Outdoor bioethanol fire pits and fireplaces in Corten steel

Not every one of our fire pieces burns bioethanol: the fuel is listed on each product page, and these four models are the only ones in the collection built for it. Each was designed around that fuel: a narrow line of fire set in the middle of a top or a basin, or a flame sheltered behind transparent panels.

The fire line is part of each piece. We do not sell a separate bioethanol insert or burner to drop into a surround you build yourself; if that is what you had in mind, the closest piece in our range is Ignis, a slim trough that mounts directly on a wall and lights it from the bottom up.

Pyrros is a bioethanol fire table: the line of fire runs down the middle of a thick top, and on either side the top stays clear for drinks and plates. It is the piece for an outdoor living area where everyone sits around the fire, and its three lengths, 1500 to 2200 mm (59 to 87 in), follow the size of your seating. It is our only bioethanol fire table, and you will find it with our wood-burning models among our Corten steel fire tables.

Ignis mounts on the wall and takes up no floor space: the flame lights the wall from the bottom up, so a stone facade or a backyard wall becomes its backdrop. It suits narrow patios, courtyards and small backyards where every square foot counts.

Pharos is an upright frame 1200 to 1800 mm (47 to 71 in) tall, its flame housed in the lower third behind transparent panels. It catches the eye from across the yard, at the entrance to a patio or beside a pool, and of the four it comes closest to a freestanding outdoor fireplace. Nyx, finally, is a wide square basin 250 to 350 mm (10 to 14 in) high whose line of fire runs close to the ground, continuing the line of the pavers: a fire to watch from your seat, stretched out on a chaise lounge or from inside the house.

Nyx is square, not round. We do not make a round bioethanol fire pit: our round fire pieces, such as the Hélios fire table and the Vesta fire bowl, burn wood. Vesta sits with the rest of the collection on our Corten steel fire pits page.

For a large patio, look at the biggest format of each model: the 2200 × 900 mm (87 × 35 in) Pyrros, a table long enough to face two sofas; the 1500 mm (59 in) Ignis, a generous line of fire for a long wall; the 1800 mm (71 in) Pharos, which stands taller than most people; and the 1500 × 1500 mm (59 × 59 in) Nyx, a square of flame and steel that anchors a whole seating area. On a wood deck, keep in mind that Pyrros, Pharos and Nyx each need non-combustible ground beneath them, and Ignis a suitable wall, as explained below.

Our page on large Corten steel fire pits compares the wood-burning and bioethanol formats from 1000 mm (39 in) up if you are planning for a bigger group.

With bioethanol there is no firewood to season and stack and no wood ash to clean out. In return, the liquid fuel is bought and stored separately, and every refill follows a set routine. If you enjoy building a fire, cooking over embers or sitting up late around tall flames, our wood-burning models are still the better choice.

The two fuels are not interchangeable: a bioethanol fireplace never takes wood, and bioethanol is never poured into a wood-burning fire pit. Our guide, Corten steel fire pit or fire table, helps you choose between the two kinds of fire.

Bioethanol does not come with our pieces. Use the fuel specified for your model and follow its filling, lighting and extinguishing instructions: ask us for them before the first evening if you do not have them on hand. A few rules apply to every bioethanol fire, whatever its shape:

• Never refill a fire that is lit or still warm: wait until the burner is off and completely cold.
• A bioethanol flame can be hard to see in daylight, so a fire that looks out may still be burning.
• Keep the fuel container well away from the fire and any flame, and never leave the fire unattended.
• Keep the fire clear of plants, umbrellas, outdoor drapes and cushions, and away from paths where a child could bump into it.

Pyrros, Pharos and Nyx weigh 50 to 160 kg (110 to 353 lb) depending on the size: choose their spot before delivery, on level, stable, non-combustible ground such as pavers, stone or a concrete pad. Ignis, at 24 to 45 kg (53 to 99 lb), mounts on a wall whose material and strength need checking first: send us a photo of the wall if you are unsure and we will tell you what to plan for.

All four pieces arrive in the Cortenys signature patina, applied in our workshop, which keeps evolving with rain and sun. Rain running off Corten steel can leave rust marks on light-colored concrete or pale pavers: plan for a gravel strip, dark stone or a protective base under the piece. Each piece is made to order: allow 2 to 5 weeks from order confirmation to delivery, which is free.

For an upright wood fire, see Atlas and Prométhée among our Corten steel outdoor fireplaces. For a wood-burning fire table, Hélios, Héphaïstos, Etna and Taranis sit alongside Pyrros in our fire table range. And if you want the flame low in the middle of your seating, our fire pits cover both wood and, with Nyx, bioethanol.