A fire pit bowl is the simplest form of garden fire pit: a heavy-gauge metal vessel that holds the fire and throws warmth 360 degrees around it. Three core sizes (60, 80 and 100 cm), three core materials (corten, stainless, mild steel), and most double as outdoor cooking vessels with the right grill insert.
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Read the full fire pit bowl buying guide
What a fire pit bowl is, and what it is not
A fire pit bowl is a low, open vessel that sits on the ground or on short legs, with the fire visible all the way round and warmth radiating out in every direction. It is the most sociable fire pit form because no one is sitting behind the flames. It is not a fire pit table (which has a flat surface around a central flame channel), it is not a chiminea (which has a chimney and directional flame), and it is not a brazier (which is taller and narrower). If you want the campfire feel rather than the dinner-table feel, this is the right collection.
Three sizes that matter
60 cm is the small terrace size, suitable for two to four people on a balcony or compact garden. 80 cm is the standard four to six person size and the most popular spec on this site. 100 cm is the entertaining size, comfortable for six to ten people seated in a circle around it. Anything below 60 cm tends to be a tabletop burner rather than a true ground-standing fire pit bowl. Anything above 100 cm gets into commercial territory.
Material choice
Corten weathering steel is the premium choice. Corten oxidises in a controlled way over the first few months outdoors, then stabilises into a deep rust patina that protects the underlying steel for decades. It looks better with age. BonFeu BonBowl, the Moodz Corten line, and the Adezz wood-burning bowls all use corten. Counter-intuitive but worth knowing: corten needs water exposure to patina properly, so leave it uncovered in the rain rather than tucking it under a cover for the winter. Stainless steel stays bright without rusting and needs no patina time. The Moodz Stainless line is the choice for clients who want the silver look year-round. Powder-coated mild steel is the lower-cost option, with a protective coating that resists rust but will eventually fail at any scratch point. We sell powder-coated bowls only where the design justifies it.
Heat output and burn time
A standard 80 cm corten bowl burns roughly three to four kilograms of hardwood per hour at a comfortable warming output (around 12 to 18 kW total heat output, of which a fraction radiates outward toward the seated circle and the rest leaves vertically). A full load of split hardwood (around six to eight medium logs) lasts roughly 90 minutes of continuous burn before you need to top up. Hardwoods like oak, ash and beech burn longest; kiln-dried logs at under 20% moisture produce the least smoke.
Cooking from the bowl
Many bowls in this collection accept an optional grill insert that turns the bowl into a primary cooking surface. The Moodz 80 cm bowls take a fitted grill grate. The BonFeu BonBowl Plus is the cooking-focused variant of the regular BonBowl. The Adezz bowls also accept a grill plate. Cooking over wood embers rather than direct flame produces the best results; let the fire burn down to a glowing bed before placing food.
Base, ground protection and positioning
Fire pit bowls run hot underneath. Use a heat-resistant fire pit mat or a paving stone underneath if you are positioning on composite decking, timber decking, grass or any soft surface. Most bowls in this collection sit on three or four short legs which lifts the bowl off the ground, but a base mat is still good practice for decking and grass. Position the bowl at least 2 metres from any flammable structure (fence, shed, pergola post) and away from low overhanging branches.
UK Smoke Control Areas
Many UK towns are designated Smoke Control Areas under the Clean Air Act 1993. In these areas you can only burn smokeless fuel in DEFRA-approved appliances. Open fire pit bowls are not DEFRA approved by design, so they are intended for use either in gardens outside Smoke Control Areas, or with smokeless fuel such as kiln-dried hardwood briquettes or anthracite. If you live in a London borough or another Smoke Control Area, give us your postcode in the chat and we will tell you what is allowed.
Brands in this collection
BonFeu (Dutch, corten and powder-coated steel): the BonBowl and BonBowl Plus in 60, 80 and 100 cm. The Plus variant is the cooking-focused version. Moodz (Dutch fire-bowl specialists): the Feet & Handle and Classic series in 60, 80 and 100 cm, available in corten or stainless. The signature handle design lets you move a cooled bowl across the garden. Adezz (Dutch corten-steel): the Forma hexagonal, Halo and other corten bowls, often with grill add-ons. Glamm Fire (Portuguese designer steel): some of the dual-fuel pieces sit in this collection where the bowl form applies.
Free UK mainland delivery, price-match promise
Every fire pit bowl in this collection ships with free UK mainland delivery. We price-match any UK-registered retailer on the same SKU. Browse the bowls below, or use the chat in the corner if you would like a recommendation for your space.
