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The thick firewood logs, which usually need a lot of coaxing before they catch, ignited quickly and burned without maintenance. Our efficient fire burned hot and emitted very little smoke, and we hardly had to use any small twigs and kindling. So, it’s really saying something that he quickly became a Solo Stove believer. He was skeptical of the Solo Stove (“why do we need it?” he asked) and insisted we dig a permanent fire pit for our wedding two months ago on the upstate land.
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He is stubbornly frugal and likes doing things the old-fashioned way. My husband, however, entered the experience dubiously. I was excited about the Solo Stove because I already understood the joy of a smoke-free fire, so it was easy to satisfy me. In my experience, it takes perseverance to get a good fire going, and lighter fluid is usually a godsend.Īs it turns out, the fumes from an accelerant could concentrate in a Solo Stove and cause an explosion, but luckily we didn’t use much anyway–in no time, the campfire was burning and crackling enthusiastically. As such, I missed the part where it said not to use any lighter fluid or accelerant in your Solo Stove. I should have read through FAQs thoroughly beforehand, but unfortunately, that’s not my style. The tapered metal fire rings are crucial for directing heat back towards the flames, creating the secondary burn. The instructions told me to set the Bonfire 2.0 onto the base, light the fire, and then place the fire ring on top. Luckily, assembly was extremely simple, with just three parts to contend with: the bonfire, the stand, and the fire ring that goes on top. I tested it out for the first time on a crisp fall afternoon in the woods of upstate New York.Īs with most weekend getaways, we were a little short on time. It measures 19.5” wide, 14” tall (without the stand), and weighs 20 pounds. There are four Solo Stove sizes, and the Bonfire fire pit is Solo Stove’s second largest campfire pit. I opted for the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0, bundled with a stand.
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Note: this post contains affiliate links, which help run this site at no extra cost to you so I can keep providing free travel advice and tips. The answers to these, and all of your other burning questions, lie ahead in my in-depth Solo Stove review.
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Still, I decided it was time to spring for one.īut was it as good as I imagined it would be? Was the Bonfire 2.0 fire pit, specifically, worth the steep price tag? This was my first run-in with a Solo Stove Bonfire fire pit, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.Īs it turns out, Solo Stove fire pits are pretty expensive. But it was comfortable for everyone who huddled around it. It was burning hot with very little ash–we ran through two bundles of firewood. The backyard fire pit was delivering a virtually smokeless fire. You don’t know whether to move or wait it out.Ī few years ago, I was at one of those aforementioned Brooklyn backyard bonfires and noticed something curious.
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When a fire decides to blow its smoke in your direction, you stop being able to think, tears stream down your face, and your teeth clench in a grimace. But I think we can all agree that there are downsides as well. There’s something so primal about staring into the mesmerizing flames of a fire pit, poking them with a stick, feeding them logs.
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Gather ‘round the campfire because it’s time for my detailed and unbiased Solo Stove review!įrom childhood camping trips with family to my young adulthood sitting around backyard bonfires in Brooklyn, my life has been full of campfires.
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