More heat, less wood: the design behind the Bush Telly fire pit

Want more heat from less wood? That's the whole idea behind the Bush Telly. 

Its open front design pushes heat forward, so a smaller fire feels a lot hotter, meaning you burn through less wood for the same warmth. You're still getting 360 degree radiant heat off the mild steel body too, so it's not just a one-sided setup. Five to six people can comfortably sit up front and get the best of it, with a few more still warming up nicely around the back. It's basically the caravan park version of gathering around the TV, except everyone's a little transfixed by the flames instead.

We sat down with Nick, the founder of Bush Telly, to hear more about the design. It's 100% Australian made, manufactured locally out of a facility in Sunshine, Victoria, that handles all the fabricating, laser cutting and welding in house. Where a lot of fire pits warp and distort once they've been heated up, making them a nightmare to pack away, the Bush Telly is built to handle it properly. 

Raised airflow from the front and back gives a cleaner burn with noticeably less smoke than a traditional fire pit once it gets going.

A clever drainage hole in the plate lets oils drip straight down into the fire instead of pooling and making a mess, handy if you're cooking as well as burning. At 16.5kg it's not the lightest fire pit around, so it's not one for hiking, but it's one of the toughest and best looking options out there, designed for countless fires over its lifetime rather than just a few seasons.

Finish is entirely up to you too, it comes with a beeswax and oil mix so you can season it for a rich black patina, or you can paint it or let it develop a rustic Corten look over time.

And it packs down into its own heavy duty carry bag, with reinforced straps and stitching so it holds up to being thrown in and out of the caravan trip after trip.

Watch the full chat with Nick below 👇