Burly’s wood-burning fire pits boast quick ignition and a cleaner burn made possible by low-smoke technology.
Fire pits are not just for camping anymore.
With the cool evenings of summer upon us, many folks like to wind down their day by sitting around a backyard fire pit for relaxation. Fire produces the sights, sounds and scents of burning wood that people find comforting and soothing. The flickering flames can be mesmerizing and hypnotic.
Just as we relish a warm indoor fireplace during winter months, a backyard fire pit is cherished during spring, summer and fall when we all like to spend more time outdoors.
Fire pits were traditionally found at campgrounds and beaches, but today Americans have found they can just step out their back door and enjoy the warmth of their very own flaming fire spot.
Backyard fire pits started gaining popularity about 10 years ago. Fire pit sales eventually increased very quickly during the Covid pandemic when people preferred to congregate in the open outdoors.
Miles Clarkson recognized the demand and launched the Burly Fire Pits brand in Richmond, Va., in the summer of 2020. His company makes all its fire pits at a steel fabrication shop in the Piedmont region of Virginia. Today, Burly is in direct competition with many of the cheaper, flimsy Chinese models.
“They are all made right here in Virginia. That was the goal from the get-go,” said Clarkson. “Back 5, 6, 7 years ago there wasn’t a lot of competition making low-smoke fire pits. We wanted to be different than the few competitors that were out there.
“There aren’t many made in the U.S. There’s been a few dozen competitors that have popped up since Covid. A lot of them are produced in China or India. You can kick a dent in the side of them, and they don’t last but a couple of seasons.”
Clarkson is a long-time veteran of the hardscape and concrete industries and has had plenty of experience with luxury outdoor fire pits installed by contractors at newly built outdoor rooms or backyards. Because of their size and weight, these “inserts” are most often sold at outdoor supply centers.
But Burly does offer free standing fire pits that can be purchased online and placed anywhere on a patio or deck.
“We started with one unit, our Gather, which is our top seller,” said Clarkson. “We added a smaller unit, which is the Scout, and in the past year we came out with the Virginian which is really cool. It’s just kind of meant to leave outside, and it is maintenance free.”
Many types of fire pits are fueled with gas or propane but Burly puts its emphasis on wood burning which is more pleasing to our senses.
“Our pits are reduced smoke or low smoke,” said 50-year-old Clarkson. “With seasoned wood, our fire pits burn very clean and use low-smoke technology. You can enjoy the wood-burning sensation without having to worry about the smoke blowing at you.”
To make this work, a Burly fire pit has a perforated inner floor which allows the air to circulate under the fire which makes seasoned wood ignite quickly and burn clean. The hot air is forced between the walls of the two units and is circulated through holes under Burly’s specially designed flange. These holes introduce oxygen back into the fire and excess smoke is burned off leaving an almost smoke-free experience.
The inner and outer pieces of the fire pit inserts weigh 36 pounds each, with a total weight of 72 pounds. Separately they can easily be moved around your outdoor living space, but when combined they make a solid, sturdy pit.
Fire pits were pitched to a mass audience when Snoop Dogg was featured in a televised campaign ad for Solo Stoves in 2023 and 2024. It was a “Snoop Dogg goes smokeless” theme.
“We are on a higher end compared to Solo Stove, which is made in China,” said Clarkson. “We don’t spend the money on advertising. We are more like slow and steady wins the race.
“There is a good reason that Solo brand is hemorrhaging right now. They spent $4 million on Snoop Dogg two years ago and other things like the Macy’s parade. We’ve created a good little following with our marketing. It’s a quality product that is going to last.”
Burly fire pits are manufactured with long lasting, heavy gauge steel which is sourced from U.S. steel mills. The pits come in either a black matte finish, stainless steel, or Corten steel, which is also known as weathering steel.
Corten steel models do not require any painting as the steel is designed to take on a rust-like appearance after exposure to the weather. This rust layer is a protective patina that forms on the surface, preventing further corrosion and increasing the steel’s durability.
“Corten is a steel used for a lot of bridges,” said Clarkson. “When you receive the product it looks like gun-metal steel but after sitting out it turns into a kind of rusty look. You will see a lot of large planters at commercial restaurants that have a rusted look and that is Corten steel. It’s made to rust, and it strengthens as it rusts. In today’s world, people like this look.”
Burly offers several accessories for its pits including base stands, snuffer lids, spark screens and fire pit covers.
But perhaps the most important accessory is a fire pit grill. So, before you sit down and relax around the flames, you can cook your dinner on the fire pit.
“A grill attachment is available for all models,” said Clarkson. “It swivels on and off. You can swivel it to the side or raise it and lower it. We do tomahawk steaks, wings, and steamed oysters on the grill.”
Burly fire pits start at $595 and go up to $1,195 for a top line insert. You can certainly find less expensive made in China models at big box stores. But for top quality steel and design that comes with an American-made product, Burly fire pits are at a competitive price.
Burly fire pits are available online at www.burlyusa.com. For the heavier insert models, Burly products can be found at select hardscape and landscape service centers.