Your fire pit isn’t just for fall: Enjoy it no matter the season – CNET

Spending time outside in natural settings isn’t just relaxing. Research indicates that it can be good for your health, too. One enjoyable way to increase your total dose of nature is to use an outdoor fire pit — and these hearths aren’t just for fall gatherings either. With a little preparation, you can easily bask in the warm glow of your cozy fire pit all year round.

Read more: Best fire pit to buy for 2022

Winter

Sitting out in front of your fire pit during colder months may not sound like much fun, but fire pits produce plenty of heat. In fact, many smokeless fire pit models are particularly good at spreading their warmth. 

For instance, the Breeo X Series gets hot enough to cook over even in the depths of winter. The fire pit’s steel construction and sear plate also put out plenty of radiant heat.

Solo Stove is another well-regarded smokeless fire pit brand. Its products operate at high temperatures, consuming wood with an efficient low-smoke burn. The company also recently announced a new heat deflector accessory that’s designed to push as much heat as possible out and to the sides of the fire. Due to supply chain problems, however, the product is on backorder until May. The good news is that you don’t have to use a fancy deflector to up your pit’s heat output.

There’s always the Swedish torch method. This style of fire-building calls for stacking as much wood into your pit at once as you can. You also stack logs vertically so that their ends stick out of the pit lengthwise. You then light the wood from the top center of the stack. As the fire burns, it travels from the inside outwards and gradually moves from top to bottom. This style of fire produces a more radiant heat, perfect for cold weather.

Spring

As winter recedes and temperatures begin to grow warmer, the urge to fire up your pit will increase. It always does for me. And if you plan to take advantage of the change in seasons to tidy up your yard, your pit can help, as well. 

Burning dry, dead branches and fallen leaves that have piled up over the winter is always satisfying, and definitely more fun than stuffing them in yard waste bags for disposal. Just be sure not to burn any treated lumber, since it will emit hazardous fumes. Likewise, before you ignite anything, it’s always a good idea to check any local fire restrictions due to dry foliage or risk of forest fires. 

Summer 

The arrival of hot weather means it’s the start of grilling season — and one of the best ways to cook outdoors is with a wood-burning fire pit. 

Most fire pits can operate as simple cookers right out of the box. Think basic hot dogs and s’mores. Add in the right cooking accessories, though, and these fire pits become true outdoor stoves and grills. 

Solo Stove, for example, offers cooking system bundles for all of its fire pits. They run the gamut from grills and woks to stands for your own cast-iron pots and pans.

Breeo also sells various aftermarket cooking products for its pits. For instance, the Breeo Outpost Grill attaches to the side of X Series fire pits, and you can use it to grill food directly or as a stand for cookware. The Outpost comes with steak too so you can mount it over ordinary campfires.

You can’t count BioLite out in this regard, either. The company hawks a FirePit cook accessory set that includes a grill lid, a cast-iron griddle and various cooking utensils.

Fall

For most people, fall is when your fire pit gets the most use. No doubt that’s because it’s hard to beat the lovely smell of a hardwood fire when there’s a chill in the air. Fall is football season too. Think about hosting your own personal tailgate or even a larger gathering right in your yard. Now that’s a great way to watch the game.

So whether it happens to summer, spring, winter or fall, you have plenty of reasons to ignite your fire pit. Your backyard beckons.