The fire pit is a great addition to your backyard. It gives you a chance to enjoy yourself and spend some quality time with friends and family in the open air.
You can also use it as a source of heat on chilly evenings, but do keep in mind that it is not exactly an effective way of heating up the entire space. However, there are several other uses for this beautiful piece of furniture which you may have never thought about before.
However, in this post, we’ll talk about can you use charcoal in a fire pit?
Let’s find out!
Can I Use Charcoal In A Fire Pit?
If you’re heading out on a camping trip or just looking to add some s’mores to your backyard routine, you may want to keep an eye out for charcoal.
Charcoal can be used in place of wood for your fire pit or grill. Charcoal burns hotter and longer than wood, so it’s perfect for slow-cooked dishes like BBQ pizza or even a whole chicken. The intense heat makes the outer layer of the chicken crispy while keeping the inside moist and juicy.
So yes you can use charcoal in a fire pit without any issues. Some even say they are much better than wood.
3 Best Fire Pits To Get
- Fire Sense Roman Fire Pit
- Amazon Basics 34-Inch Natural Stone Fire Pit with Copper Accents
- Outland Living Model 863 Portable Propane Fire Pit, 21-Inch Diameter 58,000
1. Yes, You Can
Charcoal is one of the most commonly used fuel sources for fire pits. People who want to enjoy the warmth of a fire without having to worry about dangerous smoke and other pollutants will use charcoal as a heat source in their fire pit.
Charcoal briquettes are a good option for burning when the weather gets cold, but many people don’t know that you can use them in a fire pit as well. While they aren’t going to burn as long as known fire starters, you can still get several hours of heat from them. Plus, briquettes are reasonably sized and aid you in many types of cooking.
2. Burns Longer Than Wood
Charcoal burns longer than wood. The statement is true, but it’s also false, depending on what you mean by “burns longer.”
In the normal sense of the word, charcoal does burn longer than wood: It takes more charcoal than wood to create an equal amount of heat. That’s because charcoal is pure carbon, while wood has a lot of moisture in it. The water in the wood makes up a lot of its volume, and heats up quickly—but it also cools down very quickly, too.
So in short, charcoal does burn longer than wood.
3. Doesn’t Produce Much Smell Than Wood
Charcoal is prepared by slow burning of organic materials, usually wood. It’s widely used for cooking, heating and purifying water. Charcoal is also a popular material for artwork and decorative items, such as lamps and sculptures. While charcoal does produce less smoke than wood, it produces a lighter odor as well.
Unlike wood, charcoal gives off very little smoke when it burns. However, the amount of smoke produced is not an indication of odor production since smoke is actually odorless. Rather, charcoal releases a light smell when it burns because of the chemicals that are released into the air during the process but it can be tolerated.
