25-Inch Smokeless Patio Fire Pit, Wood Burning with Removable Ash Pan & Weather-Resistant Cover, Modern Black Design – Ideal Outdoor Smokeless Fire Pit for Backyard & Patio

Before buying this, my wife had bought us an inexpensive fire pit during Covid lockdown, just to see how we liked it and how often we’d use it. Like with all such cheap (and small) fire pits, it didn’t hold up well to the intense heat of our fires and also didn’t hold up to the elements.This Tiki fire pit is a complete 180 from that other one, which is what I’d hope for something costing about 10x the price. This is a very sturdy, well built smokeless fire pit that works as advertised. I never use their pellet bags, just hardwood I buy from local places, with fallen branches for kindling and pine needles for tinder. You have to be careful to keep all those pieces two feet long or less, since they stick out the top of the pit when longer than that. But the precut hardwood is exactly that length and works great. I put a fist-size pile of pine needles in the middle, lay twigs on top in classic pyramid style, and it lights instantly and gives a good base fire in just a couple minutes. Then lay on heavier / thicker pieces until it’s ready for the hardwood.Be aware this fire pit is HEAVY! You definitely want to have someone help you get it into place if you can’t easily lift and move 50 pounds. But that weight translates into solid durability. I’ve had mine for just over a year now, and with the provided cover to protect it through winter it has no rust and no signs of wear after several large hot fires that we’ll have burning for 2-3 hours at a time.And it really does burn the wood nearly smokelessly. As long as the wood is dry, I see either no smoke or hardly any. But I still get that wonderful wood fire smell. Damp wood will definitely smoke more. Especially if you let any of it get above the upper vent holes on the inside of the pit wall.With regular wood use, I do recommend buying the screen cover to protect from sparks that can still pop out during burning. If you just use the pellet bags there’s no need.