I tested the Ninja Fireside360 fire pit and it’s perfect for cozy evenings

Working from home can quickly lead to cabin fever, so I try to spend time outdoors as much as possible, including in the winter. As a result, I’ve got several best fire pits in my backyard to provide warmth all year round.

The Ninja Fireside360's fuel source is a big plus, making it a much better fit for outdoor use than similar products. Unlike my wood-fueled units that take up permanent residence in the backyard, this is a propane fire pit.

The wood fire pits are easily warmer than the Fireside360, but the Ninja is so quick and easy to turn on and off exactly when I need it, that it encourages me to spend more time outside when I would otherwise avoid doing so.

What's more, it also pumps out a decent amount of heat on all sides using a 360-degree heating unit situated below a second heating unit that shoots flames upward through ceramic rocks. Plus, it’s versatile, attractive, and easy to use. Find out why I’ll definitely be keeping this one in heavy rotation in my yard.

Ninja Fireside360 review: Price and availability

The Fireside360 costs $500 and is available for purchase now on the Ninja website, Sam's Club and on Amazon.

Additionally, it comes with a 2-year limited warranty and 60-day, money back guarantee. The unit ships free but you can finance the purchase using Affirm at checkout if you’d rather split the cost into payments.

Ninja Fireside360 review: Design

The Fireside360 is fairly easy to move around, since it weighs just under 40 pounds. That said, there aren’t any handles, so it can be a bit cumbersome to grab and lift. Of course, never move it when it’s on, or right after it’s been used, since it will still be very hot.

Out of the box, the Fireside360 is almost ready to be used. Just put the included battery in its compartment (inside the Fireside360 base), empty the ceramic rocks into the top, install a propane tank, and fire it up.

The propane tank fits within the base neatly, and a small threaded bolt tightens to hold the tank in place. Attach the hose to the propane tank to start delivering fuel. Additionally, the Fireside360 has a built-in starter, so just turn the knobs on the front to get it lit. Plus, I liked that everything within hides behind a hinged magnetic door for a clean aesthetic.

Speaking of the control knobs, there are two of them, and they’re mounted to the front of the unit. One knob controls the top flame, and the other controls the 360-degree heater. That way, you get three total modes: flame only, heat only, or a combination of both flame and heat.

The flames at the top shoot upward through the included ceramic rocks. This creates both heat and a pleasant aesthetic. The 360-degree heater is situated below the rocks and flames, and runs the entire perimeter of the unit to provide heating around all sides.

It’s important to note that the Fireside360 is intended for outdoor use only. It might be tempting to use this heater in your garage, but it is not safe to do so — even with the garage door open.

Ninja Fireside360 review: Performance

I first positioned the Fireside360 between my garage and carport, where there’s a gap overhead so there’s no risk of fire. I had my garage door open at the time.

Lighting the unit is quick and easy, just turn the knob for either the flames or the heater to the lighting position. You’ll hear the tell-tale clicking noise that lets you know the flint is creating a spark. Once the flames are present, you can turn the knob further to adjust the intensity of the heat.

For my first use, I lit both the flames and the heater. The unit lit up quickly and easily, and there was a bit of a burn-off smell during the first use. This is likely due to residues or dirt left over from manufacturing, and it went away on subsequent uses. There was some discoloration to the metal parts that are exposed to the flames as well, which is also to be expected.

I was impressed with how much heat the Fireside360 threw off. I was able to sit on any side of the unit and get a blast of heat, all while enjoying the flames licking through the ceramic rocks on the top.

Over the course of several weeks, I found myself using the Fireside360 frequently as I worked in the yard or simply enjoyed time outside in the cool winter temperatures. It’s so easy to turn on and off that I found myself encouraged to sit outside more often than I otherwise would. I have wood-burning fire pits out back, which throw off much more heat, but using them is a bigger investment of time and attention. Not so with the Fireside360; I can turn it on for a few minutes or a couple of hours without having to think much about it at all.

I did notice some instances in which the unit was difficult to get lit, most often when trying to light the heater rather than the flames. In some cases, the heater would light, then extinguish as soon as I went to adjust the heat level. In other instances, it just clicked and clicked with no flame produced. This only happened a handful of times, but it was annoying when it happened.

Some drawbacks

Overall, the Fireside360 has been a largely pleasant experience except for a couple of minor drawbacks. For starters, the heater is mounted high on the unit, which is ideal if you’re standing around it or sitting in high chairs. But if you’re sitting in camp chairs or other low-slung seats, you’ll find your legs getting cold while your face gets blasted with heat.

The other potential drawback is runtime. Because I found myself using the Fireside360 quite a lot, I ran through my tank of propane pretty quickly. The advertised time ranges are pretty accurate, and while you’ll get a lot of use out of the unit before your tank goes dry, you’ll need to factor in the cost of propane if you end up using this daily for more than a few minutes at a time.

Otherwise, I’ve enjoyed having the Fireside360 at my disposal and would recommend it if you want a low-maintenance heating solution for the backyard or even car camping trips.

Ninja Fireside360 review: Accessories

Ninja sells several accessories that work with the Fireside360, including the Ninja Fireside360 Soft Cover ($50) Ninja Fireside360 Ceramic Rock Cover ($70), Replacement rocks ($30), and many more.

In fact, some accessories on the Ninja website are less specific to the Fireside360 and instead complement your backyard comfort and functionality.

Ninja also offers the ability to bundle the heater and cover for $560. This is a good investment if you’ll be leaving your unit outside, exposed to the elements. The cover will help extend the life of the fire pit.

Ninja Fireside360 review: Comparisons

Backyard propane fire pits come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, functionality, and cost. You can find them just about anywhere, especially seasonally at places like Home Depot or Lowe’s. Notably, many of them feature flames and ceramic rocks to create heat.

The Fireside360 bests many of these by offering directional 360-degree heat in addition to vertically oriented flames. This means you’re more likely to get warmth on all sides of the unit, rather than just above it.

Many fireside pits address this problem by making the design low-slung, closer to the ground. That means heat rises toward users above the fire line, but still doesn’t necessarily push heat outward. So in that sense, the Fireside360 is a nifty value proposition.

That said, because the Fireside360 hides the propane tank within its body, it is, by design, fairly tall. So if you’re looking for a unit that is more efficient at whole-body heating while you and your guests are sitting, something like the Tiki Customizable Fire Pit or Bali Outdoors Fire Pit Table might be a better match. Both of these options also cost almost half as much as the Fireside360.

Ninja Fireside360 review: Verdict

Overall, I like the Ninja Fireside360 for its versatility and portability. Everything is self-contained, the unit isn’t too heavy, and it’s relatively easy to move. Plus, you could even take it car-camping if you wanted to.

Another impressive feature is that it throws off a surprising amount of heat, directionally outward on all sides. This makes it an attractive solution for backyard heating.

Just bear in mind that it’s also fairly tall, which means you might get some chilly legs and toes. Perhaps a minor downside is it's on the expensive side compared to some of its competition that position the heat sources much lower for full-body heating.

Overall, I like the Fireside360 for its ease of use, powerful directional heat, and usability in a variety of situations.

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