Large smokeless fire pits tend to extend radiant heat farther than smaller models and will be able to keep more people warm on cool evenings. Many of the smaller units come with carrying cases that help protect the fire pit and make it even easier to carry. Some models designed for maximum portability are built so that one part nests into another part for easier travel and more compact storage.

The Tiki screen comes with a poker-style tool that you can use to remove the screen when it’s hot and to rearrange logs . The screen does make the stove’s opening a little smaller, but she didn’t have any problems reaching in to tend the fire. We also like that you can remove the lid and hang it off the rim while you add more logs. It also comes with a quality-feeling cover to keep the rain off, and a removable ashtray to make dumping out the pellet ash pain-free. Pellets burn more evenly than wood chunks so the ash never has unburned lumps. I think I like pellet pits more than wood now, and the Pit Boss has helped me in that decision.

When all smoke and smoldering has stopped and the wall of the fire pit has cooled to ambient temperature, it is safe to clean and store. Cooling time varies by size and the amount of material in the fire pit. Though not as efficient as gas, wood pellets contain less moisture than wood and burn more efficiently than firewood. Pellets are less bulky and are better suited for smaller smokeless fire pits. Unlike classic DIY fire pits, smokeless models eliminate smoke and reduce ash, thanks to their dual-wall design. The air space in the fire pit wall becomes a heat-powered convection chamber.

I like to have a fire pit or a place where we can sit with a good book and a nice pipe to enjoy a smoke while we share stories and laughs. It says its stainless steel so it should hold up to the elements. Achieving a completely smokeless fire is impossible, but some products can be considered virtually smokeless.

Smokeless fire pits use a variety of fuel types, including pellets, propane, and firewood. Propane smokeless fire pits are easy to light and produce no smoke at all; however, they don’t offer the same cozy campfire experience of a wood-burning fire. Of the three similarly sized wood pellet fire pits we tried, the Flame Genie burned its pellets what is wood fracking the slowest. Because it has fewer vent holes and less air movement through the pellets, the flame was slightly lower than either the Inno Stage or Blue Sky models. The restricted airflow also caused it to leave a deeper bed of glowing embers behind after the flame died down, at around 40 minutes; these faded away by the 2-hour mark.