Heininger 5995 58,000 BTU Portable Propane Smokeless Outdoor Gas Fire Pit

We just built a 28'x14' screened porch off the side of our house and wanted the same fire pit ambiance that we had with the patio that the porch replaced. The problem is a wood fire pit is obviously a fire hazard on a screened porch as well as the smoke would be an issue. My husband had some good ideas about a fire pit with a chimney (and fireproof floor area), but that still seemed too risky to me, as well as a hassle and a big expense. I thought it would be nice to have a fire on early cool mornings when we're sitting on the porch with our coffee - instant fire when we want it and when we're done just turn it off (no burning embers). This allows us to enjoy a quick, safe fire that we wouldn't have with a wood fire pit. I searched for LP gas fire pits at our local Lowe's and Home Depot - neither had anything we really liked. I found the one I liked online for $350 which just seemed really high priced, but was at the point I thought I might have to try it when I found this on Amazon for $121 which was more within my budget. I was initially disappointed that it came with lava rocks rather than the fake logs, but I have since changed my mind - the lava rocks are awesome - they look really nice and hold a lot of heat. Even on low this fire pit has a lovely yellow flame and puts out a good amount of heat. The manufacturer estimates you get between 7-11 hours on a 20# tank (depending on what setting you have it on), but we haven't used it long enough to verify. We prefer a smaller, "controlled" flame (even with our wood pits - we don't like huge bon-fire type fires). You get a great flame even on low - I don't see how you can expect high fuel efficiency and also expect a high heat flame - you get one or the other. It's convenient - turn it on when you want it, and off when you don't. The lava rocks still emit heat for quite a while after it's turned off. The pit itself is lovely with cute little cut-outs around the sides. I initially thought we would add a stone or brick border around it to build it out more, but it's lovely as it is, and it's the perfect size for our porch (not too big and bulky). If I needed a second one, I would get it in a second. Very, very pleased with this purchase.

We visited some friends who had a similar model and had an enjoyable evening. So we got one, After lots of looking we settled on this one. It came nicely packed. It is very well made, very solid. The lava rocks come in three sizes. The bags are marked for the small ones first on the bottom, then the larger second, and then the largest third. There is also a small bag of extras that we put on other rocks. It hooked up easily to a 20 pound propane tank that hides under the table. Before using you might want to take a leaf blower to blow out the dust from the rocks -- there is a substantial amount of dust. Blow gentlely as the rocks are very light weight. The fire on high is really high so we rarely use higher than the lowest setting. It produced plenty of heat on a rather chilly evening that we tried it out with a glass of wine and clear skies. It was just what we wanted. The lava rocks also heat up so you have heat even after the gas is off. You might want a cover for it. Heininger offers a metal lid with carry straps for about $50 with very mixed reviews. We got one from the Cover Store. It is a bit big, but totally wraps it up. We plan to take in on our RV trips.

We bought this for a camping trip because there was a fire restriction in our area. We loved that is is small enough that we could travel with it. We used it as our fire pit for the whole family. It set off a great lighting at night for us as we sat in the dark .Good purchase!

We purchased this to replace our wood burning fire pit. We rarely used the wood burning version because (1) my hair and clothes always smelled like burning wood afterwards, (2) you have to have wood on hand so no spur of the moment uses, and (3) everyone lost interest by the time we got the fire going.This product solves all three of these issues. I no longer smell after using the fire pit, we always have propane on hand, and it lights instantaneously! Our friends all love it and have even borrowed it when they have hosted events. The best part is that we use this so much more than I ever thought. We can sit outside after and enjoy a glass or wine or beer by the fire, and no planning ahead is necessary.We chose this one because it has a very high BTU output for the size and price, so we get a nice amount of heat from it. Also, we went with this one because it is portable so we can use it exactly where we want it, and can take it to friends' homes or car camping. It isn't as pretty looking as the non-portable counterparts, but still looks nice and we get tons of compliments.I am so happy with this, and use it more than I thought we would! A winner for sure, especially for not much more than a decent wood burning style.

I've had the chance to use this 3-4 times so far. The first things I noticed is that the flame does not get as high as the reviewer has in his video. I did open slowly to avoid the safety valve and have a full tank of propane. With that said, it does get high enough that I am pleased.Unboxing: Its simple, hose is attached. You have 4 bags of rocks. Smaller rocks go in first, then medium, then larger. They have "extra" rocks in 4th bag.Lighting: Stand back! LOL Throw a match or use a long lighter if the flash bothers you. It does have a bit of a flare up when lighting. Just an observation. Not a complaint.Usage: Range of flame with just the dial is okay. If you use propane as well you can go a little lower on the flame setting as well.Other thoughts: A few of the rocks do have black carbon build up on them when was unexpected. Not a big deal but worth noting. I recommend this as an alternative for those who don't want to worry about firewood. It is portable, easy to move and provides heat and fire!Price: This item (one that looks VERY similar) can be purchased at Lowes for $99 AND it includes a lid! I wasn't happy when I saw that yesterday but I'm not disappointed with this fire pit. It may not be the exact same one.