If you don't own one, I recommend a propane fire pit!

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Jkoht

Jkoht

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Jul 24, 2017
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In a previous post I mentioned I was just recently camping in Wisconsin Dells for a week. Before the trip I bought a propane fire pit from Fleet Farm for $60. It's got folding legs, 3 heat settings, lava rock to cover the burner, and comes with a bag to store it. It's meant for the 2lb throwaway cylinders but I bought a hose for a 20lb tank that I kept in an egg crate. I think it was the best money I've ever spent. Every night that week we were able to have a fire, for multiple hours, without burning though the single tank. Being that it's on legs we were able to keep it on our outside rug because the heat didn't transfer down, and since there seemed to be a nightly drizzle any time it started up we just pulled it closer under the awning and kept on enjoying it. It saved us who knows how much money on $7 little bundles of wet campground wood, wood that we watched multiple people struggle to light. Granted it doesnt have that cozy wood smoke smell, but at the same time we didn't turn in at night smelling like it either, and when we turn it off there's no coals to worry about. We were able to roast marshmallows over it without any issue, and I'd have to imagine hot dogs would be the same. In theory I bet you could clear the rocks off the burner and use it to cook or percolate a coffee pot if need be. Any way I just wanted to say if you haven't looked into one of these I'd highly recommend it.
 
I second that since it will keep me and any of your other neighbors from suffering from your wood fire smoke !

Jack L
 
Figured I'd post a picture of it just for fun.
 

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Our friends have  a large one and it worked a treat during fire ban in Death Valley. We might get one if we can free up some space! 
 
jackiemac said:
Our friends have  a large one and it worked a treat during fire ban in Death Valley. We might get one if we can free up some space!
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The one I bought is relatively compact. Maybe the size of a hubcap and it doesnt weigh much at all, 6 pounds maybe. Who knows what its longevity will be but at the price I can always get another in a few years.
 
a 20lb propane tank has ~433,000 BTUs in it (dependent on the specific heating value of the propane). The propane fire pit I have is 55,000BTU/hr so say the 'medium' setting is ~30,000BTU, it should run for a bit more than 14 hours on a 20lb bottle
 
Jkoht said:
The one I bought is relatively compact. Maybe the size of a hubcap and it doesnt weigh much at all, 6 pounds maybe. Who knows what its longevity will be but at the price I can always get another in a few years.
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That sounds perfect!  Thanks for the tip.
 
Kevin Means said:
At its medium setting, how long do you think it would run on that size bottle of propane? Been thinking of getting one.

Kev
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We used it mostly on the low setting as that seemed to be perfectly adequate, but there has been some mixed use at other settings. Right now I'd guess we have 18-20 hours of burn time on the current tank and are still not empty.
 
Jkoht said:
Any way I just wanted to say if you haven't looked into one of these I'd highly recommend it.
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NEVER!  :)

Even with all of the numerous "advantages" users of these burners hail, you'll never convince this old-time country guy who has burned real firewood for decades, that some new-fangled gas fired appliance like this is anything less than blasphemous!

Yeah, I know-- our friends who have one are sitting around the flame, toasting whatevers, and warming their whatevers-- while this old curmudgeon is sulking in the background refusing to participate. With the same conviction I won't buy the green over-priced campground wood either preferring to do without campfires altogether rather than give in to bottled gas.  ;)
 
jymbee said:
NEVER!  :)

Even with all of the numerous "advantages" users of these burners hail, you'll never convince this old-time country guy who has burned real firewood for decades, that some new-fangled gas fired appliance like this is anything less than blasphemous!

Yeah, I know-- our friends who have one are sitting around the flame, toasting whatevers, and warming their whatevers-- while this old curmudgeon is sulking in the background refusing to participate. With the same conviction I won't buy the green over-priced campground wood either preferring to do without campfires altogether rather than give in to bottled gas.  ;)
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I have a gas grill/smoker but i'm old school too..    always use an old smokey with oak lump wood charcoal or kingsford in an emergency..!
gas grills are for wieners !!
 
I have a portable pit too. I went with a 1 gallon refillable tank as it fit easily in my storage bay. I get about 2 uses out of it for the pit, about 2 hours each. 
 
We really love a campfire but we have seen a lot of fire bans which always disappoints so having a pit as a back up might be nice!
 
Jkoht said:
In a previous post I mentioned I was just recently camping in Wisconsin Dells for a week. Before the trip I bought a propane fire pit from Fleet Farm for $60. It's got folding legs, 3 heat settings, lava rock to cover the burner, and comes with a bag to store it. It's meant for the 2lb throwaway cylinders but I bought a hose for a 20lb tank that I kept in an egg crate. I think it was the best money I've ever spent. Every night that week we were able to have a fire, for multiple hours, without burning though the single tank. Being that it's on legs we were able to keep it on our outside rug because the heat didn't transfer down, and since there seemed to be a nightly drizzle any time it started up we just pulled it closer under the awning and kept on enjoying it. It saved us who knows how much money on $7 little bundles of wet campground wood, wood that we watched multiple people struggle to light. Granted it doesnt have that cozy wood smoke smell, but at the same time we didn't turn in at night smelling like it either, and when we turn it off there's no coals to worry about. We were able to roast marshmallows over it without any issue, and I'd have to imagine hot dogs would be the same. In theory I bet you could clear the rocks off the burner and use it to cook or percolate a coffee pot if need be. Any way I just wanted to say if you haven't looked into one of these I'd highly recommend it.
Click to expand...
                                                                                                                         

We bought one a couple years ago and have basically did the same as you with the 20# bottle. We have even done hot dogs and smores on it and it worked great. We think it is the best thing since peanut butter!
Edit: Fix quote.
 
Sure I like a real fire as much as the next person, having said that our gas Camco Little Red Campfire, is certainly handy, quick to set up when only stopping for a night or two, and beats paying $10 for a bundle of firewood that I can carry with one hand.
 
And on behalf of your neighboring campers, thank you for not smoking up their experience.
 
Like others, I prefer a real fire.  And to @PopPop51's point, I'm usually 100's or even 1000's of yards from the nearest other camper.  But ....  bans in the Southwest mean this time of year my portable propane fire gets some heavy use.

-Chak
 
SargeW said:
I have a portable pit too. I went with a 1 gallon refillable tank as it fit easily in my storage bay. I get about 2 uses out of it for the pit, about 2 hours each.
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Sarge, didn't know there was a 1 gallon tank.  Other than weight, why not a 5 gallon tank?

I've got a gas fireplace as well.  IIRC, the amount of fuel it uses is significant.  I'll have to check again but if memory serves, a 5 gallon tank wouldn't last more than a couple days. 
 
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