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Popular Mechanics
popularmechanics.com › home › patio › the 7 best smokeless fire pits we tested (and yes, they’re really smokeless)
The 7 Best Smokeless Fire Pits, Tested by Popular Mechanics
4 days ago - We fit 18- to 20-inch logs into it, laying them across the raised X in the bottom of the pit. This patented design keeps the logs high, allowing air to flow in and feed the fire from the bottom. We found the interior to be relatively cavernous, which means more wood could fit inside so you get bigger fires and more heat. Other than the first couple of minutes when we lit the kindling, the X Series was virtually smokeless, as promised.
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NYTimes
nytimes.com › home › entertaining › the best smokeless fire pits
The 5 Best Smokeless Fire Pits of 2025 | Reviews by Wirecutter
September 25, 2025 - Biolite FirePit+: Unlike other smokeless fire pit designs, which employ the heat transfer and airflow through their double-wall designs to create secondary combustion, the Biolite FirePit+ uses an electric fan to force air into the pile of wood.
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Consumer Reports
consumerreports.org › home & garden › lawn & garden › outdoor heating › best smokeless fire pits of 2025
Best Smokeless Fire Pits of 2025 via @ConsumerReports
The oxygen in the air feeds the fire, allowing the wood to light faster and more completely, and reducing smoke in the process. By extension, smokeless fire pits put off heat, and typically burn at least as hot as a traditional fire, if not hotter.
Published   January 1, 2025
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The Charming Bench Company
thecharmingbenchcompany.com › home › news
How Does Smokeless Fire Pit Work? Here's What You Need to Know - The Charming Bench Company
Smoke appears when firewood doesn't burn hot enough, as in a conventional fire pit, and the wood doesn’t ignite and combust. Instead, it smokes. The best smokeless fire pit encourages complete combustion in the burn chamber, producing little smoke.
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PACKFIRE
packfire.com › blogs › packfire-blog › smokeless-fire-pits-how-they-work-why-they-re-worth-it
How Does a Smokeless Fire Pit Work
September 12, 2025 - Usually, it’s because the wood is damp, too green, or stacked too tightly. For best results, use dry hardwood and allow plenty of airflow. Yes! Most smokeless fire pits burn hot and evenly, making them great for grilling or roasting.
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Popular Mechanics
popularmechanics.com › home › gear reviews › how do smokeless fire pits work? we've tested plenty and explain.
We've Tested Plenty of Smokeless Fire Pits—Here's How They Actually Work.
April 14, 2025 - Native Americans of the Dakota tribe originated these ground fires to staved off windy conditions and prevent flames from spreading into the forests. It's made by digging a hole about a foot into the ground and building the fire at the bottom.
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Firegear
firegearoutdoors.com › blog › how-do-smokeless-fire-pits-work
Firegear | How Do Smokeless Fire Pits Work?
May 31, 2023 - Smokeless fire pits make use of inner and outer walls and heat up the air between them. As the air heats up, it rises and is forced out of the upper holes of the appliance. The air that is forced out of these holes pushes the unburned fuel (smoke, embers, ash, and debris) back into the active ...
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National Geographic
nationalgeographic.com › lifestyle › article › best-smokeless-fire-pits
The best smokeless fire pits in 2025 | National Geographic
December 26, 2024 - Smokeless fire pits work by promoting secondary combustion. “The double-wall construction allows air to enter through vents at the bottom, heat up as it rises between the walls, and then exit through vents at the top of the fire pit,” says ...
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Smoke is caused by little bits of the burning material which flake off and are carried into the air by the updraft of the flame. More smoke is produced by incomplete combustion, and combustion is helped by having access to more air. If you wanted to produce more smoke from a fire you would try to restrict its access to air such as by covering it with damp branches. To reduce the amount of smoke you would want to increase the fire's access to air, which is done by raising the fire and putting air holes underneath it. This allows it to steadily draw in fresh, cool air which allows the fuel to burn completely instead of becoming smoke particles. A similar technique can be used in the wild to make a stealthy fire. Two holes are dug and connected by an underground tunnel. A fire is built in one of the holes below the level of the ground, which prevents the flames from being seen from a distance. The other hole and tunnel allows fresh air to be drawn in near the base of the fire which again reduces the amount of smoke it produces.
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In a fire, smoke and soot are the result of poor (incomplete) combustion, usually caused by a lack of air to react with the fuel. You can make a fire relatively smokeless by providing sufficient airflow to it. A "smokeless" firepit like the solo stove has the fuel placed on a slightly raised area, contained by a metal shield. The shield has lots of holes punched in the bottom, which provides a lot of air directly to the fuel and helps it all burn completely. In contrast, most firepits or campfires are basically right on the ground or in a small pit. This reduces the amount of air that can reach the fuel, as it has to flow downward, against the current of hot air coming from the fire, to reach the fuel. This causes incomplete combustion and a smoky fire. However, it also has the benefit of burning fuel more slowly, which helps you stretch a small bundle of logs for a lot longer. A "smokeless" firepit will burn cleaner and faster, which means you'll need a lot more fuel to feed a fire of the same size as a campfire for the same duration.
Find elsewhere
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BioLite
bioliteenergy.com › blogs › gear-guides › how-smokeless-fire-pits-work-double-combustion
How Smokeless Fire Pits Work: The Benefits of Double Combustion – BioLite
If so, you might consider a dual-fuel option like FirePit+. While most smokeless fire pits only burn wood, FirePit+ works with both charcoal and wood. A popular way to enjoy this dual-fuel capability is to load it up with charcoal for perfect grilling on the included grill grate, then when dinner is done you can throw a couple logs on the hot coals and quickly get a crackling fire. It’s a cookout-to-hangout hack that guarantees a relaxing, cozy and smokeless evening by the fire. ... For us, the best fire pit is designed to let you see the full fire, not hide it away behind steel walls.
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Outdoor Life
outdoorlife.com › gear › camping gear › the best smokeless fire pits of 2025, tested and reviewed
The Best Smokeless Fire Pits of 2025, Tested and Reviewed
When a fire doesn’t completely combust its fuel, the unburned oils, tar, ash, and carbon become smoke. When a fire has enough oxygen to completely burn the fuel all that’s produced is water and carbon dioxide. Smokeless fire pits work by creating an efficient fire that’s fed plenty of oxygen.
Published   April 22, 2025
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Better Homes & Gardens
bhg.com › what-is-a-smokeless-firepit-6751322
How Do Smokeless Fire Pits Work?
September 20, 2024 - A smokeless fire pit burns wood like a traditional fire pit, but it does so more efficiently, which results in little to no smoke. The design features an insert that contains the fire and reduces the amount of smoke produced.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/campinggear › smokeless fire pits
r/CampingGear on Reddit: Smokeless Fire Pits
December 19, 2024 -

My husband has a really hard time with smoke from the fire irritating his COPD, but when we camp a fire is a must. Does anyone have any good recommendations for a smokeless or low smoke pit that he can still enjoy?

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HY-C
hy-c.com › blog › how-does-a-smokeless-fire-pit-work
How Does a Smokeless Fire Pit Work? - HY-C
October 29, 2024 - Every fire needs fuel, and in a smokeless fire pit, wood pellets are the fuel of choice. But how does burning wood pellets instead of logs help eliminate smoke? The answer lies in the moisture content of both fuels. Logs may have more water in them than you might expect. A freshly cut, unseasoned log could contain up to 50% of its weight in water.
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Serious Eats
seriouseats.com › best-fire-pits-11734210
I Tested 6 Fire Pits to Find the Best Ones for Casual Outdoor Hangouts
August 8, 2025 - It took a few minutes to slot in the grill grate on the Breeo models, but I didn’t need screws or a screwdriver to do it. These fire pits let me spend less time assembling and more time enjoying the warmth of the fire. Once lit, the fire in the smokeless fire pits remained steady and strong.
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Breeo
breeo.com › home › how we're smokeless
How We're Smokeless
Our smokeless fire pit works through a double-wall, secondary combustion design that reduces campfire smoke. Your most enjoyable outdoor campfire experience.
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The Spruce
thespruce.com › best-smokeless-fire-pits-5524921
These 10 Best-Tested Smokeless Fire Pits Keep You Warm All Year Long, Starting at $130
July 6, 2022 - Solo recommends using logs that don't cover the air holes near the pit's rim—we used logs between 8 and 10 inches—to avoid causing a lot of smoke or damage to the pit. You can order logs from Solo or other places online, but we've also seen smaller logs available at grocery stores. This is something to keep in mind if you don't chop your own firewood. Jenica lives in a salty and humid climate on Long Island Sound. She keeps it covered when not in use and found that using the proper-sized logs works best for a smokeless experience.
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Fix This Build That
fixthisbuildthat.com › home › archive › build your own diy smokeless fire pit
Build your own DIY Smokeless Fire Pit | FixThisBuildThat
March 14, 2025 - A smokeless fire pit works when oxygen reaches the fire from the top and the bottom of the fire pit. This increases the air flow and helps the fire burn efficiently. It’s also important that the firewood is dry and the fire burns very hot.
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CNET
cnet.com › home › yard & outdoors › fire pits › 3 reasons to add a smokeless firepit to your patio
3 Reasons a Smokeless Fire Pit Is the Perfect Addition to ...
November 9, 2024 - Then, using the heat generated by the fire, that air is super-heated, and as it rises in the space between the two walls, it escapes through the holes at the top of the firepit and ignites the tiny particulates in the smoke. The holes in the inner wall of a smokeless fire pit are where the superheated air escapes to burn off particulates that create smoke.
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Family Handyman
familyhandyman.com › home › outdoors
Smokeless Fire Pit: What To Know Before You Buy | Family Handyman
December 23, 2021 - Modern smokeless fire pits use secondary combustion to create extremely high temperatures, essentially burning off these particles before they can escape and drift into the eyes and clothes of anyone nearby.