A Fire Pit Is the One Thing You Should Splurge on This Summer

If you’ve been thinking about investing in a fire pit, we say yes. Do it! For a relatively low amount of money, a wood-burning fire pit can — and will! — change the way you summer. (There are gas fire pits on the market, too, but we just prefer the ones that burn with real wood.) It makes summer evenings outside with your plus one extra romantic and, if you’re hosting a get-together, you can make s’mores. It’s also basically the best excuse to not clean your house (if you’re having people over for a night around the fire pit, they’ll be around the fire pit — not in your house)!

Even more proof you need a fire pit: Why The Fire Pit Party Is Even Better than the Crappy Dinner Party

Sold? We thought so.

Before you go buy your fire pit, there’s one thing you also need to pick up: some sand.

“The sand prevents the pit from overheating at the base,” says Hila Roberts, the patio furniture merchant at The Home Depot. This step is usually in the instruction manual, but we know most people don’t read those things. Without the sand, the bottom gets super hot — which is dangerous for your feet (and lawn!) and less well-constructed pieces could start to warp over time.

Add a few inches of sand (the stuff you’d put in a kid’s sandbox will do the trick!) to the bottom of your fire pit and then start adding your wood. It’ll help your fire pit last longer, and it’s safer this way. And safety always comes first — especially when fire is involved!

1. Degano 26-Inch Steel Round Fire Pit, $75 at The Home Depot: This sleek little guy also comes with a grill grate, so you can cook up hot dogs without skewering them onto a stick.
2. Landmann Big Sky Stars and Moons Fire Pit, $87: If you have kids, they might get a kick out of the fun celestial pattern on the side of this fire pit.
3. Round Bravo Fire Pit, $97 at The Home Depot: We just love how the mesh side panels give a front-row seat to the flames.
4. Landmann USA 28.5-Inch W Black Steel Fire Pit, $130 at Lowe’s: Is it us or does this look like it could fit right in on a Game of Thrones set? Also, you guys, Game of Thrones is back soon!
5. CobraCo Hand Hammered Copper Fire Pit, $263: This one is a little more spendy than the rest of the options on this list because the extra-deep tub is real copper. But admit it — the price is worth it to have a fire pit that matches your flatware, right?