Updated 21 April, 2022
A fire pit is a small wood or charcoal-burning campfire that is both portable and light weight and is a perfect companion for the great outdoors and capable of delivering a hotter fire than just camp cooking on the ground or in a hole.
Mostly made from mild steel, the majority of fire pits will pack down flat for easy transport in the back of your car, truck, or SUV.
Easy to clean up and pack down after use, a portable fire pit is convenient for outdoor use such as day trips, picnics or longer-term outdoor adventures. In this article, we take you through the different styles of camping fire puts, explain their pros and cons and give you some top tips on their use. Happy camping!
When deciding upon which type of camping fire pit is the best for you and your family, it’s a good idea to consider how you mostly plan to use it.
For example, if you’ve got many camping trips planned for this year where you’ll be in the bush or unattended camping grounds, then a portable fire pit is a necessary piece of camping gear. If you need a portable fire to keep people warm, or for camp cooking, then the best camping fire pits are the ones that have a wide, open top and sturdy base.
Usually built from pressed or mild steel, the best fire pits in this category simply slot together and don’t require any multi tools to assemble. Your new fire pit should also help you to reduce smoke and provide the same amount of light and heat as a regular campfire on the ground.
It’s a great way to bring along the warmth and light of a fire without the risk of starting an open fire and having to control straying embers. Also, if you and your family love to cook when at the campsite, a fire pit is a perfect size to do a range of cooking, either with a camp oven or on the grill over the coals with safety.
PS – Look for a fire pit with a carry bag, to save yourself a lot of hassles when transporting it.
Usually laser cut and made from 3mm or 4mm mild steel and the ultimate portable option, a portable fire pits are a great addition to your camping arsenal. Good for sustaining a fire with plenty of heat and without too much annoying smoke, portable fire pits are built for this purpose.
Consisting of 3 or 4 flat metal parts that slot together without welding or screws, portable fire pits also usually require no additional tools to assemble or pull down at the end of a trip.
Another way to bring the comfort of fire with you is a portable wood stove. These portable wood stoves have all the features of fixed wood stove, but are less like an open fireplace and more like a portable pot-belly stove where you can enjoy some camp cooking, set up chairs, and relax around the flames.
Usually manufactured from cast-iron steel, portable wood stoves have collapsible legs and foldable sides that quickly move in various camping locations.
Fire pits are portable and easy to clean up after. You just have to rake the ashes out of the fire pit, brush off any unburned wood chips that might be on the coals, then pack everything up again.
A lot easier than packing away a portable gas or propane camping fire pit or a fire built directly on the ground where you have to take care not to leave any debris at the campsite behind on your next camping trip.
Portable wood-burning campfires used as portable pit are easy to store and transport because you can easily fold them up flat when not in use or break them down into their component pieces. They’re also light enough to pick up without too much effort and can easily be thrown into the back of your truck or SUV for transport.
Our fire pits are built from 100% Australian Bluescope® Steel and are a quality product, built tough for our Aussie conditions. Made from four sections that slot together neatly, the fire pits have two endplates on either end and a base in the middle of where the fire will be placed.
Convenient handles on each end allow you to quickly move it from one location to another on the campsite if need be.
A good size canvas bag is a great way to protect your fire pit, and stop all the dirt and ash getting all over your car. It’s always is a good idea to store your pit in a canvas bag to help prevent rust build up as well. As most products are designed to be flat-packed, a carry bag often has enough room to store some tools as well in the side pockets or zippered sections.
Usually available as an add-on to your fire pit purchase, a lightweight and portable ashtray or base plate is a great way to stop burning embers and ash falling out of the fire pit and onto the ground. You only need to step on a hot coal with no shoes on once to understand the importance of keeping everything contained. YEOIUCH!
If you love to cook, a flat top grill made from steel is an excellent way to increase the range of cooking options you have when out in the bush with family and friends.
A sturdy grill ( free from rust, of course! ) is a great way of cooking sausages, steaks or even fish and vegetable with a minimum of fuss and cleanup. Check out our article on cooking for some quick, easy and delicious recipes!
Although not specifically designed for camping or hiking, a heat shield is a perfect addition to your new fire pit, especially if you like to have your fire pit setup close to your tents, kitchen or vehicles.
To protect the grass or lawn underneath a burning fire pit, it’s a good idea to invest in a fire-proof or fire-resistant mat. These slip under the fire pit and form a shield on top of the grass to stop radiant heat and embers from penetrating and ruining the green lawn and leaving unsightly burn marks. We’ve got a good article with heaps of tips and tricks to stop a fire pit from ruining your lawn.
f you wait until the flames have died down and you just have hot coals left, it is often possible to move the camping fire pit. Always make sure to use fireproof, heatproof, approved gloves to move the pit.
It is recommended to have two people carry the fire pit, one on each side and work as a team. It is essential to keep the portable camping fire pit from tipping over. If you have a heat shield that came with your fire pit, make sure it has cooled too before you touch it!
You should still use caution at all times when dealing with fire and hot coals. Once you are ready to pack it up, it’s a good idea to purchase a canvas carry bag for your fire pit, to keep everything together and avoid getting ash and soot on your other equipment and vehicle.
A good-quality fire pit is an essential item in your camp kit. They are light weight, easy to assemble, clean, and bring added safety to your adventure.
Best of all, they go together with no tools required. You still get the benefits of a real wood-burning fire ( and that authentic camp cooking taste ) that you look forward to on your camping trip but with less hassle and added safety to your adventure. You still get the real wood-burning fire that you look forward to on your camping trip but with less hassle.
My family cherishes our adventures around Australia and we take our collapsible fire pit everywhere with us, for warmth and a great way to cook outdoors.
WINNER! We’ve backed it up and won the Best Australian Custom Fire Pit manufacturer award!
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We design and manufacture 100% Australian made custom fire pits, portable fire pits and flat pack fire pits for customers right around the country.
