Are you renovating your garden? If so, how about adding a hot tub? Here's our hot tub buying guide . What material is best for a fire pit? Stainless steel However most fire pits will give you a full 360-degree view and allow you to make a larger fire. Patio heaters Easy to set-up / collapsible and portable / burns wood or charcoal / integrated ashtray / powder-coated steel and stainless steel materials / windshields and air inlet tray / grill grate / secure storage strap included / dimensions: 53x39x6cm. You’ll also have the added expense of buying the gas and you’ll need to make sure it’s topped up before entertaining. You can get a variety of designs, including coffee tables, dining tables and high-top tables; they’re almost always powered by gas or electric, but you can get wood-burning ones, too. We list brands to buy in our garden furniture buying guide.

A patio heater won’t give the same experience as a fire pit or a chiminea, though, and you won’t be able to cook on it, either. Ideal if you like to go camping or you don’t want the fire pit to be a permanent fixture in your garden. Portable fire pits should be lightweight, and preferably have wheels and/or a carry case to make it easy to manoeuvre and store. Made of iron, they come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be used as a permanent or portable pit. To keep yours in good condition, you should rub it with oil after every other use. Gaining popularity as we all spend more time at home, fire pits are super versatile and can add some glamour to your garden. But choosing the right type, size and material before investing is essential. This artsy centrepiece is part of Aldi's garden shop range. It features a modern chrome-plated geometric design and stone-effect finish.The steel will oxidise naturally over time, so it shouldn't need much maintenance. John Lewis La Hacienda Westcott Fire Pit A BBQ fire pit is a great multifunctional tool, in that you can use it for flame-grill cooking as well as warmth (perfect if you're short on space). It makes an interesting centrepiece for any garden event, and if you opt for a larger than average pit, it can accommodate food for big parties. Normally made of steel, this style of fire pit features intricate designs that create a picture silhouette lit by the flames behind them. You can choose from a variety of sizes, shapes and designs. This log-fuelled compact fire pit is comprised of a steel bowl and comes with many accessories, such as a fire safety screen, carry bag and fire tool. Wet logs and house coal emit higher levels of PM so if you still want to invest in a fire pit, always burn dry wood.

One-minute set-up time / 24” x 24” burn area / Nylon carrybag / fire mesh / ember guards / collapsible frame / heat shield / made from 304 stainless steel and aircraft aluminium / lifetime guarantee / dimensions (opened): 24″x24″x15″. Find out the running costs and which we named best patio heater. Are outdoor heaters bad for the environment?The flames are powered through gas that you can easily switch on and off. You can get portable models, however most gas fire pits tend to be permanent –and they can be expensive. Ideally, you'd get to see some fire pits in store before buying, but if this isn’t possible, find out as much information about it as possible before investing. No camping trip is truly complete until you’ve spent a long evening chilling with your friends around the campfire. Good banter, cold beers and sizzling steaks (or roasting marshmallows) under a starry sky – it’s a magical experience. Fancy it? Then you need a portable fire pit. This steel bowl kadai-style fire pit from John Lewis features a 'contemporary, minimalist bowl design', and is made from steel which will oxidise over time to give it a more rustic look. Fire pits and chimineas aren’t great either. In fact, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), while UK air quality has improved significantly over the past few decades, the burning of solid fuels (such as coal and wood) in our homes is the largest contributor of harmful particulate-matter (PM) emissions.

This is because when wood is burned, it releases harmful pollutants, such as small particles known as PM2.5. These tiny particles can be easily inhaled and can enter the bloodstream. This low-standing, steel fire pit will provide 360 degrees of wood-burning fire. It has three legs, as well as handles, so it can easily be manoeuvred around the garden and you can cook food over it if you want.Make a hole in the middle of the base the pit will sit on and fill it with gravel to help drain rain water; then cover the entire base area with gravel. Patio heaters are powered by gas or electric and come in all shapes and sizes. You can also find heaters for a wide range of budgets. A fire pit is an open, lidless container in which a fire can be lit using wood or charcoal. Or, to put it another way, a fire pit is a no-nonsense version of a barbecue, with an extra touch of rugged, outdoorsy appeal. You can cook over a fire pit, or you can simply light it for the warmth.

If you want something to keep you warm while relaxing in your garden but don’t fancy a fire pit, here are some other outdoor heating options to try. Chimineas Fortunately, if you're looking to save money, some of the more affordable materials are durable , so you won’t need to keep replacing it each year. Is a wood-burning stove bad for the environment, too? Our guide covers everything you need to know about stoves and pollution . How we selected prices and retailers This BBQ fire pit also comes with a removable grate and fire guard for cooking, and Aldi say it's light, portable, and simple to assemble. The Range Industrial Fire Pit Do remember that the more basic options won’t come with safety extras such as lids or screens, so you might need to spend a little more on accessories.These fire pits are usually log-fuelled, and you can even burn certain wood chips to flavour your food. However, it's worth bearing in mind that they can produce a lot of smoke from the meat or oil drippings, so they need to be cleaned frequently.