Ciays Smokeless Review

A travel-friendly fire pit, the Ciays Smokeless features a unique design and a few great features, but its heat and smoke management could be improved.

Heat Output

Our testers used infrared thermometers to measure the inside walls during peak burn, and also measured radiant heat from various distances at two, four, and six feet away. The Ciays was a little underwhelming in this category. While it produced a very hot fire, with infrared readings up to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit, it emitted very little radiant heat outward. Even at four feet away, we didn't feel enough meaningful heat from the Ciays for us to enjoy sitting around the pit. For travel and camping, especially during the summertime, this may be less of a concern, though we wish there were an option to purchase a heat deflector shield for it.

The Ciays also tend to burn through wood quickly. While this is a good sign of effective combustion for reducing smoke, it requires constant tending to keep the fire from smoldering. Overall, there are better smokeless fire pits that will produce better radiant heat.

Smoke Management

The Ciays reduced smoke but did not eliminate it, unlike some of our best-performing pits. Even during its peak burn, when the fire was at full force, it still produced a visible trail of smoke, at times enough to force us to move out of the way.

We even used different wood in an attempt to eliminate other factors, with similar results. Still, compared to a non-smokeless fire pit, the Ciays is a significant upgrade in reducing smoke levels.

Portability

The Ciays features one of the most travel-friendly designs we've seen. The lower bowl detaches from the upper wall and ash pan, and the legs fold flat into the pit, creating a compact, nesting configuration just 7.7 inches tall.

Metal handles are accessible both when set up and collapsed, and a carrying case adds even more convenience. Weighing only 15.9 pounds, it's easily one of the most portable fire pits we've tested, perfect for travel and camping.

Ease of Cleaning

The Ciays uses a large bowl that can be removed to dispose of ash. Underneath the bowl is a catch pan for ash particles that escape past the main bowl. The bowl slides into the pit like a tight sleeve, which means waiting a few hours before attempting to pull the bowl out of the pit.

Ease of Assembly

The Ciays took about 10 minutes to assemble, thanks to its clear and helpful instructions. The only tricky step is the locking handles, which use a latch mechanism that requires considerable force to latch correctly. The collapsible “nesting egg” design is simple to break down, though you do need to flip the top half of the pit upside down for it to nest correctly. Overall, assembly is straightforward—especially after you've collapsed it a couple of times.