The verdict
Sunjoy and Pizzello both sell backyard upgrades, but they overlap in only two places: fire features and patio furniture. Choose by the project.
- Buy from Pizzello, the stronger store overall, if you want a pizza oven, a propane fire pit table or a patio dining set. Its policies are friendlier: 60-day returns on unused, full-price items, free shipping over $50, and a one-year warranty you can extend to three years for $25.
- Buy from Sunjoy if you want shade or shelter: hardtop and cedar gazebos, wall-mounted pergolas, carports, a wood-burning fire pit, or an exact-fit replacement canopy for a Sunjoy gazebo you bought at Costco, BJ's or another retailer.
- For a fire feature specifically: Pizzello's Caldo if you want propane and a table surface, Sunjoy's Vulcan if you want a real wood fire.
Both brands have the same big catch: sale items can't be returned, and most of what they sell was discounted when we checked.
Side-by-side comparison
| | Sunjoy | Pizzello |
|---|---|---|
| Core products | Gazebos, pergolas, carports, replacement canopies | Pizza ovens, fire pit tables, dining sets |
| Catalog | 421 products, median $174 | 51 products, median $112.99 |
| Fire features | Wood fire pits, $93 to $277 | Propane fire pit tables, $274.99 to $319.99 |
| Shipping | Free on most items, contiguous US only; freight is curbside | Free over $50 to the lower 48, 3 to 5 working days |
| Returns | 30 days, pre-approval with 6 photos, 15 to 20% restocking fee possible, shipping not refunded | 60 days, free returns advertised, label sent after approval |
| Sale items | Not returnable (322 of 421 were on sale) | Not returnable (ovens were on sale) |
| Warranty | No general warranty page found; canopy terms in manuals | 1 year, 3-year extension for $25 |
| Support | Email only | Email and contact form |
Fire pits: wood or propane?
This is where the two brands compete directly, and the choice is mostly about how you want to use it.
Sunjoy's wood fire pits run from the 20-inch Sawgrass at $93 to the 28-inch Vulcan hexagon at $277. The Vulcan is stainless steel with a dual-airflow design for secondary combustion, a removable ash pan and an included cover. Smokeless designs reduce smoke but don't eliminate it, especially with damp wood. You get real crackle and more heat, at the cost of ash cleanup and fire tending.
Pizzello's propane fire tables are the Caldo (43 inches, $274.99) and the Passione (59.8 inches, $319.99). The Caldo uses a CSA-certified 50,000 BTU burner and hides a 20 lb propane tank inside the base, though the tank isn't included. It turns on and off instantly and works as a patio table during the day.
A widely known rule of thumb: propane tables give ambiance more than serious warmth, while wood pits throw more heat but need more space and clearance. Either way, check your local burn rules and any HOA or deck clearance requirements before buying. Gas and wood fires are often treated differently by local ordinances.
Pizza ovens: Pizzello only
Sunjoy doesn't sell pizza ovens, so if that's what brought you here, Pizzello is the answer. Its ovens are inexpensive: the Gusto 4-in-1 (fire pit, charcoal grill, pizza oven and grill oven) starts at $69.99, the wood-fired two-layer Grande at $94.99, and the dual-fuel Forte at $144.99. Pizzello states the Forte reaches 752°F in about 25 to 30 minutes. That's a fraction of what premium portable ovens cost, but listings skip weight and exterior dimensions, so plan around that. The ovens were on sale when we checked, which makes them final sale. The $25 warranty extension is worth considering if you'll cook often.
Shade structures: Sunjoy only
Pizzello sells no gazebos or pergolas. Sunjoy's range spans the Vista Hardtop wall-mounted lean-to at $975.10, the Kingston Horizon 12x10 with a polycarbonate vent at $1,170.40, a 10x12 cedar gazebo with a galvanized steel roof at $1,138.80, and the Newville 10x22 carport at $2,598.05. Some listings give load ratings: the cedar gazebo is rated for 3,000 lbs of snow and 50 mph winds, the carport for 4,000 lbs and 50 mph. Others, like the Kingston Horizon and Vista, don't list snow or wind ratings at all, so ask before buying if you live somewhere with heavy snow.
Sunjoy's quieter strength is parts. It lists 119 replacement canopies plus 53 nettings, many naming the exact model and the store that sold it. If a storm shredded your gazebo canopy, this is often the only place to get the matching part.
Patio furniture
Both sell outdoor furniture, but at different scales. Pizzello has 16 tables and 6 chair listings: a textilene dining set from $209.99, HDPE sets from $444.99 with chairs rated for 300 lbs, swivel-chair sets from $479.99, and an extendable aluminum table set from $789.99. Sunjoy's furniture is limited to small accessories like the Pickford 16-inch umbrella side table ($93) and pool float storage racks ($102.30). For dining furniture, Pizzello is the clear pick.
Policies: read these before a big order
The difference in return terms matters most on a $1,000 gazebo or a $500 dining set.
Sunjoy requires a return request within 30 days, pre-authorization with six photos, and shipping back within 7 days of approval. A 15 to 20% restocking fee may apply, return shipping isn't refunded, installed items may be refused, and sale, discounted and coupon purchases can't be returned at all. Freight arrives curbside only, so line up help, and report damage within 48 hours.
Pizzello gives 60 days for unused items in original packaging and advertises free returns with a label sent after approval. Refunds post within 10 business days. Sale items are still excluded.
Who should pick which
- You want to cook outdoors: Pizzello. The Forte for propane convenience with a wood option, the Gusto if you also want a grill and fire pit.
- You want a gas fire feature that doubles as a table: Pizzello Caldo.
- You want a wood fire with less smoke: Sunjoy Vulcan.
- You need shade over a patio or deck: Sunjoy. The wall-mounted Vista suits smaller yards; the cedar 10x12 is the one with published snow and wind ratings.
- Your existing Sunjoy gazebo needs a new canopy: Sunjoy, matched by model number.
- You're furnishing a dining area: Pizzello.
- You want the safest return terms: Pizzello, as long as the item is full price.
Bottom line
Pizzello is the better store to buy from, which is why it comes out ahead: longer returns, a cheap warranty extension and simpler shipping. Sunjoy is the better maker of large outdoor structures and the only one here with gazebos and replacement parts. If your project includes both shade and a fire feature, it's reasonable to buy the gazebo from Sunjoy and the fire table or oven from Pizzello. Just confirm by email whether a discounted item is final sale before ordering anything big from either.