With more time at home, the backyard fire pit has become the center of my family鈥檚 universe. Light it up, and it鈥檚 the place where my wife and I can have a socially distanced beer with our neighbors. It allows me to听coax the kids away from Netflix for a night.听When things are winding down in the evening, the pit is where I go with a tumbler of whiskey for a bit of quiet solitude.
The type of fire you build is a personal choice. You can dig a shallow hole and ring it with stones, or you can opt for a propane-fed blaze that turns on with a switch. I in 2018.听If you want a large one that looks killer on Instagram, you can鈥檛 go wrong with the . If you want a smaller, more portable option that can move from your yard to the campsite easily, check out . Either option will help you build a fire with less smoke.
But no matter what kind听you go with,听there are accessories that can add to the experience, from gadgets that create gooey听s鈥檓ores to seating that helps听your family get more comfortable. The following听recommendations pull double duty, working at听home and during weekend car-camping trips with your clan.
Firedragon Fireplace Tool ($40)
This looks like your average fire poker鈥攁n听ageless tool that some use to arrange logs to maximize听the flames鈥攂ut it鈥檚 also a blower.听Put your lips on the cold end of and huff through the hollow core to direct air听toward the coals for the best ignition. You鈥檒l never have to kneel down and breathe in smoke听again. It is, hands down, the most useful campfire gadget听I never knew I needed.
ENO Lounger DL ($125)听
I have a lot of different camp chairs, but this is the one my family members fight over. That鈥檚 because its wide seat wraps around your body like a hammock.听The soft headrest only adds to its comfort. The is not a rocking chair, but the seat does sway from side to side enough to make you feel like you鈥檙e being lulled听to sleep. It has the requisite cup holder and a stash pocket for your phone, and you can adjust the height of the legs from three to ten inches if you want to sit higher off the ground. It鈥檚 not the easiest chair to put together (lots of shock cords, snap-tight legs, and braces), but once it鈥檚 assembled, you won鈥檛 find a more cozy seat around the fire.
Camp Chef Lumberjack Grill ($31)听
There are prettier grills designed to hover over your open flame, but I鈥檝e used the for years and can鈥檛 imagine a better product at this price point. The steel build has lasted through countless campfires, and it folds flat for easy transport. I like the听hexagonal听pattern of the grill top, which keeps small items from slipping through the cracks. The Lumberjack听was designed to fit over a true听blaze, so there are better options if you have a canister fire, like a Solo Stove, but if you鈥檙e dealing听with state-park-issue听fire pit听or a primitive pit, this one听is ideal.
Grubstick ($30)听
I don鈥檛 want to discount the timeless tradition of hunting for the perfect marshmallow stick, but the takes that basic听tool to the next level. The telescoping device has three听different attachments in the : a standard fork that allows you to cook hot dogs or marshmallows individually, a release tool that protects you from burning your fingers, and a basket that lets you craft the s鈥檓ore first, then roast the whole thing over the fire. The result of that third one is an unprecedented amount of melted chocolate. Your kids will lose their minds.
High Camp Tumbler Pack ($49)听
听aren鈥檛 campfire-specific, but years of my own highly听scientific research have听proven that whiskey and fire are natural bedfellows. Leave your nice glass tumblers听inside, and opt for these听stainless-steel ones instead. They鈥檝e got a double-wall construction听that will keep your fancy ice cubes frozen for several pours and prevent听shattering if a mishap occurs. I like the way the grooved exterior feels in my hand, and that they鈥檙e big enough (11 ounces) for when your mood changes from neat to cocktail.