Best Wood Burning Fire Pit for Cooking (Top-Rated & Safe)

close up of a Breeo fire pit with a cooking grill above with some corn cooking

Wood-burning fire pits are increasingly becoming the favorite go-to for cooking. They provide an alternative to the costly prices that come with gas cooking while simultaneously adding a unique flavor to your food and a unique experience for everyone involved in the process. So, what’s the best wood-burning fire pit for cooking? 

The best wood-burning fire pit for cooking is the Breeo X24 Series Fire Pit. It’s a smokeless fire pit that can be either corten or stainless steel, comes with cooking accessories, and is the ideal size for a small to medium-sized patio. This fire pit can accommodate up to 6 people and is an attractive option for any backyard. 

The rest of this article will discuss the top wood-burning fire pits for cooking, the safest ones, and the most versatile fire pits– and why you should consider them for your backyard firepit cooking. Let’s get started! 

Top-Rated Overall Fire Pit for Cooking: Breeo Smokeless X24 Series Fire Pit

A top-rated fire pit for cooking on the market is the Breeo X24 Series Smokeless Fire Pit. While the Breeo company offers a variety of fire pits, including the Y Series and the Luxeve, the X Series is the current favorite due to its versatility, size, and aesthetic. 

The X24 Series fire pit was built to allow more oxygen into the fire, reducing the pesky smoke that follows you home. It can accommodate groups of up to 6 people depending on which pit in the series you purchase, and they are all made using the highest quality materials to ensure they’re sturdy and long-lasting.

Pros

  • Smokeless experience: The Breeo series firepits are built with raised air vents at the pit’s base, allowing oxygen to feed the fire and producing much less smoke. They’re also double-walled with exit holes for smoke around the entire rim; this design encourages secondary combustion.
  • Cooking accessories. The Breeo series fire pits offer a full range of cooking accessories, such as kettle hooks, griddles, and traditional barbequing grills, to make outdoor cooking as simple as possible! Don’t forget to check out our 23 fun fire pit accessories YOU MUST HAVE
  • Size. The X24 is 27 inches (2.25 ft) in diameter and is perfect for medium to large outdoor patios. It sits at 70 pounds (31 kg) and requires minor assembly at first purchase, making it the best fire pit for groups of six and up. 
  • Professionally assembled. You can have someone professionally assemble your fire pit by paying a little extra, which is an excellent option if time is at a premium for you or you simply don’t feel like assembling the fire pit yourself.

Cons

  • Not portable. Since this fire pit isn’t portable, you need to ensure that you’ve chosen the best location for it because moving it will be challenging and may require the help of a professional. 
  • Not suitable for those on a budget. This high-quality fire pit will last you for many years, but it doesn’t come cheap. If you’re on a strict budget, it may not be the best option for you. 

Safest Fire Pit for Cooking: Bali Outdoors Wood Burning Fire Pit

Fire pits can act as a fire hazard, so it’s natural to look into your outdoor pit’s safety specs. Elevation and material are the most important aspects to fire pit safety, and the Bali Outdoor Fire Pit covers you on both fronts.

Pros

  • Elevation. The Bali Outdoor Fire Pit is elevated by 3 long, sturdy legs to keep the fire off the ground and away from anything hazardous. 
  • Built with alloy steel. This fire pit is made using alloy steel, one of the best and most durable metal materials for sustaining an outdoor fire. 
  • Great depth. The depth of the Bali Outdoor Fire pit makes for a strong and consistent fire for all your cooking needs, and the depth helps prevent sparks.

Cons

  • Tendency to rust. The Bali fire pit can rust if you don’t care for it properly, so additional accessories are needed to keep the steel in optimal condition.
  • Extra grill not included. Although the Bali pit has a ledge surrounding the whole pit for cooking, it’s best used with an extra attachable grill, which isn’t included with the fire pit purchase.

Most Versatile Fire Pit for Cooking: Solo Stove Ranger Cast Iron Wok

The Solo Stove Ranger Cast Iron Wok Firepit is slightly different from the other fire pits I’ve mentioned because its grilling station is a broad, sloping wok that sits on top of the stainless steel fire pit. This makes it one of the best for cooking delicious stir-fries.

This lightweight fire pit has several great features that will make your cooking experience all the more simple. The adjustable grilling height and removable ashtray are 2 big favorites, but the carrying case and stand are also up there.

Cast iron is an excellent cooking choice because the wok heats up steadily and distributes heat throughout the whole element evenly. This heat is actively maintained for the duration of your cooking time. 

Pros

  • Adaptable. Grilling height may or may not seem like an important feature of wood-burning fire pits, but it can be hard on the back over time when you need to bend down to make your food. The Ranger pit is adaptable in a plethora of ways.
  • Long-lasting. The Ranger Cast Iron Wok pit is polymerized, making it incredibly durable and long-lasting. After about 10 uses, the cast iron will warm up well and offers non-stick cooking.

Cons

  • Explicitly designed for Solo Stove grilling surfaces. The Ranger Cast Iron Wok is built to accommodate the company’s designated grilling surfaces (the cast iron wok and grill, for example), thus making it difficult to cook various barbecue meals.
  • Closed chamber. The Ranger Cast Iron Wok cooking bundle has a very modernized look– this can be either good or bad depending on preference, but the con is simply the closed chamber that hides the view of flames– which is half the enjoyment of wood-burning cooking.

Runners-Up

  • Big Sky Campfire Ring: This fire pit is quite budget-friendly, but it doesn’t offer the same experiences as the others mentioned in this list. This pit is designed for a campfire on the ground, similar to the one you’d see at a campsite. So, while it’s inexpensive, it also requires an extra grill or other cooking hardware to cook on it.
  • 31-Inch Steel Triangle Wood Burning Fire Pit. Although pricier, this 31-inch (2.58 feet) steel triangle wood-burning fire pit is unique and eye-catching because of its design. Its metal lid converts the burner to a table, and the ember cover protects from sparks while keeping the fire chamber open. 
  • Stainless Steel Fire Pit – Wildlife Design. This stainless steel fire pit is perfect for sitting around and grilling hot dogs and hamburgers. It has a large cover that acts as a grill and can accommodate a decent-sized group of people.
a stainless steel fire pit with a grill for cooking sitting in a backyard
Photo by JonsOutdoorCustoms
  • Wilderness Fire Pit with Grill and Pot Hangers. This fire pit is much more robust than the others, designed specifically for outdoor cooking. The Wilderness Fire Pit works wonders when camping with family and friends. It also comes with a grill and griddle, so you don’t have to purchase those elsewhere.
a wood-burning fire pit grill for cooking outdoors with eggs, coffee, and meat grilling on top
Photo by Campfirecookshop

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, the Breeo X24 is the best quality fire pit because it’s sturdy, smokeless, and perfectly sized. However, other brands offer different versatility, like the Bali Outdoor pit and the Ranger Cast Iron Wok pit. Size, safety, and quality are all factored into these fire pits. 

Now you know where to find the best wood-burning fire pit for cooking!

Was this content helpful?

Recent Posts

Legal Disclaimer

OutdoorFirePitIdeas.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Additionally, outdoorfirepitideas.com also participates in other affiliate and advertising programs, such as AdSense, ShareASale, Awin, Etsy, and CJ among others, and is compensated for referring traffic and business to them.

I’d love to hear your feedback!