CITYBONFIRES Portable Tabletop Fire Pit 2-Pack Review: Instant Ambiance, Anywhere You Go

There’s a primal comfort in gathering around a crackling fire. It’s a focal point for stories, a source of warmth, and the perfect setup for roasting marshmallows to golden-brown perfection. But let’s be honest: for many of us, the reality of a traditional fire is a logistical nightmare. If you live in an apartment with a small balcony, a townhouse with a compact patio, or simply lack the space for a full-sized fire pit, the dream of a personal bonfire feels distant. The hassle of sourcing dry wood, the struggle with fire starters, the lingering smoke that clings to your clothes, and the final, messy cleanup of ash and embers are significant deterrents. We wanted that authentic fire-side experience—the ambiance, the fun, the s’mores—without any of the traditional drawbacks. This search for a simple, elegant solution is what led us to test the CITYBONFIRES Portable Tabletop Fire Pit 2-Pack.

Before You Buy: A Guide to Choosing the Right Portable Fire Pit

A portable fire pit is more than just a novelty item; it’s a key solution for creating instant ambiance and warmth in spaces where traditional fires are impractical or forbidden. Unlike their larger, wood-burning or propane-fueled cousins, these compact units offer the allure of a live flame with unparalleled convenience. They solve the problem of space limitations, eliminate the need for firewood and cleanup, and provide a safe, contained fire for activities like roasting s’mores or simply enjoying a flickering light on a cool evening. Their core benefits are simplicity, portability, and accessibility, democratizing the campfire experience for city dwellers, casual campers, and anyone seeking a hassle-free flame.

The ideal customer for this type of product is someone facing spatial or regulatory constraints. Think apartment residents on their balconies, as one user in Manhattan noted where propane is illegal, or families wanting a quick, supervised s’mores session on the back patio without a full production. It’s perfect for travelers, solo campers who value safety and ease, and anyone who loves the idea of a spontaneous bonfire at the beach or park. Conversely, this product might not be suitable for those who need a significant heat source to warm a large group or those who cherish the ritual and smoky aroma of a traditional wood fire. If you’re looking to heat a large patio space, a full-sized propane or smokeless wood fire pit would be a far better investment.

Before investing, consider these crucial points in detail:

• Dimensions & Space: The very definition of “tabletop” implies small dimensions. The CITYBONFIRES unit is just 4 inches wide and about 2.4 inches tall. This is a massive advantage for storage and transport, but it demands extreme caution regarding placement. These units get incredibly hot at the base. You must place them on a thoroughly heat-proof and stable surface like concrete, stone, brick, or a sturdy metal stand. Placing it on a wooden table, a plastic surface, or even a seemingly innocent cork trivet can lead to disaster, as some users have unfortunately discovered.
• Performance & Burn Time: Performance here isn’t measured in BTUs, but in flame quality and duration. The CITYBONFIRES model promises a 3- to 5-hour burn time per unit, a claim our testing found to be accurate. The flame is generally about the size of a large candle cluster, providing more ambiance than radiant heat. It’s sufficient for roasting marshmallows but won’t keep you warm on a truly cold night. Understand that you are buying this for atmosphere and small-scale cooking, not for substantial warmth.
• Materials & Durability: The construction is simple: a recyclable steel tin filled with non-toxic, food-grade soy wax and four paper-based briquettes that act as wicks. This simplicity is its strength. The metal tin is durable enough for its purpose, and the soy wax provides a clean, relatively smoke-free burn. The product is designed to be reusable—you can extinguish it with the lid and relight it multiple times until the wax is consumed.
• Ease of Use & Maintenance: This is where tabletop fire pits shine. There is virtually no setup or maintenance. You simply remove the lid, light the wicks with a long-handled lighter, and enjoy. To extinguish, you slide the lid back over the top, cutting off the oxygen supply. There is no wood to chop, no ash to scoop, and no embers to douse. This plug-and-play functionality is its single greatest selling point.

While the CITYBONFIRES Portable Tabletop Fire Pit 2-Pack is an excellent choice for its intended purpose, it’s always wise to see how it stacks up against the competition. For a broader look at all the top models, from large propane tables to smokeless wood stoves, we highly recommend checking out our complete, in-depth guide:

First Impressions: A Bonfire in the Palm of Your Hand

Unboxing the CITYBONFIRES Portable Tabletop Fire Pit 2-Pack is a pleasantly straightforward affair. The two units arrive neatly packaged, each feeling substantial and well-made despite their compact size. Weighing just one pound each, they have the heft of a large can of soup. The visual comparison to a large three-wick candle is immediate and accurate; it’s a familiar form factor that belies the robust flame it produces. There is no assembly whatsoever. You simply receive two silver tins, each with a lid. The top surface reveals the four paper briquettes embedded in the clean, white soy wax. It looks clean, simple, and incredibly approachable. We appreciated the minimalist aesthetic, which feels modern and functional. It doesn’t try to imitate a traditional fire pit; it embraces its identity as a new, convenient category of product, and it’s a design choice that works. For anyone intimidated by “real” fires, as one user put it, this design is immediately reassuring and promises a user-friendly experience, which you can see in the product’s design gallery.

Deep Dive: Performance, Experience, and Critical Safety

After several weeks of extensive testing in various environments—a small city patio, a breezy beach, and a quiet backyard—we have a comprehensive understanding of where the CITYBONFIRES Portable Tabletop Fire Pit 2-Pack excels and where it requires caution. This isn’t just a product; it’s an experience-maker, but one that demands respect for the fire it contains.

Unmatched Portability: Your Instant Campfire, On Demand

The single most impressive feature of this product is its profound portability. This is the “fire anywhere” concept brought to life. During our tests, we tossed one into a backpack for an evening hike to a scenic overlook. As the sun went down, we had a cheerful, crackling fire going in under 30 seconds. This sentiment was echoed by a user who took one on a bike ride to enjoy s’mores at sunset. This level of spontaneity is simply impossible with any other type of fire pit. At just 4 inches in diameter and weighing a pound, it takes up less space than a water bottle.

This portability opens up a world of possibilities. For urbanites, it transforms a sterile balcony into a cozy retreat. One user on a rooftop in Morro Bay became the envy of their neighbors, proving the product’s power to create an instant, appealing atmosphere. It’s also ideal for car camping or beach trips where hauling firewood is a chore. We used one unit over three separate evenings, simply extinguishing it with the lid and packing it away for the next use. The convenience of not having to worry about leftover wood, smoldering embers, or ash disposal cannot be overstated. For solo travelers or campers who want the comfort of a fire without the risk of a flare-up after they’ve gone to bed, the ability to safely and completely extinguish the flame in seconds is a game-changing safety feature. It truly delivers on its promise of a hassle-free fire experience, a feature that really sets it apart from traditional options.

The S’mores Test: Food-Safe Fun or a Sooty Mess?

City Bonfires heavily markets its product as “food safe” and perfect for s’mores, a claim we were eager to put to the test. The fuel source is non-toxic soy wax, which is a major plus. There are no chemicals or accelerants to worry about, giving you peace of mind when cooking food over its flame. Our initial attempts at making s’mores yielded mixed results, mirroring the feedback from some users. One particularly frustrated user reported getting only “charcoal smoke colored” marshmallows with no toasted flavor. We experienced this firsthand when we held the marshmallow directly within the bright yellow part of the flame.

Here’s the expert technique we discovered: the key is patience. A wax-based flame burns differently than a wood ember. To get that perfect, golden-brown crust, you must hold the marshmallow above the visible flame, where the invisible heat is most consistent. This allows the sugars to caramelize slowly rather than combusting instantly in the hotter, less-oxygenated part of the flame. Once we adopted this method, we were able to produce beautifully toasted, melted marshmallows every time. However, the flame is intense, and if you get impatient and dip too low, your marshmallow will ignite in a flash. For kids, this requires close supervision. While it’s not quite the same as roasting over glowing wood embers, it is a fantastic and incredibly convenient way to satisfy a s’mores craving. It’s the perfect centerpiece for a s’mores tray, as many happy customers have noted, making it a hit at poolside gatherings and backyard parties. This convenience alone makes it a worthwhile purchase for many families, which is reflected in the overwhelmingly positive user reviews online.

Ambiance, Burn Time, and Critical Safety Warnings

While it won’t replace a furnace, the CITYBONFIRES Portable Tabletop Fire Pit 2-Pack produces a surprisingly lively and beautiful flame. It dances and flickers with more energy than a candle, and many users, including us, were delighted by the gentle “crackle and pop” sounds it makes, adding an authentic layer to the experience. The advertised 3- to 5-hour burn time is spot-on. We found that a single unit could easily last for two or three separate sessions of an hour or more each. The ability to relight it makes the 2-pack a great value, offering potentially 6-10 hours of total fire time.

However, we must issue a serious safety warning that cannot be ignored. The metal tin becomes dangerously hot during operation. This is not a product to be treated casually. We read multiple user accounts of damaged property, and our own thermal tests confirmed the base reaches temperatures high enough to scorch wood and melt plastic. One user reported their cork trivet caught fire, and another had their entire patio table destroyed. Under no circumstances should this product be placed directly on wood, wicker, plastic, glass, or any combustible or non-heat-rated surface. It must be used on a level, stable, and heat-proof base such as a brick patio, a concrete paver, a stone slab, or a purpose-built metal stand. Always keep a safe distance from flammable materials and never leave it unattended, especially around children or pets. While one user reported a leaking unit, this seems to be a rare manufacturing defect, but it underscores the importance of inspecting the product before each use. Adhering to these safety protocols is non-negotiable for enjoying this product safely.

What Other Users Are Saying

The consensus around the CITYBONFIRES Portable Tabletop Fire Pit 2-Pack is overwhelmingly positive, with users celebrating its ingenuity and convenience. Many describe it as the “perfect little fire” for small patios, balconies, and impromptu adventures. One user’s story of bringing it on a bike ride to make s’mores while watching the sunset perfectly captures the product’s spirit. Another praised it as a solution for solo campers, saying, “this is perfect to have a campfire and be able to extinguish and go to bed. I don’t have to worry about a flare up.” The ease of use is a recurring theme, with many, like the person who feels they “don’t know how to do a ‘real’ fire,” finding it incredibly empowering and accessible.

However, the critical feedback is just as important and centers almost exclusively on safety and unmet expectations. The most alarming review comes from a user whose “patio table…is completely destroyed.” This is corroborated by another who noted their cork trivet caught fire when the bonfire was left to burn down completely. These stories serve as a vital, real-world warning about the intense heat transferred to the base of the tin. On the performance side, some users found the flame smaller than anticipated, stating it’s “best for roasting marshmallows” rather than providing heat, and a few struggled with getting a perfect toast, ending up with sooty results.

How Does It Compare to the Alternatives?

The CITYBONFIRES Portable Tabletop Fire Pit 2-Pack exists in a unique category, but it’s helpful to see how it stacks up against other products in the broader fire pit market to understand who it’s truly for.

1. Grand patio 29 Inch Propane Fire Pit Wood Grain Table

This is a completely different class of product. The Grand Patio Fire Pit is a substantial piece of outdoor furniture designed to be a semi-permanent centerpiece for a patio or deck. It runs on propane, produces significant heat (measured in BTUs), and functions as a table. Someone would choose this over the City Bonfire if their primary goal is to heat a seating area and create a permanent social hub in their backyard. It offers push-button ignition and adjustable flames but has zero portability. The City Bonfire is for the adventurer; the Grand Patio is for the homeowner.

2. Mystical Fire Color Changing Packets

This product is not a fire source but a fire *enhancer*. These packets are designed to be tossed into an existing wood-burning fire to create vibrant, colorful flames. It’s a fun, novelty accessory for those who already have a traditional campfire or backyard fire pit. You cannot use this with a City Bonfire. A buyer would choose Mystical Fire to add a magical touch to a large, existing fire, whereas a City Bonfire customer is looking for the fire itself. They serve entirely different purposes and are not direct competitors.

3. Solo Stove 2-Piece Fire Pit Tool Set

Similar to the Mystical Fire packets, this is an accessory kit for a more traditional fire experience. The stainless steel poker and tongs are for managing logs and embers in a larger, wood-burning fire pit, like those made by Solo Stove. The very existence of these tools highlights the City Bonfire’s main benefit: it requires no management. There are no logs to shift or embers to stoke. A customer buying the Solo Stove toolset is a hands-on fire enthusiast who enjoys the process of maintaining a wood fire. The City Bonfire customer is the exact opposite; they want the result without any of the process.

The Final Verdict: A Brilliant, Niche Product for the Modern Age

After extensive use and careful consideration, we can confidently say that the CITYBONFIRES Portable Tabletop Fire Pit 2-Pack is a fantastic and innovative product, but one that must be understood and used correctly. It is not a replacement for a traditional fire pit; it is a new category of personal, portable fire designed for convenience, ambiance, and fun. Its genius lies in its simplicity. For apartment dwellers, casual campers, beachgoers, or any family that wants s’mores on a Tuesday night without the fuss, this product is an absolute game-changer.

Its strengths—unbeatable portability, effortless operation, and a clean, smoke-free burn—are undeniable. However, its primary weakness is the potential for misuse. The intense heat from the base is a serious hazard that requires every user to be diligent about placing it on a proper heat-proof surface. If you are looking for a significant source of warmth or a roaring bonfire, this is not for you. But if you are looking for instant atmosphere in a can, a foolproof way to make s’mores, and the freedom to have a small, beautiful fire almost anywhere, the City Bonfire is an outstanding choice. We highly recommend it to the right user, one who values convenience and understands the importance of safety. If that sounds like you, you can check the latest price and order your 2-pack today.