Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit Review

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The Solo Stove Bonfire is one of the most popular smokeless fire pits on the market and the top-selling fire pit from Solo Stove. It can be used as a standalone fire pit or grill when paired with Solo’s various cooking accessories.

I chose the Solo Stove Bonfire as my top pick for the Best Fire Pit Grills, and in this review, I’ll be going more in-depth, sharing my thoughts on the performance, quality, and whether it’s a good buy.

I will also be reviewing all of the (many) accessories that are available.

Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Smokeless Fire Pit
Pros:
  • Lightweight
  • Sleek Design
  • Smokeless
  • Versatile cooking options
Cons:
  • Additional accessories required for grilling
  • Stainless steel shows fingerprints
Check Solo Stove Price Check Amazon Price

Solo Stove sent me this fire pit for free in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unboxing and assembly

The first thing I noticed when I opened the box is that there is ZERO assembly required.

The Solo Stove Bonfire comes as a solid unit, so you pull it out of the box, and you’re done. The box contains the Solo Stove, an instruction manual, and a nylon carrying case.

An all-weather cover can be purchased separately. In my opinion, a cover is essential to protect your fire pit and make it last if you want to leave it outside.

The next thing that I noticed is that the Bonfire is extremely lightweight. It only weighs 20lbs which makes it a great option if you plan to take your fire pit on the go. I do a lot of camping, so I was really glad to see that it was very portable and easy to handle.

Features and Specifications

Weight20lbs
Dimensions14.4 x 19.5 x 19.5 (H x W x D)
Diameter19.5 in.
MaterialStainless Steel
Fuel SourceWood or Lump Charcoal
Cover MaterialNylon
WarrantyLifetime
PriceCheck latest price

Firing up the Solo Stove Bonfire for the first time

The first time I fired up the Solo Stove Bonfire, I wanted to test it out as a fire pit before attempting to add any of the cooking accessories.

I was impressed with how quickly I was able to get the fire pit lit – it only took about 10 minutes to get a fire going.

I started by placing two logs (up to 16” wide) in the bottom of the fire pit. Then used a fire starter to light the fire.

The perforated, double-wall design allows the air in the chamber to circulate and provides plenty of oxygen to get the fire started and to keep it going.

One of the key features of the Solo Stove Bonfire is that it is a smokeless fire pit. While you are firing up the Bonfire and waiting for the logs to fully light, you will notice some smoke – this is completely normal and standard with any smokeless fire pit.

The term smokeless comes into play when the fire pit is up and running. The double-wall design of the fire pit allows oxygen to travel from the top to the bottom of the fire pit and reduces the amount of smoke produced.

Another benefit of the Solo Stove 360° Airflow design is that the fire will get started quickly, but also burn very hot, which will provide plenty of warmth, even on cold nights.

It also produces a beautiful flame that towers over the top of the stainless steel body – so from an aesthetic standpoint, the fire pit looks pretty!

One thing I noticed is that the Solo Stove Bonfire burns through firewood rather quickly. For my first time, I opted to use 2 logs in the bottom of the pit, and once it was up and running, I got about 30 minutes of fire out of it before it was time to add another log.

This is partly due to the smokeless design because of the amount of oxygen that feeds the fire.

Solo Stove Accessories

Out of the box, the Bonfire makes for an excellent fire pit, but if you are looking to upgrade your fire pit experience or utilize the Bonfire as a grill/outdoor cooking device, you will need to purchase one or more accessories.

Fire Pit Accessories:

  • Bonfire Stand – The stand is available if you plan to use your fire pit on a deck or grass.
  • Bonfire Heat Deflector – The deflector will help redirect the heat to give you more fireside warmth.
  • Bonfire Shield – The shield defends and protects your outdoor spaces from sparks from the fire.
  • Bonfire Handle – The handle can be inserted into the top of the Bonfire to make the unit more portable and easy to transport.

You can also buy the Bonfire Ultimate Bundle, which includes all of these accessories, plus the shelte, sticks for roasting food and some fire pit tools.

Cooking Accessories:

  • Bonfire Hub – The hub is required to utilize any of the cast iron cooking accessories available for the Bonfire. It is a 14.5 inch, stainless steel hub that sits on top of the Bonfire fire pit and acts as a elevated holder for all of the cooking surfaces.
  • Bonfire Cast Iron Grill Top – The cast iron grill top is made to sit on top of the Bonfire Hub to act as a grilling surface for your fire pit. It has wide grates intended for grilling steaks, chicken, burgers, etc. and will allow you to sear your meat on top of your fire pit.
My Bonfire 2.0 with Hub and Cast Iron Grill Top attached
  • Bonfire Cast Iron Griddle Top – The cast iron griddle top is made to sit on top of the Bonfire Hub to act as a griddle-style cooking surface for your fire pit. It is a flat, cast iron griddle that is perfect for breakfast, pancakes, steaks, burgers, and more.
  • Bonfire Cast Iron Wok Top – The cast iron wok top is made to sit on top of the Bonfire Hub to act as a wok-style cooking surface for your fire pit. This accessory is perfect for stir-frying and sauteing food on top of your fire pit.

Cooking on the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0

Without any of the additional cooking accessories listed above, the Solo Stove Bonfire is not really an ideal fire pit for cooking.

Sure, it’s great if you want to roast marshmallows or hot dogs on a stick, but that’s about all it can really do without additional accessories.

But, when you start taking the cast iron accessories into consideration, the Solo Stove Bonfire offers a lot of versatility for outdoor cooking.

They offer the Grill Top, the Griddle Top, and the Wok Top, and between the three, there is not much that you wouldn’t be able to cook on the fire pit.

I reverse-seared a Tri-Tip on the Grill Top and was extremely impressed by the beautiful sear I got on the roast. It burned hot and evenly, leaving me with a perfectly seared piece of meat.

The Grill Top accessory is ideal for steaks, chicken, and other foods that you would typically cook over a grill and the hot, direct heat will leave you with a beautiful sear.

Should You Buy the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0?

At the end of the day, I was really impressed with the Bonfire, both as a standalone fire pit and as a cooking device with the added accessories.

It is lightweight and has a very sleek, beautiful design. It provides a good amount of warmth as a fire pit and provides steady, direct heat when you are cooking food.

This fire pit is a great option if you have a small group of people, but if you want to keep more than three or four people warm, you will have a bit of a struggle. The ambient heat only extends about 3 feet outside the fire pit’s radius, but it is more than enough for a small group in a backyard or camping setting.

If you want a portable and versatile fire pit, I think the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 is a solid choice. We have another guide on the Solo Stove vs Breeo, another popular smokeless choice.

If you want more of a grill than a fire pit, it is important to keep in mind that all of the cooking accessories are sold separately and will incur an additional cost, but it allows you the flexibility to only purchase the accessories that you want.

It is something you can build over time, so if you wanted to start out with the Bonfire on its own, then add the Grill Top, Griddle Top, and Wok Top in the future, that is a very viable option.

Solo Stove offers a number of models: The Bonfire, The Yukon, The Ranger, and the Mesa, and I intend to review the other models in the future.

Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Smokeless Fire Pit
Pros:
  • Lightweight
  • Sleek Design
  • Smokeless
  • Versatile cooking options
Cons:
  • Additional accessories required for grilling
  • Stainless steel shows fingerprints
Check Solo Stove Price Check Amazon Price

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