Turn Dry Prunings into Gold: The Biochar-Making Fire Pit
Biochar-Making Starter Kit
$385.95
Sale price
$385.95
Regular price
$390.95
Skip to product information
Biochar-Making Starter Kit
$385.95
Sale price
$385.95
Regular price
$390.95
Description
Make biochar in the fire pit, then charge it with Root Ruckus before it goes in the soil. Together they're a complete system: the one-time fire pit purchase and the liquid inoculant that gets the biochar working in year one instead of waiting for soil microbes to colonize on their own.
In the kit:
- Biochar-Making Fire Pit — 16-gauge American steel, no assembly, free continental US shipping.
- Root Ruckus Liquid Compost (1 Quart) — humic acid, liquid kelp, and beneficial mycorrhizae. Charges roughly 2–5 fire pit burns of biochar.
Saves $5 versus buying separately. Items ship from Pi (fire pit) and from GS Plant Foods in Florida (Root Ruckus) — two boxes, one checkout.
See the Root Ruckus product page for the full charging instructions: dilution ratio, soak time, and application rate.
Specifications
| Rim | Hexagonal, 23.5 in (60 cm) corner to corner, 20.7 in (53 cm) across the flats |
|---|---|
| Height | 19 in (48 cm) overall; the bowl is 13 in (33 cm) deep |
| Steel | 16 gauge mild steel, about 1/16 in (1.5 mm); lapped, double-welded seams; one piece, no assembly |
| Weight | 21 lb (9.5 kg) |
| Quench inlet | Brass swivel fitting for a standard 3/4 in garden hose. Water fills the pit from the bottom up |
| Finish | Bare steel. Left outside it weathers to a rust patina meant to blend into a garden |
| In the box | The fire pit, one piece, no assembly; a printed getting-started guide; kraft packing paper, no plastic. The paper makes good tinder for your first burn |
| Made in | Salem, Oregon, USA |
| Shipping | Ships within 1 to 3 days, free by ground in the continental US. Alaska and Hawaii: $200 flat rate |
| Returns | 30-day returns |
| Warranty | Five-year limited warranty on materials and workmanship (terms) |
Care and durability
How long will it last? What wears a steel fire pit is rust, and most of that is moisture between burns, not the fire. The pit is 16 gauge carbon steel, about 1/16 in thick, heavier than most fire pits. Left outside with no care at all you would get a solid 10 to 15 years before rust became a structural concern. The one thing that shortens its life most is rainwater sitting in the bottom between uses. Keep it covered or under a roof between burns and clean the ash out when you can, since ash holds moisture, and it will last a very long time.
Will it crack or fatigue? Metal fatigue is not a concern. A wood fire does not produce the stress cycling that causes fatigue cracking in steel, and the edges are lapped and double welded, so there is no thin single-layer seam to act as a weak point.
Can it be covered and used as a table? There is no dedicated lid, but two of our griddles fit side by side on top and cover the opening, which gives you a flat surface when the pit is not in use.
Can it be painted? If you prefer a painted finish over the rust patina, we recommend Rust-Oleum High Heat Ultra, on the outside of the pit only. No paint holds up to direct flame, so the inside stays bare steel, and nothing that touches food gets painted.
Are you tired of:
-- Having valuable organic matter hauled away from your garden in your green bin?
-- Only getting ash out of your fire pit that contributes little to your garden?
-- Paying for soil amendments that don't last?
Made for your garden
Imagine sitting around a firepit enjoying its warmth while also making a valuable soil amendment that will enrich your garden. Plus it will save you money on fertilizer and is also good for the environment.
What biochar can do for your soil
The illustration above shows several common soil problems biochar can help address — poor water retention, nutrient leaching, compaction, and weak microbial activity. Your soil may not have all (or any) of these issues, so results will vary depending on your starting conditions.
To see how biochar is likely to perform in your garden, use our interactive soil map. Click on your location and get an estimate based on regional soil characteristics.
Make Biochar
Make your own biochar in your backyard from dry prunings and clean scrap wood.
Have Fun
Enhance your social life with fire pit gatherings or simply enjoy the calming effect of sitting next to a fire.
Lower your Carbon Footprint
Biochar is a stable form of carbon that can last for thousands of years in soil.
Start the fire
Like any fire pit you start your fire with tinder such as small twigs or newspaper and get a base burning. Add larger branches or firewood once the fire gets going.
Add wood
As your fire burns you will see how it burns down with reduced flames making a char bed. Each time it settles down add a little more wood to the fire.
Quench
Start reducing the diameter (thickness) of wood you add one hour prior to finishing your burn. Finally quench your fire with the attached hose filling the biochar fire pit with water from the bottom up.
How to make your own biochar!
Biochar improves your garden's soil
- Biochar increases your soils ability to hold nutrients so more of your valuable fertilizer stays in your soil helping your garden to grow.
- Biochar decreases soil acidity increasing the vitality of your garden.
- Biochar increases your soils ability to hold moisture so your plants get less stressed between waterings.
Don't just take our word for it
Sustainable biochar is a powerfully simple tool that can produce a soil enhancer that holds carbon and makes soil more fertile
Free Shipping & Free Returns*
We get it. Trying something new can feel risky.
It ships free by ground in the continental US, and you have a 30-day return window, so you can try the Biochar-Making Fire Pit risk free.
*Free shipping applies to the contiguous United States. Orders shipping to Alaska or Hawaii incur a $200 flat rate shipping fee due to carrier costs.
Stop Paying for Bagged Soil Amendments
You shouldn't have to break the bank to improve your soil. Bagged biochar runs about $15 to $38 per cubic foot, yet the dry prunings in your yard are free. We designed a simple, fun way for you to turn fallen branches into premium soil fuel—right in your own backyard.
The Slotted Grill
Upgrade your backyard experience. This isn't a generic grate—it's custom-fitted for the Biochar-Making Fire Pit. The artistic pattern matches the hex geometry of the Biochar-Making Fire Pit, providing a stable, beautiful surface for searing steaks and vegetables over a wood fire.
The Griddle
Unlock the full potential of wood-fired cooking. This isn't a flimsy pan—it's a heavy-duty solid steel griddle custom-fitted for the Biochar-Making Fire Pit. It transforms your pit into a flat-top stove, perfect for smash burgers, breakfast skillets, and getting a restaurant-quality sear on steaks without flare-ups.
Have fun while making biochar
At Pi Fabricators we know that you want to have an awesome garden. In order to do that, you need healthy soil. The problem is buying soil amendments is costly and most don't stay in your soil very long, which leads to your garden's soil being less fertile. We believe you should be able to enrich your soil with the organic matter you grow in your garden. We understand the importance of having a garden that is both beautiful and provides nutrition for your family which is why we developed the Biochar-Making Fire Pit that can be enjoyed just like a backyard fire pit.
A backyard biochar kiln, built on the Kon-Tiki kiln design
The Biochar-Making Fire Pit is a backyard biochar kiln: a flame-cap cone in the Kon-Tiki tradition, with the Japanese MOKI cone kilns and the old soil-pit kilns as its ancestors. We stand on the shoulders of giants. It gives you a backyard fire and a batch of biochar for the garden from the same burn.
Reduced smoke emissions
The Biochar-Making Fire Pit decreases the amount of smoke produced compared to a conventional fire pit* because the Biochar-Making Fire Pit's shape promotes efficient mixing of air that helps to reburn the smoke.
*While the Biochar Fire Pit burns significantly cleaner than a standard fire ring, it intentionally avoids the hyper-aggressive airflow of double-walled smokeless pits. This controlled airflow ensures a clean burn without completely incinerating the wood to ash, allowing you to preserve the biochar.
Designed for Warmth. The Difference:
Competitors (Double-Walled): Double walls found in smokeless fire pits act as insulation trapping heat and funneling it upward. Heating the sky instead of your toes.
The Biochar-Making Fire Pit (Single-Walled): Conductive steel walls radiate heat outward instantly.
The Result: You stay warm from head to toe, with minimal smoke.
Order your Biochar-Making Fire Pit today
1. Click "ADD TO CART"
2. Check out
