Outdoor Fire Pits
Turn Up the Heat

As the weather turns colder, the urge to make an outdoor fire starts to kick in at a primal level. While indoor fireplaces are nice, it's hard to beat a roaring pile of wood sending sparks into the night sky.

Unfortunately, the Neanderthal spirit doesn't always mesh with civilized society, which frowns on the open flame (something about burning down neighborhoods). If you live in the city, striking a fire is almost impossible, and even in big suburban yards there are community rules about it. Some wealthier homeowners build permanent fire pits in their yards, complex affairs -- some even with spits -- that can cost many thousands of dollars. But that's something few of us can contemplate building.

Enter the retailers: In the continuing trend toward creating "outdoor rooms" -- and selling stuff to fill them, stores and catalogs are offering a widening range of portable fire pits. These small, affordable vessels provide a contained space for a fire, and help sate the eternal need to stare into flames. Plus, they can still be moved into the garage if the patio gets crowded.

Coleman RoadTrip Fireplace Grill Price: $80 Comment: Thin and flimsy and you can't use big logs either, making this good-looking unit flame out quickly.

My assistant Ed and I spent the past two weeks testing out a selection of devices in a variety of styles, prices and sizes: a pair of traditional good-old-boy types; two high-fashion ones that looked like serving dishes; a pair of open copper vessels that recall ancient offerings to the gods; and one that bridged several categories. What we found was that the goods ones shared one common thing: an ability to kindle a satisfying flame without a lot of muss and fuss.

Chiasso Atrio Fire Pit Price: $510 Comment: Fly me to the moon, but it'll be a dangerous ride with no screen and a too small burning zone.

The two traditional ones we looked at were from Coleman, the camping-equipment maker, and Whalen. Both the Whalen, at $150, and the smaller RoadTrip from Coleman, at $80, were round pots much like a charcoal grill, with a domed lid. One places the wood into the simply designed porcelain metallic units, and lights up -- either using ingenuity or a fire-starter block as Ed and I did.

Though it wasn't pretty, we both preferred the Whalen fire pit, which was sturdy and easy to move on two wheels with its solid handle. With the 28-inch-diameter bowl and a protective metal screen, it was easy to fit big logs and get a really roaring fire going in relative safety. We had an issue with assembling the screen, which included bending the sharp-edged mesh around two daunting rings. And you have to remove this behemoth screen to see the fire well.

Much easier to assemble was Coleman RoadTrip, which can double as a charcoal grill. But in many ways this unit was our least-favorite, since it looked too much like those grills. It was so cramped -- around 19 inches wide for the real fire area -- that it was difficult to put even medium-sized logs on. Smaller logs bumped up against the removable and collapsible grate, which also kept popping off the base, making the whole thing unsteady. Two things we did like on the RoadTrip were the telescoping legs to raise and lower the unit, and the ability to collapse it into a carrying case.

Gardener's Eden Embossed Leaf Fire Pit Price: $179 Comment: You can pretend you are an Egyptian empress with this spacious glowing vessel of fire. Or not.

For those looking for more style, we tested two pricier units -- one sold by Ameico in the U.S. for $680; and Chiasso's Atrio fire pit, which sells for $510. Both are sleek and impressive-looking with stainless-steel, spaceship designs that are about 12 inches high -- perfect to set out on a patio.

The problem is that looks will only take you so far. Both have small fire areas, about 15 inches in diameter, in which to light a fire. That makes for a pitiful blaze. While you can use large logs, they poke out of the top and create a dicey situation, since neither have screens to prevent sparks from landing on your roof.

Looks and function pair up much more successfully in the copper fire pits we tested from RedEnvelope and Brookstone's Gardeners Eden catalog. Copper has become a popular option for fire pits, with an ancient air that makes one feel like Cleopatra for a moment. When lit, both fire pits give off a lovely reflective glow. The setups are simple: You place the basin onto a round stand, load up and set it ablaze. Both units are about 12 inches high and have screen options.

Carsten Gollnick Fire Pit Price: $680 Comment: The high-fashion supermodel of fire pits has little depth, costs a lot and has a pea-sized pyre, but it's definitely pretty to look at.

But that's where the similarities ended. The Gardeners Eden one, costing $179 (and $38 for the screen), had a larger and deeper basin -- with a fire area about 19 inches wide. It is decorated with a nice leaf pattern and made of a solid piece of copper, all situated on a strong base. The fire we had going was a good one and it was easy to load on big pieces of wood.

Char-Broil Trentino Outdoor Fireplace Price: $118 to $154, depending on size Comment: Handsome, compact, easy to use and safe, this fire pit is a toasted marshmallow lover's dream.

RedEnvelope's, costing $130 (and $45 for the screen), was much chintzier, with a thinner copper basin that wasn't as large or deep, with a 16-inch-wide fire area. It was impossible to get a really satisfying fire going without the wood spilling out over the edge. While you can also grill on it, you'd need to use charcoal for space reasons. Finally, the protective screen didn't stay in place well and the too-small handles made it hard to open when cold and impossible when hot.

We found pyre nirvana in BBQ-maker Char-Broil's Trentino unit, selling for $118, or about $154 for a larger version. There was nothing we didn't like about this fire pit, from its look to its ability to create good fires to its ease of use. Looking like a Japanese pagoda, the 27-inch-square Trentino is handsome enough to leave out and light enough to move. Sitting on four substantial legs at 32 inches high, it is far enough off the ground to easily load it with wood, but low enough to give the feel of a real campfire. On top, there is a removable chimney to control sparks. Best of all, are its four flat screens that are easy to move from any side, so everyone can get a view.

As Ed and I huddled around this well-done fire pit, its appeal was clear with the smoke curling upward and the terrific fire roaring inside. It was as close to nature as two city dwellers could ever hope to be.

Email your comments to rjeditor@dowjones.com.