steel top warping and their food burning, but upon looking at their images, the flames were at least a foot above the grill. No wonder this happened!

I like the large handles for lifting the grill plate on and off the fire pit. It just sits on top but is sturdy enough to remain stable. Overall for a budget fire pit under $100, it is worth a look. It also includes a carry case for easy portability.

Best Fire Pit With Rotisserie – Singlyfire

SINGLYFIRE is known for manufacturing various outdoor products, mainly propane and wood-burning fire pits. This Hong Kong-based company creates some of the best budget and unique fire pits of all shapes and sizes.

I’ve chosen the 37-inch model with the rotisserie attachment to feature on this list of the best fire pits for cooking. The rotisserie legs screw to the frame of the fire pit for stability. There are four height adjustments for the rotisserie.

For other types of cooking, for instance, grilling over the fire, you will need to buy a separate grill plate. This fire pit is only designed to be used as a rotisserie or fire pit.

Best Fire Pit Sphere for Cooking – Fissfire

Next on the list is the 35-inch Global Ball Fire Pit, which is not only epic in size but super efficient, too. This isn’t just your run-of-the-mill fire pit; its sleek, modern mesh design looks amazing and makes it a contender for the best fire pit design for cooking. Holding up to 15 lbs. of firewood keeps the flames strong, so your bonfire party continues without interruption.

The Fissfire fire pit has safety covered as well. The spark screen has an easy-to-grip handle, letting you take charge of the flames. Plus, it keeps any stray embers and debris in check, making your bonfire session safer. And let’s not forget about the steel handles on each side—moving this fire pit is like a walk in the park.

The body of this fire pit is crafted with heavy-duty steel, so it’s solid and steady as a rock. No fear of warping or wobbling; it has four sturdy legs to ensure that. You can sit back and enjoy the warmth, knowing this fire pit’s going nowhere.

On top of all that, this fire pit is a breeze to clean and built to last. It has a high heat-resistant finish, ready to stand up to even the wildest bonfire parties. And the ash fire bowl tray with handles makes cleaning up after your bonfire party extremely easy!

Largest Fire Pit for Cooking – CastleCreek 47 Inch

CASTLECREEK fire pit is another go-to option if you are looking for a large fire pit to cook on. This outdoor fire pit is made of sturdy steel and weighs 77 pounds. I suggest assembling it where you want to use it, as it is heavy to move.

It comes with an adjustable 28-inch barbecue grate you can set at four different levels using a pin on the side. This grill swings 360 degrees. The handle is a little short on this and does get hot, so make sure you use a glove if you turn it while the fire pit is burning.

I like the outer table ring design. Warm up pots and pans here, or sit down your cooking utensils. The sturdiness and size are the selling points for me and the customers that have reviewed this fire pit after using it for 3+ years.

Price-wise, it’s not as affordable as the PaPaJet fire pit, but also not as expensive as the Solo Stove. It’s a good middle-of-the-range option that should last you more than one season with adequate storage and care.

Best Fire Pit Table for Cooking – Sunvuepatio 7 Piece Set

The Sunvuepatio 7-piece fire pit table set converts your backyard into a lively and cozy hangout spot. This collection includes a spacious 52-inch round table, four cozy dining chairs, and a pair of swivel rockers. Picture yourself relaxing around the fire pit table with shrimp on the grill and wine in hand.

When it comes to durability, there’s no need for stress. The fire pit set boasts a cast aluminum build, promising reliable strength for the comfiest seating and rust resistance. So, through sunshine or rainstorms, this set is prepared to weather the conditions.

In addition, each of the chairs features a walnut-hued seat cushion crafted in 100% polyester, offering a comfort upgrade while sprucing up your outdoor aesthetics. The cherry on top? It’s super easy to look after.

The best feature of this fire pit set is its multipurpose design. When you’re not using the fire pit for cooking up a feast or generating heat, you can cover it up, and it doubles as a table. This makes it a flexible, stylish and luxurious addition to your backyard.

Best Fire Pit Grill Grate for Cooking – Sunnydaze Cooking Grate

If you have an existing fire pit but a looking for a grill grate to cook on, take a look at Sunnydaze X-Marks fire pit cooking grate. It is available in 7 sizes, from 19 to 40 inches, to suit different fire pits.

This fire pit grate has a robust construction. Crafted from heavy-duty steel, it’s designed to survive those sizzling temperatures, although users have said it has warped a little with very high heat.

The grate will hold up to 25 pounds so you can use your cast iron pans on this grate. I like the tilted handle design, so I can sit over your fire pit or inside a rim without the handles getting in the way.

While Sunnydaze says you can cook directly on the grate, it is coated with high-temperature paint, so I’d err on the side of caution and use cast iron cookware instead.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fire Pits for Cooking