We wanted a fire pit that would provide a place to set drinks and plates and work as a table other times. This fits the bill perfectly.
The video provides details and also gives some suggestions about getting and assembling this excellent fire pit.
Also, this cover, Veranda 44-Inch Round Fire Pit Cover, fits this fire pit perfectly; even with the screen dome in place.
BTW, I feel that honest, effective reviews, accompanied by detailed videos, can take the place of first-hand experiences that are often lacking in online shopping. I've always appreciated the help I've received from other reviewers and try to return the favor as best as I can. I hope you found this review helpful and the video at least entertaining. If there was anything you thought was lacking or unclear leave a comment and I'll do what I can to fix it.
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I was a little cautious about buying this table/fire pit (due to 10+ negative reviews on Amazon) so I spent months researching alternatives before I finally pulled the trigger on this Strathwood. Here's what I learned: Orchard, Lowes, Walmart, Target ... everybody makes some cheap, crappy tin version of this beautiful table. But after hours on my knees, pulling them all out of their boxes in the store aisle (yep, I'm that guy), I turned around and spent 2x to buy this product and have been in love ever since.
First of all, it's made of aluminum for lightweight but it doesn't look cheap like the others. The bronze coloring is perfectly done so the table appears as though it weighs 500 lbs only to surprise your wife when she can easily lift & move it. Also, you can trust the pictures. The table really does look as great on your patio as it does on Amazon distinctive, decorative but not too ornate or ethnic. Our patio furniture is a classic Cape Cod style and this table accents it very nicely without taking over. And if you're making the same compromise that I made with my spouse she wanted a table; I wanted a fire pit this product is really the only logical choice because it's the only one I've found that functions perfectly both as a table AND as a fire pit.
And by the way, contrary to some negative reviews, the parts came well labeled, the instructions were only 4 steps (!) and the table came together in less than 10 minutes.
TIPS: Use your measuring tape before buying. This table is 42" across; bigger than you may be thinking, so make sure it fits proportionally to your space. Also, one miscalculation that I made is that the Strathwood is 23.5" tall making it a tad too tall for my lower-to-the-ground, lounge style furniture set. Measure the height of your chairs and make sure you have a match. And lastly, one design compromise they made in order to combine a table and fire pit is that the fire pit is slightly smaller than others you may have seen. So be thinking quaint, romantic little fires with your friends and/or smores with the kids. If you want to rage with your buddies and howl at the moon, I suggest Burning Man.
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Nice quality, assembled quickly and looks great on our deck. Was missing the screw to attach the knob to the cover, which required a trip to Home Depot but other than that, we're completely satisfied. As an fyi, Kroger stores [Fry's, Ralph's, Smith's] stock firelogs specifically for firepits making it even easier to use this product.
Honest reviews on Strathwood St. Thomas Cast-Aluminum Fire Pit with Table
My husband and I were initially so excited to find this product. It seemed like exactly what we'd been searching for, and most of the reviews were fantastic! When it was delivered, we began assembling it, only to find that some of the aluminum pieces were warped, and the main, central piece of the table was welded into a crooked oval instead of a circle. Amazon Returns was extremely easy to deal with and they handled our exchange promptly. They arranged for the defective table to be picked up at the same time that a replacement was delivered. We were disappointed that we couldn't start using the table right away, but we were hopeful that the replacement would work out. Unfortunately, the replacement table was even worse than the first! Every aluminum piece was bent or crooked, and even the cast iron top had several flaws. If this table was half the price, we may have been okay with the shoddy workmanship, but for over $300, we expected a good, quality product. I'm not sure if other customers were less picky about the workmanship, or if we were just amazingly unlucky. Amazon will not send a third replacement product, so now it's back to the drawing board to find something comparable. To make matters worse, a week after calling Amazon, the HUGE box is still in our living room waiting to be picked up--FAIL.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Strathwood St. Thomas Cast-Aluminum Fire Pit with Table
If you read the reviews of this fire pit table you'll know what you're getting into.
It's a great concept a table that can convert to either a fire pit, grill, or in the summer a drink chiller full of ice.
And what you receive will be functional.
But it just lacks the attention to detail you'd like to see.
Some pointed out that the legs or table surface might be a little warped or "off" causing it to be difficult to put together and more difficult to keep level.
I didn't experience that.
I followed one of the other reviewer's suggestions and put the screws in only hand-tight at first, then got everything lined up, and THEN tightened it all down.
Worked fine and the table's level.
Some complained that they didn't receive the right screws or the correct amount.
I had everything needed to put it together EXCEPT for a nut needed to hold the handle to the spark guard in place.
I fixed that with an 11-cent nut from the hardware store but I'll contact customer service anyways to report the problem and ask for the correct part.
Some complained that the grill they provide is too small in diameter and thus sits only a couple of inches off the bottom of the pit.
But again, during my trip to the hardware store, I was able to buy a larger diameter (between 16-18") grill for only about $10 and used that instead.
I'd complain to customer service but while at the hardware store I looked at a half-dozen of their fire pits on display and noticed that in ALL cases, the grill sat down near the bottom like that so I guess that's optimal for cooking or something. I dunno I'm not a grill master, yet.
Either way, now I have both sizes (heights) so I can read up on the subject and experiment.
Another complaint was that the brass bowl doesn't have a hole at the bottom so during a rainstorm, for example the bowl will fill up with water. And during the rainy season, if you don't keep up with emptying it every couple of days, you'll be providing a nice breeding pool for mosquitos. I agree with the complaint and thought about using an electric drill to cut a hole myself, but I'm not sure that's the best solution. It may lead to grease and such dripping down onto our patio and other problems (like ants) worse than water. So I'll hold off on the drilling til I decide if there's a better solution like a drip "cup" lined with aluminum foil.
Aside from the 11 cent nut being missing, the only real complaint is that the spark guard isn't the right diameter. Just an inch shorter than it should've been. So instead of fitting snugly on top, it ~just barely~ spans the gap and threatens to tip, tilt, or fall in. But if you're careful and set it down just right and don't jostle it, you'll be okay. In fact, the spark guard itself had what appeared to be a scuff or two already on it and maybe even a spot of rust.
So again, it's functional, but I'll mention it to their customer service and see what comes of it.
All in all, it seems to be a great concept but just wasn't executed by a company with attention to detail. That's too bad. But on the other hand, you get what you pay for.
If you're reading this, and have researched fire pits that convert into a table, you know as well as I do that there aren't that many choices out there. And only a COUPLE in this price range. Most run a few hundred more than this, and some go into the thousands (for some reason).
So, when you're buying the cheapest table in the product category, I guess you can't be suprised when you find that a few details have been overlooked.
I'll contact customer support and see if the service is as lacking as the product.
But even if so, I'll still be satisfied at the functionality of this product at the price.
