Chill out with a chimenea
Stay warm on cool evenings with a chimenea, fire pit or fire bowl. They’re ideal for cosy cook-outs, says Geoff Hodge
Read our guide to chimeneas, firepits and fire bowls before you buy
We all love spending summer evenings out in the garden. But temperatures tend to get a bit chilly as the sun goes down. This is where a patio heater comes in – and if you can cook on it, so much the better. While barbecues provide heat and warmth, they’re not really suited to radiating out that heat, so aren’t useful for heating a patio – unless you huddle close around them! It’s far better to get your hands on something tailor-made for the job, and that’s where chimeneas, fire pits, fire bowls and fire tables come into their own. Some are designed for cooking on, doing away with the need for a barbie altogether! But how do you decide which one to go for?
CHIMENEAS: The free-standing fireplace
A chimenea is a free-standing fireplace or oven with a bulbous, hollow body connected to a narrower smoke vent or funnel. Central and South Americans have used them for centuries for domestic heating and cooking. They draw air in through the mouth and out through the funnel, radiating a huge amount of heat, while burning a relatively small amount of fuel. Nothing beats a chimenea for heating your patio effectively. Clay chimeneas are the traditional choice, but cast-iron and steel designs are also available. If buying a clay one, look for a high quality model made in Mexico; cheaper ones will likely crack and won’t last very long. The bowl needs a large mouth, which provides a strong draw of air to produce a clean, hot flame. Unlike metal chimeneas, the body won’t get overly hot, but it can crack in freezing temperatures, so store it in the shed over winter. Invest in a waterproof cover because they take a while to heat up after getting soaked in the rain. Good quality cast-iron chimeneas are the most durable but they’re heavy, so you won’t want to move them around. They produce extremely high temperatures (you can burn coal on them), heat up quickly and the body holds the heat for hours, making them perfect for heating larger areas. Steel is much lighter than cast-iron, so these chimeneas are easier to move around and maintain. Steel doesn’t crack in the cold and won’t rust as easily as cast-iron, but it doesn’t get as hot as cast-iron or clay. Some cheaper models use thin, flimsy steel plate, which doesn’t last well, so check the quality before buying. Metal chimeneas are a better choice for cooking. Whatever material you choose, position your chimenea on a flat, solid surface away from the washing line or combustible elements such as wooden fences, which can scorch in the heat.