Fire Pit with Coffee Table: Outland vs Napoleon

If you’ve spent any time looking at fire pit tables on rectangular frames, you’ve probably noticed that the category splits pretty cleanly into two camps: furniture-first designs that happen to have a burner, and fire-first designs that happen to have a surface. The Outland Living Series 403 44” Propane Fire Pit Table and the Napoleon St. Tropez Rectangle Patioflame Fire Table are the clearest representatives of each camp I’ve found at their respective price points. One is a practical, good-looking patio table with serious heat output. The other is a permanent outdoor living investment with the kind of hardware that doesn’t apologize for its price. Neither is wrong. But they’re not interchangeable, and I’d rather give you a straight read than a “both are great” shrug.

Both are propane-fueled, rectangular, and covered in our broader roundup of Fire Pits & Patio Heaters if you want the full category context. Here, I’m going to focus on what actually separates them.

At-a-Glance

| | Outland Living Series 403 | Napoleon St. Tropez | |,|,|,| | Price | Mid-range, currently around $350-$420 | Premium, currently around $700-$900 | | BTU Output | 50,000 BTU | 40,000 BTU | | Ignition | Manual push-button | Electronic auto-ignition | | Frame Material | Concrete-look composite top, steel base | Rustic bronze aluminum | | Gas Type | Propane (20 lb tank) | Propane standard, natural gas conversion included | | Table Function | Yes, with included cover panel | Yes, with cover | | Weight | Heavy , relocation is a two-person job | Lighter aluminum frame | | Best For | Value-focused buyers, flexible setups | Permanent installations, long-term value |

Prices listed are approximate at the time of writing and fluctuate on Amazon.

Why Choose the Outland Living Series 403

The pitch here is straightforward: 50,000 BTU for around $400, delivered from a unit that looks like actual patio furniture. If you’ve sat around a small decorative fire pit that barely warmed your hands on a 55-degree October evening, the BTU number matters. A 15-foot heat radius is meaningful. At my patio table with four chairs pulled around it, everyone feels it.

The concrete-look tabletop is better than it sounds. It reads as stone from any conversational distance, and when you put the burner cover panel on, it functions as a legitimate outdoor table. I’ve had drinks and a cheese board on mine without anyone asking where the fire went. The pre-attached regulator hose connects to a standard 20 lb propane tank, and setup takes under an hour if you follow the instructions without improvising. (I did not follow the instructions without improvising, and it took longer.)

The propane hookup is conventional, which means the tank is stored in the cabinet space below the burner. If you want a cleaner look with no visible hardware, there are designs built specifically for that, and I’ve covered the tradeoffs in my piece on fire pits with hidden propane tanks. The Series 403 doesn’t hide anything, but it organizes it neatly.

What to Know Before You Buy

A 20 lb propane tank runs roughly 8 to 10 hours at full output. At full output, you’ll burn through it faster than you’d expect across a season of regular use. Budget accordingly. If you’re running this three or four evenings a week in fall, you’re looking at a tank refill every few weeks. That’s $20 to $25 per fill at most hardware stores, which adds up but isn’t ruinous.

The bigger practical issue is weight. The concrete-composite top is heavy, and once this unit is assembled and in position, you’re not casually moving it around. If your patio layout is still evolving or you want flexibility season to season, that’s worth thinking about before you commit. Assembling it in situ is the right approach.

The Series 403 is not built for a permanent gas line. If that’s your eventual setup, it’s the wrong starting point. But for a propane-fueled setup that gives you real heat, real table function, and a presentable look at a mid-range price, it holds its own against anything in this price band. I’d put it ahead of the Cuisinart COF-212, which I’ve also used and which puts out less heat for a similar price with a less convincing table surface.

Why Choose the Napoleon St. Tropez

Napoleon makes grills. Good ones. And the manufacturing standards that go into their grill hardware carry over here in ways that show up in small details: the quality of the valve assembly, the consistency of the flame pattern across the glass ember bed, the finish on the rustic bronze aluminum frame. I mention the brand credibility not to be deferential to marketing but because it’s actually relevant. The frame won’t rust. The powder coat won’t peel in two seasons. On a product you’re leaving outside, that matters.

The electronic ignition is the feature that gets undersold. No matches, no piezo clicking, no leaning over the burner in the wind. You turn a knob, the igniter fires, the flame appears. You adjust the height. That’s it. For anyone who has used a manual-ignition pit on a breezy evening and spent four minutes hunched over it, this is not a trivial difference.

The natural gas conversion kit is included in the box. Most propane fire tables charge extra for this, if they offer it at all. If there’s any chance you’ll run a natural gas line to your patio in the next few years, the Napoleon pays for part of that gap immediately. A proper propane fire pit burner conversion to natural gas on competing units can run $80 to $150 in parts alone. Here it’s already in the box.

The Case for Permanent Installation

The St. Tropez is priced as a permanent fixture, and it performs like one. At around $700 to $900, it costs roughly twice the Outland Living unit. For a seasonal-use purchase you’re going to replace in four years, that’s hard to justify. For a patio setup you’re finishing once and living with for a decade, the math changes.

The aluminum frame keeps the overall weight lower than the Outland’s composite top, which sounds counterintuitive. A lighter frame on a premium product might suggest cost-cutting, but aluminum is genuinely appropriate here. It moves easier if you need to reposition it, and it won’t corrode in wet springs or freeze-thaw conditions.

The glass ember bed does require cleaning. Coal dust and debris settle into the media over time, and if you want the fire to look as clean in year three as it did in week one, periodic cleaning is part of the maintenance. It’s not difficult, but it’s a real task rather than a theoretical one.

For a broader look at how the St. Tropez fits into the full range of premium outdoor heat options, including mounted and freestanding alternatives, the Fire Pits & Patio Heaters section covers the category more completely. If you’re also considering a supplemental heating option for a covered area, my article on wall mounted patio heaters is worth reading alongside this one.

Verdict

Buy the Outland Living Series 403 if you want a functional fire table that performs at its price point, you’re running propane, and you don’t need or want to spend $900 on an outdoor feature. The 50,000 BTU output is the headline number and it’s accurate. The table function is legitimate. It’s a good product that will serve most buyers well for years with normal care.

Buy the Napoleon St. Tropez if you’re finishing a patio you intend to keep, you want hardware that doesn’t require second-guessing in year four, and the natural gas conversion option is plausibly in your future. The premium price is real, but so is what you get for it. Electronic ignition, a frame that won’t degrade, and conversion flexibility in the box make it the stronger long-term value if you’re prepared for the upfront cost.

If the price gap is genuinely no object, take the Napoleon. If you’re budget-conscious or still figuring out how you use your outdoor space, the Outland Living won’t disappoint you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a fire pit coffee table be used as a regular table when the fire isn’t on?

Yes, both of these units include a cover panel that fits over the burner opening. With the cover in place, the surface functions as a standard outdoor table for food, drinks, or anything else. The Outland Living’s concrete-look top is particularly convincing in this mode.

How long does a propane tank last on a fire pit table?

On the Outland Living Series 403 running at full output, a standard 20 lb propane tank lasts approximately 8 to 10 hours. Running the flame at a lower setting extends that significantly. For the Napoleon St. Tropez, the 40,000 BTU output is somewhat lower, so a 20 lb tank will last closer to 10 to 12 hours at full. Real-world use typically involves varied flame heights, so most users get more total burn time than the full-output figures suggest.

Is natural gas or propane better for a fire pit table?

Natural gas is cheaper per hour of burn time and eliminates the need to monitor and refill tanks. It requires a permanent gas line to your patio, which is an installation cost and a commitment to a fixed location. Propane is more flexible and requires no infrastructure, but it’s an ongoing consumable expense. The Napoleon St. Tropez includes a natural gas conversion kit, which makes the transition easier if you start on propane and later add a gas line.

Are fire pit tables safe on a wood deck?

With appropriate clearances and a heat-resistant mat under the unit, fire pit tables can be used on wood decks. Most manufacturers specify a minimum clearance to combustible surfaces. Both units here are designed to radiate heat upward and outward rather than downward, but a deck protector mat adds a reasonable margin. Check the manual for your specific unit’s clearance requirements before positioning it.

How difficult is assembly for these fire pit tables?

The Outland Living Series 403 takes most people 45 to 90 minutes with two people and basic tools. The propane regulator comes pre-attached, which removes one of the more fiddly steps. The Napoleon St. Tropez assembly is comparably involved and benefits from two people for the heavier frame sections. Neither unit requires professional installation for propane operation, though connecting to a natural gas line should be done by a licensed technician.