BALI OUTDOORS 32 inch Wood Burning Fire Pit with Grill Review: The Ultimate Backyard Upgrade?

There’s a specific magic that happens in a backyard as dusk settles in. The daytime buzz fades, replaced by the gentle chirp of crickets and a cool whisper in the air. For years, my own patio felt like it had a curfew; as soon as the sun dipped below the horizon, the gathering would migrate indoors. I wanted to reclaim those beautiful evenings, to create a central hub that would draw family and friends together, keep the chill at bay, and maybe even cook a few things over an open flame. The search began for a centerpiece that was more than just a piece of metal—it had to be a source of warmth, light, and shared experiences. This quest led me through a maze of options, from smokeless monoliths to simple steel rings, but I was looking for that perfect blend of classic campfire feel and modern functionality, which is precisely what drew me to the BALI OUTDOORS 32 inch Wood Burning Fire Pit with Grill.

What to Consider Before Buying a Wood-Burning Fire Pit

A fire pit is more than just an item; it’s a key solution for transforming an outdoor space into a year-round destination. It’s the anchor for social gatherings, a rustic outdoor kitchen, and a tranquil spot for solitary reflection. The primary benefit is, of course, warmth, allowing you to enjoy your patio or backyard on cool spring evenings and crisp autumn nights. Beyond heat, the mesmerizing dance of flames provides unparalleled ambiance and a natural focal point that encourages conversation and connection. Forgetting to invest in a quality outdoor heating solution often means underutilizing one of the most valuable parts of your home—the yard. A good fire pit solves this, extending your living space and creating countless opportunities for making memories.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone who craves an authentic, crackling wood fire experience and values versatility. If you’re a homeowner or renter with a modest-to-medium-sized backyard, and you love the idea of hosting friends for a bonfire one night and grilling steaks over hickory smoke the next, a multi-function fire pit is your perfect match. However, it might not be suitable for those who live in areas with strict wood-burning regulations, have a very small balcony where open flames are unsafe, or simply dislike the smell of smoke. For those individuals, alternatives like propane fire tables offer a clean, smokeless, and instant-on experience, though they often lack the intense heat and rustic charm of a real wood fire.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: The overall footprint of a fire pit is critical. A 32-inch diameter like the BALI OUTDOORS model is a fantastic middle-ground, large enough to feel substantial and accommodate several people, but not so massive it overwhelms a smaller patio. Always consider safety clearance—at least 10-15 feet away from your house, sheds, and low-hanging branches—before you commit to a size and location.
• Capacity/Performance: Look at the fire bowl’s diameter, not just the overall unit. A 20-inch bowl is generous enough to hold several standard-sized logs, ensuring a long-lasting and robust fire. Performance is also about airflow; models with mesh sides or vents, like this one, allow oxygen to fuel the fire from all angles, making it easier to start and maintain a vibrant, less smoky burn.
• Materials & Durability: Most fire pits in this price range are made from painted steel. While lightweight and affordable, steel’s longevity is a common concern. It’s susceptible to rust if left exposed to the elements. Heavier, more expensive options like cast iron or stainless steel offer superior durability but come at a significant cost and weight premium. Understanding this trade-off is key to setting realistic expectations.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: Consider the entire lifecycle of your fire pit experience. How difficult is the initial assembly? How easy is it to clean out the ash after a fire? Features like a removable cooking grate or an included ash pan simplify maintenance significantly. Long-term care, especially for steel pits, will inevitably involve purchasing a good-quality waterproof cover to protect your investment.

While the BALI OUTDOORS 32 inch Wood Burning Fire Pit with Grill is an excellent choice, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

First Impressions: Unboxing and Assembling the BALI OUTDOORS Fire Pit

The arrival of the BALI OUTDOORS 32 inch Wood Burning Fire Pit with Grill was met with eager anticipation. The box itself is manageable for one person, a testament to the unit’s relatively light 17.5-pound weight. Unpacking the components, my initial impression aligned with what many users have noted: the materials are not heavy-duty, but they feel appropriate and well-made for the price point. The painted black finish was consistent, and all parts were present and accounted for. There was no sense of flimsiness in the main bowl or the surrounding mesh, which felt more robust than I’d expected.

Assembly was refreshingly straightforward. The instructions are clear, and the entire process felt intuitive. As some online feedback suggests, it’s a one-person job that can be completed in about 20-30 minutes. We did encounter a moment where a bolt required a little extra persuasion to align perfectly, a minor hiccup that seems common with mass-produced metal goods but was easily overcome. Once fully assembled, the unit stands sturdy on its four legs, with no wobble. The real star, even at this early stage, is the cooking grate mechanism. Seeing how easily it attached, and testing its smooth 360-degree swivel and vertical adjustment, I could immediately see the immense value this feature brings to the table.

Putting It to the Test: A Deep Dive into Performance

A fire pit’s true character is only revealed in the flickering firelight, with marshmallows in hand. Over several weeks of testing, we put the BALI OUTDOORS 32 inch Wood Burning Fire Pit with Grill through its paces, from chilly evening bonfires to ambitious open-flame cookouts. We evaluated it not just as a metal container for wood, but as the central hub of our outdoor living space. Here’s how it performed.

Design and Airflow: A Recipe for the Perfect Fire

The design of this fire pit is deceptively clever. The overall 32-inch diameter provides a commanding presence, and the outer ring is far more than a decorative element. We quickly discovered its dual purpose, echoing one user’s delightful observation about having a “foot rail for toasty tootsies.” It’s the perfect perch to prop up your feet and absorb the warmth radiating from the fire bowl. The flat surface also serves as a temporary, albeit warm, resting spot for a poker or a beverage (with caution!).

The core of the performance, however, lies in the 20-inch fire bowl and its surrounding mesh screen. This is where the magic happens. The unit includes a simple wire grate that elevates the logs off the bottom of the bowl. This seemingly minor detail is crucial; it allows oxygen to circulate underneath the wood, creating a draft that makes starting a fire incredibly easy. We found that with just a bit of kindling and a fire starter, we could have a roaring, vibrant fire going in minutes. This experience was confirmed by numerous users, one of whom noted, “I really like how easy it is to start a fire in due to the included wood rack and good air flow.” The highly vented sides ensure a continuous supply of oxygen, resulting in a more complete, hotter, and less smoky burn than you’d get from a solid-walled pit. The heat output is impressive, easily warming a circle of four to six people sitting comfortably around it. The size of the bowl is also a major win, comfortably fitting three to four standard-sized logs, which many smaller, budget-friendly pits cannot. You can explore the detailed specifications and see its design for yourself online.

The Star of the Show: The Versatile Cooking Grill

Let’s be clear: the integrated, adjustable cooking grill is the single biggest reason to choose this fire pit over its competitors. It’s not just an afterthought; it’s a well-executed, highly functional feature that transforms the unit from a simple heat source into a legitimate outdoor cooker. During our testing, this became our favorite aspect by far.

The mechanism is brilliant. A sturdy post attaches to the side of the fire pit, and the grill grate arm slides onto it. A simple handle allows you to loosen the arm, raise or lower the grate to control cooking temperature, and swivel it a full 360 degrees. This mobility is a game-changer for both cooking and safety. You can load up burgers and hot dogs on the grate when it’s swung completely away from the fire, then move it over the hot coals when you’re ready to cook. If you have a flare-up, you can quickly swing the food out of harm’s way. One user perfectly captured this appeal, stating, “We ordered this one, because I liked the option for having the grill off of the fire with one easy move.” We cooked everything from thick-cut steaks, which came out with a delicious wood-smoked flavor, to simple hot dogs and vegetable skewers for the kids. The ability to adjust the height is critical for managing heat—lower for a quick sear, higher for gentle roasting. We did find, as one helpful user suggested, that the grate is not non-stick. A quick spray with cooking oil before heating or using a layer of tin foil for delicate items like fish is a wise precaution. This dual-functionality is a feature that really sets it apart.

Material Quality and Durability: Managing Expectations

This is the part of the review that requires a healthy dose of realism. The BALI OUTDOORS 32 inch Wood Burning Fire Pit with Grill offers exceptional features and design for its price, and the trade-off for that value is material thickness. The painted steel is lightweight, which is great for assembly and moving the unit around, but it is not impervious to the elements or the intense heat of a wood fire.

Our experience, combined with a broad reading of user feedback, paints a clear picture. If you leave this fire pit uncovered in the rain, it will rust. It’s not a question of if, but when. One user lamented that after just two uses, it “looks ten years old,” while a more extreme case reported their pit “rusted to pieces” after six months, even with a cover. Conversely, another user noted it’s “not super heavy duty but what I was expecting for the price,” and estimated they would get “several good years” out of it. Our assessment falls squarely in the middle: longevity is entirely dependent on care. We immediately purchased a heavy-duty, waterproof cover, and we make a point of ensuring the pit is completely cool and covered after every use. For added protection, storing it in a garage or shed during the wet winter months is the best practice. The internal wood grate does help by creating an air gap and preventing the hottest coals from sitting directly on the bottom of the bowl, which should theoretically extend its life. The key takeaway is this: treat it as a fair-weather appliance that needs protection, not as a permanent, all-weather landscape feature. If you do, you should be able to enjoy it for many seasons. To get the most out of your purchase, we recommend viewing it online and adding a cover to your cart.

What Other Users Are Saying

After our hands-on testing, we delved into the broader community’s experiences to see how our findings aligned. The consensus is overwhelmingly positive, with most users recognizing the incredible value proposition. Many, like one particularly thorough reviewer who had been “scouring through fire pits and reading reviews for months,” land on this model and highly recommend it. Common points of praise include its “perfect size,” the deep, “well-made” bowl that accommodates normal logs, and the sheer fun of the cooking grate. Phrases like “well worth the money” and “easily the best bang for buck” appear frequently.

Of course, no product is perfect, and the negative feedback provides a crucial, balancing perspective. The most consistent complaint, by a wide margin, revolves around long-term durability and rust. As one pragmatic user put it, “If you’re looking for a fire pit to last you 3+ years, this one probably ain’t it.” This is often followed by strong advice to buy a cover immediately. Other minor issues cited include occasional shipping damage, like a dented bowl or a hole in the mesh screen, and frustrating but solvable assembly hiccups like missing screws or misaligned holes. These comments reinforce our conclusion that while the design is excellent, the materials require diligent care to last.

How the BALI OUTDOORS Fire Pit Stacks Up Against the Competition

No product exists in a vacuum. To truly understand the value of the BALI OUTDOORS 32 inch Wood Burning Fire Pit with Grill, it’s helpful to compare it against other popular options on the market. We’ve selected three distinct alternatives that cater to different needs.

1. Gas One 22 in Outdoor Wood Burning Fire Pit

The Gas One fire pit represents a more minimalist approach. At 22 inches, it is significantly smaller and more portable, making it a viable option for those with very limited space or who want a pit they can easily take camping. It’s a straightforward, no-frills steel bowl designed for one purpose: burning wood. What you gain in simplicity and portability, you lose in features. It lacks the convenient outer foot rail, the robust airflow design of the mesh sides, and most importantly, the integrated cooking system that makes the BALI OUTDOORS model so versatile. This is the better choice for someone who needs a basic, compact fire bowl and has no intention of grilling on it.

2. Verdeluxe 43 Inch Octagonal Fire Pit

If the BALI OUTDOORS pit is about balance, the Verdeluxe 43-inch model is all about scale. This is a much larger fire pit, designed to be the commanding centerpiece of a spacious backyard. Its octagonal shape and wide ledge offer a different aesthetic, catering to larger gatherings where a massive bonfire is the goal. While it provides ample warmth and a huge fire capacity, it is a dedicated bonfire pit. It does not include an integrated or adjustable cooking grate, limiting its culinary use to whatever you can accomplish with roasting sticks. The choice here is clear: opt for the Verdeluxe for maximum fire size and crowd capacity, or stick with the BALI OUTDOORS pit for its superior versatility and cooking prowess.

3. Panacea 24-Inch Cast Iron Fire Grate

This alternative is a bit different—it’s not a fire pit, but a crucial accessory that can enhance any fire pit, including the BALI OUTDOORS model. While our reviewed pit comes with a basic wire rack, a heavy-duty cast iron grate like this one from Panacea is a significant upgrade. Cast iron is exceptionally durable and holds heat well. Placing this in the bottom of your fire bowl will dramatically improve airflow from underneath the logs, leading to hotter, more efficient fires. More importantly, it will bear the brunt of the direct heat, preserving the thinner steel of the fire bowl itself and significantly extending the life of your entire fire pit. For a small additional investment, this grate is a smart choice for any serious fire pit owner.

The Final Verdict: A Versatile Centerpiece for the Price-Conscious Entertainer

After extensive use and careful consideration, we can confidently say that the BALI OUTDOORS 32 inch Wood Burning Fire Pit with Grill is an exceptional product for its intended audience. It masterfully balances size, performance, and features against its price point. It’s not a heavy-duty, heirloom-quality fire pit, and it doesn’t pretend to be. Instead, it offers a fantastic design with excellent airflow for easy fires and, most importantly, a game-changing adjustable grilling feature that elevates it far above simpler fire bowls.

We highly recommend it for homeowners who want to maximize their backyard enjoyment without breaking the bank. If you are the kind of person who loves the crackle of a real wood fire and the smoky flavor of open-flame cooking, this 2-in-1 solution is hard to beat. Just be prepared to invest in a quality cover and provide the necessary care to protect it from the elements. For those who prioritize versatility and value, this fire pit delivers in spades, promising countless memorable nights under the stars. If you’re ready to transform your backyard into the go-to gathering spot, we think this is one of the smartest investments you can make. You can check the latest price and see all the user reviews to make your decision today.