Listen to the full episode here:
Considering whether a firepit will benefit your camping setup?
In this episode of the Snowys Camping Show – Ben and Lauren dig into your options and lay out all the pros and cons to make your decision a no-brainer.
They cover the strengths and weaknesses of portable firepits and campfires, pot belly stoves, electronic models and how they all fit into different styles of camping, plus more – so check it out for all the details.
Shortcuts:
00:00 – Intro
01:15 – Pros of using a portable firepit
03:34 – Pros of having a campfire
06:38 – Use in your backyard at home
07:12 – Weight considerations and efficiency
07:38 – Cooking with firepits vs campfires
09:27 – Ozpigs and potbelly stoves
11:30 – Social aspects of a campfire
12:00 – Electronic Firepits
15:24 – Portable firepit models and options
16:05 – Figuring out whether a firepit will suit your setup
Mentioned in this Episode:
Products:
Darche Stainless Steel BBQ 450 Firepit
BioLite FirePit+ Wood & Charcoal Burning Firepit
Campfires
There’s something so simple and primal about a campfire, and they are a staple at most campsites during campfire season. They enhance the atmosphere, provide you with warmth, and allow you to cook delicious meals.
The downsides are that there are safety risks if not put out properly, they can leave a trace by charring the ground, and produce smoke that impacts the environment. Campfires are always going to be a favourite for many campers, but they need to be enjoyed responsibly with restrictions observed.
Portable Firepits
Portable firepits come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from dish style models and flat-packed designs to stainless steel folding options. These are more in line with ‘leave no trace’ principles, easier to extinguish, and can still be used for cooking.
With all of us staying at home, these have become super popular amongst our customers. Most of whom are keen to recreate the warmth and atmosphere of a campfire during periods of lockdown, and/or develop their outdoor cooking skills in their own backyards. Firepits are awesome for both home and camping, and are actually more LNT friendly. But, if campfire cooking is central to your camping experience, you might not have the need for one.
![There are pros and cons of both firepits. and campfires. Ozpig firepit loaded with kindling. The firepit appears to be in the woods with afternoon light catching on the metal.](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/EP-6-Body-Image.jpg)
Portable firepits are not going to fit in with everyone’s lifestyles. Image: Ozpig.
Pot Belly Stoves – Ozpig
Pot belly stoves, such as the Ozpig, are similar to a traditional firepit but allow greater versatility and cooking techniques using the various accessories. The trade-off however, is that they are less portable for camping, especially if weight is a consideration, and they can be expensive.
Pot belly stoves become a feature in the backyard and are fantastic for cooking up a storm and entertaining friends and family.
Electronic Firepits
Electronic firepits are probably not for the purists, but they are very cool and are safe to use on the deck too. They’re pretty nifty with integrated Bluetooth technology controlling the size of the flame, plus they are smokeless and the grill can be used for cooking.
The cons are that there are more moving parts, so could potentially require some maintenance, and the advanced features can be pricey. Techy options are a bit of fun, but are more of a luxury and might not suit everyone’s style of camping. Nor will they provide quite the same atmosphere as a traditional campfire.
Thanks for listening, tune in again for next week’s episode!
Thanks for tuning in to this week’s episode of the Snowys Podcast. Don’t forget to subscribe to us on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Pocket Casts, or Stitcher so you never miss an upload.
If you have any questions for Ben and Lauren, make sure you head over to our Facebook group and let us know as we’d love to hear from you.
Catch you out there!
![](https://cdn.snowys.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/PROFILE-image-1.jpg)
From tent pegs and air tents, to setups for summer and one-pot wonders – our gear gurus Ben and Lauren unpack the topics on every camper’s tongue, taking each minute to the limit with how-to’s, destinations, and expert interviews. Be it a swag, tent, or ‘swent’ – set up camp with us!
Live and let Live! wishing all you complainers a lovely life camping. If people want a big fire going the whole time they camp they are free to do so. Obviously common sense is king but Save yourself the stress and discomfort and try not to be so trigged what others do in the wild. if you like it small great! make it small. if you like it big make it big…live and let live. this podcast felt pretty akward but i appreciated it.
Thanks for a great episode.
Even though neither of you want one- your pros & cons discussion made up my mind. It perfectly suits my camping style, low fuel use, small camp groups or solo, leave the spot undamaged, easy to pack/relocate when touring & use at home. Also they’re up of the ground, so radiant heat from a smaller fire with less wood keeps you warmer than an in ground fire.
I’m going to buy one right now.
In case anyone is interested, about the BioLite gear:-
They use TEG’s (Thermo-Electric Generators) to make electricity. A ‘TEG’ uses a semiconductor device based on the ‘Seebeck Effect’. It’s the same principle as thermocouple temperature sensors & the safety valve cut-off control system in mains gas appliances (thermopile).
They’re the exact opposite of a Peltier element, as used in thermoelectric coolers (those 12v can coolers that drain your car battery flat, heat up your car, & barely cool your tinnies). Put electricity in, one side of the Peltier plate gets hot, the other side gets cool.
TEGs put electricity out, when one side of it’s element gets much hotter (fire side) than the other side (ambient air). The TEG generates electricity to power USB devices & runs an electric fan to boost airflow for more efficient, smokeless combustion in the fire pit.
Thanks again, loved the episode.
I’m glad to hear this episode was helpful Nige!
Appreciate the extra info on TEG’s, they’re very cool (or hot, whichever way you look at it!)
I’m with Ben on this one, you don’t need to have a large camp fire running 24hours a day. I’ve watch campers load up their fire before going to bed so there will be a fire in the morning. Or even worse, campers turning up with chainsaws and axes so they can cut up any dry wood lying around within one km of their camp site for their fire.
If you need a camp fire, keep it small or better still, use one of the portable firepits. I tried a friend’s Super-Peg Frontier Fire Pit and it was brilliant, used very little wood and generated plenty of heat – I had to move my chair away at one stage and it was a a bloody cold night
Fantastic to hear from another camper with a minimalist mindset, and yes that Supapeg firepit is a cracker!
Hello,
An interesting episode (Ep6) showing how to still enjoy a fire but minimise the consumption of resources and leave less of a footprint, well worth considering. I just might suggest that the backdrop photo was probably not the most appropriate.
We really appreciate you tuning in to the episode Anthony, the image of the fire is part of the show’s logo, but you do have a great point. I will definitely pass that feedback onto the rest of the team going forward ~ thanks!