The short version. The Outdoor Plus makes genuinely high-end fire pits in California, by hand, to order. The build quality is real and the design range is the widest of any brand we carry. It is not the right buy if you want a fire going this month, if you want to be able to send it back, or if you are looking for the cheapest way to get flames on a patio.
We are an authorized dealer, so we have a commercial interest here. We have written this to be the page we would want to read before spending three to six thousand dollars, which means the problems are in it too.
Who The Outdoor Plus actually is
The Outdoor Plus is a manufacturer in Ontario, California, with more than twenty-five years behind it. It builds fire pits, fire tables, fire and water bowls, torches and custom pieces, and everything is made in the USA rather than imported and rebadged.
The most important thing to understand about the company is on its own business listing: wholesale only, not open to the public. You cannot buy from the factory. Every Outdoor Plus fire pit sold in America goes through a dealer, which is why searching the brand name returns a page of retailers rather than a shop.
That has one practical consequence worth knowing. Dealer prices for the same piece sit in a fairly narrow band, so you are not going to find a secret cheap source. What varies between sellers is honesty about lead times, whether freight is handled properly, and whether anyone answers the phone in year three when an igniter needs a part.
What the ratings actually say
Most "review" pages for this brand quote a number without saying where it came from. Here is everything that is publicly available, with the source attached, because the numbers do not all agree and the disagreement is the interesting part.
| Source | Rating | What it is measuring |
|---|---|---|
| Google product rating, Del Mar fire pit | About 4.7–4.8 out of 5, from roughly 40 reviews | Buyers rating the product itself, pooled across every seller |
| Google business profile, the manufacturer | 4.1 out of 5 from 51 reviews | People rating the company, mostly on service and support |
| Facebook, the manufacturer’s page | 3.3 out of 5 from 14 ratings; 66% recommend from 12 reviews | The company again, on a small sample |
| Reddit, r/landscaping | No score — an open discussion thread with 10-plus replies | Owners and landscapers talking about the Del Mar unprompted |
| Woodland Direct on YouTube | No score — filmed product walkthroughs | A dealer showing the Del Mar, Cabo and Quad in detail |
Why the product scores higher than the company. This is the pattern you would expect from a wholesale-only manufacturer. People who own the fire pit rate the fire pit, and they rate it well. People who go looking for the manufacturer’s own page are usually there because they need a replacement part, a warranty answer or a technical fix — and since the factory does not sell to the public, that is often a frustrating call to make. The company score is closer to a support score than a quality score.
It is also worth saying plainly that product review volume for this brand is thin. Around forty reviews across the whole Del Mar range is not much for a product at this price. There is no large body of long-term owner feedback to lean on, for this brand or most of its direct competitors. Anyone showing you hundreds of reviews on a made-to-order luxury fire pit is showing you store reviews, not product reviews.
What is genuinely good
The materials are what they claim to be
The copper is real hammered copper, not a copper-look coating. The Corten is real weathering steel. The concrete is GFRC — glass fibre reinforced — which is what allows a piece like the Del Mar to sit only fifteen inches off the ground with crisp edges and still survive freeze and thaw. Cheaper cast concrete fire pits crack at exactly those thin edges.
The range of finishes is unusual
Eighteen-plus concrete finishes, several metal options, and multiple ignition systems on most models. If you are matching pavers, a stone wall or existing furniture, this is the brand most likely to have something that actually matches rather than nearly matches.
The safety options are properly done
The flame-sensing and electronic ignition systems are CSA and LC certified. Flame sense means the gas shuts off on its own if the flame blows out, which matters more than people realise on an exposed patio.
It is made in the USA, and that is checkable
Ontario, California, not a container from overseas. For a product where parts availability in five years is a genuine question, a domestic manufacturer that is still in business and still making the same lines is worth something.
What to know before you buy
These are the things that cause problems. None of them are secrets, but most retailers do not mention them until after your card is charged.
It is made to order, so it is not returnable
Your piece does not exist until you order it. The finish, fuel and ignition you pick are built into it. That is why the choice is so wide — and it is why you cannot change your mind the way you can with a boxed item off a shelf. Spend the ten minutes on the phone first.
Four to six weeks, not four to six days
The manufacturer confirms three to four weeks to build. Freight adds roughly a week to ten days after that. If your patio party is in three weeks, this is the wrong product, and any seller telling you otherwise is guessing.
The biggest sizes need a forklift
The Coronado XL at 84", 96" and 108" ships back of truck. There is no liftgate. Someone at your address needs a forklift or a tractor with forks to take it off the trailer. A homeowner expecting a liftgate ends up refusing the delivery and paying return freight. Ask before you order at these sizes.
Copper and Corten are supposed to change
Both will patina. The copper goes darker and richer, the Corten rusts to a stable orange-brown. This is the intended behaviour and it is beautiful, but if you were expecting the showroom finish forever, choose GFRC concrete or powder-coated steel instead.
The ignition choice moves the price enormously
The same fire pit can differ by well over a thousand dollars depending on which of the five ignition systems you pick. Comparing two dealers’ prices is meaningless unless you are comparing the same ignition. This is the single most common way people think they have found a bargain and have not.
Inspect it on the truck
Freight damage on concrete and copper is uncommon but it happens, and it is only recoverable if it is noted on the delivery paperwork at the time. Once you sign clean, it gets very hard.
Which model suits which situation
| Model | Starts at | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Coronado 48" | $2,609.06 | The most affordable way into the brand, in metal, in the most useful size |
| Hammered Cazo copper bowl | $2,719.76 | A sculptural focal point where a table would be too much furniture |
| Sedona 48" concrete | $3,015.95 | A narrow ledge — drinks rest on it without it becoming a dining table |
| Del Mar 48" concrete | $3,034.76 | The classic low rectangular look; the model most people picture |
| Del Mar 60" concrete | $3,465.86 | The same design scaled to a normal backyard seating group |
| Coronado XL 84" | $3,706.16 | Resort-scale terraces — check the forklift requirement first |
| Unity 48" round steel | $3,820.46 | A round shape and a furniture-matched colour rather than stone |
| Cabo 56" linear metal | $3,855.95 | The cleanest, most modern line in the range |
| Maya copper fire & water bowl | $4,008.56 | Fire and falling water together; the most memorable piece we sell |
| Unity 72" round steel | $5,325.26 | Large groups around a round fire rather than a long one |
How it compares
The fair comparison is not against a $400 propane table from a big-box store — that is a different product with a different lifespan. It is against the other cast-concrete and metal fire table brands in the same aisle.
| The Outdoor Plus | Elementi | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical price here | $2,609 – $5,325 | $1,795 – $2,396 |
| Availability | Made to order, 4–6 weeks | Stocked, ships in days |
| Finish choice | 18-plus concrete finishes, copper, Corten, powder-coat | A handful of concrete colours |
| Ignition options | Five, from match lit to plug and play | Usually one or two |
| Returnable | No — built for you | Yes, as a stocked item |
| Choose it when | The fire feature is part of the design of the space | You want a good fire table without a project around it |
Our honest advice: if you are furnishing a patio that already exists and you want it working soon, Elementi is the better-value buy and we sell it too. If the fire feature is being designed into a new patio, and matching the stone or the furniture matters, that is where The Outdoor Plus earns the difference. Do not pay the premium for a piece that ends up in the corner of a finished yard.
What it should cost
Because the brand is dealer-only, prices cluster. For a Del Mar 48" in natural gas with match lit ignition, Google currently puts the typical range at roughly $2,825 to $4,090 across sellers, and the main retailers sit between about $2,974 and $3,187. Ours is $3,034.76.
If you see something far below that band, check three things before you get excited: the ignition system, the size, and whether delivery is included. That is almost always where the difference is hiding.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Outdoor Plus a good brand?
Yes. The build quality is high, the materials are genuine, and it is manufactured in California rather than imported. Buyers rate the products around 4.7 to 4.8 out of 5. The weaker company-level scores reflect support experiences rather than product faults, which is a known pattern for wholesale-only manufacturers.
Where are The Outdoor Plus fire pits made?
Ontario, California. Each one is built to order there.
Are they worth the money?
If you want a specific finish, a specific size and a specific ignition, and you are treating the fire pit as part of the hardscape, yes. If you want flames on a patio for the least money, no — buy a stocked concrete table instead and spend the difference on seating.
How long do they last?
These are built as permanent outdoor installations rather than seasonal furniture. GFRC concrete and powder-coated steel hold their appearance; copper and Corten change on purpose. The parts most likely to need attention eventually are the electronic ignition components, which is a point in favour of the simpler match-lit systems if you want the fewest moving parts.
What is the best The Outdoor Plus fire pit?
For most backyards, the Del Mar 60" in GFRC concrete — the right size for a normal seating group, the widest finish choice, and the design the brand is known for. For a smaller space, the Sedona 48". For sheer impact, the Maya fire and water bowl.
Do I need a wind guard?
On an exposed patio, yes. Wind pushes the flame around and can blow it out entirely, and a glass wind guard fixes it. It is the accessory people most often wish they had ordered at the same time as the fire pit rather than three weeks later.
Can I get a sample of the finish first?
Yes. With eighteen-plus concrete finishes, judging colour from a photo on a screen is genuinely difficult, and it is a decision you cannot undo on a made-to-order piece. Ask us and we will sort it out.
The verdict
The Outdoor Plus is the real thing: American-made, hand-finished, and available in more shapes, colours and ignition types than anyone else at this level. The quality complaints are few and the ones that exist are about support and lead times rather than the product falling apart.
Buy it if you are designing an outdoor space and you want the fire feature to look like it was always part of the plan, and if a four to six week wait is fine. Do not buy it if you need it fast, if you want the option of sending it back, or if you have not decided between natural gas and propane — because that one is built in.
If you are weighing it up, call us on 1 800 914 0074 or email sales@optimaloutdooroasis.com. We will tell you if we think a cheaper brand is the better answer for your space, because a returned freight shipment helps nobody.