One of the side benefits of full-time RV living is that you will inevitably make friends with other full-timers on the road, which in turn means lots of nighttime fire gatherings. Everyone who has a fire pit brings one, and a giant circle forms around them all, with plenty of drinks, conversation, and merriment to go around into the late hours. It's honestly one of my favorite things about this lifestyle.

The Outland "Firebowl Cypress" is easily among the most common fire pits I've found myself sitting around, and after so much first-hand experience, it was an easy decision for my wife and I to pick one up.

Like most propane pits, the 21"-diameter Firebowl Cypress is way more convenient than building a wood fire (although those are great in their own way). Just hook up a propane tank and light it.

It burns cleanly so there's no smoke in your face and no mess to clean up. There's also no having to wait for embers to die down — just turn it off when you're ready to head inside — and it can often be used in campgrounds where they have bans on wood fires. The heat and light output is great, so anyone sitting around it can feel nice and snuggly even on chilly nights.

Get the Firebowl Cypress for $126 on Amazon. A smaller, more affordable alternative I've also had some experience with is Camco's portable propane pit ($62), which is 14.5" in diameter and relies on foldable legs that aren't quite as sturdy as Outland's but usually still get the job done.