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The Portable Fire Pit for Camping: Grill at Supper, Campfire After

How to use a raised steel charcoal grill as a small personal fire pit where allowed, and why it beats a shared ring.

A campfire is the center of camp. People gather around it, tell stories, warm their hands and roast marshmallows. But in many campgrounds, the only place to have one is a shared ring with a questionable history. A portable fire pit gives you a fire of your own. And when your portable fire pit is also your grill, you get two jobs out of one piece of gear.

What makes a good portable fire pit

• Raised design so coals and wood are not sitting directly on the ground.
• Thick steel that will not warp under repeated heating.
• Airflow so the fire burns cleanly with less smoke.
• Packability so it travels in a trunk, RV bay or boat.
• Stability so it does not tip on uneven ground.

How the Slot Grill works as a fire pit

The Slot Grill is a charcoal grill that burns charcoal or cooking wood. After you've cooked dinner, add a few small splits of dry, local firewood to the remaining coals. It becomes a compact fire for warming hands and toasting marshmallows, sized for a small group gathered close.

The raised design keeps an air gap under the coal bed (2⅞" on the Compact, 3⅝" on the Full Size), which helps minimize radiant heat to the surface beneath. Both sizes are thick carbon steel: 12-gauge for the Compact and 10-gauge for the Full Size.

Camp griddle

Pancakes, eggs and smash burgers at camp

The Slot Grill Griddle (Plancha) add-on is built from the same thick carbon steel, comes in half or full griddle configurations, and flat-stacks with your Slot Grill. Grill not included.

See the griddle add-on

Rules first

Portable fire pits are treated differently in different places. Some parks allow them like any campfire, some only in designated areas, and some ban all fires during dry or windy conditions. Many burn bans include charcoal. Always check current rules with the land manager.

Setting up your fire pit safely

• Level, non-combustible surface: gravel, bare dirt, a paver or a fire-safe mat.
• At least 15 feet from tents, vehicles and trees.
• No overhanging branches.
• Water and shovel right next to it.

Fueling the fire

• Use small, dry splits sized to fit the box.
• Buy local firewood where required.
• Do not overload; a small, hot fire is cleaner and safer.
• Never burn trash, plastic, treated wood, or anything that is not clean fuel.

The sanitary advantage

Here is the thing nobody says about shared fire rings. They are used as trash cans, ashtrays and, after certain late nights, as urinals. Grates get caked in grease and ash and rarely see a brush. When the fire ring doubles as the campground grill, it all ends up under your dinner.

With your own fire pit and grill in one, you know exactly what has been in there: charcoal, clean wood, and your own cooking. Nothing else.

Flat-pack grill

Packs flat. Cooks like it means it.

Tab-and-slot steel plates, no hinges, no loose hardware to lose in the leaves. The Full Size packs to about 1.25" and the Compact to about 1". Both are strong enough for cast iron.

See the Full Size · $149.97

Putting it out

Let the fire burn down to ash. Drown with water, stir and drown again. Check with the back of your hand. Let the steel cool fully before packing.

Compact or Full Size?

• Compact: a cozy fire for two to three people. About 14 lb.
• Full Size: a bigger fire for families or groups. About 27.6 lb.

Fire pit vs. campfire ring

Building a small fire in a grill

1. Start with a few hot coals left from cooking, or light a small bed of charcoal.
2. Add a handful of small, dry kindling.
3. When it catches, add two or three small splits.
4. Feed slowly; keep the fire inside the box.

Smoke management

• Use dry, seasoned wood.
• Keep the fire small and hot.
• Sit upwind.
• Avoid green or wet wood, which smokes heavily.

Fire pit safety with kids

• Set a clear boundary around the grill.
• An adult always supervises.
• Long roasting sticks only.
• Remember the steel stays hot long after the fire dies.

Fire pit activities

• Roasting marshmallows and s'mores
• Hot cocoa in a pot at the edge
• Storytelling and stargazing
• Warming up before bed

When not to have a fire

• During burn bans or fire restrictions
• In strong or gusty wind
• When you can't supervise
• When you don't have water nearby

Wood size

The grill box is small. Cut or buy wood in short, small splits so pieces sit inside the box without sticking out.

Cleanup and storage

Let the steel cool completely, empty cold ash into a metal container, wipe and oil the grill, and pack it flat.

Why a portable fire pit helps at camp

A raised steel fire pit gives you control over where and how your fire burns. Instead of building on a dirty or damaged public ring, you have a clean, contained firebox you brought yourself.

• Contained coals that stay off the ground.
• An air gap that protects the surface underneath.
• Easy ash removal when the fire is out cold.
• One piece of gear that works as both grill and fire pit.

Choosing a site for your fire pit

• Bare dirt, gravel or a designated pad.
• Clear of overhanging branches.
• Well away from tents, cars, awnings and gear.
• Sheltered from strong wind.
• Where fires are permitted.

Building a small fire in a grill

1. Start with a bed of charcoal or small kindling.
2. Add small splits of local or certified wood once it catches.
3. Keep the fire small, below the rim.
4. Add wood gradually.

Fire pit safety

• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Keep water and a shovel nearby.
• Supervise children and pets closely.
• Don't burn trash, plastic, or treated wood.
• Put it out completely before bed.

Putting it out

Let the fire burn down to ash, then drown it with water, stir and drown again until cold to the touch. Dispose of cold ash as local rules direct.

Respecting burn bans

Burn bans exist for good reasons. When one is in effect, don't light fires. Check with the campground and local authorities.

The cleaner alternative to public rings

Public rings often contain trash, food scraps and worse. Bringing your own fire pit means you start with clean steel and leave the site cleaner than you found it.

Packing it home

Once it's cold, break it down, wipe it off, and slide it flat into the car.

Grill by day, fire pit by night

The same steel firebox that cooks supper can hold the evening fire. After dinner, lift off the cooking grate, add a few small splits of local or certified wood on the remaining coals where wood fires are allowed, and gather around. Keep the fire low inside the walls so embers stay contained. When it's time for bed, let it burn down, then drown and stir until cold.

Sizing your fire pit

A compact firebox makes a small, intimate fire for two to four people, perfect for a quiet evening. A larger firebox holds more wood and throws more warmth for a family or group. Small fires are easier to control, use less fuel and produce less smoke, so even with a bigger pit, keep fires modest.

Smoke management

Burn only dry, seasoned wood. Wet or green wood smolders and smokes. If smoke follows you, it's usually the wind; move your chair. Keep the fire hot and small for cleaner burning.

Protecting the ground

A raised fire pit with an air gap beneath it keeps heat from scorching the soil or pad, unlike a fire built directly on the ground. Even so, set it on bare dirt, gravel or a designated pad, never on grass, roots or wooden decks.

Packing out ash

When the fire is cold to the touch, carry the ash to the campground's designated disposal spot, or pack it out in a metal can when no disposal is provided.

Fire pit FAQs from the campsite

Can you cook on it after the fire? Yes; once wood burns down to coals, you can set the grate back on for late-night snacks or s'mores.

One more tip

A small, well-tended fire is safer and more enjoyable than a big one.

Questions campers ask

Can a charcoal grill be used as a fire pit?

The Slot Grill burns charcoal or cooking wood, so where fires are permitted it can serve as a small fire pit after cooking.

Are portable fire pits allowed in campgrounds?

Rules vary. Check with the park, and note that burn bans may include charcoal.

What should I burn in a portable fire pit?

Only charcoal or clean, dry firewood, bought locally where required.

Portable fire pit

Love campfires? Bring your own clean one.

The Slot Grill Compact burns charcoal or cooking wood in a raised steel box with a 2⅞" air gap underneath, so where fires are allowed it doubles as a tidy personal fire pit after supper. Set up by hand in 30 to 60 seconds, no tools.

See the Compact · $89.97

Compact · $89.97 $99.97
About 14 lb, 146 sq in, 1 to 3 people, packs about 1" thick.Full Size · $149.97 $159.97
About 27.6 lb, 231 sq in, family-size, packs about 1.25" thick.