How Does a Smokeless Fire Pit Work? Understanding Smokeless Fire Pits

Airflow and a second burn explain how a smokeless fire pit works. Air enters near the base, heats up between two walls and comes out near the rim, where it feeds back over the flames. That hot air lights unburned fuel in the smoke, so much of it burns up instead of drifting toward your seating.

How a smokeless fire pit works, from base to rim

The double wall is the starting point. A smokeless fire pit has an inner wall and an outer wall, with a gap between them. Rows of air holes sit near the bottom and top. Together, the gap and the holes give air a path through the fire pit.

You can follow that path in three steps:

1. Air is drawn in through the holes near the bottom of the fire pit.
2. It rises through the gap between the two walls and heats up along the way.
3. The heated air leaves through the holes near the top of the fire pit and feeds back over the flames.

Smoke is unburned fuel. When the hot air reaches it at the rim, that fuel lights and burns. This second burn is called secondary combustion, which means the smoke itself gets burned.

By comparison, traditional fire pits have a single wall and no path for heated air. In a traditional fire pit, the smoke leaves unburned.

That is how smokeless fire pits work: the double wall and upper holes supply heated air. As the fire burns, the second burn deals with smoke above the flames. That process cuts down on smoke, but the fire needs to get hot before you see less smoke.

Why you will still see some smoke

Smokeless means far less smoke, not none. Expect some smoke while you are lighting the fire pit. You can also expect smoke each time you add a fresh log, until the fire is hot again.

Dry firewood matters just as much as the design. Use dry, seasoned firewood, meaning wood that has had time to dry out. Wet wood or green wood smokes in any fire pit. The second burn does not remove the need to choose dry, seasoned wood.

For a backyard fire pit, that means setting your expectations around the whole burn. Lighting the fire pit and adding logs can bring smoke back for a while. Once the fire is hot again, the heated air at the rim can do its job.

What you need to keep the fire going

These smokeless fire pits are wood burning. They need no gas line, propane tank, igniter or wiring. Dry firewood is the only fuel they need. You are still burning wood, with no push-button start like a gas fire pit.

Never burn treated wood or use accelerants. Keep a safe distance from the fire pit and never leave it unattended. Put the fire out fully before you leave. Even with low smoke, those responsibilities remain, because this is still a real wood fire.

How the burn chamber fits into different shapes

The air path explains the burn, but the outside shape can vary. Our six smokeless wood burning fire pits are all made by The Outdoor Plus in the USA. The range includes tall drums, square cubes and low, wide bowls.

Two material names help when reading the options. Corten steel weathers to a warm rust finish on its own. Stainless steel stays bright and does not rust. GFRC means glass-fiber concrete, which looks like solid stone at a fraction of the weight.

• Gravity: The Outdoor Plus Gravity is a round, double-walled steel drum on crossed steel plate legs. It comes in 20 or 36 inches and is about as tall as it is wide. Choose Corten steel or brushed stainless steel.
• Helix: The Outdoor Plus Helix is a compact square steel cube on two crossed steel plate feet. It comes in 22 or 36 inches, in Corten steel or stainless steel.
• Orbit: The Outdoor Plus Orbit in Corten steel is a very low, wide, 42 inch round disc. A shallow burn pan sits in the center.
• Artemis: This low, wide, 42 inch round GFRC bowl holds a double-wall burn chamber in its center. We carry the Artemis with a Corten steel insert and the Artemis with a stainless steel insert. The bowl comes in 18 colors.
• Solar: The Outdoor Plus Solar is a low, 42 inch square GFRC fire pit with a square double-wall metal firebox. It comes with a Corten or stainless steel insert and offers 18 colors.

When you are ready to compare models, explore our ranked list of the best smokeless fire pits. You can also browse every wood burning fire pit we carry.

For help choosing an outdoor fire pit for your patio or wider outdoor space, start with our fire pit buying guide. Our explanation of fire pits, fire bowls and fire tables covers the differences between those forms.

Frequently asked questions

Do smokeless fire pits really work?

Yes, with dry wood and a hot fire. The double wall directs heated air toward the rim, where it helps burn off most of the smoke. You will still see some smoke when lighting the fire pit and when adding fresh logs.

What can you burn in a smokeless fire pit?

Burn dry, seasoned firewood only. Never burn treated wood or use accelerants. Our smokeless models are wood burning, with no gas hookup or propane tank. Wet or green wood will smoke, so dry firewood is essential for the fire pit to do its job.

What are the downsides of smokeless fire pits?

They are not fully smoke free, and they need dry wood to work as intended. You still have a wood fire to tend and put out fully before leaving. There is also no push-button start like you would have with a gas fire pit.

Does the wood need to sit below the rim of a smokeless fire pit?

Yes, keep your logs below the row of holes near the rim. Hot air comes out of those holes to burn off smoke. Smoke from wood sticking above them escapes unburned. A log poking out can smoke for a few minutes until it burns down and drops inside. Pick wood short enough to fit your pit, or let long pieces burn down before you add more.

Is a propane fire pit a better choice if you want no smoke at all?

Yes, propane is a better choice if you want a fire that burns without smoke. With wood, you get far less smoke, but some still appears during lighting and when you add a fresh log. Our propane fire pits light at the push of a button and turn off instantly. You do give up the crackle and smell of a real wood fire.

Knowing how a smokeless fire pit works comes back to heated air, a second burn and dry wood. If you want help choosing a size or metal, call us at My Cozy Outdoors. We are an authorized dealer for The Outdoor Plus, so the full manufacturer warranty applies.