{"id":1900018,"date":"2023-07-13T08:28:05","date_gmt":"2023-07-13T13:28:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=1900018"},"modified":"2025-04-24T10:52:13","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T15:52:13","slug":"solo-stove-bonfire-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/solo-stove-bonfire-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Solo Stove Bonfire Review: This Sleek Fire Pit Is Truly Smokeless"},"content":{"rendered":"Few things in life are as mesmerizing as fire. I could sit and watch flames dance and embers burn for hours. Add in some good food (hello, s\u2019mores!) and equally good conversation, and I\u2019ve got myself a perfect evening\u2014so long as the right fire pit<\/a> is in play. After all, the quickest way to ruin said perfect evening is with flying sparks, irritating smoke and an overwhelming bonfire smell on my hair and clothes.\r\n\r\nEnter: our Solo Stove Bonfire<\/a> review. We tested this sleek, smokeless beauty to see if it lives up to the hype. Trust us when we say\u2014bonfire parties<\/a> will never be the same.\r\n\r\n[SINGLE_AFFILIATE_PRODUCT superlative=\"We Tried It\" product_name=\"Solo Stove Bonfire Smokeless Fire Pit\" short_description=\"Enjoy all the benefits of a campfire\u2014the s'mores! the heat! the sizzle!\u2014without any smoke. The Solo Stove Bonfire is a must-have addition to your backyard.\" image=\"2084128\" image_credit=\"DAN ROBERTS FOR TASTE OF HOME\" pr_name=\"Solo Stove\" pr_url=\"https:\/\/solostove.pxf.io\/3e6Q3r\" pr_display_text=\"Shop on Solo Stove\" retailers_2_name=\"Amazon\" retailers_2_url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0B7BFJ5Y6?tag=tohmke-20\" retailers_2_display_text=\"Shop on Amazon\" retailers_3_name=\"Home Depot\" retailers_3_url=\"https:\/\/homedepot.sjv.io\/LKP7E0\" retailers_3_display_text=\"Shop on Home Depot\" retailers_4_name=\"Lowe's\" retailers_4_url=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com?id=131817X1598243&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lowes.com%2Fpd%2FSolo-Stove-19-5-in-W-Stainless-Steel-Wood-Burning-Fire-Pit%2F5015529375\" retailers_4_display_text=\"Shop on Lowe's\" \/]\r\n

What is the Solo Stove Bonfire fire pit?<\/h2>\r\nThe Solo Stove Bonfire<\/a> is a stainless steel fire pit. It\u2019s designed with holes along the top and bottom to promote better airflow, cleaner burning and little to no smoke. Plus, thanks to the included carrying case, the Bonfire is portable. It's light enough to tote to the beach, campground or tailgate. The brand offers a host of accessories too, so you can easily customize your Solo Stove for cooking, protecting kids and pets, heating the patio and more.\r\n\r\nThe Bonfire is Solo Stove\u2019s backyard fire pit, yielding a mid-size footprint. You can also opt for the tabletop Mesa<\/a>, highly portable Ranger<\/a> and extra-large Yukon<\/a>. The brand also offers a\u00a0Pi Prime<\/a> pizza oven, which is one of the best outdoor pizza ovens<\/a> money can buy.\r\n\r\n[dam-video dam-id=\"50180\" type_of_player=\"jw\" \/]\r\n

How We Tested It<\/h2>\r\nI started using the fire pit in May 2023 for this Solo Stove Bonfire<\/a> review. I\u2019ve used it to burn kindling, logs and paper.\r\n

Setup<\/h3>\r\n\"Solo\r\n\r\nWhen my Solo Stove arrived, I was eager to get burning. But first, I needed to unbox and set it up. Luckily, the process was super simple and took mere minutes.\r\n\r\nThe Solo Stove Bonfire comes with four main pieces: the fire pit body, an ash pan, a base plate and a flame ring. I opted for the model that includes a stand for safe burning on (almost) any surface. And you also get a sturdy carry case for easy transport.\r\n\r\nTo assemble, I put the fire pit base on the stand. Then, I simply placed the ash pan in the bottom center of the fire pit, then nestled the base plate above the ash pan with the dome pointing up. Easy-peasy! And now it\u2019s ready to use.\r\n

Starting the Fire<\/h3>\r\n\"Solo\r\n\r\nNow, I\u2019ll admit. I\u2019m not very handy in the great outdoors. My survival skills are pretty much nonexistent, so starting a fire is often a challenge. But the Solo Stove makes it easy. I nestled some leaves, twigs and small wood pieces at the base, then stacked a few larger birch logs on top. It took a little time to get my kindling to light. (Looking back, I think my leaves were a little wet.) But the flames eventually caught when I added a few crumpled sheets of paper.\r\n\r\nOnce the fire was burning, I added the flame ring. This feature helps guard the fire from gusts of wind and streamlines the look of the Solo Stove.\r\n\r\nOne thing to keep in mind: you may experience some smoke in the first few minutes while lighting the fire. This is completely normal. It takes time for your Solo Stove to get hot enough to eliminate smoke. Also, make sure you use completely dry wood and kindling\u2014excess moisture will produce smoke.\r\n

Enjoying the Fire<\/h3>\r\n\"Solo\r\n\r\nOnce my fire was lit, it was time to sit back and relax. Watching the fire in the Solo Stove was incredibly mesmerizing thanks to the double-walled design. The holes at the top give the appearance of a gas fire pit, and the flames are perfect. It\u2019s incredibly fun to watch!\r\n\r\nPlus, in addition to no smoke, there were no blowing ashes or sparks. I was able to get very close to the Solo Stove without fear of being burned by rogue flyaways. The fire itself gave off an amazing amount of heat, which was much appreciated on a chilly night. I can\u2019t wait to use the Bonfire in the fall and winter months, too.\r\n\r\nIn true Wisconsin fashion, I couldn't complete a Solo Stove Bonfire review without cooking a brat over the open flames. I loaded up my skewer and started turning. In just minutes, I had a beautifully blistered sausage. Marshmallows also toasted like a dream with the help of some telescoping sticks. And I\u2019m already drooling about next weekend\u2019s treat: pudgy pies. Pretty soon, I'll be able to cook my way through our collection of fire pit recipes<\/a>.\r\n

Cleanup<\/h3>\r\n\"Solo\r\n\r\nWhen it was time to call it a night, I let the Solo Stove burn down to mere embers. I'll admit, this was one step that made me a little nervous. Per the owner's guide, you're not supposed to throw water onto the fire, so we were left with little choice but to let the fire burn down. After a little research, I plan to buy the Solo Stove lid<\/a>. I'll sleep easy knowing nothing can get in (or out) of the smoldering fire pit.\r\n\r\nThe next day, once the ashes were fully cool, it was easy to simply lift off the base plate and empty the ash pan. I found that a few piles of ash escaped outside of the ash pan, but luckily, the unit is light enough to lift up and empty without much hassle. All in all, cleanup was just as easy as setup, and after just a minute of work, the Solo Stove is good to go for my next fire.\r\n

One-Year Update<\/h3>\r\nI'm not the only one smitten with this smokeless fire pit<\/a>. Shopping Editor Mary Henn<\/a> has been using her Bonfire for over a year and is impressed with its durability through multiple seasons.\r\n\r\n\"It\u2019s a great, stainless steel smokeless fire pit,\" Mary says. \"I love that it\u2019s backyard-size and portable, and what sets it apart from similar fire pits from different brands is its wide variety of compatible accessories<\/a>. It\u2019s also made with high-quality materials that are made to last.\"\r\n\r\nMary lives in the Midwest and explains that it has withstood wind, hail, rain and heat with no issues. It did become discolored pretty quickly, but that has more to do with fire than the elements. \"You can expect your Solo Stove fire pit to change from silver to bronze the more you use it,\" Mary explains. \"I still love my Bonfire, and I haven\u2019t had any issues with it, but I recommend buying the weatherproof cover to help keep water from pooling in the bottom after rain.\"\r\n

Pros<\/h3>\r\n