Review: Solo Stove Bonfire

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After sitting on the fence for nearly a year, I finally have a Solo Stove Bonfire. My wife surprised me over Father’s Day with every dad’s dream: a Solo Stove and a Bug Assault Gun 3.0. I’m a lucky man.

My Take on the Solo Stove Bonfire

My initial thought on the Solo Stove was that it was the Yeti of the firepit…pricey, advertised well, and oh so enticing to buy.

Here is my review of if it lives up to the hype:

Where It Shines

Puts Off Good Heat

My initial burns have been with less than optimal firewood, Willow and Bradford Pear trimmings. Even without good seasoned hardwood, the stove put out a surprising amount of heat. Our chiminea can’t match the heat the Solo Bonfire puts out.

Perfect Size for the Family

I went back and forth between the Bonfire and the Yukon but ultimately settled on the Bonfire due to the big jump in price to the Yukon.

Ultimately, this was a blessing in disguise as the Bonfire capacity is deceiving…it can hold quite a bit of wood. It is just the right size for a family to gather around to enjoy the fire and cookout.

If you are planning to use the Solo for mostly small groups, the Bonfire is perfect. The Yukon would require too much wood unless you are frequently entertaining large crowds.

Points to Consider

Not Exactly Smokeless

The smokeless advertisement wasn’t exactly as I expected…surprise…it smokes…it is fire after all. Truth be told though, the smoke really does subside after the fire gets good and lit. I think Solo is right on in their smokeless claim.

Regardless, in my opinion, this isn’t a negative. I absolutely love smelling like a fire. I only bring it up as some of the other folks in the neighborhood appeared to have different expectations of what “smokeless” meant, and they were ever so slightly disappointed.

Difficult To Clean

This criticism isn’t entirely fair, but due to a flash rain storm, the ash in my Solo Stove got wet. Since the bottom is sealed, it is difficult to drain and the ash tends to cake in the bottom which can block the ventilation. Haven’t quite figured out the best solution here other than hiding it out upside down.

Conclusion

All in all, the only downside of significance with the Solo Stove relative to alternatives is the price. If you seldom start a fire, you should probably pass.

But if you are often entertaining, traveling during burn bans or making summertime s’mores with the kids, it’s an aesthetically pleasing portable firepit that is worth paying a few extra dollars for.