Fire pit - but is your area on the sunnier side? Maybe some could dip their legs in [no wardrobe changes]....! it's a sensory experience to get around water: day or night....add in the night lighting....

how large is the back yard and patio?

My vote: fire pit. Definitely.

hot tub. we use ours all the time, don't have a fire pit. we are moving into a new house and leaving the hot tub is the biggest regret.

I would definitely go with a fire pit too.

Several of my friends have had hot tubs in the past and rarely used them aside from the first couple of months. They eventually ended up being just an additional chore and in the end just an eyesore. I have one friend who has continually used her hot tub through the years to help with medical issues. My vote would be for the item you really think your family will enjoy the most over the years.

we use our hot tub daily pretty much since our first purchase in 1995 used it last night in 3 degree weather in montana. crocs are great for walking out in the snow and ice. have never regretted the purchase.

Neither. A nice covered outdoor kitchen will get much more use. Not as cheap as a fire pit. About the same as a premium hot tub by the time you factor in all of the electrical and decking.

I think it depends on where in the country you are and how willing you are to maintain either item.

I know Sophie, but there is nothing like pulling a chair up to an outdoor fire and talking and roasting marshmallows or hot dogs!!!

none. a plunge pool

I hot tub can be a chore after a while. Frankly I don't want to be in hot water with any of my friends.

Consider your climate. Be realistic about how often you'll use either. I think they're both like gazebos that were so popular a few years ago -- sound great but seldom used. Or jacuzzis in the master bathroom -- how often are they actually used? Not to mention a PITA to clean.

There are a lot of nice free-standing fire pits on the market. Maybe start there before investing $$$ in a built-in model.

Thank you all so much for the votes and i live in san antonio texas so they both have there uses

I will tally the votes tonight!

I love my fire pit. It's a just large circle of rocks with a small depression in the ground surrounded with pea stone with about 15 chairs. Many happy memories and many more to come.

Neither. No "built in" at all.

Instead, save your patio budget and space to build your patio to be as versatile as possible. You can add a BBQ grill and/or fire pit unit and place it wherever you need them depending upon how many people are using the patio at any point in time.

How much space do you have in your back and/or side yard for the patio?

Is the yard level?

Are there trees and/or shrubs that might be affected by building?

How much of a step down is there between any porch or stoop to get to the patio?

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/71/ac/a4/71aca46bc1185995d83600085b4cbdd6.jpg

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+metal+fire+pit&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjJy7TI5LXYAhVIZCYKHR3VDNcQsAQIngE&biw=1366&bih=650

http://theydesign.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/flagstone-patio-small-backyard-greenscapes-landscaping-and-pools.jpg

If you'd posted as a poll you'd see the results charted and would get comments too. I vote fire pit.

Fire pit all the way. We had a hot tub at one time and, while we enjoyed using it, it was a huge chore to clean and keep the chemicals balanced. Glad we no longer have one.

I traded a hot tub dealer a countertop for a hot tub years ago. When I was insisting she help me with the electrical, my wife's an electrician, she complained that this was the most stupid thing I'd ever done.

Naked and boiling in the tub with a wine glass in her hand under the moonlight with snowflakes falling, I suddenly became a genius.

Fire pit. I would never use a hot tub and don't want the maintenance. We do use our fire pit consistently many months of the year.

If you're looking for a place to sit and talk, a firepit is the way to go. Impossible to have conversations in a group, in a hot tub. Especially for anyone who is hard of hearing.

I vote fire pit too. You can cook spider hot dogs on a fire pit.

I see the practicality of a fire pit over a hot tub, but personally, I can't stand the smell of smoke that a fire pit produces. It makes my sinuses go whacko. And I'd rather put in a swim spa over a plain hot tub.

And I've always wondered...in the city limits where residents are not permitted to burn, how is it okay to have a fire pit in the yard?

Start with a comfortable sitting area and see if you actually sit out there. Then add what you feel you are missing when you sit out there. It's wasted money unless you actually use it.

See how the air movement is, if you want a fire pit. You don't want to sit and have to inhale smoke, or have it be blowing into your home. If you have a lot of neighbors close, the smoke may be a problem for one or more of them and may cause complaints.

The fire pit could burn natural gas or gel fuel if smoke is an issue.

Obviously check local bilaws re: burning if you go with fire.

"in the city limits where residents are not permitted to burn, how is it okay to have a fire pit in the yard?" In my county, a "warming fire" is always legal, even on no-burn days. Of course, every city will have their own rules.

Except in states/regions that have a huge wildfire risk and prohibit burning, I know of no place where one is not allowed to have a fireplace. Most non-burning ordinances involve burning trash, burning leaves and other debris. But if such an ordinance exists in the OP’s area, he/she should check with the city. Again, the way around it is to plumb the fire pit with natural gas or propane.

Sample ordinance:

CITY BURN ORDINANCE

In 1991 the City Council passed an amendment to the City code banning the practice of burning leaves. This amendment eliminated all open burning in the City of Champaign.

Recreational fires are still permitted by the code, however, there are specific guidelines for these recreational fires. The full code is available Sec. 15-20. -Burning prohibited; exceptions. A few general guidelines regarding this amendment:

• The fire shall be contained in a metal container not exceeding twenty (20) square feet in plane surface area and not elevated more than ten (10) inches above the grade level or on cleared earth in a pit enclosed on the sides by masonry or rock materials and not exceeding twenty (20) square feet in area.
• All trees, fences, decks and other structures shall be at least ten (10) feet from the fire enclosure or pit.
• Any fuel used shall be confined to logs or branches that are untreated or commercially available charcoal briquettes. No other fuels are permissible except a starter fuel designed for that purpose.
• A responsible adult of at least eighteen (18) years of age shall be in attendance at all times that the fire is burning. When adult supervision ceases, the fire shall be extinguished with water and the coals spread out in the enclosure.
• Campfires shall be extinguished if, in the opinion of a responding fire department employee, there is danger that smoke or fire will inflict injury upon someone or will cause damage to property.
• The owner of the property upon which the fire is burning shall have consented to such fire.

Fire pit. Never would want a hot tub. I don't feel like taking a bath with 3 or 6 of my friends or acquaintances.

What about an actual fireplace type arrangement instead of a fire pit? That way you get the smoke up and away from the seating area but can still gather around the warmth and open it up for the occasional marshmallow toasting session?

That said, the thing I wish we had most was an outdoor kitchen type arrangement. (Need not be as spiffy as some you see, but a place for the grill with some convenient storage for grilling supplies and a countertop area for working and setting out cooked food when it’s done. Maybe a nice spot to stick a mini fridge or ice bucket for drinks, but not necessarily an outdoor model - a small mini fridge or ice tub can be kept inside and only brought out as needed, since outdoor safe ones are usuallly $$$.)

We had a hot tub in the past too and removed it. I vote fire pit but in reality, don't go "built-in". Just get a nice portable fire pit you can move around at will. That way, you can splurge on comfy, attractive, outdoor furniture or\and patio cover. If you can enjoy the patio (cover) in the rain, you'll enjoy your outdoor space so much more.

We had a fire pit and it was the first thing we removed - it has no interest for me. We did put in a hot tub, however, and use that fairly frequently. We installed a pergola where the fire pit used to be. We are now considering a pool, and if we had not installed the pergola, we could have a larger pool, but we use the pergola a lot. I installed a redwood slat roof on the pergola to provide 80-90% shade, and so it is a bit more like a gazebo than a pergola, and we eat in there frequently.

I do not see the appeal of fire pits.

We are in FL and installed a pool and hot tub. Can't wait to use both. We opted for an outdoor kitchen instead of a fire pit.

HD Large outdoor Flat Screen with speaker system, music, and when you want, a video of a fireplace, crackling and popping.. and watch it from your hot tub!

Thanks to all of you who responded with the city regulations on fire pits in the city limits. I don't live within the city limits and we can burn trash and leaves and all sorts of things - unless there is a burn ban when we haven't had enough rain. Perhaps a fire pit is thought of like a fireplace or grill. I like the idea of a fire pit, but I don't think I'd use it much. I think I'd like to have an outdoor kitchen with a dining area and perhaps a patio heater if it gets too cold.

I vote both!

If you cant do both id go hot tub. The benefits of hot water therapy daily are life changing. Better sleep, imprived circulation, increased mobility, etc. Etc.

I cant tell you how many customers come in and tell me how the hot tub literally changed their lives.

If you look at it as a toy like a boat or a pool table....others are right the novelty will wear off and it will become a pain.

But if you commit to using it and realize the good that it does for your body and mind and see it as a way to feel better abd live better, you might look back and see that it was one fo the best purchases you ever made.

In saying that id definitey try to fit both, cuz fire pits are awesome!

That's a great perspective @Precision Pool Construction. I like the idea of that mental shift. And if the hot tub was salt water I would imagine the benefits would be multiplied.

We have a pool with hot tub. We keep the pool open year round because we love to use the hot tub during the winter. Not with a group of friends, but it is nice as a couple to sit in the hot tub and talk. We've had many wonderful chats there as wells as improved sleep, muscle pain and tension relief etc. my vote is hot tub

we have both. We have a small fire pit and a 2 person hot tub. I use the tub almost daily, the fire pit about once a week or two.
I agree with many of the commenters. Sitting in a tub with a dozen of my closest friends/neighbors is rather gross. Our little Spaberry is perfect for just us. :)

My hot tub is so helpful for my hurting feet and body. I have fibro and neuropathy. love my hot tub.

Oh interesting, I thought it would make it similar to the ocean :-)

Fire pit. We lived somewhere with a hot tub once (rental). We rarely used it and when it needed repairing, we told the landlord that unless she wanted to pay for it to get fixed, we would just as soon as it get removed (which she did). We preferred having the extra space but would have loved a fire pit in its place!