Warming yourself on a wintry night with real logs burning in a traditional fireplace has its own charm and magic although sometimes it may be difficult to kindle them. This is especially true if the logs are not thoroughly dried and seasoned. You can, of course, use fire gels or pieces of old newspapers to help you start the fire but often these contain chemicals and may emit foul odor. A better way to do this is to use fatwood.

Fatwood comes from the heartwood of pine trees, particularly from the stump after the tree is cut and from the joints where branches meet the trunk. It is rich in flammable resin for which reason it is often used for kindling fireplace logs. In fact, it can be lighted even when wet as well as in the presence of strong wind. Fire from the fatwood also burns hot enabling it to ignite larger pieces of wood. Since it is completely natural and does not contain chemicals, it emits a pleasant smell.

A Colonial 5MM-FWC-01 Fatwood Caddy is a perfect container for your storage of fatwood. Made of wrought iron and powdercoated in black, the caddy makes an attractive accessory sitting in front of your fireplace keeping the fatwood handy. The powdercoat also keeps rust and corrosion at bay.

The design is actually simple. It consists of an elongated metal base that is arched on its long side to hold the fatwood. Two rounded handles that are joined at the top for carrying double as feet with their spaced lower ends.

The caddy itself weighs 10 lbs but it comes with 4 lbs of fatwood. If you run out, a refill of 8 lbs is available. Dimensions are 8.75″ long, 6.75″ wide, and 8.5″ high.

Old world class. That is what you get if you opt for a real wood burning fireplace rather than contemporary faux logs with fire from propane or natural gas. The crackle and roar of the flickering flames can sound like music as you warm yourself in front of burning logs you chopped earlier in the day.

The Monessen HWB700OD Radiant Wood Burning Fireplace can deliver this. It is a pre-fabricated firebox in stainless steel with firebrick lining the hearth and firebox designed in a herringbone pattern. These are refractory thus redirecting the heat thrown at them to the opening. For extra durability, they are also reinforced with steel mesh. To give it the look of a real masonry fireplace you can use bricks, marble, slate, or granite as finishing materials around its flange.

Owing to its stainless steel construction, the fireplace resists rust and corrosion guaranteeing years of service even when installed outdoors. A draining system is incorporated on the hearth to prevent rainwater from accumulating. In the event that you would rather use gas logs in place of real wood, a side gas line is available. With its built-in flue damper, the flow of air into the fireplace and out of the L-series chimney is regulated.

The fireplace features a huge front opening, measuring 44 inches wide and 27 inches high, which gives you a huge view of the blazing fire. As an option, you can install stainless steel-framed glass doors.

The Monessen HWB700OD Radiant Wood Burning Fireplace has dimensions of 53.125″ W x 52.875″ D x 26.375″ D.

A versatile appliance-cum-furniture, the Sierra CF Fire Pit Table can hold either a fire pit or an ice bowl, and can also be a coffee table. At the center of its 48″ x 36″ tabletop is a cutout of approximately 21″ in diameter. This is where the fire pit or ice bowl is inserted.

The table is constructed from rigid polyurethane foam stack stone, with a super-cast top. The stones are artificial but they look very realistic that they can easily be mistaken for the real thing, not only in terms of their looks but their texture and feel as well. They are highly durable and are impact-resistant.

The table’s stand is wrapped with the polyurethane stones concealing the gas tank that feeds the burner assembly. By default, the burner runs on propane, but with a conversion kit it can be converted to burn natural gas. An optional log set can be placed in the fire pit for an even more rustic ambience.

Another option is the crystal fire burner which emits flames through fire glass that not only conceals the plumbing for the gas, but also helps reflect heat and light, providing you comfortable warmth and dazzling sparkles. This burner can produce 60,000 BTUs. A super cast cover is available to protect the fire glass when not in use but if you feel it is a waste concealing them, you can opt for the glass cover.

During summer, when you need cold drinks more than a warm fire, you can replace the burning unit with an ice bowl. This optional accessory comes in stainless steel and will fit snugly into the cutout at the tabletop. You can pack the bowl with ice and bury your canned sodas and bottled water in them for a refreshing drink.

The Mexicans introduced chimineas to the world. Mexican tribesmen from forgotten ages developed the chiminea for cooking and heat. It was designed to keep rain off the fire and it was built from a resource that was readily available –clay.

Today, chimineas are built of materials other than clay including cast iron and aluminum. Admittedly, these are sturdier than clay, but there are methods of improving the latter’s strength. Among them is the seasoning of the chiminea, application of sealant to the outside and acrylic floor finish inside the firebox. If you live in colder regions, it is advisable to keep it in your garage during winter.

If you are sufficiently attracted to the old world charm of clay chimineas enough to go through the trouble of taking extra care of them, have a look at the Garden Treasures Model No. 092 Clay Chiminea.

Model No. 092 is in the old Mexican design of a bulbous firebox with a large opening for your firewood. A slender neck stretches from the top of the firebox functioning as a chimney. Smoke from the fire is thus vented at a higher level. At the same time, it also facilitates airflow for a more efficient burn.

Both the firebox and the chimney are decorated with a relief of diamonds wrapping their entire circumference. Such decoration is reminiscent of a waffle. Its colors of browns and tans reinforce the image. The chiminea is cradled on a metal stand with four legs that curve upward in a wrought iron design.

The clay chiminea stands 37 inches while its firebox has a diameter of 21 inches. With the large opening of the firebox, it can heat an area of 20 square feet.

The image of a man splitting fire logs with a maul, or sometimes with an ax, is often seen as an embodiment of machismo. What is usually not mentioned are the sore muscles, blistered palms, and aching backs that almost inevitably follow after such labor.

There is a better, and far easier, way to split your logs –Pow ‘R’ kraft Model 65556 4-Ton Electric Log Splitter. And it does the job in less than half the time compared to using the good old maul. The log splitter is powered by a 1.75 horsepower motor that runs on electric power. This means that you do not have to contend with fumes and noise that come from gas- or diesel-powered machines. It also means that you can use it in your garage, basement, or even right next to your fireplace on the patio.

A hydraulic pressure of 2,320 PSI enables the machine to generate a splitting force of 4-tons or 8,000 pounds. With this force, it can easily handle 10-inch diameter and 20-inch long logs. The machine incorporates a “ZHB” control system to insure operator safety. It does not run unless both hands are engaged, one pressing the push button switch while the other holds the hydraulic control lever, thus preventing your hands from wandering into hazardous areas on the machine. The log is then pushed smoothly but strongly into a wedge. Once cutting is complete, you can release the switch and hydraulic control. This automatically returns the log pusher to its original position.

For ease of moving the 97-pound log splitter, it is fitted with a pair of wheels on one end. A stand is available if you wish to have the machine installed on a waist-level position. This way, you won’t have to bend down while running it.

The machine itself without the stand is 21 inches long and 20 inches high. It is 11 inches wide.

The simple design of the Firestone San Juan Fireplace makes it suitable for installation in a variety of garden settings, regardless of the type of plants in them or their particular style. The body is almost like a box with a chimney-like projection on top, except that it’s not really a chimney.

It is constructed of HardieBacker cement boards from James Hardie, with a galvanized steel frame system. Its exterior is finished with stucco that can be painted. The walls of the firebox are lined with bricks arranged in a herringbone pattern. Around its opening is a mantle made glass fiber-reinforced concrete. The top cap is also made of the same material.

The fireplace is equipped with a gas log set that is fuelled with either propane or natural gas. This includes a burner and the logs. It is not, however, convertible from propane to natural gas or vice-versa. Upon purchase, you will have to make a choice between the two. Using a standard 20-lb tank, the burner can continually burn from 6 – 8 hours. The set does not need a chimney as it vents in front of the fireplace.

The heat output of the burner is rated at 60,000 BTUs, and it is capable of heating an area of 10 square feet. This is wide enough for a good number of your family or friends as you gather in your garden on cold nights enjoying the clean and crisp air, perhaps with a bottle of wine for the grown-ups and s’mores for the children.

The Firestone San Juan Fireplace is 47 inches wide and 71.5 inches tall. It weights 400 lbs and can be installed on any flat surface.

You can set the world on fire with the Third Rock Gas Burning Fire Pit Globe. This unique fire pit consists of a globe made of steel with all the land mass cut out. The Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Arctic are all gaping holes in the globe, though which flickering flames are visible. The fire pit, therefore, is not only a source of heat during the cold season, but also a work of art that can be the centerpiece of your patio or garden.

The globe is made of thick steel, measuring ¼ of an inch, with a standard finish of iron oxide patina on the outside. Options are available though. Instead of iron oxide, you can have a finish of high temperature paint in black metallic, colonial pewter, chocolate, gold, rosebud metallic, Charleston green, and, if you want the globe’s oceans to appear in their own color, there is also blue metallic. The inside the globe, where the fire burns, is coated with high temperature resistant paint. A rain drain at the bottom prevents the accumulation of water, and thus checks premature rusting.

The fire pit is equipped with a burner that can be fuelled either by liquid propane or natural gas. If you desire large fires, you can easily adjust a knob on the burner and turn the world aglow with a warm dancing fire.

You will also need to choose a burning display to spread over the burner. This comes in a number of options. You can go for lava rocks or lava rocks with gas logs. There are also fire glass options and they come in different colors. Your choices are slate gray, blue, Arctic copper, Arctic black, rose, green, green reflective, and Arctic gold reflective.

The Third Rock Gas Burning Fire Pit Globe stands 44 inches tall on an 18-inch base. It has a diameter of 36 inches and weighs 275 pounds. With a little help from your friends, you can easily move the globe fire pit around your garden.

Combining form and function, the FirePits.Com ALZ110 4-Foot Steel Smokestack Chiminea is an attractive and appealing addition to your patio or garden, which also efficiently delivers heat and provides a full view of the flickering flames.

The chiminea stands on four sturdy cast iron legs supporting the 20-inch length and 25-inch width of the hearth. The hearth is surrounded by a wire mesh held by a strong metal frame. A large door, also of framed wire mesh, provides access to the interior of the chiminea where a cooking grid can be can be slid in.

The hearth is made of copper, which means that it resists corrosion and has an excellent heat conductivity. Below it is an ash drawer making cleaning and disposal convenient. The wire mesh extends from the hearth to the lower section of the dome leading to the chimney, cut in a half-circle. This extended opening, however, is only on the front and sides of the chiminea.

The chimney is large enough to control exhaust. To keep the rain from pouring into the hearth, a cap is attached to its top by two slender yet sturdy posts. Both the dome and the chimney are made of steel and are colored in black.

The design of the FirePits.Com ALZ110 4-Foot Steel Smokestack Chiminea means that the fire inside is radiated and is visible on all sides. You and your friends can sit around it without leaving anybody out in the cold. With its large door and slide-out cooking grid, you can broil barbecues or roast marshmallows with its wood fuel.

The chiminea, including its chimney, reaches up to 48 inches high. It weighs 43 pounds, making it easy to move around your backyard garden. It even comes with a black waterproof PVC cover.

Traditional fireplaces and fire pits that burn real logs instead of aluminum fakes are often preferred by purists who just can’t enjoy warmth without the sound of crackling fire, the smell of burning wood, and the flickering flames. Igniting logs, however, can sometimes be difficult especially if they are not sufficiently seasoned and dried. In these instances, it may be necessary to use a fire starter.

Rutland Safe Lite Fire Starter Squares are one of the newer products that help light your fire. These are made out of wood fiber and waste, recycled newsprint, and paraffin that are compressed into squares. It is the paraffin content that facilitates its burning even when wet. Just shake off excess water from its surface and you are ready to go.

In spite of its readiness to burn, it does not flare-up. Instead, it emits a steady flame that burns for as long as 8 – 10 minutes, enough time to set your logs on fire. You can grill barbecues or roast marshmallows for your s’mores on Safe Lite-ignited fire wood as it is non-toxic and will not flavor your food.

In addition to fireplaces and fire pits, Rutland Safe Lite Fire Starter Squares can also be used when lighting campfires, charcoal grills, wood stoves, and even pellet stoves. All you need to do is pile charcoal or wood above the squares, leaving room for airflow, and touch a lighted match to them. One square is often sufficient but to evenly distribute the fire, you can use additional pieces. For pellet stoves, you can put a square in the burn pot and pour pellets above it. Ignite the fire starter square, and when the pellets are burning, turn on the stove’s automatic feeder.

Putting together the Mirage Stone Outdoor Fireplace is like assembling a set of Lego bricks. Each part has a rabbet that corresponds to a ledge or tongue on the adjacent part resulting in an interlocking construction. This makes assembly easy and indeed any person with basic do-it-yourself skills can get the job done in about an hour. As you won’t need mortar or any other bonding material, or any fastener, the only tool you’ll need is a level.

This Mirage Stone model is a square fireplace. You can opt for the regular solid walls, called the BBQ unit, or for screened see-through walls on all sides, or on one or two sides, which is known as the Multi-Screen. Using advanced technology from the science of materials, the components of the fireplace include expanded shale and luminite. These result in sturdy and durable blocks that quickly dissipate heat and thus avoid any stress from prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures.

Another option you have with the fireplace is its fuel. You can choose to have one designed for charcoal or wood if you prefer the traditional type. On the other hand, if you are more concerned with the ease of igniting the fire, you can go for either a natural gas or propane burning stove. You may, however, need a licensed contractor to install your natural gas line. If you choose the latter, gas logs are available to give your fireplace a traditional look.

In order to match the dominant color on your patio or garden, Mirage Stone is offered in four colors –pewter, tan, sandstone, taupe, and a combination of black and gray. To open the powder coated steel doors, there are five different designs of door handles you can choose from. These are horses, birds, trees, cacti, and a plain horizontal bar.

Including the chimney, the Mirage Stone Outdoor Fireplace is 71 inches tall. It has a width and depth of 51.5 inches. When all parts are put together, it weighs 1,300 lbs.