From their beginnings in the time of Homo erectus hundreds of thousands of years ago, fire pits have remained popular and are a fashionable garden accessory right now. At its simplest a fire pit is just a hole in the ground with a fire in it, which protects the fire from wind and helps stop it spreading out of control. Modern designs can be quite elaborate though.

It’s possible to find fire pits in stone, brick or concrete, but a popular material is steel. Tough and heatproof steel is an economical and versatile material that makes many styles of fire pit easy to make. A big advantage of steel fire pits is that unlike stone ones they’re usually portable; they can be moved to different parts of the garden, placed on a patio or deck or stored out of the weather when not in use. A huge range of styles is now available, from classic wrought-iron braziers to sleek modern saucers or square boxes. Steel fire pits are easily mounted on legs, so they can be safely used on wooden surfaces and won’t scorch your lawn, and some come with spark guards to prevent burning material escaping. With cooking grills being a common accessory, a good steel fire pit works for every outdoor occasion.