Once it is put together it is very sturdy and easy to use. The fire puts out a lot of heat and flame. The mantel is a nice size leaving plenty of room for drinks, plates, bottles, feet, etc. The lava rocks and fake logs looked a lot better than I thought they would. Overall it is a beautiful fire pit.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
(many of these are mentioned in other reviews, but they will save you a lot of hassle and time)
TIME: It says 1 hour but plan on 2 hours. Only a person who had put together about 5 of these perviously would be able to do it in an hour.
LOCATION: Plan to build it close to where you are going to use it as it is heavy to move once built. It can be easily moved by two strong people, but it would be hard for one person to move it any distance.
CARDBOARD: The is one large flat square piece of cardboard that is in the box with the top. Save this piece and use it to lay on the ground while building. Most of the building you will do with the top upside down and having this underneath will protect it from scratches and make it easy to slide around if needed.
INSTRUCTIONS: The instructions are good, but are mainly just pictures. There is very little detail provided. So you MUST carefully examine each picture as you build it, noting the number of holes on top versus the bottom, the direction of pieces and the exact screw needed. It is very easy to start putting a piece together to only realize that you messed up and need to take it a part and re-do it.
SCREW PACKAGE: A nice screw package is provided labeling each group of screws A,B,C, etc so you know which ones to use where. DOUBLE CHECK the labeling. On my package the A screws were labeled B and vice versa. I ended up using the allen screws where I was suppose to use the philips head screws and I ended up having to re-do the first couple of steps. Verify on the picture whether they want you to use the allen screws or philips head screws. Basically you will use the allen screws to attach the sides to the top, and you will use the philips head screws for everything else.
SCREW TIGHTENING: Almost every review mentions this advice and it is very important. When attaching a section together, first partially screw the screws in and once it is al attached, THEN tighten them down. The holes often do not line up perfectly and you will need a little "play" to line them up before tightening. The MOST IMPORTANT time to follow this is when you attach the sides to the top. DO NOT TIGHTEN all of the allen screws which are used to attach the sides to the top until you have ALL of the sides partially screwed in... then tighten everything down. If you don't follow this you will not be able to get all of the screws to match up to the holes. Also, on some pieces I found it useful to have a pair of pliers or hammer to bend some of the pieces a little so that the holes line up.
TANK COVER: A nice black vinyl tank cover is provided. It is easiest to put this on from the bottom upward and not from the top down.
TANK HOSE: I found it easiest to attach the hose to the tank and then rotate the tank clockwise a bit to tighten the hose up. This enables the hose to wrap closely around the tank and thus make it fit so that the door closes easily.
FIRE PIT COVER: A nice fitting cover is provided for the fire pit and even includes a little extra room at top to allow for the fake logs. This cover is a very thin and cheap vinyl. Be very careful when you put it on (especially if it is cold) as it will tear VERY EASILY at the corners. I would recommend turning the cover inside-out and reinforcing the edges and corners with duct tape first. Then use the cover as normal with the tape on the inside protecting the edges and corners. If you don't do this you will eventually tear the cover.
STARTING THE FIRE: Many have noted this as well, but it is easy to overlook. It does NOT start the same as a typical gas grill. To start the fire turn the knob to the start position and HOLD IT IN. While holding it in, press the electric starter. You must keep holding it in until it lights up (this can take a few seconds) and then you will need to KEEP HOLDING IT IN until the fire gets going. If you let go too soon it will just go out.
WINE: Don't keep a bottle of wine on the table top for very long as it will heat it up pretty fast if the fire is going...and who likes warm wine..ugh.
Overall this is an awesome product at a great price. The shipping was very fast (only a few days) and the item came in one large box. If you are patient and follow the above directions (or have a friend/relative who is) you will have it built and be using it to warm yourself in no time at all.
Click Here For Most Helpful Customer Reviews >>
I have read a lot of positive reviews about this fire pit at other websites that offer it for sale. Hundreds of great reviews. I purchased it myself. It will take a minimum of two people (one has to help hold items in place at times while another screws in bolts) approximately two hours to assemble. It is packaged very well, instructions were mostly visuals/pictures, but step by step. Easy to turn on and off. Came with a cover for the propane tank (to make it blend into the dark metal sides) and a cover for the entire fire pit! We were able to use "Gas Watch" a propane gas level indicatoron the tank which will eliminate guessing how much gas remains before a refill would be needed. LOVE THIS FIRE PIT! Compared to other propane fire pits of this size and quality, the price is reasonable. The video let's you see more details of the pit; how it arrives packaged, the size compared to lawn furniture, and operation. Propane tank is not included.
Best Deals for Blue Rhino GAD860SP LP Gas Outdoor Firebowl with Slate/Marble Mantel
This is an great firepit for the price. There is some assembly required but it is pretty straight forward and only a few simple tools required. The table is very sturdy and appears that it will last for many years to come. Takes a standard 5 gallon propane tank which is a little tight to fit into its storage space, but can be done (hint: turn valve towards the fire pit as you place it into the storage location).Honest reviews on Blue Rhino GAD860SP LP Gas Outdoor Firebowl with Slate/Marble Mantel
We are very pleased with the Blue Rhino Firebowl. It looks great and provides a beautiful glow to our evenings on the patio. The slate tabletop is wide and allows plenty of room for plates, glasses, or for putting your feet up. Be sure to assemble this product near to where you are going to use it because it weighs 150+ pounds. You don't want to have to move it too far after assembly. We were pleased to see that they included a black vinyl cover that slips over the butane tank. This makes it virtually invisible when the tank is enclosed under the tabletop. Likewise, the square cover that fits over the entire table top was very effective in keeping the table and firebowl dry during the recent rains. Great product.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Blue Rhino GAD860SP LP Gas Outdoor Firebowl with Slate/Marble Mantel
Now that it is all put together I love this burner. It produces nice flames quickly, no more waiting for a "real" fire to get going and then feeling guilty if I go back inside before it's done! It is nice to look at too.But the assembly was difficult. Ideally I needed an ambidextorous contortionist with a degree in structural engineering and very tiny strong hands. You definately need a strong and patient assistant at the least as nothing came out of the box quite square and needed some quite forceful encouragment to conform.
As long as you are prepared for a little sweat and irritation I would recommend it!
