If you’ve got the garden for it, a fire pit is a wonderful accessory to add to it.
A design will warm up the space when evenings get chilly, it looks inviting and is a great focal point to bring life into an outside area.
But what if you don’t have a garden? While candles can give a similar vibe in the atmosphere stakes, the flame is just too low to admire properly - especially if it’s starting to become challenged in the wick department.
Yet all is not lost. Indoor fire pits are indeed a thing, and when used correctly, can recreate a fireplace feel without the bothersome soot, ash and smoke to deal with afterwards.
Many run on bio-ethanol, a clear, scentless and smokeless fuel to power real flames. Set on highly durable and stable bases and finished with tall clear screens to contain the dancing flames, they’re perfect for adding something extra to dinner party tables or popping on to feel cosy on a rainy day.
The right ones to use indoors pose about the same risks as lighting a candle.
To reiterate the obvious fire safety rules, you should never leave one unattended - snuff it out if you have to leave the room. Also ensure that there’s plenty of clearance around the light, with no flammable textiles or materials in the vicinity, and crack a window open to encourage ventilation. Once you’ve finished enjoying it, take the time to ensure that the flame has been fully extinguished and it has totally cooled down before putting it away. The biggest rule? Never refill fuel into a burning flame.
If you’re yearning to bask in a fiery glow without stepping foot outdoors, we’ve rounded up the best indoor tabletop fire pits to check out below.
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Yamvisa Tabletop Fireplace Portable Bio Ethanol Table Top Fire Pit
Whether it’s a lack of a fireplace or a garden that’s raining on your live flame dreams, this clever little gizmo can get them back on track. The compact device uses smokeless and odourless bio-ethanol to create a real fire, all contained inside a glass shell.
It also comes with an anti-scald clip and glove to protect your hands and is safe to use indoors (although never unattended) as well as outside on balconies and garden tables.
Buy now £24.99, Amazon
Metro Lane Outdoor Tabletop Fireplace with Flame Guard
This tabletop fireplace makes an epic centrepiece when you've got friends over for drinks, giving about the same flicker, warmth, and atmosphere as a candle might (but with none of the wax to contend with). The pebble-lined design uses an unscented and smokeless lamp oil as fuel, meaning a cleaner burn that keeps the flame in the spotlight. It can also be used outside as long as it’s not too windy, but it should never be left unsupervised - like any naked flame.
Buy now £129.99, Wayfair
Symple Stuff Aloisio Glass Bio-Ethanol Tabletop Fireplace with Flame Guard
Made from metal, stainless steel and tempered glass, this tabletop lantern promises to be a real conversation starter at your next party. It uses bio-ethanol for fuel (which you’ll need to buy separately) to create real licks of fire. A great piece of tabletop theatre that will create a warm and cosy atmosphere.
Buy now £102.99, Wayfair
Wade Logan Sarkis Glass Bio-Ethanol Tabletop Fireplace with Flame Guard
Just picture their faces when friends and family spot this piece of tabletop alchemy on their next visit. Offering the feel of an open fire with all the features to enjoy it safely, this design showcases flames behind clear glass that’s temperature-resistant too, so less chance of accidental scalding.
Buy now £105.99, Wayfair
JHY DESIGN Rectangular Tabletop Fire Bowl Pot with Four-sided Glass
Consider it an active piece of art. This fire bowl protects viewers from the flames with four glass panels, giving you an unobstructed 360 view. The vent-free design can be placed practically anywhere in the house (given there’s enough clearance around it) to add gentle warmth and a cosy ambience.
Buy now £31.98, Amazon
TRIROCKS Diamond Black Concrete Fire Pit Fire Bowl
Imagine a fire pit shrunken down to 16 x 16cm dimensions, and you've got this mini version that is designed for enjoying indoors.
Crafted from concrete, it comes with a bag of coloured stones to enhance the look of the flames, which can burn for longer than an hour given the right volume of fuel - this takes isopropyl alcohol, rubbing alcohol, and bioethanol.
Also included is a flat fire extinguisher which will ensure a swift and safe termination when you want your mini-fire show to end.
Buy now £32.99, Amazon
Planika Fires Planika Lotus
The most substantial portable fireplace on our list, this design comes from Planika Fires and like the others, uses bio-ethanol to power the fire.
The freestanding fire pit can be set on the floor as well as on tabletops and used inside and out as the mood takes you. The tall glass cylinder shade protects flames from wind outside and keeps it contained when used indoors. A ceramic fibre cotton keeps the element inside the burner, even if the unit is accidentally knocked over - though at 4.5kg, it's very stable.
There’s a 20-minute cool-down time once you’ve finished using it or if you need to add more fuel.
Buy now £204.00, Bioethanol Fireplace
Onlyfire Tabletop Ethanol Fireplaces with Extinguisher Lid
Sleek, smart, and dare we say it, sexy, this is the tabletop fireplace that you could imagine a James Bond baddie having in his lair. The streamlined design is made from heat-resistant concrete and is heavy enough to feel stable on flat surfaces. Get the campfire feel anywhere you like at home, only minus the smoke and filthy ash. When it's time for lights out, snuff out the flames with the extinguisher, included in the purchase.
Buy now £77.99, Amazon
