brazier

A brazier is a portable heating device consisting of a metal container or frame that holds burning charcoal or hot embers to emit heat. It is used to warm people or spaces, particularly outdoors, and in some designs to support cooking.

Design and fuels: Braziers are typically a shallow metal bowl or tray supported on legs, sometimes with a wire rack, a grate for fuel, and sometimes with a hood or lid to control airflow. Materials include iron, steel, brass, copper, and sometimes ceramic or enamel coatings. Traditional braziers burn charcoal or coal; some modern variants are designed for gas or gel fuels but keep the same form.

History and usage: The brazier is one of the oldest portable heating devices. In antiquity and the Middle Ages, households used braziers to heat rooms, bake or cook near the fire, and for personal warmth. They appear in art and literature as common objects.

Safety and maintenance: Braziers must be used only in well-ventilated areas to avoid carbon monoxide buildup; use on noncombustible surfaces; never leave unattended; extinguish and dispose of ashes safely; keep away from flammable materials; ensure legs are stable.