Uniflame's Fire Table is a first pick for people who gather around a fire in lower chairs and want a place for a pot. The deciding points are a stainless top that takes a heated pot directly, and a thin fold of about 2.5cm (37cm high, JPY 8,800). For a family of four's dining table, a top of 0.19㎡ is not enough.
The Gear Nerd's Pick
The legs come off the top and lie flat on the back, so there are no hinge bumps, and folded it is a board about 2.5cm thick. As a board, it stands in the gap along a trunk wall or between boxes. So I recommend this table not for its size but as a pot stand that takes little space.
Key points
- Folded volume is 55 × 35 × 2.5 = about 4.8L. That is about one sixth of the Coleman Natural Puzzle Table/120 (about 29.6L), and per ㎡ of top it is also smaller, about 25L against about 35L
- Price per 1㎡ of top is about JPY 45,700, about 3.5 times the Natural Puzzle Table/120's about JPY 13,000. Even 2 side by side, the area is 0.385㎡, about 46% of 1 Coleman
- The instruction manual says a heated Dutch oven may deform it, and that you cannot make an open campfire on the top
In this article (8 sections)
The Fire Table folds into a single board 2.5cm thick
The Fire Table's folded size is about 55 × 35 × 2.5cm thick. As a volume that is about 4.8L (55 × 35 × 2.5 = 4,812.5cm³), about two and a half 2L plastic bottles. In use it is a side table 37cm high with a 55 × 35cm top.
It suits people who gather around a fire in lower chairs and want a place for a pot. For a family's dining table, combine it with a wide table.
How I judged it
The first thing I looked at was the folded thickness of 2.5cm. As camping days increase the trunk fills with gear, so I read a table by the thickness that lets it stand in a gap before weight. Next I looked at the official description that you can “place a heated pot or burner directly.”
What I wavered on was the high price for the size. I still put it at No. 1 in the ranking of 7 tables because it takes a hot pot directly and folds into a 2.5cm board that fits the gaps in a trunk.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
UNIFLAME Fire Pit Table
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 7,480 (as of 10/14). Prices vary by up to JPY 12,760 between shops. Prices change daily.
Why it gets as thin as 2.5cm
In the instruction manual's diagram, the legs are not hinged to the top. It is built so you pull out the “stand fixing brackets” on the back of the top, set the X-shaped stand between them and close them. To fold, remove the stand from the brackets, line up the direction and lay it flat on the back of the top.
With no hinge or lock bumps, I read it as fitting within just the 19mm-diameter stainless pipe and the thickness of the top. The manual says the stand will come off if the brackets are not fully closed, so after opening it, check the brackets on both sides.
The edge of the top is folded back, and natural wood plates on both sides cover the metal edges.
How the Fire Table differs from the Natural Puzzle Table/120
| Item | Fire Table | Natural Puzzle Table/120 |
|---|---|---|
| Official price | JPY 8,800 | JPY 10,890 |
| Top | 55×35cm | 120×70cm |
| Height | 37cm | 41 / 60 / 70cm |
| Weight | About 2.3kg | About 5kg |
| Load capacity | About 50kg distributed | About 30kg |
| Folded size | 55×35×2.5cm | 70×7×60.5cm |
| Folded volume | About 4.8L | About 29.6L |
| Price per ㎡ of top | About JPY 45,700 | About JPY 13,000 |
| Top material | Stainless steel (embossed) | Melamine-finished plywood |
The folded volume is about one sixth (29.6 ÷ 4.8). Even converted per ㎡ of top, the Fire Table is about 25L and Coleman about 35L, so it is thin even at the same area.
For taking a pot near the fire, the Fire Table; if your chair seat is high and your family lines up plates, Coleman.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Coleman Natural Puzzle Table/120
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 8,228 (as of 10/14). Prices vary by up to JPY 10,910 between shops. Prices change daily.
The weak points
The first is price per area. At about JPY 45,700 per ㎡ of top, it is about 3.5 times Coleman's. Even two side by side make 0.1925 × 2 = 0.385㎡, only about 46% of one Coleman, at JPY 17,600 and about 4.6kg. It is not a table you buy for area.
The second is that heat resistance has limits. The manual says “a heated Dutch oven may deform it,” and asks you to watch for burns because the top also gets hot when you put hot things on it or use it near a campfire. It also says you cannot make an open campfire on the top.
The distributed load capacity is about 50kg, but the manual shows in a diagram that placing something heavy on the edge of the top can unbalance and tip it. The number assumes you put a heavy pot in the middle.
Separately sold Leg Rack, EX Hanger and Tote
| Sold separately | Official price | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Leg Rack (extra top, about 25 × 44cm) | JPY 3,300 | About 710g |
| EX Hanger (swaps with the wooden sides) | JPY 4,950 | About 540g |
| Tote Moss Green (holds 2) | JPY 3,960 | About 400g |
The distributed load capacity is about 2kg for the Leg Rack and about 500g for the EX Hanger. If you want a bag to carry it, add the Tote.
If you add one, add the Leg Rack first. Between the legs it makes a shelf of 25 × 44 = 0.11㎡, and the surface you can put things on becomes 0.3025㎡, about 1.6 times. It plugs into the inner legs and fits inside the folded body. You can subtract the height difference from the fire bed using the numbers in the 12 fire pit comparison.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Uniflame Fire Table Leg Rack
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 2,640 (as of 10/14). Prices vary by up to JPY 3,911 between shops. Prices change daily.
Who is it for?
It suits people who gather around a fire in low chairs with a seat around 35cm and want a place for pots and burners. It takes a hot pot directly, and folded it is a 2.5cm board.
For a low fire pit you can also use on a table, there is the Uniflame Fire Rail. For a dining table for four, you can also combine it with the wide Natural Puzzle Table/120.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
UNIFLAME Fire Pit Table
Lowest price on Rakuten: JPY 7,480 (as of 10/14). Prices vary by up to JPY 12,760 between shops. Prices change daily.
FAQ
How tall is the Fire Table?
37cm, and the height cannot be changed. It suits low chairs with a seat around 35cm.
Is there a bag to carry the Fire Table?
The separately sold Fire Table Tote (JPY 3,960, about 400g) holds 2.
Can I make a campfire on the Fire Table?
No. The instruction manual says you cannot make an open campfire on the top.
Can the Fire Table be washed with water?
Yes. You can wash the whole thing with water, then wipe off the moisture and dry it well.
