Solo Stove Bonfire Review
When folks ask about the Solo Stove Bonfire vs Yukon, many wonder if the Solo Stove Bonfire big enough?
If you need a portable fire pit that you plan to take along with you on the weekend or camping vacations, then Solo Stove Bonfire is for you.
The Bonfire is also the perfect size on a small patio for a small family of four or with a small group of friends. Our friends own a Bonfire and they love it for those very reasons.
Is the Solo Stove Bonfire worth it for your RV trips or tailgating? Being super portable and easy enough to pack up to take along to a friends house or on a car camping trip, we say YES!
BUT, if you want a backyard fire pit that will mostly stay put and warm the crowd up at home, definitely go for the Solo Stove Yukon.
Solo Stove Campfire Stove for Backpacking and Camping. Read our review here.
Why This Backyard Fire Pit For Families Is Priceless
We went for the largest fire pit, the granddaddy of all: the Yukon.
But is the Solo Stove Yukon too big?
Not in our books.
We are a big, spontaneous family with a good sized backyard that loves having folks over to hang out. The Yukon makes a great centerpiece on our walk-out patio. Its also fun with just the fam. Weekends and staycations never looked so good!
While the Yukon isnt really designed for cooking , its 27 diameter makes it perfect for roasting hot dogs or marshmallows for smores with the gang.
During our Colorado spring, summer, and fall nights, our Yukon fire pit hits the cozy spot time and time again.
On Halloween, we haul the Solo Stove fire pit out to our driveway and host a smore and hot cocoa station for trick or treaters.Its the best.
On the last day of school in May, we host an annual water fight and burn your homework party – putting that Yukon to good use with family and friends!
Basically, the Yukon fire pit makes you feel like youre on vacation in your own backyard retreat. Quick to light up, then just put your feet up.
Plus, theres hardly any clean-up. My husband has only cleaned it out twice in four years.
Twice in four years. Let that sink in.
Its great for late night conversations, family fun, and burning end-of-school-year papers.
The biggest Solo Stove packs a lot of bang for your buck. If you love to entertain or have a big fam, this smokeless fire pit is for you.
What Is A Solo Stove
Its likely youve already come across these attractive, stainless steel fire pits on social media or in a friends backyard. While the look of a Solo Stove definitely sets it apart from most other backyard fire pits, the company claims that its 360-degree Airflow Design is what really makes a Solo Stove stand out.
Solo Stove fire pits are made of double-walled stainless steel. Air is pushed in through the bottom of the drum and also through the top vent holes to add a bountiful amount of oxygen into the fire. The air at the top of the fire pit creates a secondary burn and allows the Solo Stove to get incredibly hot while letting off much less smoke than competing fire pits. This also means that any wood you burn will reduce itself down to nearly nothing just a small pile of ash and debris making cleanup a fairly easy process. When your fire has gone out and your Solo Stove is cooled down, you simply turn it upside down to empty it out. The airflow design is what makes a Solo Stove a Solo Stove.
Solo Stove started back in 2011 with backpacking and camping wood-burning stoves. It sells three fire pits Ranger , Bonfire and Yukon , which range from 15 inches in diameter to 27 inches. Both Ranger and Bonfire are portable fire pits due to their smaller size and come with nylon carrying cases. With Yukon, currently the largest fire pit the brand sells, Solo Stove has gotten into the backyard fire pit market.
Read Also: Do It Best Patio Furniture
Which Fire Pits Give Off The Most Heat
While all fire pits generate heat, some tend to create more than others. Ordinary pits, which are also the cheapest, can put out a good amount of heat. Unfortunately they typically create a lot of smoke as well. Smokeless fire pits do reach higher temperatures since they’re designed to foster a high degree of airflow as they burn. However, in my experience, Solo Stove fire pits channel much of their heat upward. Breeo pits, on the other hand, tend to push more heat outward so you often feel their warmth more.
Which Smokeless Fire Pit Is The Best
From a pure smokeless performance standpoint, Solo Stove fire pits are the best. They’re the easiest to start and keep lit. They also produce the least amount of smoke and generate the most intense, eye-catching flames. That said, since Solo Stove pits push much of their heat upward, they’re not ideal for keeping seated groups comfortable on cold winter nights. And they’re not designed for cooking elaborate outdoor meals either.
Also Check: How To Keep Birds Off My Patio
Solo Stove Smokeless Fire Pits Are $95 Off Right Now Heres Why People Love Them
Solo Stove Bonfire.screenshot from Solo Stove
Backyard fire pits are a popular addition this time of year, and Solo Stoves portable, smokeless bonfires are one of the most popular options on the market for a reason.
While there are lots of great fire pit options, the Solo Stove Bonfire is consistently recommended by reviewers and customers because of how easy it is to setup, use and transport, and how it keeps smoke from irritating you and your campfire guests.
Right now, the Solo Stove Bonfire is available for $254.99. Thats $95 or more than 25% off its regular price of $349.99.
So what makes it so great? Solo Stove uses a Signature 360° Airflow Design to create an efficient burn thats log-friendly and low smoke.
Holes in the double-wall structure draw in air from the bottom and feed the heated oxygen to the top, resulting in a spectacular secondary burn, says the Solo Stove website. The best part? Nearly no smoke and minimal ash left to clean!
Beyond that, Solo Stoves range of portable fire pits feature a sleek, stainless steel design that make them stand out from other offerings. They are shipped free and backed by a lifetime warranty.
Heres a look at the options available:
- Solo Stove Bonfire – 19.5 x 14, 20 lbs – $254.99
- Solo Stove Ranger – 15 x 12.5, 15 lbs – $199.99
- Solo Stove Yukon – 27 x 17, 38 lbs – $449.99
MORE SHOPPING
Snow Peak Pack And Carry Fireplace
Known for producing lightweight outdoor cookware, Snow Peak offers one of the most packable fire pits around with the Pack and Carry Fireplace. Leaving the bulk to the wood, the Pack and Carry Fireplace features a slim construction thats just begging to be brought along for every adventure.
Folding down flat, the Pack and Carry Fireplace is incredibly compact in comparison to its competitors. Pack it in with the rest of your camping gear and you wont have to think twice.
Made with stainless steel, this portable fire pit is as easy to set up as it is to carry. Simply unfold, load up the wood, and start burning. There are also a variety of grilling accessories should you choose to fire up this bad boy for your dinner.
Available in small, medium, and large, the weight will range from roughly 4- to 12-pounds, making it perfect for practically all of your outdoor activities. While we wouldnt typically carry a fire pit on a backpacking trip, its worth considering the small 4 pound option for casual, short-distance trips.
Read Also: How To Repair Cast Aluminum Patio Furniture
Is A Solo Stove Yukon Worth It
Everyone asks if these bad boy backyard fire pits are really worth it.
YES! The Yukon has added so much to our time together outside reconnecting with family and friends.A Solo Stove fire pit also adds to your staycation possibilities.
Dont let the price tag deter you. We are going on year 4 with ours and have already gotten our moneys worth.
We bought our Yukon fire pit bundle way back in February 2019 and have used it too many times to count.
This smokeless fire pit is perfect for summer nights, chilly weekend mornings and crisp Fall nights with family and friends.
Which would you choose between the Solo Stove Yukon vs Bonfire?
Primus Kamoto Open Fire Pit
Having been on the block since 1892, the folks over at Primus know a thing or two about outdoor cooking. If youre looking for some heat as well as an open flame to cook over, take a look at the Primus Kamoto Open Fire Pit.
This fire pit operates on wood and charcoal, so its easy to load it up, get the fire started, and cook over an open flame. The Kamoto comes equipped with a cooking grate, while the powder-coated steel bottom plate serves as an ash collector so you can clean up the mess without leaving a trace.
As for the fire pit itself, it weighs at just under 14 pounds and folds up for easy transport. It also comes with built-in handles for convenience.
Constructed from stainless steel, the fire pit offers side wind protection as well as an elevated base for proper airflow to better fuel the fire.
Read Also: How To Find Gold In Your Backyard
Do Smokeless Fire Pits Keep Mosquitoes Away
To a certain extent, yes, smokeless fire pits could keep mosquitoes away. However, this is mainly due to the heat. Since smokeless fire pits produce minimal smoke, they wont work as well as traditional fire pits. Adding different herbs to your burning fuel will help reduce the number of mosquitoes hanging out in your backyard.
Can I Cook On My Gas Fire Pit
Cooking on a gas fire pit that isn’t specifically built for cooking is not recommended, the only exception being toasting marshmallows, since they only touch the flame and not the pit itself. However, some fire pits do sell accessories that you can add for safe cooking, and others are designed with cooking in mind.
Recommended Reading: How To Build A Small Wood Patio Deck
Choose From Several Shapes And Sizes
Solo Stove makes and sells three different sizes of fire pits. The 27-inch Yukon holds logs up to 22 inches long and offers plenty of room for a family of five to encircle, but its a lot less portable than the 19.5-inch Solo Stove Bonfire, considering it weighs a hefty 42 pounds. Thats twice as much as the Bonfire. Theres an even smaller Ranger firepit that has a diameter of just 15 inches, but we only recommend that model for campers. Both the Ranger and Bonfire come with a nylon carrying case, while the Yukon includes a stand.
Be sure to check out Solo Stove’s numerous bundles, too, which come with skewers, covers, and more to make the most of your new firepit.
Its worth mentioning that the Solo Stove should not be left out uncovered, which may be a potential downside to some buyers who dont want to pony up extra cash for a cover or for folks who dont have a garage to store the pit when its not in use. Unfortunately, moisture can damage the grate and ashpan inside your fire pit, which you definitely wouldnt want to do, considering a Solo Stove costs $250-plus depending on what size you get.
Family And Guest Size
Any of the options listed here will be sufficient for a family of four. You may find the BioLite to be on the smaller side and not put out as much heat. If this is mainly for home use, you are better off buying a separate grill and a Solo Stove or Breeo.
Keep in mind that if you opt for a smaller-sized fire pit, you may find yourself wanting something larger in the future. Some nights get colder than others, and having that extra volume to burn wood makes a significant difference in the heat output.
For any group larger than 5 or 6, go with one of the larger options offered by Solo Stove or Breeo.
Don’t Miss: Front Porch Light With Camera
Accessory Options And Their Costs
As mentioned earlier, you want to invest in your fire pit. Part of that is buying the accessories needed for proper upkeep and maintenance. The article below lists all the possible accessories you might want and more. However, for most home use fire pits, a stand and cover will be enough to get you started.
Heres a summarized list of the article above of items you may want to also purchase.
How To Light Solo Stove Yukon
Basically, any firewood logs will work to light the Yukon Fire Pit, but dry hardwoods are always your best bet. Use hardwoods like birch, maple, hickory and over softwoods for a longer burn.
For the Yukon, Solo Stoves largest smokeless fire pit, youll start off by throwing in 6-8 medium size logs. Once youve got a good hot bed of embers going, you can add another log or two from time to time to keep your supervised fire going as long as you like.
Read Also: How To Keep Pigeons Off Your Patio
Size Weight Portability Volume
|
27.42 Gallons |
This section is somewhat self-explanatory. Except for Solo Stoves Yukon, each of the fire pits in this list can be moved by one person, when cooled down. With the exception of the ring insert , each fire pit is technically portable however, some are easier to move than others.
You will need to wait until the fire pit cools down, or use some other heat resistant means of moving.
Volume is likely the most important detail here. The larger the volume, the more wood you can place in the fire pit, the hotter it will burn, and the fewer times youll need to get up to put another log on.
Most firewood suppliers cut their logs to 16 in length and then split them. Be sure that with whatever wood you choose to use, it will fit in the fire pit and be below the secondary burn level.
Where Should You Buy Your Smokeless Fire Pit
For a smaller fire pit like the BioLite or Flame Genie, buying on Amazon is fine. However, if you decide to go with the Breeo or Solo Stove, its almost always better to buy direct from the manufacturer.
Buy Direct on SoloStove.com
Why? Here are a couple of reasons
- Guaranteed support, no need to go through Amazon or another third party. The manufacturer has a greater incentive to help you than the 3rd party does passing the buck.
- Exclusive discounts and deals are only available through the manufacturer. As mentioned earlier, promotions are often ran that may include a free stand or other items. Military, Medical, and First Responders also receive a special discount on Solo Stove items.
- Guaranteed proof of warranty. Try going through a warranty claim with Amazon involved, and the only guarantee is a headache. Its much easier since youre directly saved into the manufacturers database.
You May Like: How To Clean Concrete Patio Of Mold
Diy Smokeless Fire Pit Design Options
Each of these options has its advantages and drawbacks. They are as follows.
So which of these DIY smokeless fire pit design options do we recommend?
How Are Portable Smokeless Fire Pits Designed
Commercial portable smokeless fire pits get made from steel with the combustion chamber elevated on legs or a pedestal. Large models for logwood burning are around 36-inch in diameter and allow the fitment of a grill for cooking. Smaller portable smokeless fire pits use wood pellets for fuel.
Factory-built smokeless fire pits vary in price but expect to pay $500 $1,500 for a model suitable for an outdoor bonfire experience.
The two hot-sellers right now are:
- The Solo Stove 27-inch Yukon smokeless fire pit is the more premium choice.
No matter how you slice it, thats a lot to pay for putting an end to bonfire chair shifting!
The high cost is why we will learn what we can from the professionals and then DIY.
- A smokeless fire pit needs lots of air coming in at the base of the fire.
- The fire should elevate off the combustion chambers base and allow optimum airflow and oxygenation.
- The upper vent holes must be small and plentiful.
- You can grill on a smokeless fire pit.
Now lets don our DIY gloves and head down to the workshop to make a smokeless fire pit.
Sound good?
Don’t Miss: How Much Are Blizzard Beach Polar Patios