Where are the fire pits made?
All of our products, including the fire pits, are made by hand in Colorado Springs by our family business. We have 7-8 employees at any time, so we are a small operation. The only products we do not personally manufacture are the wood trivets and the gel fuel, both of which are manufactured in the USA. We do lots of local craft fairs and events, so if you are anywhere near the Springs or Denver, please reach out to us so we can help you shop in person!
Do you have a retail store?
Our shop is always open to customers, but unfortunately, it is not set up as a retail shop in the traditional sense. We love meeting our customers more than anything, but at the end of the day, our shop is where we manufacture these products and take care of various back-of-house tasks. We hope to transition our show room to a small retail shop sometime soon! If the idea of visiting a bustling shop and watching us in action as we make these products still interests you, please feel free to visit us. We always have at least some inventory that can be sold on the spot, so be prepared to see something you love and leave with it! Our store location is 1516 Dustry Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80905. We're off Lake & I-25, across the street from the shopping strip with Tinseltown, Target, the UPS Store, OfficeMax, etc. Our hours are M-F 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. If you'd like to meet Kyle, our owner, please call ahead of time to make an appointment.
We also have two retail booth locations! We are in the Park Meadows Mall in Denver on the bottom floor near Gap and at the Christkindl Market in Denver at Civic Center Park. These two booth locations are seasonal and will be in operation until Christmas.
How do the fire pits work?
Our fire pits burn gel fuel, which is odorless, nontoxic, and releases no fumes or smoke. Our gel fuel is by Sunjel, and it burns completely pure. The active ingredients are isopropanol and ethanol.
How long does the can of gel fuel last, and how can I replace it?
We include one can of gel fuel in the box with your fire pit. It is impossible to give an exact amount of time that each can will last due to various environmental factors, but on average, a can lasts between 2.5-3 hours when burned continuously. You can reorder the gel fuel on our website. We have the refills available as a single-purchase option or a subscription package (which you can get monthly or quarterly). Please keep in mind that if we are running a free shipping promotion when you order a subscription package, shipping may be charged in future subscription orders. Shipping will never be higher than $9.99 as a flat rate. The only products which have a higher shipping charge are the Copper River collection by Studio G7.
Can I get a different brand of gel fuel, or do I have to buy it from Baby Fire Pits?
You can try any gel fuel brand you'd like, but we recommend getting the gel fuel through us for various reasons. Firstly, if you choose to buy gel fuel elsewhere, keep in mind that the cans have to be a specific size to fit correctly in our fire pits. Our gel fuel can's diameter is 3.25", so only cans that are that wide or smaller will fit. Secondly, it is important to note that our gel fuel is not the same as something like Sterno. While Sterno or other gel fuels used for catering do have an attractive price, the way they work is very different. Gel fuels used in catering typically burn a small, blue flame that can be difficult to see and very difficult to roast marshmallows on. Many gel fuels are made for the purpose of keeping containers warm; not to be seen or enjoyed in the same way that our advertising shows our fire pits being used. Our gel fuel is made specifically for fire pits and fireplaces, so it boasts an awesome orange flame, gentle crackling noise just like a wood-burning fire, and a cleaner burn because of its pure ethanol/isopropanol ingredients.
Can I buy this as a gift and ship it to a friend?
Because gel fuel is strictly prohibited on airplanes, no major carrier is able to ship the fire pit with gel fuel by air. If you want to order this and ship it yourself as a gift, you will have to ensure that it is shipped by ground.
Can I use the fire pit inside?
These fire pits are safe to use both indoors and outdoors, as long as you only use gel fuel. Gel fuel burns odorless, smokeless, and fumeless, ensuring safety from chemical emissions. Gel fuel has traditionally been used in the catering industry extensively for years, so it has a history of safe indoor use. The gel fuel will extinguish on its own after a few hours of burn time if you do not extinguish it manually. Of course, it is up to you to take necessary precautions and pay attention to the placement of your fire pit. Ensure that the fire pits are kept a safe distance from anything flammable, and make sure the open flame is closely supervised around children or pets.
Can I cook over the gel fuel flame?
We have not extensively tested our gel fuel in-house to ensure food safety. However, we can tell you that our gel fuel burns clean and is nontoxic. The active ingredients are isopropanol and ethanol (alcohol, put simply). If you do choose to cook over the gel fuel flame, ensure that no gel comes in direct contact with your food. While gel fuel is not toxic to burn, it is dangerous to directly consume or get on your skin. Additionally, dropping food into the gel fuel can cause crackling that can lead to burns. For information regarding the safety of gel fuel to cook over, you can read more at these sources, which support the claim that gel fuel is safe for cooking:
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/can-you-cook-over-a-gel-fuel-firepit/
https://www.wayfair.com/outdoor/pdp/terra-flame-wave-gel-fuel-tabletop-fireplace-aeer1014.html (Check Q&A Section)
https://theprovidentprepper.org/canned-heat-safe-fuel-for-indoor-emergency-cooking/
Can I order internationally?
At this time, we do not ship our fire internationally due to shipping restrictions regarding the gel fuel.
Will my fire pit rust if left outside?
Your fire pit will rust if left outside, but in general, this only improves upon the aesthetic value of them. Because our fire pits are made with patinaed copper, continued rust will generally just make the blue designs even brighter over time.
Does the gel fuel have a smell?
There is a slight scent given off when the can is first opened. It's pure alcohol, so when it's not burning, it smells a little bit like hand sanitizer. We advertise it as "odorless" because it does not emit an odor when burning.
Can you do custom work?
We do not currently offer custom work. Due to the size of our shop and team, we just don't have the manpower to make individualized products. As we continue to scale up, we hope to one day have the labor force to get to a point where our owner, Kyle, can dedicate his time to custom work. For now, though, it is just not feasible for us. However, we are always happy to hear your suggestions for new ideas, and we are coming out with them all the time! Also, please keep in mind that our fire pits are made of solid metal - any given engraver should be able to engrave these for you without difficulty, and they should be able to do it on the patinaed designs as well as the rusted back part of the fire pit. If you're local, please visit the Specialty Stop at Peterson Base Exchange and they will happily engrave your fire pit or any other metal product for you.
Do you have wholesale opportunities?
We do offer our fire pits wholesale. Our turnaround time is around 4-6 weeks, so please keep this time frame in mind when considering your seasonal sales. For more information about wholesale minimum orders and pricing, please email sales.hkstudios@gmail.com
Question not answered?
For any additional questions, feel free to contact us at sales.hkstudios@gmail.com or call 719-270-1092.
