Although the temperatures have begun to drop, that doesn’t mean that it’s time to abandon the outdoors for the warmth of inside. Extend the life of your patio and deck with warmth and cooking options so that you can enjoy the great outdoors as long as possible.

One way to do this is through a fire table set. Fire tables are great alternatives to fire pits, as they are ash-less, smokeless and easy to clean. They provide a gentle warmth on the chilly fall nights without the maintenance, like chopping wood or cleaning ash, that comes with fire pits and other fire solutions. They often come in a 5-piece fire table set or fire table chat set, meaning you can easily find a fire table with chairs to increase your outdoor seating. Interested in introducing a fire table into your already established outdoor space? Patio fire tables do come alone, without seating options, so that you can seamlessly merge this stylish and functional centerpiece into your existing furniture.

With a push of a button or simple stick light, you and your guests can enjoy the ambience of a fire table while enjoying the crisp fall nights outdoors. LP fire tables are easy to fuel and each tank can provide hours and hours of fire table fun. You can even roast marshmallows and hotdogs on a fire table, just as you would a fire pit. You do have to make sure that the fire-glass gems, rocks or filler you use are clean before and after, however.

Although fire tables do involve fire, they provide more of a soft warmth to your outdoor space. If you’re looking for something to keep you toasty all night long, look to patio heaters. These are also LP fueled and provide a surprising amount of heat!

And when you’re interested in more heavy duty meals outside, you may want to lean towards a grill. Utilize this time of year to think outside of the burger. Grilling fall produce favorites can result in some amazing flavor combinations. Carrots, sweet potatoes, acorn squash and other fall harvest veggies have their flavors enhanced by the nuttiness of a char grill.

Thinking even further outside the box? Grills on the market can do so much more than the old grill in your backyard. The Big Green Egg, for example, is a kamado-style grill that can grill, roast, smoke and bake to increase your outdoor meal choices immensely. Surprise your family with roasted chestnuts , made right in your backyard or gorgeous smoked apples that you picked the other day from the orchard.

The outdoors can be rough once winter rolls around, so enjoy all the time you can outside! Snuggling up to a well-maintained fire, eating the spoils of autumn in the brisk evening air? Now what can be better than that?