Solo Stove Bonfire Review

Have you found yourself running away from your fire pit? Are you tired of smelling like you’ve been camping for a week every time you fire up your your backyard bonfire? Join the club! More people than ever are in search of a smokeless backyard experience.

In this post, we review the popular Solo Stove Bonfire. Enjoy!

Before we get started with the Solo Stove Bonfire review, let’s answer some popular questions about this trending product and outdoor activity.

Is the Solo Stove Bonfire Worth it?

The answer to this question truly depends on what you are looking for. For instance, if you are looking for an inexpensive, lower-quality fire pit for your backyard, this may not be the one for you. There are plenty of fire pits available on the market that won’t break the bank, including several under $100.

However, if you are willing to spend a few dollars on a product that will last a lifetime, you’ve come to the right place. The Solo Stove Bonfire is made from high-quality, long-lasting material.

Is Solo Stove Bonfire Really Smokeless?

You know what they say, a picture says a thousand words. We believe live action videos say it all! Before we get to those, let’s answer the question. Yes, yes, and yes! With that said, this assumes you follow the manufacturer’s recommended use for the Solo Stove Bonfire, Yukon, and other smokeless products.

That’s a nice segway into what the professionals recommendd burning in this fire pit.

What Type of Wood Should I Burn in my Solo Stove Bonfire?

It is recommended that you use hardwoods such as oak, maple, birch, or hickory for long-lasting burns in the backyard. This will reduce the amount of ash and, yes, smoke. Wait, smoke you ask? Yes, even though this product is labeled as smokeless, it’s nearly impossible to have zero smoke. However, they get pretty darn close. Okay, here’s that video we promised.

Will the Solo Stove Bonfire Burn Grass?

Surprisingly to everyone here at Every Man’s Cave, this question is asked often. In fact, so often that we wrote an article on what to put under your fire pit to avoid damaging your lawn. That article was written with the traditional fire pit in mind. Similarly, many have asked if the Solo Stove Bonfire will burn the grass or other material directly beneath it.

The answer is, maybe (insert laugh emoji)! This particular stove, or fire pit as many call it, is designed to utilize air-flow very efficiently. This is the key to its great burn and smokeless claims. You can read more about there here.

The inside of a fire pit can and will get very hot which could potentially ignite any dry material it may be resting on. Lucky for you, the Solo Stove Bonfire, along with all of their fire pits, offers an available stand accessory.

How Does the Solo Stove Bonfire Work?

This is the most popular question we get. Some people ask “how on Earth does this thing work?”. Customers are simply blown away by how easy it is to start a great fire in this stove. Similarly, they are even more impressed with how long and clean a burn they get. Here’s how it works.

You start the fire at the base of the stove, just as you would with any fire pit or bonfire. Hot air rises from the vent holes at the base, fueling the fire below and allowing preheated oxygen to make its way to the vent holes at the top of the stove.

The ash pan keeps the vent holes from becoming blocked and also helps protect items below the stove (like your grass) from absorbing any heat.

A very sturdy base plate, which is what your hardwood rests on, allows air to circulate from below while the ash falls safely to the pan below.

Now this is where the ‘smokeless’ bit comes into play. The vent holes at the top of the Solo Stove Bonfire allow heated oxygen to provide fuel to the flame, resulting in a very hot burn and near smokeless afterburn.

Can You Use the Solo Stove Bonfire Indoors?

If you’ve ever seen any of the Solo Stove’s in use, you’d already know the answer to this question. It’s asked often, so we’ll answer it here. No! This fire pit, along with any open flame stove for that matter, is intended to be used outdoors.

For some tips and tricks on where to use your fire pit, read our post here.

Which Solo Stove is Best?

When it comes to Solo Stove ‘fire pits’, you have three options. The Ranger, which is the smallest. The Bonfire, which is what we have reviewed here, and the Yukon. As you have more than likely already guessed, the Yukon is the largest of the three.

Determining which is the best really boils down to your intended use. Each of these stoves are actually intended to be used as fire pits. That’s to say it will be placed in the backyard or other well-vented outdoor area with lots of your friends and family gathering around to enjoy the flame. Similarly, the Solo Stove Camp Stoves are meant to be portable versions of their larger counterparts. We’ll review those in another post in the not too distant future.

The Solo Stove Bonfire at a Glance

General Specs

• Base is 19.5″ in diameter
• The top is 17.5″ in diameter
• Weighs 20lbs

Pros

• Portable – large enough for a hot fire, small enough to take to your favorite campsite or tailgate.
• Burns 16″ logs – large enough to burn hardwood logs for a long, steady burn.
• Low smoke – like we said, not entirely smokeless but close enough for us!
• Very sturdy – made from stainless steel, this is one durable fire pit!
• Comes with a black travel bag.
• Lifetime warranty – how often do companies offer this?

Cons

• If you are working with a tight budget, the Solo Stove Bonfire may not be the choice for you.
• Can be difficult to get the ash out of the pan.
• If you leave it outside, be sure to cover it with their optional Solo Stove Bonfire Shelter

Conclusion

We are very impressed with this company and their products. Their attention to detail and choice of materials make this a fire pit that will last for decades (with proper care). We searched high and low for negative feedback, as we had very little, and came up short. Most of the less than positive responses, in the end, were due to the customer not following basic care and maintenance guidelines. We know how well our cars run if we skip oil changes and tire rotations. Take care of your stuff!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read our review. We know you are busy and we appreciate you giving us a little bit of your day.