When you’re planning a cosy evening around your Wizard Fire Pit, one of the first questions you might have is: Which firewood should I use? Pine is one of the most common and readily available woods in New Zealand, but is it the best choice for your fire pit experience? Let’s break it down.
The Pros of Using Pine
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Easy to Find and Affordable
Pine is widely available, making it one of the easiest firewoods to source. It’s often cheaper than hardwoods, which makes it a budget-friendly option for frequent fires. Generally it is a very dirty burning fire wood, so it is our least recommended fire wood. -
Quick to Ignite
Because pine is a softwood, it lights up quickly and burns hot. If you’re looking for a fast way to get your Wizard Fire Pit roaring, pine can be a great fire starter for kindling. -
Great for Short, Hot Fires
Pine’s high resin content allows it to produce an intense flame, making it ideal for quick, high-heat cooking sessions on your fire pit grill.
The Cons of Using Pine
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Burns Quickly
The same qualities that make pine easy to light also make it burn faster than hardwoods. This means you’ll need to add logs more often to keep your fire going. -
Produces More Black Smoke & Soot
Pine’s resin can create a lot of black soot and creosote buildup, which isn’t ideal if you’re aiming for a cleaner burn. If you’re using your Wizard Fire Pit’s smokeless design, excessive resin can reduce efficiency. -
Can Be Messy
Fresh-cut or “green” pine can pop and crackle due to sap pockets, sending sparks into the air. This is why it’s best to use seasoned pine that has been properly dried.
🔥 Our Recommendation for Your Wizard Fire Pit
Pine can be a great starter wood for your Wizard Fire Pit, especially for quick warmth or a rapid cooking setup. However, for a longer-lasting, low-smoke fire, we recommend pairing it with hardwoods.
For the best results, we suggest using hardwoods such as Manuka, Kanuka, Oak, and Gum. These burn longer, cleaner, and hotter, perfect for both warmth and cooking. You can also find compressed hardwood pellets at hardware stores (just make sure the packet states they’re made from hardwood).
Pro Tip: Start your fire with pine to get it going fast, then add hardwood logs for a sustained, efficient burn. This way, you get the best of both worlds.
Final Thoughts
Pine can be a great starting point for quick warmth or short cooking sessions on your Wizard Fire Pit, but hardwoods remain the gold standard for lasting heat and rich, consistent flames. For the ultimate fire pit experience, enjoy pine for the spark, then let quality hardwoods carry the night.
