Arteflame 40" Platinum Series Fire Pit with Cooktop

Both — and switching between them takes seconds. Once dinner's done, lift the ½″ solid steel cooktop off the fire bowl (no tools required) and you've got an open fire pit for the rest of the evening. The fire bowl itself is the largest spun-steel one made in North America, formed on the same industrial metal-spinning machine used to shape the dome of R2-D2 for Star Wars — a single piece of premium stainless steel with no welds or seams. Ten precision 1-inch holes in the base feed the fire from below, so even with the cooktop off you get a virtually smokeless burn — just pull up chairs and enjoy the glow. Set the cooktop back on whenever you're ready to grill again.

A 40″ Arteflame gives you 1,250+ sq in of cooking surface — enough to sear a dozen steaks, keep vegetables and bread cooking, and hold finished food warm on the outer ring, all on one fire. There's enough room to run pots and pans alongside your grilling food, so you can sauté a sauce or simmer a side without ever going back inside to the stove — your entire meal comes together on one surface. Instead of running multiple trips or juggling separate grills, you get one heat source with several temperature zones: a 1,000°F+ center sear cooling to a gentle warming edge. Even for smaller households, the extra capacity means you're never waiting on grill space, and you're always ready to host.

A flat, solid steel griddle opens up what you can actually cook — scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, smash burgers, shrimp, delicate fish, vegetables, even a sauce or side in a pan — foods that would fall through open grates or stick and tear on a grill. Nothing drips down into a flame either, so there are no flare-ups and none of the burnt, bitter edges they cause — just even heat across the whole surface. The flat surface also holds in natural juices and lets flavors mingle right on the cooktop, the way a good diner griddle works, and cleanup is a single flat surface to scrape rather than picking food out of grates. You're not giving up the classic sear, though — the center grill grate is always there in the middle of the cooktop, ready whenever you want true open-flame char and grill marks on a steak or burger. You get the full versatility of a griddle and the sear of a grill, on one cooktop.

Arteflame runs on hardwood or lump charcoal, which is what makes the 1,000°F+ sear and real wood-fired flavor possible — something a home gas grill can't match. And remember what you're actually cooking over with propane: the same fossil fuel that powers buses, generators, and forklifts. Would you want your steak seared over exhaust fumes? Wood and charcoal give you clean, natural heat and flavor instead. It's still just as easy to live with: preheat in 20–30 minutes, one fire with built-in hot and cool zones instead of a row of burner dials, and a cooktop that essentially cleans itself as the fire burns off drippings. If you'd still like the flip-a-switch option, a gas conversion is available — but most owners stick with wood or charcoal for the sear and flavor it delivers.

Minimal. Scrape the cooktop clean with a griddle scraper while it's still warm — the fire burns off most of what's left — then wipe on a light coat of oil to protect the seasoning, the same way you'd care for a cast-iron skillet. There's no porcelain coating to chip and no grates to scrub. Empty the cooled ash after each use, and keep the stainless steel body's drain holes clear; it's built to stay outdoors year-round while keeping its brilliant brushed finish. Whether you spent the evening grilling or just let the fire burn down as a fire pit, the cleanup routine is exactly the same.

Give it 20–30 minutes once you get the hang of it — a little longer while you're still learning how your grill likes to run (and 25–30+ minutes in freezing weather). That build-up time lets the ½″ carbon-steel cooktop work as a heat reservoir, giving you steady, even searing temperatures instead of hot and cold spots. If you're not in a rush, letting it go a full hour is even better — the heat has time to even out fully across the entire cooktop, edge to edge. A quick way to check readiness: flick on a few drops of water — if they sizzle and evaporate, you're in the 350–450°F sweet spot; if they vanish instantly, it's over 550°F and time to spread the coals out.

And once you're done cooking, that same fire keeps going — lift the cooktop off and it's ready to enjoy as a fire pit for the rest of the evening.

1. While the cooktop is still hot, push food debris and excess oil into the center fire with a straight-edge griddle scraper.
2. Wipe the surface with a light coat of oil while it's still warm — this feeds the seasoning and guards against oxidation as it cools.
3. Once the grill has cooled completely, scoop out the ash with a plastic cup or ash tool.
4. If any oxidation spots appear, buff them out with a Brillo pad, steel wool, or fine sandpaper — this is rare with regular use.

Treat the cooktop like cast iron: no harsh chemical cleaners and no heavy scrubbing required.