Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit Single Product Review

Is the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit worth it?

If you spend time outdoors, whether it's in your own backyard or camping, chances are, you've probably thought about buying a fire pit. The main decision you have to make is if you want a permanent fixture in your yard or something portable. Unfortunately, portable models aren't always the highest-quality items.

Luckily, Solo Stove doesn't believe that quality should be sacrificed for portability. The company has a line of fire pits that it claims are smokeless, durable and easy to clean.

BestReviews is always curious if a company's marketing promises hold up in real-world conditions. The Testing Lab recently took an in-depth look at the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit to determine if this product was as good as the advertising would lead you to believe. 

Testing the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit

BestReviews has a team of impartial testers who put products through their paces in real-world situations to determine if they enhance the user's life. To assemble the best cross-section of people, BestReviews' team is comprised of a mix of experts and average consumers who determine the overall quality of a particular product.

When testing the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0, the BestReviews Testing Lab paid particular attention to the claims made by the manufacturer as well as the fire pit's overall ease of operation, cleaning and portability.

What is the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit?

Solo Stove's Bonfire 2.0 is a modern-looking, cylindrical, stainless steel fire pit that is 19.5 inches in diameter and 14 inches high. It only weighs 23.3 pounds, and it has a patented removable ash pan for easy cleaning. The 360-degree airflow and double-walled construction means effortless starting and high-temperature burning, which allows it to also serve as a camping stove. The Testing Lab found that once the fire gets burning, the super-heated air burns off the smoke, so sitting nearby on a camping chair (even downwind) is a pleasant, smoke-free experience.

Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit price and where to buy

The MSRP for the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit is $399.99. You can purchase it at Dick's Sporting Goods, Home Depot and Wayfair. You can also buy it directly from Solo Stove for $259.99.

How to use the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit

The BestReviews testing team unboxed the Solo Stove and had it ready to go in about 2 minutes. This is because the Bonfire 2.0 only has four pieces: a pan, a bottom grate, a flame ring grate and a flame ring. The only tricky part — and it wasn't that difficult at all — was making sure the flame ring is positioned correctly or you won't get optimal airflow.

Ultimately, how much trouble you have lighting the Bonfire 2.0 depends on the quality of kindling you use — kiln-dried or seasoned hardwood work best. The Testing Lab also found that you need to first create an ember bed for the fire pit to burn larger pieces of wood. It's important never to overfill the Solo Stove because it won't burn as expected and could be dangerous if any wood sticks out of the unit.

BestReviews Testing Lab was impressed with the company's smokeless claims. When you first start the fire, admittedly, there is a bit of smoke. However, as the Bonfire heats up, the majority of the smoke burns off. This means you don't smell like a campfire after using this fire pit, which is a very nice bonus.

The effortless cleanup was another positive that the team discovered during testing. To clean, simply wait until the Bonfire has completely cooled, lift up the bottom grate, then remove the ash pan and dump. The beauty of the high-temperature operation is it consumes the wood so efficiently that there's very little ash remaining after a fire.

Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit benefits

If you're in the market for a fire pit, you have a lot of options. However, the benefits of going with the Solo Stove are clear. It was simple to set up and it transports easily. Since it burns wood, you don't have to worry about packing fuel when you go camping. The fire burns hotter and with greater efficiency than other fire pits that the BestReviews lab has tested. With the addition of the ash pan, you can clean the Bonfire in seconds. But of all the positives, the one that was the most impressive was the low smoke production.

Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit drawbacks

When considering the drawbacks, most were minor. If the design or color isn't what you're looking for, you're out of luck, because the Bonfire 2.0 only comes in a cylindrical stainless steel design. The one drawback that did give the Testing Lab a little pause was the price. You can find many portable fire pits available for less. The catch is those other fire pits don't offer as much. The Bonfire 2.0 is a superior model, and to get the best, you have to be willing to pay a little more. Additionally, when it came to design and performance, this model had no flaws that were uncovered during the intensive testing process.

Should you get the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit?

To sum the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit up in one sentence: it's simply better than a normal fire pit. If you have the budget and enjoy the outdoors, whether it's camping or sitting in your own backyard, a Solo Stove fire pit is the best way to go. If the Bonfire is not quite a perfect fit, however, you can get the Yukon 2.0, which is a larger option, or the Ranger 2.0, which is smaller.