Once you’ve sworn off wood for making your fires because of the hassles involved with cleanup, it’s time to explore the world of gas fire pits. Clean, efficient and long burning, it’s almost baffling as to why anyone would still be using antiquated lumber to entertain guests on a cool summer night. The amount of ash and soot that cakes up in the bottom of a fire pit’s bowl alone is nauseating. How’s anyone supposed to be able to keep up with maintenance when the design of campfire rings and traditional bowls runs so contrary to functionality?

The beauty of propane is that it’s inexpensive and highly effective. A gas-fueled flame will burn hotter and brighter than anything you could accomplish with wood. Plus, there’s no cumbersome cleanup involved after the fact. Nothing is more sobering than ending a good fire with the realization you’ll have to spend the next morning scraping up cinder with a tinsel brush. Propane flames are as simple as flipping a switch and kicking back. Some propane powered pits even come with customizable settings so you can twiddle knobs to get just the right intensity out of your tank.

The only limitation that propane may present is cost. You can get a basic stand-alone unit for a relatively low price. A nicer design with a filled out base and a top crafted from good material will obviously cost a lot more. Starting with a firm budget is a good first step for making the switch to gas powered fun times.