Y'all do what works for you. Pretty simple, actually. Anything you do has advantages and disadvantages relative to anything else you could have done.
I'm not allergic to campfire smoke, but I dislike it in general. Burns the eyes, stinkifies everything, etc. But I like campfires, especially ones burning wood. So I bought a so-called smokeless portable fire pit. It's a Bondfire model Solo Stove, and except for initial startup (usually no more than 5 minutes), it is indeed pretty much smokeless. That's my answer to the OP.
I have no issue with the propane burning, campfire-in-a-can crowd. I'll hang out with them; I'll invite them over to mine; or we can sit at our respective and wave hello at each other across the campground. Live and let live.
