Some homeowners see fire pits as essential outdoor accessories for yards of all sizes. They serve as a gathering point for activities that range from roasting marshmallows with the kids to chatting with friends late into a cool fall night.
Do-it-yourselfers take pride in their handcrafted fire pits, while those built by landscape companies with stacked stone and other embellishments can be more costly.
Fire pit manufacturers are noticing that Atlantans like to light up the night.
Mike Bertelsen, president of Cowboy Cauldron Co., based in Salt Lake City, said Georgia is one of his company’s top states in sales. The demand is due to factors such as the South’s outdoors heritage, pastimes such as hunting and homeowners who are willing to spend money on outdoor living, he said.
“Georgia has well-educated people with good taste,” he said.
Manufacturers say these three fire pits can illuminate and dress up an outdoor entertaining space.
Cowboy Cauldrons: Solid steel plate is used to craft the sculptural cauldrons, which serve as a fire pit and grill. The cauldrons are adjustable for height, so they can adapt to any patio furniture, and people can put their feet underneath the basin to stay warm in the colder weather, Bertelsen said. The U.S.-made cauldrons are available in four sizes, starting with The Dude (24-inch diameter basin) at $895, to the Ranch Boss (42-inch diameter basic) at $2,995. Sold online at cowboycauldron.com.
MIX Fire Bowls: The contemporary-looking bowls are made of weather-resistant concrete and use bioethanol, a clean-burning, environmentally friendly and renewable energy source of fuel. The bowls — by EcoSmart Fire — come in two sizes, can be switched off and on, and can burn for more than eight hours, according to the company. They come in natural concrete or black concrete and can sit on tables on patios and terraces, or in courtyards and pool decks. Atlanta stores such as Kolo Collection carry EcoSmart Fire products; $995-$1,195; ecosmartfire.com.
Fire Pit Art: Owner Rick Wittrig said he began the company in 2008 when his daughter, now 11, wanted to make 'smores in the backyard and the fire pit he bought from a store fell apart, causing the yard to catch fire. "I said, I can make a better one," he said. The steel sculptures he created in Nashville, Tenn., are very distinctive — some look like the planet Earth, others resemble a manta ray. Wittrig wanted to construct a maintenance-free fire pit, which is why the products are made of one-quarter-inch-thick carbon steel and have an iron oxide finish/patina on the outside. "They're not flimsy by any means. You can't hurt them," he said. "Once you find the sweet spot in your yard, you're good to go." Several other designs and sizes are available, from $979 to more than $2,700; firepitart.com.
