Somewhere around June, most Australian backyards go quiet. The barbecue gets a cover, the outdoor chairs migrate to the shed, and a perfectly good entertaining area sits unused for three months. A decent fire pit changes that maths completely — it turns a cold courtyard into the warmest seat in the house, and it does it for less than a single restaurant dinner at the budget end.
The catch is that fire pits vary wildly. Some rust through in two winters, some weigh so much you will never move them again, and some are quietly illegal to light in your suburb on certain days. This guide walks through the choices that actually matter — material, portability, council rules, placement and cooking — then gives you real picks sized to your backyard.
How to choose a fire pit
Steel vs cast iron
Most fire pits sold in Australia are mild steel. It heats up fast, it is light enough to shift around the yard, and it keeps prices sensible. The trade-off is corrosion: raw mild steel rusts. Some designs treat that as a feature rather than a flaw — a heavy-gauge pit left to weather develops an even, rustic patina that suits a native garden, and because the steel is thick, surface rust takes many years to matter. Thinner budget pits with a painted finish look sharp on day one, but the coating burns off wherever the fire sits, so their lifespan comes down to how well you cover and drain them.
Cast iron is the other traditional option. It holds heat beautifully and lasts decades, but it is very heavy, and it can crack if it gets a sudden temperature shock — like a bucket of water tipped over a roaring fire. If you want cast iron, treat it as furniture: pick its spot once and let fires burn down naturally. For most people, a thick-walled steel pit plus a cover is the better balance of price, weight and longevity.
Portable or built to stay
Be honest about how you will use it. If you rent, camp, or want one pit that does the beach, the campsite and the courtyard, buy something light with a carry bag and folding or compact legs. If the pit is staying put on a paved area, weight is your friend — a heavy pit will not tip in wind, will not walk around when someone knocks it, and generally uses thicker steel that outlives cheaper portable units. There is no wrong answer, but a 40 kg statement piece is a poor camping companion, and a fold-up camp pit looks lost as the centrepiece of a big entertaining area.
Council rules: the two-minute version
Rules are set by your local council and they differ, so spend five minutes on your council's website before you buy. The common pattern across most of Australia: small solid-fuel fires for warmth or cooking are generally allowed in backyards, but burning rubbish, treated timber or green waste is not, and everything changes on a total fire ban day — no solid-fuel fire, full stop, fire pit included. Some inner-city and high-density councils restrict wood fires further, and most have smoke-nuisance provisions, which in practice means burn dry seasoned wood and be reasonable about wind direction and your neighbours' washing lines.
Placement, clearance and covers
Set the pit on level, non-combustible ground — pavers, gravel, brick or bare earth — with generous clearance from fences, buildings and overhanging branches. Never light one under a pergola, shade sail or awning. On timber decks, be very cautious: you need solid protection underneath and real clearance, and honestly the lawn or paving is the safer home. In leafy or windy spots, a spark screen is worth having, because embers travel further than most people expect.
The single cheapest thing you can do for a steel pit is keep water out of it. Rain mixing with old ash forms a corrosive sludge that eats through the bowl from the inside, which is why covered, emptied pits last years longer than neglected ones. Scoop the ash once it is stone cold, and only ever cover a pit that has fully cooled.
Cooking grates
A cooking grate turns a fire pit into a genuinely good wood-fired barbecue — arguably better than gas for anything you want smoky and charred. If you plan to cook, buy a pit designed for it, with a purpose-built grate that sits at a sensible height, rather than balancing an oven rack over the flames. The technique is simple: burn the wood down to glowing coals first, then cook over the coals, not the flames.
Sizing it to your backyard
For a courtyard or small paved area, a compact portable pit is plenty — big fires and small spaces are a bad mix. A standard suburban backyard suits a mid-sized bowl around 60–90 cm, which warms four to six chairs comfortably. If you have a big block and entertain in numbers, go larger and consider a 360-degree open design so nobody is stuck staring at the back of the pit.
The picks
Best budget and camping pick: Grillz Fire Pit BBQ Grill with Carry Bag — $50.98
A 2-in-1 fire pit and grill that packs into its own carry bag, so it does the campsite on the weekend and the courtyard on Wednesday night. It suits renters, campers and anyone testing whether fire pit life is for them before spending real money. Down from $89.99, so you save around $39.
Best all-rounder: Glow Eco Fuego Wood Fire Pit — $305.99
A portable outdoor fireplace that ships with both a cooking grate and a spark screen — the two accessories most people end up buying separately. The screen makes it the sensible choice for families with young kids or leafy, ember-prone gardens, and the grate means dinner is on the menu from night one. It is over $120 off its usual $428.38.
Best set-and-stay pit: Glow Heavy Duty Fire Pit Grill GLOW2637 — $455.99
Heavy-duty mild steel in a rust finish that is meant to weather — the patina deepens over time and suits a native or rustic garden far better than painted black ever will. With its grill included, it suits a medium-to-large backyard where the pit has a permanent home and doubles as the weekend cooker. Currently over $180 below its $638.38 regular price.
Best for entertainers: Hello Outdoors Cooking Fire Pit FP1129S — $575.97
A black steel wood burner with a 360-degree open view, so every chair in the circle gets the flames — exactly what you want when eight people are gathered around it. It is built for cooking too, making it the pick for big blocks and hosts who feed a crowd through winter. At $575.97, it is more than $230 under its usual $806.36.
Protect the investment: Jumbuck Large Universal Fire Pit Cover — $21.30
A 90 cm x 60 cm universal cover that keeps rain and ash sludge out of a full-sized pit between fires. It is the cheapest way to double the life of any steel bowl, and at $36.00 (down from $54.00) it pays for itself the first winter. Fit it only once the pit is completely cold.
For smaller pits: Jumbuck Small Universal Fire Pit Cover — $9.75
The 50 cm x 60 cm version of the same weather-resistant cover, sized for compact and portable pits like the Grillz above. If your pit lives outside rather than in a shed or carry bag, this is $26.25 well spent — around $13 off its usual price.
Quick comparison
| Product | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Grillz Fire Pit BBQ Grill with Carry Bag | Camping, renters, small courtyards | $50.98 |
| Glow Eco Fuego Wood Fire Pit | Families, all-round backyard use | $305.99 |
| Glow Heavy Duty Fire Pit Grill GLOW2637 | Permanent spot, rustic gardens, grilling | $455.99 |
| Hello Outdoors Cooking Fire Pit FP1129S | Entertainers, large backyards | $575.97 |
| Jumbuck Large Universal Cover (90 x 60 cm) | Protecting full-sized pits | $36.00 |
| Jumbuck Small Universal Cover (50 x 60 cm) | Protecting compact pits | $26.25 |
Fire pit FAQs
Are fire pits legal in Australian backyards?
In most council areas, yes — small solid-fuel fires for warmth or cooking are generally permitted. But rules vary by council, burning rubbish or treated timber is banned everywhere, and no fire pit can be lit on a total fire ban day. Check your council's website before you buy, especially in high-density suburbs.
What should I burn in a fire pit?
Dry, seasoned hardwood. It burns hotter, longer and with far less smoke than green or damp wood. Never burn treated pine, painted timber, MDF or household rubbish — they release toxic fumes and will put you on the wrong side of both your council and your neighbours.
How do I stop a steel fire pit rusting out?
Keep it dry and keep it empty. Scoop the ash out once it is cold, because wet ash is what corrodes bowls from the inside, and fit a cover between fires. Do that and even an affordable steel pit will see out many winters; skip it and the bowl can perforate in a couple of seasons.
Can I use a fire pit on a timber deck?
It is risky and we would steer you to lawn or paving instead. If you must, you need solid non-combustible protection under the pit, wide clearance on all sides, nothing overhead, and a spark screen. Radiant heat can damage decking boards even without a stray ember.
The short version
Pick thick steel over thin, match the size to your space rather than your ambitions, add a cover from day one, and check your council's rules before the first match is struck. Every pit here ships from our Sydney warehouse with a 1-year warranty and 30-day returns, and you can compare the full range in our fire pits collection.
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Prices correct at publication and may change. Stock levels update daily.