Ethanol Fire Pits

Yes, for the right job. A bioethanol fire pit gives a real flame with no smoke, flue or gas line, so it works on a timber deck or courtyard where a built-in fireplace is not practical. Treat it as a focal point and supplemental heat source, not as primary heating for a whole home. The 2 kW models warm roughly 20 m² and the 6 kW models roughly 60 m², delivered as radiant, zone warmth for the people gathered around them.

Yes. A bioethanol fire pit is a freestanding appliance burning a liquid fuel with no flue, so unlike a built-in wood fireplace it needs no building approval to stand on a deck or in a courtyard. The practical question people are really asking is about fire bans. Because there is no ember, spark or smoke, ethanol fire pits are commonly permitted where an open wood fire is not, but the rules differ by state and a total fire ban can still apply to any open flame. Check with your local council or fire authority before lighting one on a ban day. Indoors is the part that is actually regulated. Only the Pod 30 and Pod 40 are rated for indoor use. Both need the Indoor Safety Tray to meet EN 16647.

Yes, when installed and refuelled to the maker's rules. EcoSmart pits are freestanding and self-contained and burn e-NRG bioethanol, the only fuel EcoSmart tests with and recommends. They need a level, non-combustible base, 2,000 mm overhead clearance, 600 mm from fixed objects, and a small air gap under the pit. Never refuel while the pit is running or hot: extinguish it with the slider, let it cool for at least 60 minutes, then refill using only the supplied Safety Nozzle and Jerry Can with Safety Spout.

Yes. EcoSmart bioethanol pits burn e-NRG liquid bioethanol, which produces heat, water vapour and carbon dioxide with no smoke, soot, ash or embers. There is nothing to sweep out and no flue to install, so they can be used on timber decks and in courtyards.

Fuel is the running cost. e-NRG bioethanol lands at roughly $6.00 to $6.60 per litre delivered, and buying more per carton lowers the price. The compact Mix 600 and Stix use about 0.31 L/h at full flame (close to $1.90 an hour); the larger Pod 30, Pod 40 and Mix 850 use about 1.1 L/h (around $6.90 an hour). A low flame setting cuts fuel and cost by roughly 30 to 50 per cent.

The compact pits (Mix 600, Stix) hold a 2.5 L burner and run about 8 to 11 hours on a fill. The larger pits (Mix 850, Pod 30, Pod 40) hold 8 L and run about 7 to 9 hours. Burn time depends on the flame setting and conditions.

Only the Pod 30 and Pod 40, which are rated for indoor or outdoor use. Used indoors they require the Indoor Safety Tray and the included AB8 Burner Efficiency Ring to meet EN 16647, along with adequate room volume and ventilation. The Mix 600, Mix 850 and Stix are rated outdoor only.

Yes, with clearances. These pits are freestanding and self-contained, so they suit decks, patios and poolside terraces. EcoSmart specifies a level, non-combustible base, 2,000 mm overhead clearance, 600 mm from fixed objects, and a small air gap under the pit. Follow the model's installation manual for the exact figures.

They use e-NRG bioethanol, the only fuel EcoSmart tests with and recommends for its burners. Other fuels, including isopropyl, methylated or denatured spirits, gel fuels or untested supermarket bioethanol, void the warranty and are not safe in these burners.

Both, within limits. The 2 kW pits warm roughly 20 m² and the 6 kW pits roughly 60 m², delivered as radiant, zone warmth for the people gathered around them. Treat a bioethanol fire pit as a focal point and supplemental heat source, not as primary heating for a whole home.

Three. You should hear them from us rather than find out later. Heat: this is not primary heating and was never built to be. It gives radiant warmth to the people gathered around it, roughly 20 m² on the 2 kW models and 60 m² on the 6 kW. If your plan is to heat an open yard through July, buy a wood fireplace instead. Running cost: the fuel is the cost, around $1.90 an hour on the compact Mix 600 and Stix, around $6.90 an hour on the Mix 850, Pod 30 and Pod 40. A low flame cuts that by 30 to 50 per cent, but it makes this a considered evening rather than something you leave burning all weekend. Refuelling discipline: you cannot top up a hot burner. You extinguish it, wait at least 60 minutes, then refill with the supplied safety nozzle. Wind will also move the flame about on an exposed terrace.