8 Things to Check Before You Buy a Propane Fire Table
Buyer's checklist · Published by Outdoor Nook, which makes and sells the furniture shown
A propane fire table looks simple: a burner, a tabletop, a knob. The details that decide whether you use it every week sit in the spec sheet and the manual. Here are the eight we'd check, and how our tables answer each, including where the honest answer is “check the manual.”
Use it on any brand. If a seller can't answer one of these, that tells you something too.
1. BTU: how much heat, and how long a tank lasts
A Btu is the heat needed to raise one pound of water by 1°F, and propane holds about 91,452 Btu per gallon (U.S. EIA). A standard 20-lb tank holds about 4.7 gallons (Fire Pit Surplus), or roughly 430,000 Btu. At full flame that is about 8.6 hours on a 50,000 BTU table and about 10.75 hours on a 40,000 BTU one. Turn it down and a tank lasts longer.
Don't read BTU as size. Our 24-inch wicker tables run at 50,000 BTU; the larger 39-inch Huntington runs at 40,000. Ask for the rating, then ask whether the flame is adjustable. For how propane compares with wood and smokeless pits, see propane vs. wood vs. smokeless.
2. Size, shape and height against your seats
A fire table is also where drinks go, so its height should suit your chairs. Our 24-inch round tables stand 22.8 inches, about 2.4 inches below the wicker recliner arm and 2.7 inches above the seat. The 39 x 39 inch Huntington stands 25.6 inches, level with the Huntington arm, and its slatted top fits plates for four. One owner of the round table put it simply:
“…The round table is well made and attractive. It is small and goes well between the 2 recliners.”
Ask for the height and top dimensions, then compare them with your seat and arm heights. Our fire table fit guide does the math for recliners, and bistro vs. 4-piece vs. conversation set covers footprints.
3. Where the propane tank goes
A 20-lb tank beside the table is what makes a patio look unfinished. Ask whether the tank hides inside, and whether the hose reaches where you'll put it.
Ours: the Huntington has an enclosed cabinet with a locking door that keeps the tank out of sight. On the 24-inch wicker tables, check the manual for tank placement and hose length before you plan your layout. No table includes the tank itself.
4. Ignition: check the battery on day one
Push-button igniters usually run on a small battery, and that battery is the most likely thing to stop a first fire. One owner's arrived flat:
“Fire pit works great and easy to assemble. The battery included in the box was dead, but switched it out and worked great.”
Check the igniter battery on arrival, note the type your manual lists, and keep a spare. Ask any seller what to do if the igniter fails.
5. Lid, burner cover and glass beads
A lid turns the fire table into a plain table by day and keeps rain and leaves out of the burner. Ask what's included; a matching lid is hard to find later.
Ours: the 24-inch wicker tables include a tabletop lid and glass beads; the Huntington includes a burner cover. Whatever you buy, let the burner area cool fully before the lid or cover goes back on.
6. Frame material and assembly
A fire table lives outside all year. Steel can rust; aluminum doesn't. Ours are rust-proof aluminum: wrapped in handwoven HDPE wicker on the Keywest, Newport and Malibu II, full aluminum on the Huntington.
Ask how it arrives. The wicker tables come fully assembled; the Huntington takes about 20 minutes.
“…Everything was extremely well packaged, the recliners and fire pit exactly as advertised and they were basically assembled out of the box.”
7. Wind: is there a guard, and what happens in a gust?
A glass wind guard is a tempered-glass surround on the tabletop. One fire-feature maker describes it as “a layer of protection between the flame and potential wind, little hands, pets, or debris” (Outdoor Rooms).
Our tables don't include one. If your patio is windy, ask us before ordering and pick a spot with some shelter that is still open air. On any table, turn the flame down or off in gusts.
8. Certification, warranty and returns
Outdoor gas fire tables are tested to ANSI Z21.97, the standard for outdoor decorative gas appliances (Intertek). Look for a testing lab's certification mark on the rating label or in the manual, and ask the seller, including us, to show it before you buy.
Then get the terms in writing. Our seating carries a 5-year limited frame and 2-year cushion warranty; ask us for the fire table's coverage before you order. Returns are 14 days for a full refund with free FedEx pickup. Our outdoor recliner checklist covers the chairs the same way.
The scorecard: take it to any seller
Good to know before you order
- Clearances come from your manual. For scale, EcoSmart specifies 24 inches from the flame to fixed furniture and 72 inches from the burner to a ceiling overhang (EcoSmart). See our clearance and cushion safety guide.
- Open air only. Propane fire tables are for outdoor, open-air use. Never leave a flame unattended, and check local codes, HOA rules and burn restrictions.
- Delivery is free by FedEx to the 48 contiguous states: 1–2 business days to process, 5–8 in transit.
- 14-day returns for a full refund with free FedEx pickup (undamaged, original condition); up to 90 days with a 20% restocking fee. See our returns policy.
Shop the fire tables and sets
Buy the table alone from $799, or with two or four recliners as a set. Every guide in this series is on our Fire Pit Nights hub.
Questions before you order? Call 1-800-296-0232 or email cs@outdoornook.com.
Quick answers
How long does a 20-lb propane tank last on a fire table?
Is 40,000 BTU enough?
Can I use a propane fire table on a screened or enclosed porch?
Sources. Reviews: Outdoor Nook product and company reviews on Reviews.io (4.8 average from 540+ reviews); review themes from our own analysis of 583 reviews, October 2026; quotes as written, excerpts marked. Prices and specifications: our product pages as of October 2026. Propane energy: U.S. Energy Information Administration, British thermal units; tank capacity: Fire Pit Surplus propane usage calculator; burn times are our arithmetic (4.7 gal × 91,452 Btu ÷ burner rating). Standard: Intertek, ANSI Z21.97 Outdoor Decorative Gas Appliances. Wind guards: Outdoor Rooms. Clearances: EcoSmart Fire. Accessed October 2026.
