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. 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. 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

The height will often depend on whether you want to rest things on a table, but if you want to feel the warmth from your pit, you shouldn’t go much higher than 50cm from the ground. 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. 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. 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 retailersA 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. 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. Chimineas are front-loading, freestanding fireplaces with a round bottom and a vertical chimney. Typically they're made of clay, cast iron or steel and come in a variety of sizes – opt for a model that you can cook on, too. Portable / durable / low smoke / 360-degree Airflow Design / airflow holes at base and top / integrated ash pan / precision base plate / burns chunk wood / made from 304 stainless steel / lifetime guarantee / dimensions: 15” x 13”.

Don’t make your pit too small or too big. Too small and the fire won’t get started; too big and it can get out of control. The average size is 0.9-1.2 metres wide. Chimineas are normally smaller in width compared with fire pits, but much taller. The surrounding walls offer more safety because they can contain the fire, while also retaining heat and funnelling the smoke upwards rather than outwards, which a fire pit does. 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. No outdoor heater is ‘good’ for the environment. Unfortunately, wrapping yourself up in a blanket or throwing on an extra jumper is the only real eco-friendly way to stay warm in your garden. Built to sit directly on an existing surface, a tabletop fire pit is great if you're looking for something small and portable.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.