Do you love to invite your friends over for barbecue parties every other weekend? Then setting up a fire pit at the center of your backyard is probably an excellent logical step. Whether you wish to grill up a dinner for guests, or simply need a place where people can gather and chat, fire pits will work great either way. Simply invite friends over, bring out a good selection of drinks, and socialize to your heart's content. You will still save up a lot of money that you would otherwise have to spend on takeaway food packages.

However, you need to choose the fire pit properly. There are so many brands of these available out there that it is easy to feel overwhelmed when trying to make a decision. Here are some pointers that should help with that:

1. Check out the materials that the fire pit is made of: The temperature inside the fire pit is obviously going to be very high. So, avoid choosing flimsy, thin-walled pits which will crumple up only after a couple months of frequent usage. Always buy pits made of heavy duty cast iron. These will last for a long time without losing shape, and will offer plenty of value for your hard-earned cash. Also, the table of the pit should be made of fire resistant ceramic or refractory cement, so that it does not develop cracks easily.

2. Look for pits with storage space for fuel tanks: it is always safer to store propane tanks inside the frame of the fire pit. There is far less chance of having an accident that way. Besides, the frame should have adequate ventilation, which allows the gas to burn properly, while keeping the amount of smoke to a minimum.

3. Make sure that the structure is sturdy enough: The frame of the fire pit should be strongly built, in order to support the weight of the enclosed propane tank. Be extra careful when choosing fire pits with built-in tables, as these have to bear the weight of the table as well as the propane cylinder stored inside. The structure must be sturdy enough to withstand all the weight.

So, do not wait any longer. You have deprived your backyard long enough of a gorgeous centerpiece. Get the best fire pit you can find, and make your backyard the perfect place for getting together with buddies on weekends.