Are there electric fire pits for sale?’
It’s an important question because when you search for an outdoor electric fire pit, the search results are overwhelmingly NOT electric!
Instead, the results show outdoor propane or natural gas fire pits (which have an electric start) or indoor electric fireplaces. View the search results for ‘electric fire pit’ on Amazon here… there’s not a single electric model.
There’s nothing that truly fits the description of an ‘outdoor electric fire pit’. Not on Amazon, Target, Wayfair, Home Depot, Lowes, or anywhere else. But here are the best alternatives, with our #5 pick (the Dimplex Opti-Myst) perhaps coming the closest!
Best Electric Fire Pit
Whether you’re looking for a fire pit with an electric start, an electric outdoor fireplace, or another form of electric patio heater (there are many types), there are very good examples available.
Here’s some more on why there’s no such thing as an “electric fire pit”…
In the screenshot above are the shopping results for the search term ‘electric fire pit’.
None of these results show one though. There are a couple of indoor electric heaters, like the first result, but the rest are either propane or ethanol fire pits.
Many people search for things like:
- Electric fire table
- Portable electric fire pit
- Small electric fire pits
- Electric bonfire
- Electric tabletop fire pit
And so on…
But we don’t think there is such a thing – let us know in the comment section below if we’re wrong.
All of the search results for these queries come back with 100% NON-electric firepits, and we’re yet to find a single one that could be called this.
The closest is perhaps the UKIAH Fire Pit which has a battery for playing music as well. The fire itself is gas, but it’s a fire pit and Bluetooth speaker so requires power for the speaker part.
Or, the Biolite Fire Pit is another option – it’s a wood burning fire pit with an electric fan for controlling the burn rate.
Outdoor Electric Heating
While you can’t strictly get an electric fire pit for your patio, deck, or balcony, there are plenty of good alternatives.
We recently got this Sunnydaze Cast Iron Fire Pit and it’s been great. It’s a wood-burning fire pit which means it needs to be further back from homes and other structures.
Propane or natural gas fire pits are best for those wanting something closer to home as they don’t spark or ember in the same way. Outdoor electric fireplaces are best for those who only want electric fire displays rather than real flames.
1. Outland Living Fire Table
- Dimensions: 44 x 32 x 24 inches
- Weight: 96 lbs
- BTUs: 50,000
- Fuel: propane
This Outland Living Fire Pit Table is a very popular option.
It’s a propane gas (not electric) fire pit that has a push-button spark ignition.
It’s more expensive than many of the alternatives, but it looks fantastic and is of much higher quality. It’s also larger than most, being rectangular rather than square.
This alternative electric fire pit puts out a lot of heat at 50,000 BTUs, so it’s great for cooler climates as well.
The U-MAX Fire Pit Table is a similar model worth comparing prices with.
2. Modern Flames Landscape Electric Fireplace
- Can be fully recessed
- Indoors or outdoors (covered areas)
- 5 Sizes: 44″ – 56″ – 68″ – 80″ – 96″
- App (via Wifi), remote control, and manual controls
- Up to 5000 BTUs
There are many great outdoor electric fireplaces that look good, provide heat, and create an inviting atmosphere – the ‘Landscape Pro Slim’ is known to be one of the best.
One good thing about electric fireplaces compared to wood burning is that they don’t need any venting which makes installing them much simpler. Also, they use special LED lights which offer realistic flames.
The fact that it’s electric also means there are no gas lines to hook up or propane tanks to fill. It’s all go at the click of a button.
3. Biolite Electric Fire Pit
- Dimensions: 5.0 x 7.91 inches
- Weight: 20 lbs
- Fuel: wood
The Biolite Fire Pit has a battery powered fan that can be controlled by an app on your phone via bluetooth.
It’s highly portable and designed for camping, taking to the beach or park, of for spontanous use in the backyard. The legs fold down and a neat carry bag can be purchased for storage and transport.
The battery powered fan is a really cool feature. It has 5 levels and can be used to control the burn rate of the wood and to help keep smoke at bay. When a fire is burning hot, it won’t smoke as much, and the fan helps to achieve that.
4. BALI Electric Fire Pit Alternative
- Dimensions: 28 x 28 x 25 inches
- Weight: 50 lbs
- BTUs: 50,000
- Fuel: Propane gas
The BALI OUTDOORS Fire Pit Table is a smaller and cheaper option than the previous electric tabletop fire pit alternative.
However, it still puts out the same levels of heat, looks good, and is a strong, sturdy solution. It’s a propane gas (LPG) fire pit that also doubles as a table.
You can cover the fire hole when it’s not in use (obviously, I hope), and voila, it’s a helpful table. It comes with blue fire glass, a hose regulator valve set, and hardware. You need to supply the propane tank.
5. Dimplex Opti-myst Water Vapor Fireplace
- 120 Volts, 460 Watts, 3.8 Amps
- Dimensions: 9 1⁄2″H x 40 3⁄8 W x 12″D
- Weight: 35 lbs
- Remote control
The Dimplex Opti-Myst is a unique type of electric fire pit that creates both realistic flames and smoke.
This effect uses water vapor on which to project the flame display – it’s the same with the smoke effect… it’s water vapor!
On Modern Blaze, this electric fire pit table is very well reviewed – it’s worth reading the user reviews to learn how people have used it and then what their experiences have been.
The Opti-myst fireplaces are designed for indoor use, though it’s likely that can be installed into well covered outdoor entertainment areas. Talk to Modern Blaze about options.
Outdoor Fire Pit With Electronic Ignition
There are also plenty of fire pits with electronic ignition.
This just basically means ‘push button start’ and is used on most propane fire pits.
Here are some of the best-looking fire pits automatic ignition:
- Elementi Lunar Outdoor Fire Bowl – a very impressive option
- Giantex Gas Fire Pit (here on Amazon) – a stone-look option
- PHI VILLA Electronic Ignition Fire Pit (here on Amazon) – store gas bottle inside table
All Elementi Fire Pits are propane or natural gas burning, and they all have electronic ignition.
Propane fire pits with electronic ignition are certainly less work to get started and keep going, and this suits some people much better. Not everyone wants to collect firewood and continuously tend to the fire.
Also, a gas or electric fire pit is much easier to put out – just flip the switch. Putting out a wood fire pit takes some time.
Outdoor Electric Fire Pit
So while there are no electric fire pits that I’ve been able to find, there are plenty of extremely good alternatives – and I would say better alternatives.
Why outdoor electric firepits are not a thing:
- They wouldn’t look all that good
- They wouldn’t put out much heat (and if they did, it would be noisy)
- Having electrics outdoor like this could be dangerous in the weather
And lastly, simply because there are so many other much BETTER options with propane, ethanol, and wood-burning fire pits.
The idea of an electric fire pit table or a portable electric fire pit might sound good, but the reality would likely be underwhelming. You’d be much better off getting something that both looks good and can warm you up.
Whatever type of outdoor fire you end up settling on, consider getting one of the best fire pit mats to protect the grass or your patio underneath. A fire pit can do a lot of damage when it’s too close to the ground without protection.
Thanks for clearing this up. A friend mentioned electric fire pits to me and I couldn’t imagine what that would be. I literally said to her ‘is there even such a thing as an electric fire pit?’ Didn’t think so.
I was really hoping there would be an electric option, like electric grills. Like many ppeople I live in an apartment where propane and other fuels are not allowed on the balconies for fire safety reasons, and we can’t burn wood because the smoke would bother the neighbors. I just wanted something nice to look at and pretend I have a real fire going, maybe roast a marshmallow and not eat it cause it’s probably not safe to consume.
Yes, I know what you mean! It might be a bit weird but some electric fire logs could be an option? We have some listed in our best electric fireplace reviews.
Try Dimplex Optimyst
Looked them up – really cool outdoor electric fireplaces!