Eggheads, gather ’round. The Chiminea is back. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Big Green Egg will rerelease its highly collectible outdoor fireplace, but not without a few design tweaks to improve the overall performance of this cult classic from the late ’90s.
The Big Green Egg ChimineaPhoto by Jack Seemer for Gear Patrol
Reviving a Classic
Chimineas are outdoor fireplaces that originated in Mexico and the American Southwest in the 16th century. Traditionally crafted from clay, they’re popular alternatives to regular fire pits because of their long, narrow chimneys that that can be used in rain or shine.
“When we launched the [original] Chiminea back in the late 1990s, we saw the product as a compliment to the outdoor cooking lifestyle,” Big Green Egg CEO Dan Gertsacov tells Gear Patrol.
“We saw the product as a compliment to the outdoor cooking lifestyle.”
That version featured the same NASA-grade ceramic as its iconic grills, as well as a distinctive cone-shaped chimney that channeled smoke upward, away from people and pets seated around it. And, of course, it was green.
An original Big Green Egg Chiminea from 1999Big Green Egg
Original examples of the Big Green Egg Chiminea remain elusive. It was retired just a few years following its release, and too few exist to satiate the company’s growing fanbase and its seemingly bottomless appetite for anything big, green and eggy.
According to Gertsacov, the idea to reissue the Chiminea came from mining online forums, social media and word-of-mouth feedback.
The updated Chiminea features a one-piece construction for increased durability; metal flue for heat control; and lava rocks.Photo by Jack Seemer for Gear Patrol
“When considering what unique activities we could do to celebrate our 50th anniversary, we looked back at our past to find products our community cherishes,” Gertsacov says. “We were convinced that the Chiminea is one of those items.”
Reimagined as a one-piece unit for increased durability, the updated Chiminea was also given a metal flue for better heat control and dispersion; it ships with lava rocks, which help absorb and retain heat; and a new powder-coated cover helps keeps embers at bay.
The removable powder-coated screen door carries Big Green Egg’s signature acacia-wood handle.Photo by Jack Seemer for Gear Patrol
Pricing and Availability
Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever. Gertsacov says the Chiminea will be available through the fall as part of a broader anniversary collection but Big Green Egg doesn’t plan to distribute the model in 2025.
The revised Chiminea starts at $689 and will only be available through the fall.Photo by Jack Seemer for Gear Patrol
Prices for the Chiminea, which can be purchased at one of the company’s nationwide dealers, start at $689. If that’s too steep for your summer budget, Big Green Egg plans to give one away during a sweepstakes running until April 29. The winner will receive a Chiminea for themselves and another for a family member or friend.
Still, don’t expect the price to deter many Eggheads. The cost of an original Chiminea can swell into the thousands … if you can even find one. That makes the new one something of a big, green bargain.
