Ridgecrest groups residential fire features into five core types — fire pits, fire tables, fire bowls, fire-and-water bowls, and torches — plus two adjacent categories, chimineas and fire columns/towers, that customers often compare against them. Each type differs mainly by form (open vs. enclosed), height and seating role, and whether water is combined with the flame.

A fire table is a fire feature built into a furniture-height surface with a wide surrounding ledge, so it doubles as a dining or entertaining surface in addition to providing flame and heat. Heat output is comparable to a fire pit despite the larger footprint. Larger fire tables can weigh 300–450+ lbs, so check your deck or patio's load-bearing capacity before choosing a larger model.

Fire feature bodies are most commonly built from one of six materials: GFRC (glass fiber reinforced concrete), powder-coated steel, stainless steel, hammered copper, cast aluminum, or cast stone/traditional concrete. Each trades off differently across durability, weathering resistance, maintenance, appearance, and cost — there's no single "best" material, only the best fit for your climate and priorities.

Fire media is the decorative, heat-safe fill placed inside a gas fire feature's burner pan to conceal the burner and shape the flame's appearance. Lava rock and fire glass are the two most common options, alongside ceramic logs and fire balls/stones. The single most important safety rule across all fire media: never substitute ordinary river rock or untested decorative stone — trapped moisture can cause it to fracture or explode when heated.

A windguard is an accessory barrier — most commonly tempered glass — that surrounds a gas fire feature's burner to block wind from disturbing the flame, while also reducing soot and helping contain fire media. Windguards are for gas features only, not wood-burning, and are typically sold separately as an aftermarket accessory. Fit matters: some are sized to a universal formula, while others are proprietary to a specific manufacturer or model.