How do big grills and fire pits ship?

Anything heavy — an Argentine or Santa Maria grill, a fire pit cooker, a masonry-weight pizza oven — leaves the maker's shop strapped to a pallet and travels by freight carrier rather than by parcel truck.

Once it ships you get a tracking number and the carrier's phone number. The carrier calls you to arrange a delivery appointment, usually a two- to four-hour window on a weekday. Someone eighteen or older has to be home to receive it and sign.

Standard freight is curbside: the driver lowers the pallet to the end of your driveway with a lift gate. Getting it from the curb to the patio is on you, so line up a second set of hands or a furniture dolly for the day of delivery.

Inspect before you sign. Walk the crate, look for punctures, crushed corners or shifted banding, and photograph anything that looks off. Write the damage on the delivery receipt before signing — that note is what lets us open a freight claim and get you a replacement quickly.

Lead times vary by maker, because most of these cookers are built to order rather than pulled off a shelf. The lead time shown on the product page is what the maker has quoted us most recently.