There’s a certain magic to gathering around a crackling fire. It’s primal, comforting, a focal point for stories and laughter. But let’s be honest—the romance often ends when you’re playing musical chairs to dodge a plume of acrid smoke, your clothes and hair reeking for days. Or when you’re spending the first hour of your precious camping trip hunting for dry kindling, only to find the entire area is under a strict fire ban. We’ve been there, shivering in the dark, wishing for the warmth and ambiance of a fire without the mess, the smoke, or the uncertainty. This search for a better, more reliable outdoor fire experience is what leads so many of us, myself included, to the world of portable propane fire pits.
What to Consider Before Buying a Portable Fire Pit
A portable fire pit is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for instant, clean, and controllable outdoor warmth and ambiance. It solves the perennial problems of traditional wood fires: the smoke that irritates eyes and lungs, the messy ash cleanup, the challenge of finding and transporting firewood, and most critically, the growing reality of campfire bans in dry regions. The main benefit is convenience. With the twist of a knob, you have a beautiful, warm fire that can be extinguished just as quickly, leaving no trace. It transforms a chilly patio evening, a tailgate party, or a restricted campsite into a cozy, memorable gathering.
The ideal customer for this type of product is someone who values convenience, safety, and cleanliness. This includes RV owners with limited storage, families who want to roast s’mores without the smoke, campers in regions with frequent burn bans, and homeowners who desire an effortless fire on their deck or patio. However, it might not be suitable for those who are purists, seeking the specific crackle, smell, and radiant heat of a large log fire. If your primary goal is generating massive heat for a large group in an unrestricted area, a traditional wood-burning pit might still be your preference. For those seeking a permanent backyard fixture, a larger, more decorative fire pit table could also be a better alternative.
Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:
- Dimensions & Space: Portability is key. Consider the unit’s diameter and weight. A 19-inch model like this one strikes a great balance, being large enough for a small group to gather around but compact enough (at 23 lbs) to easily fit in a car trunk or RV storage bay. Measure your intended use space—be it a patio, deck, or campsite—to ensure you have adequate clearance from flammable materials.
- Capacity/Performance: Heat output is measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units). A 58,000 BTU rating is substantial for a portable unit, promising significant warmth. Look for an adjustable regulator, which is crucial for controlling both flame height and fuel consumption. This allows you to have a low, ambient fire for conversation or a roaring blaze to ward off a serious chill.
- Materials & Durability: The fire bowl should be made of high-quality steel with a protective finish, like the powder-coated or enamel finishes that resist heat and weather. The burner and fasteners are best when made from stainless steel, as this material offers superior resistance to rust and corrosion, ensuring the heart of your fire pit lasts for years.
- Ease of Use & Maintenance: The best portable fire pits require no tools for setup. Look for pre-attached hoses and simple connections. Maintenance should be minimal; since there’s no ash or soot, “cleanup” usually just involves letting the unit cool and putting the cover on. This “pack-and-go” convenience is a primary selling point.
Keeping these factors in mind, the Outland Living 19-inch 58,000 BTU Portable Propane Fire Pit stands out in several areas. You can explore its detailed specifications and see what makes it a top contender.
While the Outland Living 19-inch 58,000 BTU Portable Propane Fire Pit is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:
- [3 IN 1]: OutVue fire pit is equipped with 2 cooking grills, 1 lid and tabletop. When you fix grills and tabletop to the fire pit, you can enjoy the roast and bonfire. When it not make fire and cover...
- 3-in-1 Fire Pit: Panovue outdoor fire pit can provide inviting warmth for your patio, yard, or garden, also be used as an outdoor BBQ to cook food or as an ice bucket to keep beverages cold. When you...
- [3 IN 1]: OutVue fire pit is equipped with 2 cooking grills, 1 lid and tabletop[No waterproof cover]. When you fix grills and tabletop to the fire pit, you can enjoy the roast and bonfire. When it not...
First Impressions: Built for the Road
Unboxing the Outland Living 19-inch 58,000 BTU Portable Propane Fire Pit, the first thing we noticed was its sturdy, no-nonsense construction. The alloy steel bowl has a satisfying weight to it—not flimsy, but at 23 pounds, perfectly manageable. The protective black enamel finish is sleek and looks durable enough to handle the rigors of travel. Included in the Deluxe 893 model kit is everything you need to get started, short of the propane tank itself: the fire bowl with its pre-attached 10-foot hose and regulator, a 4.4-lb bag of natural lava rocks, a propane tank stabilizer ring, and the Cover & Carry Kit. There is zero assembly required for the fire pit itself. You simply place the lava rocks in the bowl, and you’re ready to connect it to a standard 20-lb propane tank. The Cover & Carry Kit is a thoughtful and genuinely useful addition, with straps that buckle around the unit, making it a single, easy-to-carry package.
What We Like
- Powerful 58,000 BTU output provides substantial heat.
- Extremely easy, tool-free setup in minutes.
- CSA-approved and spark-free, making it usable during most campfire bans.
- Complete kit includes cover, carry straps, and lava rocks.
- Truly smokeless operation for a comfortable experience.
What We Didn’t Like
- Manual ignition requires an external lighter or match.
- Some users have reported issues with damaged hoses upon arrival.
Deep Dive: Performance Under Real-World Testing
A spec sheet can only tell you so much. To truly understand a product like this, you have to take it out into the elements—a chilly backyard evening, a damp campsite, a breezy tailgate. We put the Outland Living 19-inch 58,000 BTU Portable Propane Fire Pit through its paces to see if the performance matched the promise.
Setup and Ultimate Portability
Outland Living promises a tool-free setup in minutes, and our experience confirms this claim wholeheartedly. It is, without exaggeration, one of the simplest outdoor appliances we’ve ever tested. The process is intuitive: unbox, arrange the lava rocks around the stainless steel burner ring, place the fire pit a safe distance from your propane tank, and connect the pre-attached hose. The 10-foot hose length is a significant advantage, providing ample and safe separation between the open flame and the fuel source. The included propane tank stabilizer ring is a small but brilliant touch, preventing the tank from tipping over on uneven ground—a common campsite scenario.
The “Deluxe” part of the model name really shines with the included Cover & Carry Kit. After the fire pit has completely cooled, the lid fits snugly on top, and two durable straps wrap around the entire unit, buckling securely. This creates a single, contained package that is easy to lift and carry. At 23 pounds, it’s not feather-light, but it’s easily manageable for one person to move from the garage to the patio or load into an RV’s storage bay. This portability proved invaluable on a recent camping trip. Instead of dealing with muddy, bulky firewood, we simply carried this neat package to our site. As one user aptly put it, “It makes it so much easier to not have to load and haul firewood for each trip.” This grab-and-go convenience is a game-changer for spontaneous adventures.
Flame Quality and Potent Heat Output
This is where the Outland Living 19-inch 58,000 BTU Portable Propane Fire Pit truly excels and sets itself apart from cheaper, lower-powered competitors. The 58,000 BTU rating is not just a number; it translates to a formidable amount of heat. On a cool 50°F (10°C) evening, sitting about 4-5 feet away, we could feel a very pleasant and distinct warmth, especially on our legs. Cranked to its highest setting, the flames are impressive, reaching heights of over a foot and putting out enough heat to make a circle of 4-6 people comfortable.
What impressed us most, however, was the quality of the flame. Many gas fire pits produce a sterile, uniform ring of blue flame that looks artificial. Thanks to the well-designed burner and the way the gas flows through the lava rocks, this fire pit produces a vibrant, dancing yellow-orange flame that convincingly mimics a real wood fire. One user we spoke with noted that it “lives larger” than its 19-inch diameter suggests, with flames that “danced like a real fire.” We completely agree. It creates a genuinely inviting and mesmerizing centerpiece. The adjustable regulator is responsive, allowing you to dial the flame down to a low, fuel-sipping flicker for ambiance or crank it up to combat the cold. Even on its lowest setting, as one person demonstrated, it provides a nice, gentle heat perfect for enjoying a morning coffee outside.
Fuel Efficiency and Real-World Consumption
Power is great, but if it burns through propane at an alarming rate, its utility diminishes. We monitored the fuel consumption closely to provide some real-world figures. Our findings aligned perfectly with detailed user reports: on a low to medium-low setting—which is perfectly adequate for taking the chill off and enjoying the ambiance—the fire pit consumes approximately 1 pound of propane per hour. This means a small, portable 5-lb propane tank can provide around 5 hours of burn time, ideal for a weekend camping trip. When connected to a standard 20-lb BBQ tank, you can expect 20+ hours of enjoyment. One user stated their 20-lb tank lasts them “at least 20 hours,” and they don’t even track it closely anymore because it’s so efficient. This level of efficiency is fantastic, making it an economical choice for regular use both at home and on the road. The ability to precisely control the output with the regulator knob is the key to managing this consumption, giving you complete command over both warmth and fuel usage.
The Campfire Ban Game-Changer
Perhaps the most critical feature for many outdoor enthusiasts, especially on the West Coast, is the fire pit’s CSA approval and spark-free design. As wildfires and drought conditions lead to increasingly frequent and widespread campfire bans, the ability to have a fire legally and safely is a massive advantage. This unit is approved for use during most Stage 1 and Stage 2 fire bans (though it’s always critical to check local regulations). For us, this meant being able to enjoy the warmth and social hub of a fire at a campsite where traditional wood fires were strictly forbidden. It’s not an exaggeration to say this product can salvage a camping trip. One reviewer from California called it a “sad reality” that restrictions are the new norm, and this fire pit allows them to continue enjoying the outdoors responsibly. It provides the authentic camping feel—roasting marshmallows, gathering with friends—without the risk, the smoke, or the legal ramifications. It’s the modern solution to a modern problem, ensuring the tradition of the campfire can continue safely. For this reason alone, the Outland Living 19-inch 58,000 BTU Portable Propane Fire Pit becomes an essential piece of gear for many campers.
What Other Users Are Saying
Across the board, the sentiment for the Outland Living 19-inch 58,000 BTU Portable Propane Fire Pit is overwhelmingly positive. A common theme is its perfect suitability for camping and RV life, with one user noting it “came in clutch while traveling from Alaska to Arizona” during dry conditions. Many, like one person who bought it for a music festival, praise its effortless setup and impressive fuel efficiency. Another user, whose husband has breathing issues, celebrated that “this propane fire, it made camping fires possible again,” highlighting the significant benefit of its smokeless operation.
However, no product is perfect. A few users have reported receiving units with issues out of the box, most commonly related to the hose or missing carry straps. One person detailed how part of the rubber hose “had flaked off” after a single use. It’s important to note, though, that in these cases, Outland Living’s customer service appears to be responsive. The user with the missing straps updated their review to say, “Contacted Outland and with the warranty they sent me new straps free of charge,” turning a negative experience into a positive one and showcasing good manufacturer support.
How Does the Outland Living 19-inch Stack Up Against Alternatives?
The portable fire pit market has options catering to different needs. While the Outland Living 19-inch is a fantastic all-rounder, it’s worth seeing how it compares to other popular models, especially those that use different fuel sources.
1. Outland Living Firebowl Smokeless Propane Fire Pit 24-Inch
This is the big brother to the model we reviewed. The Outland Mega 883 boasts a larger 24-inch diameter while maintaining the same powerful 58,000 BTU heat output. It provides a larger flame presence and a wider area for more people to gather around. The trade-off is portability; it’s heavier and bulkier, making it less ideal for those with limited space, like car campers or overlanders. This is an excellent choice for someone who wants the same propane convenience primarily for a larger backyard patio or for RVers with ample storage who frequently entertain bigger groups.
2. Solo Stove Ranger 2.0 Portable Fire Pit
- SMOKELESS FIRE PIT: Experience the magic of a cozy, smoke-free fire that burns off smoke before it reaches you. The innovative 360° Airflow technology provides a low-smoke fire, ensuring your...
- READY FOR ADVENTURE: Turn every moment into an unforgettable memory with this portable compact outdoor fire pit. Weighing just over 15 pounds and including a free carry case, this lightweight wood...
- LASTS FOR YEARS: Crafted from premium 304 stainless steel, this camp stove offers long-lasting durability and reliability. Enjoy resilient, vibrant fires for years to come with a fire pit that...
The Solo Stove Ranger represents the peak of modern wood-burning technology. Its signature 360° Airflow Design creates a highly efficient, secondary burn that results in a mesmerizing flame with significantly less smoke than a traditional campfire. It provides the authentic crackle and aroma of a real wood fire that propane can’t replicate. However, it requires a supply of wood, produces ash that needs cleaning, and is still subject to all campfire bans. The Ranger 2.0 is for the wood fire purist who wants a cleaner, more efficient, and more portable wood-burning experience and isn’t constrained by fire restrictions.
3. TIKI 25-Inch Smokeless Fire Pit Bundle
- SMOKELESS OUTDOOR FIRE PIT: Patented airflow system delivers cleaner flames with less smoke and ash for a comfortable backyard, patio, deck, or garden experience.
- PREMIUM DURABILITY & EASY CLEANING: Built from 16-gauge stainless steel with a sleek black powder-coated finish. Includes a removable ash pan for fast, hassle-free maintenance.
- LARGE HEAT RADIUS: Radiates a warm 4-foot zone for cozy evenings, family gatherings, camping trips, or relaxing nights on the patio
Similar to the Solo Stove, the TIKI fire pit is a wood-burning model designed to produce less smoke and more flame. It features a patented internal airflow system and a stylish black finish that looks great on a patio. At 25 inches, it’s larger and designed to be more of a semi-permanent backyard feature, though it can be transported for camping. It offers the ambiance of a wood fire but comes with the same drawbacks: sourcing wood, ash cleanup, and being unusable during burn bans. This is a great alternative for homeowners who primarily want a stylish, low-smoke wood fire for their backyard.
The Final Verdict: Is This the Perfect Portable Fire Pit?
After extensive testing and poring over countless user experiences, we can confidently say the Outland Living 19-inch 58,000 BTU Portable Propane Fire Pit is a class-leading product that delivers on every promise. It masterfully blends portability, power, and unparalleled convenience. It generates impressive, beautiful flames and substantial heat, all without the smoke, ash, or hassle of a wood fire. Its simple setup and CSA-approved status make it an indispensable tool for campers, RVers, and homeowners alike, especially in areas with fire restrictions.
While it lacks the primal crackle of a wood fire and relies on a manual ignition, these are minor trade-offs for the immense benefits it provides. It’s not just a product; it’s a passport to enjoying warm, comfortable evenings outdoors, anytime and almost anywhere. For anyone tired of the smoke and uncertainty of traditional fires, this is the solution you’ve been waiting for.
If you’ve decided the Outland Living 19-inch 58,000 BTU Portable Propane Fire Pit is the right fit, you can check its current price and purchase it here.
Last update on 2025-10-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API