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I love entertaining — cookouts, dinner parties, fondue soirées, you name it. And when it comes to gatherings, there’s nothing I adore more than cozying up around a fire pit. So, when my husband, two kids, and I found ourselves sheltering in place in spring 2020, I knew we needed a new fire pit to improve the mood during all those nights spent hanging out in our backyard.
My husband was influenced by two extremely persuasive sources — myself and ads on the Tony Kornheiser show — and that May, he bought a Solo Stove Bonfire, a 20”-wide wood-burning fire pit that fit perfectly on our little brick patio. We fired it up, grabbed some marshmallows, and made a fresh batch of s’mores. It was fire-pit perfection!
What’s So Great About the Solo Stove Bonfire?
We have the original Bonfire, which the brand calls the Fire Pit 1.0. In the three years since buying ours, the brand has upgraded to the newer Bonfire 2.0, which is essentially the same thing, but includes one helpful difference — a removable ash pan that makes cleaning the fire pit even easier. All you need to do is wait for the pit to cool down, and then remove the tray and dispose of the ashes.
But mostly, I really appreciate how easy the fire pit is to use. My husband, a former Boy Scout, can start a fire with nothing more than a ball of lint and a little elbow grease, but I’m a city kid, so the fact that I can easily light up the Solo Stove Bonfire is a blessing — just toss in a few pieces of wood and start it up.
Beyond its sleek stainless steel look, portability, and ease of use, the Bonfire is also entirely smokeless, which other fire pits can’t quite tout. The Solo Stove burns off the smoke before it gets a chance to waft up from the fire, so it doesn’t bother sensitive eyes and prevents your hair and clothes from reeking of campfire (a delightful smell, according to my husband — but not me!). It also creates a better experience for friends because no one ends up in a “bad spot” around the campfire, with the smoke blowing in their face.
For Deputy Editor, Kelly Dawson, who has the newer Bonfire 2.0, it brings all the cozy vibes. “There’s something so calming and heartwarming about spending time outside with my loved ones by a fire — and not to mention, it’s also an easy way to bring the party outside!,” she says. “The Solo Stove is easy to set up and makes a strong design impression, and I’m looking forward to another summer of using it.”
Is the Solo Stove Bonfire Worth It?
Since we bought our Solo Stove Bonfire in 2020, my family and I have rediscovered the magic of our backyard. We use it all the time for homemade pizzas and s’mores, and have loved having friends over in a safe way.
Solo Stove is currently running a massive 4th of July sale from now through July 9, where shoppers can enjoy up to 50 percent off all fire pits and fire pit bundles, including grill accessory bundles. (The Bonfire 2.0 is currently on sale for $229.99!) Solo Stove also offers fire pits in a large range of sizes, from the 27-inch Yukon 2.0 all the way down to the 5.1-inch tabletop Mesa, which Shopping Director, Jada Wong, used all winter long. The main differences are in sizing. All of the Solo Stove fire pits have the same basic features otherwise, so choose the one that’s right for your space.
