Clay Chimineas

Clay chimineas are the original design of these popular back yard accessories. Originating from Mexico, they’ve been used for hundreds of years by the native Mexican population. Used for heating in the cold winter months, they are also used for cooking and baking. Fashioned from the clay that might be found in local river beds to help ease the construction when made from mud, the clay chimineas were often easy to make and this contributed to their popularity.

Today these are often featured in a back yard as simply a decorative item. Clay chimineas have a unique shape that draws attention, but can still be use for their original purpose of heating or cooking. The shape also helps keep a fire going once they are started, and the contained area makes starting a fire relatively easy with just a little kindling or a few newspapers. If you do plan to use the chiminea for fire, and especially if you want to use one on the patio or deck, you may want some of the more popular chiminea accessories like a fire pad or a screen.