Höfats: Circle

Fondue-Set 35

Fondue has found its place by the fire

A fondue pot in the centre, six forks travelling across the table and real flames flickering underneath – this already feels rather different from the traditional fondue evening. The höfats CIRCLE Fondue Set has been designed as an accessory for the CIRCLE 35 Table Grill, adding another way to cook and eat together around its open fire. The set includes a black cast iron fondue pot, a splash guard and six stainless steel fondue forks. Measuring 27.5 cm wide, 23 cm deep and 21.5 cm high, it integrates neatly into the CIRCLE system, while its 1.4 kg weight reflects the reassuringly substantial materials. Instead of introducing another fondue appliance to the table, the existing CIRCLE 35 provides the heat. The table grill becomes a fondue station for up to six people – with the flames below remaining very much part of the evening.

Six forks, one pot and plenty to talk about

Fondue has always been a rather good antidote to hurried meals. Nobody finishes in ten minutes, everyone eventually reaches across the table and conversations are given room to wander. The CIRCLE Fondue Set embraces exactly that idea. Its cast iron pot retains heat and provides a robust centre for the meal, while the splash guard keeps the six fondue forks organised and makes sharing the pot pleasantly straightforward.

Its real charm comes from the connection with the CIRCLE 35. The Table Grill is designed for use with höfats liquid bioethanol fuel, creating a soot- and smoke-free flame. Depending on the intended CIRCLE setup, the fire concept can be enjoyed both indoors and outdoors. The Fondue Set itself is an accessory for the CIRCLE 35 rather than a standalone fire product. For anyone who already owns the Table Grill, that means another way to use it without finding cupboard space for yet another large appliance. We consider that a rather persuasive detail.

At höfats, engineering often starts with a flame

What is höfats? Founded in 2015 in Germany's Allgäu region, the brand creates products centred around fire and the moments that happen around it. Table fires such as SPIN, grills, fire baskets and fire bowls such as MOON all share the same underlying philosophy: design and engineering should not be separate disciplines, but two parts of the same idea. Even the name has a close connection to the region, taken from Höfats, the distinctive grass mountain in the Allgäu Alps.

The CIRCLE system follows the same thinking by bringing together fire, table culture and modular functionality. With different accessories, the CIRCLE 35 can take on different roles, moving from table grill to a shared fondue experience. As for the frequently asked question of where höfats products are manufactured, the product information available to us does not support a blanket claim that production takes place in Germany; the company itself is based in the Allgäu and places design and engineering at the heart of its work. MOON, meanwhile, is a separate höfats fire bowl and is neither included nor required for this Fondue Set.

For evenings that refuse to choose between grilling and fondue

The CIRCLE Fondue Set makes particular sense for anyone who sees the CIRCLE 35 as more than a seasonal grill. Summer can belong to relaxed cooking on the terrace or balcony; when evenings become cooler, the fondue pot gets its turn. Add plates, good glasses and a few favourite ingredients and the table needs very little else – the visible fire already provides plenty of atmosphere.

Within the höfats collection, the set can be complemented by further CIRCLE accessories, while SPIN table fires, MOON fire bowls and other höfats designs carry the idea of fire into different indoor and outdoor settings. The Fondue Set itself remains refreshingly simple: six forks, a cast iron pot, a splash guard and a very good excuse to stay for another round. The sort of accessory that gives you more than additional pieces – it gives the CIRCLE more possibilities.