I would use a propane fire pit only if you need a permit for wood and cannot get it or if there’s a fire ban. Otherwise, no. I don’t see a point to bring a pit when most sites already have one or I build a fire directly on sand while at the beach Edited comment to be more clear* More on reddit.com

fireside outdoor makes a nice pop-up fire pit. It collapses down to about the size of a collapsing camp chair. You can get it with a heat shield to protect the ground under it also. It not cheap, but definitely cheaper than the solo stove fire pits. As for starting a fire, just buy some firestarters at the store and watch a YouTube video. If you have a constant flame source like a firestarter, it will be fairly easy to get the fire going. More on reddit.com

They do what they advertise pretty well. They aren’t truly “smokeless” but there’s a lot less smoke than the bowls put out. Now that there are knockoffs from brands like Ozark Trail available, you can save some money by going off-brand. More on reddit.com

I use an Outland propane portable pit and it is AWESOME. We love it for a few reasons: It is legal to use during level 1 fire bans in most CO counties, when burning wood be prohibited. Zero smoke, zero sparks. Wildfire danger is extreme in our area, and this is a much safer alternative. It is really easy to start and stop - no bucket brigades to make sure it is fully extinguished It is convenient when some added warmth would be welcome, but a real wood burning fire would be a hassle. We start it up while making breakfast before going hiking/climbing for the day. Debatably more spatially efficient than packing in your own wood, especially if you're already taking propane for other grills/stoves. More on reddit.com