Best Fire Pit Tables for 2024 | Australian Buyers’ Guide

Fire Pit Tables Australian Buyers' Guide

What are Fire Pit Tables?

Fire pits are self-contained fires, either dug out of the ground or raised up on benches. Unlike BBQs, fire pits are designed for heating, not eating but when it comes to fire pit tables, they often come with grills and other accessories.

There are loads of variables with fire pits though, and finding the best fire pit table is going to mean making a few important decisions. There are, for example, the big differences between traditional fire pits, and the all-singing, all-dancing, gas fire pit tables.

Plus, whatever design you stump for will usually come as either gas, or wood-fired, giving you some difficult decisions to make around efficiency, sustainability, and appearance.

In this guide, we’re going to explain what to look for when buying a fire pit table, the different types of fire pit you can buy (gas, wood, grill, etc.) and how to install a fire pit table safely.

What to Look for When Buying a Fire Pit Table

Fire pits used to be about heating, and they still are, but today’s modern fire pit tables are so precisely designed that probably the biggest choice you’re going to face is visual appeal.

And it’s not as simple as saying “right, which model looks good on paper”. You’ve got to really get to grips with your outdoor space, and find a fire table that’s going to look good in your own garden.

Some gardens are beautiful, natural havens, while others are mini-metropolises, full of gadgets, crisp lines, and modern lighting. Other gardens are excitingly messy wildlife sanctuaries, with deliberately overgrown hedges, areas of scrub, and patios made of nothing more than screen.

The Best Fire Pit Fuel

When you’ve decided on the look of your new fire pit table, you need to think about fuel. I’d love to come out and say that there was a simple answer to what was the most sustainable, environmentally friendly way to heat a patio, but just like heating a home, there’s no simple answer.

• Gas fires produce fewer toxins and burn cleaner than wood. 
• Kiln-dried, or cured timber is mostly harvested from sustainable sites, with coppiced wood pellets adding another layer of sustainability. 
• It’s impossible to know where each bottle of gas is coming from, or the air miles involved in timber kindling.
• Gas and coal fires both burn using fossil fuels, but gas is significantly cleaner.
• Some states in Australia ban coal and burning green wood too, so check local laws.

So clearly it’s a bit of a puzzle finding the right fuel, but personally, I prefer the old fashioned way of doing things.

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If you’ve got access to local timber, and have space to dry it, nothing beats the heat of cured timber (and you can use wood ash around the garden too – it makes an excellent fertiliser for bulbs in particular).

Different Types of Fire Pit Tables

If you want to really impress guests, there’s nothing quite as luxurious as a fire pit table, but if you’re more of a tree hugger like us, then a good old fashioned campfire is unbeatable for comfort.

Below, we look at all the different types of fire pit tables you can buy to find the right feel for your space.

Gas Fire Pit Tables

Gas fire pit tables are the simplest pits to light, with readily available fuel, and for years have been the most affordable option for heating patios or campsites. However, in recent months the price of gas in all its forms has shot right up, making this once-reliable choice a little less of a go-to. 

The big benefit of gas fire pits is that they burn cleaner than coal and timber, so are much more comfortable to sit around for long periods without getting smoky odours embedded in all your clothes.

Wood Fire Pit Tables

In a bid to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels we recently changed over all our gas fires to wood fires. It’s higher maintenance and the overall environmental impact is basically neutral, but it helps to keep costs down as we’ve got access to some good coppicing timber. 

Not everyone has that, but cured timber is pretty cheap in DIY stores, and the fact is that wood burning fire pit tables will always look more authentic than gas stoves.

The heat from wood fire pit tables is superior too, and toasting marshmallows just isn’t the same on any other fire.

How to Install a Fire Pit Table: Safety Guide

To install a fire pit table in the garden you’re going to need the right base. Some models are basically safe everywhere because your fire is contained in purpose-built pits that raise the worst of the heat away from any combustible surfaces.

However, lower down fire pit tables, and wood-burning tables need some extra consideration if you’re installing them near a house:

1. For fire pits on decking, you can buy fire mats, or even replace the decking with stone tiles. You can buy square fire pit mats, or round fire pit mats for quick delivery online.
2. Never install a fire pit under a canopy, cinders rise and can catch on fabric, and smoke and carbon monoxide is contained under canopies (even with open sides).
3. Make sure the base is level and your fire pit table won’t rock.

Fire Pit Table Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put a fire pit on the deck?

You should never install sunken fire bowls in timber decking, so either replace the decking with stone tiles or use raised fire pits with a barrier mat underneath.

Gas fire pits are safer for use near the house too, with more controllable flames, and tilt switches which stop the flow of gas if the fire pits are knocked.

What material is best for a fire pit table?

Firepit tables built from cast iron are not only great looking, but they hold heat really well and can withstand high temperatures without buckling like steel.

For gas fires, ensuring they are built from decent weatherproof materials is important to avoid leaks down the line.

How long do fire pit tables last?

Depending on the build quality, and how often you use it they can last for a few days to an entire lifetime. A well-built wood fire pit will last forever, but basic portable fire pits tend to have more problems over time, like rusting parts.

Help portable fire pits last longer by regularly cleaning any debris after each use. Check out our comprehensive guide for choosing the best assorted fire pits available in Australia for more options. 

Is it ok to leave a fire pit burning overnight?

It’s always tempting to walk off and leave burning embers in a fire pit when you’re ready for bed, but in hot Australian summers, fire pits can hold heat in their embers for up to eight hours and can re-light if there is any fuel left on the fire.

How ashes can travel in high winds as well, causing damage to neighbouring properties as well as your own.