BioLite FirePit+ (FPA0201)

Published · Researched 2026-09-21

2026 lineup note: Current model — the FirePit+ (FPA0201) is BioLite's upgraded smokeless fire pit, sold on bioliteenergy.com and at REI, Bass Pro, and Amazon. The original non-plus FirePit is discontinued; do not confuse the two on the used market.

Version lineage (2023–2026)

• The original BioLite FirePit (Kickstarter 2017, ~$199) introduced the fan-driven smokeless burn and X-ray mesh body.
• The FirePit+ is the upgraded current generation: 12,800 mAh battery (vs 10,400 mAh on the original), enlarged X-ray mesh, high-temp enamel coating, and a body redesigned to radiate heat outward. Same FPA0201 model number family.
• No further revision announced as of 2026-09-20; the FirePit+ remains BioLite's only fire pit SKU.

Overview

The BioLite FirePit+ is a portable, fan-assisted smokeless wood/charcoal fire pit for car camping and backyard use. A battery-powered fan drives 51 air jets for a cleaner, near-smokeless burn; the X-ray mesh body gives a 360° view of the flames. It holds up to 4 standard firewood logs, converts to a hibachi-style grill with the included grate and fuel rack, and the fan speed is adjustable manually or via the Bluetooth app. This is a 19.8 lb car-camping appliance — not a backpacking item.

Key Specs

• Model: FPA0201
• Fuel: firewood (up to 4 standard logs) or charcoal; grill grate + fuel rack included
• Battery: 12,800 mAh USB-rechargeable power pack; USB-A output (charges devices), micro-USB input
• Burn time (fan): 30 h low / 14 h medium / 7 h high
• Air system: 51 air jets; 3 fan speeds; manual or Bluetooth app control
• Body: X-ray mesh 360° viewing; high-temp enamel coating; folding legs
• Cooking area: 130 sq in (grill grate)
• Dimensions: 27 × 13 × 15.8 in legs unfolded (68.6 × 33 × 40.1 cm); 10.5 in (26.7 cm) tall legs folded
• Weight: 19.8 lb (8.98 kg / 317 oz)
• Connectivity: Bluetooth app (iOS 10.0+, Android 12.0+ per Men's Journal 2026 spec table)

Pricing

• MSRP: $299.99 — Bass Pro Shops $299.99; REI $300 (per Men's Journal 2026 review). Observation date: 2026-09-20.
• Street: $249.95 at Gear for Adventure (sold out — possible clearance pricing, not a live offer); Sport Chek (CA) listed $142.97 on deep clearance (stale/regional, not a US price); Canex (CA) $469.99 bundled with carry bag (EA2 SKU).
• Data-quality note: the working US price is $299.99; sub-$200 listings are clearance/stale or the carry-bag bundle is priced higher.

In the Box

• FirePit+ unit
• Grill grate
• Fuel rack
• USB-A to micro-USB cord
• (Carry bag sold separately — the EA2 bundle SKU includes it)

Warranty

1-year limited warranty (BioLite standard). BioLite's support reputation is genuinely good in the outdoor community; parts and accessories are sold years into a product's life.

Support & Parts

BioLite is US-based (Brooklyn, NY) with long-lived product lines and a parts/accessories store. No widespread defect pattern found for the FirePit+; the battery pack is the known wear item and is replaceable through BioLite.

Community Verdict

The default "smokeless fire pit that actually works" recommendation in car-camping circles — the fan-driven burn is the real differentiator over passive smokeless pits (Solo Stove et al.), and the grill conversion makes it a two-in-one. The consistent caveats: it's heavy (19.8 lb), the battery must be charged before the trip, and smokeless ≠ ban-exempt during fire restrictions.

Images

• images/biolite-firepit-plus-1.jpg — primary exact-model shot
• images/biolite-firepit-plus-2.jpg — alternate product view
• images/biolite-firepit-plus-3.jpg — alternate product view
• [research workspace] — in-use: FirePit burning at a campsite with camper and tent (official BioLite lifestyle photo)
• [research workspace] — FirePit burning with the carry bag shown for scale/packability (Men's Journal review)

Research date: 2026-09-20. Prices verified via basspro.com, gearforadventure.com, mensjournal.com (2026 review). Social voices via Facebook/Instagram (Sept 2026 social sweep).

Long-term durability & warranty-claim reality (enrichment, Sept 2026)

• What survives: The steel/enamel body is the durable part — Men's Journal's 2026 review: "the build quality suggests you'll be using it for years rather than replacing it after a season. Buy it once, use it forever." The X-ray mesh and folding legs hold up to repeated car-camping assembly.
• What wears/breaks: (1) The battery pack — the lifespan limiter; a dead pack means no fan, and no fan means a smoky, ordinary fire pit. Keep it charged and expect capacity decay over years. (2) Rust on the mesh/bottom — a Facebook group member (Jul 2026) offered a used unit as "kinda rusty on the bottom, but still works" — the enamel helps but the mesh is the corrosion point in damp storage. (3) micro-USB input — the 2026 anachronism; cables are getting scarce in USB-C kits.
• Warranty-claim reality: 1-year BioLite warranty; the brand's support reputation is strong and replacement battery packs are purchasable. No widespread warranty-fight pattern.

Version history — year by year (enrichment, Sept 2026)

• 2023: FirePit+ the current SKU; original FirePit discontinued.
• 2024: Hardware unchanged; street firm at $299.99.
• 2025: Still the only BioLite fire pit; no successor announced.
• 2026: Still current on bioliteenergy.com and at REI/Bass Pro. No new generation announced as of 2026-09-20.

Head-to-head vs closest rivals

• vs BioLite CampStove 2+ ($199.95): same brand, opposite jobs — the CampStove is a 2 lb backpacking stove that boils water and trickle-charges; the FirePit+ is a 19.8 lb group fire experience with real grill capacity. Buy the CampStove to cook for 1–2 on the move; buy the FirePit+ for the evening campfire at basecamp.
• vs Camp Chef Everest 2X (~$150–199): the Everest is the honest camp kitchen — 40,000 BTU propane, instant on/off, simmer control. The FirePit+ is the experience — wood crackle, 360° flames, grill-over-fire cooking. The Everest cooks better; the FirePit+ gathers people better.
• vs Coleman Triton 2-Burner (~$84 street): the Triton is the value cooking pick; the FirePit+ is 4× the price for ambience + grill. Different budgets, different evenings.

Care & maintenance

• Battery: charge fully before each trip; don't store dead for months — the fan is the product, and the pack is not a standard cell you can swap from a drawer.
• Ash: empty the burn chamber after each use; ash packed around the air jets chokes the smokeless burn.
• Mesh: the X-ray mesh is the rust point — dry thoroughly before storage, especially in humid climates; a wire brush keeps airflow open.
• Off-season: store dry and covered; the enamel coating handles weather but the electronics module prefers indoors.

Buying traps

• Original FirePit (non-plus) sold as "FirePit+": the original has the smaller 10,400 mAh battery, smaller mesh, and older coating — verify the "+" and the 12,800 mAh figure, especially used.
• Carry bag not included: the base $299.99 SKU ships without the canvas carry bag — the EA2 bundle (with bag) costs more; third-party "complete kit" listings may just be the base unit.
• Smokeless ≠ ban-exempt: during fire restrictions and burn bans, a fan-assisted wood fire is still an open flame — check local regulations; the smokeless claim doesn't override them.
• Stale clearance prices: sub-$200 listings (Sport Chek $142.97 CA, Gear for Adventure $249.95 sold out) are regional clearance or dead offers, not the live US price.

Community Verdict — added voices (Sept 2026 enrichment)

• Men's Journal (2026 review, Graham Averill): "The fan system alone justifies the cost over a standard fire pit, and the build quality suggests you'll be using it for years rather than replacing it after a season. Buy it once, use it forever." $300 at REI. Source: https://www.mensjournal.com/gear/biolite-firepit-plus-review
• Facebook group discussion (Jul 2026, via social sweep): the smokeless-vs-ambience debate in the wild — one member asks whether "the lack of smoke smell reduces ambience versus convenience"; commenters affirm the benefit for headache-prone campers ("I prefer it over one with smoke as it doesn't leave me with a headache") while clarifying the key technical point: "These bigger ones don't [generate electricity], they just consume it with the battery powered fan" — unlike the CampStove. A used rusty-bottom unit changed hands for $50, setting the floor for used pricing.
• The OG Consignment (Buena Vista, CO — Instagram): a used FirePit+ listed at $164 — the working used-market reference point (~55% of new).

Sources

• www.mensjournal.com — retrieval date not recorded