

While waiting for help to arrive, don’t put butter, vinegar, oil or lemons on the burn. “Maybe someone’s decision-making ability is impaired by drugs or alcohol, or they didn’t stop to think about the potentially dangerous consequences of a situation,” says Dr. Using alcohol or drugs around any type of fire is always a bad idea. People may also have an altered awareness of risk and a slower response time due to use of alcohol, drugs, medications or mobility issues. “If something happens, like a projection of fuel from the fuel source, the pathways are blocked and multiple people can be burned,” says Hayward. Tabletop firepits are often placed close to the home, with people gathered very closely around it. The person holding the container may also react by throwing it, inadvertently spraying other people at the firepit with burning fuel.ĭon’t re-fuel the fire while smoking cigarettes or marijuana either, because that can also cause the fuel to combust. That can cause the re-fuelling container to ignite almost instantaneously, causing it to explode. “Explosions can happen when you try to re-light the fire, because there can still be fumes or low flames that can ignite during the refuelling process,” says Anne Hayward, a social worker at Sunnybrook’s Ross Tilley Burn Centre.
#Fire pit table top how to#
Many tabletop fire pits use highly flammable fuels, like butane and ethanol, so be sure to read the operating instructions on how to re-fuel properly. Since the fire is up off the ground, it’s at roughly their height, making it easy for an errant hand or tail to get caught in the flames. Remember to closely supervise kids and pets, too. Just because the fire goes on a tabletop, has smaller flames and doesn’t need to be regularly stoked with wood, it doesn’t mean you should lower your guard when using a tabletop fire pit. “People make the mistake of considering it safer than a regular fire pit,” says Dr. Marc Jeschke, medical director of Sunnybrook’s Ross Tilley Burn Centre.īelow, two of our experts weigh in on how you can safely enjoy a tabletop fire pit as summer winds down. People really need to take this seriously, and use caution and good judgement every single time,” says Dr. “We’ve seen way too many people injured while re-fuelling these fire pits. While you may think of them as a safer, more convenient alternative to a traditional wood fire pit, staff members at Sunnybrook’s Ross Tilley Burn Centre have seen a significant number of incidents involving tabletop fire pits that have resulted in devastating injuries. Our selection includes fire pit tables in a range of sizes across price points that work well in a variety of outdoor settings.With cooler weather approaching, you might be tempted to extend your evenings on the patio by a few more weeks with a tabletop fire pit. We narrowed our shortlist down to a handful of high-quality pieces using what we learned from our own fire pit testing, as well as by combing through user reviews to ensure our options live up to the manufacturers’ promises of quality and durability. To determine the best fire pit tables on the market, we scouted those with unique styles and a variety of features. (It is technically safe to cook food over standard propane fire pits, but they aren’t designed to handle grease or goo that might fall into the heating elements, so we recommend sticking to your grill.)Ĭheck to make sure the one you buy is safe to use on your patio or deck material, or purchase a heat barrier to place underneath if you’re planning to put the fire pit table on a wooden deck. If you're planning to use your fire pit to grill, your best bet is to buy a smokeless fire pit with a grate or other wood-burning options.

While fire pit tables are primarily used for warmth and ambiance rather grilling, there are a few options on the market that do both. The glass wind guards you see in some product photos mean you can safely set a glass of wine on the table’s edge, though these are often sold separately. Fire pit tables typically have a hidden compartment in the base for the propane tank (some even have separate towers for tanks that serve as an end table or plant stand) and many double as coffee tables, with an insert to place over lava rocks. If you have an expansive patio to heat, look for options with 50,000 BTUs or more.

Most fire pit tables are propane-fueled, and some convert to natural gas. Make sure any model you’re eyeing has proportions that will work with your existing furniture and overall outdoor setup. Start by measuring your space to figure out the appropriate dimensions for a fire pit table.
