I’ve gone through a few fire pits over the years and by far my favorite pit is the one I got last spring from Fire Pit Art because I know it’s the last one I’ll ever have to buy. Fire Pit Art has a lot of cool, custom-made pit designs to choose from but the one I got is called, “Asia” and it’s simply shaped like a large shallow bowl or one of those flying saucer pans we used for sleds when we were kids. The difference is that the “Asia” is a lot cooler looking than a giant wok or a kid’s flying saucer, and it’s a heck of a lot safer, too. Don’t get the wrong idea, I’m in no way suggesting that anyone use one of those other things to build a fire, although some individuals have undoubtedly tried it. If you want something cheap that you don’t count on using more than once or twice before it falls apart, then go to Walmart or Home Depot and get one of their manufactured fire pits from overseas.

Fire Pit Art’s “Asia” is made in the U.S.A. and made to last. How often do you see that? I’m one of these people who live outside and I use my fire pit a lot, so I needed something big and sturdy that could put out some serious heat while I’m working in the yard or having friends over on the weekend. But I also wanted a fire pit that looked nicer than just a backyard grill or a scorched pile of bricks. I wanted something sleek and Zen looking to compliment the landscaping around my house. I tried a couple of other “designer” fire pits but they weren’t nearly big enough and couldn’t stand up to a lot of use.

The “Asia” fire pit bowl I have now is 48” wide but they also come in diameters 36”, 60”, and even an Olympic size 72”. They are made of 1/4” durable carbon steel and the inside is also coated with a heat-resistant material so I can stoke this thing up as high as I want to, and it’s wide enough that I don’t even need the spark screen that I bought. These fire pits are OK to use on a deck if you have a brick base under it, and they can be converted to gas or propane. I have mine out in the yard because I’m always clearing and burning stuff. It’s not exactly portable but I can move it if I had to, and the important thing is knowing this fire bowl isn’t going to tip over or rust out within a year. It’s maintenance-free. I’ve used it quite a bit this summer and it’s been left out in all kinds of weather, and it still looks good if not better now that it’s broken in. Fire Pit Art is my pick for quality and functionality. Check them out here.