The ancient Incas were no slouches when it came to innovation. Their farming ingenuity, transportation networks, and communication methods are things we still marvel at today. Not nearly as life-saving as growing food, the chiminea is one of the Incas’ most enduring inventions. These charmingly curved clay vessels cradle a crackling fire in their bellies and add heaps of ambiance to an evening outdoors. Beyond its appealing looks, a chiminea is relatively safe to use on a deck, and smoke is funneled upwards rather than into the eyes of your fellow s’mores makers. Nowadays, you can find one of these ancient wonders made from clay or metal — there are even versions that make the fire visible from all sides.
In general, chimineas are known to be less dangerous than wood-burning fire pits. They spit out fewer sparks, and with their bases lined with insulative material, they don’t pose as much of a threat to wooden decks. While billowing smoke from your fire pit might make your neighbor angry, the smoke from chimineas is directed upwards through its namesake chimney, leaving less to sting your eyes and stink up your clothes.
Usually, chimineas can be more expensive than wood-burning fire pits, but the extra cost may even out in other ways. Traditional chimineas require less wood, and their side opening helps keep fires safely burning in the wind.
Read more: 11 Small Trees That Add Color To Your Landscape Without Damaging Your Home Or Driveway
Chiminea Vs Fire Pit
A man crouched next to a fire pit squints due to smoke. – Krblokhin/Getty Images
Budget-minded backyard owners may lean toward wood-burning fire pits since they cost significantly less than chimineas. For even more savings, there are heaps of common items you can repurpose into DIY fire pits. A roaring fire in a pit is accessible from all sides, making it ideal for warming large groups of people. With enough seats and skewers, a fire pit can have all of your guests toasting marshmallows at once. Usually, fire pits are easily portable, giving you tons of options for where you set up your campfire, including areas far from home.
But are these reasons enough to gamble with safety? The smoke put off by fire pits can be a harmful nuisance. Even more, the chances of a stray ember starting a wildfire add a major risk. Using a chiminea isn’t entirely risk-free, but these dangers are reduced quite a bit compared to using a fire pit. Plus, they fit beautifully in small spaces.
One of the biggest disadvantages of a chiminea is its shape. The vertical form with one opening for fire access doesn’t warm a group of guests particularly well. Even if you source a chiminea with 360-degree grating around the fire, you still have a tall object that’s hard to see over sitting in the middle of your gathering. However, snuggling up with a partner in front of a glowing chiminea may sound more tempting than surrounding one with a large party.
Choose Your Own Chiminea
A metal chiminea with 360-degree grating holds flaming wood. – Chris Rogers/Getty Images
You’ve got a delightful list of options when it comes to these charming fire features. Regarding what you need to know about chimineas, start with the material. They typically come in clay, copper, stainless steel, cast iron, or cast aluminum. Include a clay chiminea in your outdoor space for instant ambiance. These contraptions have a small opening on one side of the bulbous base where you feed in firewood. Most come with metal stands, and some also include lids that enable a fire to keep burning in the rain. While clay chimineas are visually appealing, they do require more maintenance than metal ones. Since they’re made of two seamed pieces of clay, you’ll need to season and seal the material on a monthly basis to prevent cracking from the heat.
Metal chimineas offer the most variety and are sometimes slightly cheaper than clay ones. Copper chimineas tend to be toward the top of the price range. They often have grating that encircles the fire, making the warmth and enjoyment accessible to more people sitting around it. The finish ages beautifully into a greenish patina, and along with its function, these factors may be alluring enough to make a copper chiminea yours.
For low-maintenance chiminea shoppers, look toward ones made from cast aluminum, sheet metal, or stainless steel. Out of these three metals, cast aluminum chimineas will set you back the most money, but their ease of use could make up for it. They’re lightweight, rust-free, and involve few maintenance expenses. Sheet metal or stainless steel chimineas are common and fall into a manageable price range. This makes yours easy to replace if it’s damaged.
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