[Review] The Ponderosa Outdoor Fire Pit by Camp Chef

Realistically, we should’ve gotten a gas-fired outdoor fire pit a long time ago. Now that we’ve been using the Ponderosa Outdoor Fire Pit by Camp Chef for the last month while in Baja, we don’t want to travel without one. While the Ponderosa is not quite a portable fire pit, we wanted it down here at our Baja basecamp. Moving forward, we’re going to leave this one in Baja and hopefully get a more portable version that we can take with us everywhere. 

First of all, I think we probably held out on getting a propane fire pit for so long because Tyson really loves and appreciates a good classic fire. Honestly, for me (cally), they just heighten my anxiety for a lot of valid reasons and make everything stink. While there is nothing quite like the sound, smell, and feel of a classic fire, having a propane fire is easier, more enjoyable, less messy, and safer. 

If you find yourself living in risky forest fire areas, the sweet thing about the Ponderosa is that with a simple turn of a knob, the fire is out. There’s no chance of it reigniting and there’s no question if you got it dead out. You don’t have to waste a ton of fresh water and you don’t wake up in the middle of the night feeling like you should check the fire pit when you can hear that the wind has picked up. 

The Ponderosa is one of Camp Chef’s largest outdoor fire pits and it’s perfect for four people to lounge around. You could realistically fit about 6 people around this fire pit but 4 is definitely ideal. Something that a lot of our friends are surprised by is just how much heat the Ponderosa puts out. We haven’t yet tested it in extremely cold temps, but for the chilly desert nights, it’s been perfect. 

This fire pit is easy to set up, comes with plenty of heat-keeping lava rocks, and ignites every time with the turn of a knob. It even comes with a nice lid that clicks into place so you won’t lose it in the wind. As we mentioned, we think we’re just going to keep this in Baja but we truly want one for each of our home bases plus one that’s portable and a little smaller to keep in the van.  

If you’re looking for an outdoor fire pit that is perfect for your basecamp, look no further than the Ponderosa by Camp Chef. It’s well made, puts off a lot of heat, is easy to use, and is a safe way to enjoy a fire no matter where you are. If you’re interested in purchasing a Camp Chef Ponderosa, doing so using our provided link supports us as we get a small kickback from your purchase. We appreciate the support!

*We received this gear for free in exchange for a review, however, it’s important to know that all thoughts are our own.