‘Tis the season to be outdoors! Casual dinners round the fire, cook-your-own kebabs, toasted marshmallows for dessert. As we embrace life at home, it’s time to invest in this summer’s must-have appliance: the outdoor fireplace. Escea has a wide range of outdoor fireplaces for every occasion, from romantic nights round the flames at home to cooking up a storm for a crowd. We take a look at some of the key products in the range.

EK Outdoor Fireplace Kitchen

If you love entertaining a crowd and want to take your barbecues to the next level, this could be the option for you. The biggest of Escea’s outdoor fireplace range, the EK series is the ultimate fireplace design statement and professional cooking experience, all in one, offering optimal flame-grilling, a process that creates woodsmoke, adding to dishes’ earthy, smoky flavour. Its dual function means you can cook on it, then once the cooking is done, the grills pack neatly away in a hidden draw to leave you with a roaring fire. And there’s no need to interrupt your indoor-outdoor flow, as the fire can be attached to your home.

“There’s something about the process of collecting wood, chopping it, laying out the logs and lighting it, then when the cooking is done, breaking it down to the point where you can relax with a glass of wine and enjoy life,” says award-wining Dunedin chef Greg Piner, part of the development team behind Escea’s outdoor fireplace kitchen. “That’s something you can’t do with an ordinary barbecue.”

The EK comes in three sizes and also comes with a pizza oven accessory, providing large, wood-fired pizza in 5-10 minutes.

Outdoor Gas Fire

Ideal for date night, simply pour a glass of wine, break out the cheese platter and relax in front of the flames. The beauty of an outdoor gas fireplace is the instant ambience and heat you get at the touch of a button. This convenient option makes it ideal for busy families or retirees who don’t have the time for the admin of a wood fire, or space for wood storage, renters who want to take their fire with them when they move house, professional couples who just want to come home and relax, apartment dwellers or compact homes with small outdoor spaces, and milder climates where ambience is more important than heat.

Outdoor Wood Fire Table

Summer get-togethers will never be the same. The outdoor wood fire table brings people, food and flames together in a clever new way – and the 360-degree social cooking experience means you can join the party, without slaving away in the kitchen. It’s also a great option for homeowner and renters who are tight on backyard space and don’t have room for both a barbecue and an outdoor fireplace.

There are three cooking modes to choose from – an inner stainless steel ring for a consistent medium heat, a removable kebab holder and a cooking grill for perfect grilled tapas – each person can cook their food the way they like it. Its triple function design means you can have it on cooking or fire mode, and when not in use, it’s also a functional outdoor table.

“Ultimately we were inspired by the old-school campfire,” explains lead designer Alex Hodge. “You can’t beat the wholesome experience of gathering around a fire to share stories and roast marshmallows. That was the experience we wanted to replicate, with a product simple enough to pull it off, but smart enough to have on your own lawn.”

Outdoor Cooking Fire

This fireplace provides a wood fire you can cook on as well as warm yourself in front of, and can be installed with or without a stainless steel frame. It needs to be enclosed in non-combustible masonry, stone, concrete or brickwork. Featuring a cooking plate that can be placed at three different heights to regulate heat, it’s the ultimate for dedicated barbecue enthusiasts.