Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Review After Real Use: Smokeless Fire Pit Worth It?
I ran the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 on a cold winter night. Here's how the smokeless fire pit handled heat, airflow, cleanup, and storage.
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I lit this thing on a cold winter night and expected to smell like a bonfire for two days. That didn’t happen. This is my review of the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0, the smokeless fire pit that’s all over backyards right now, and I wanted to see if the smokeless claim actually holds up outside of a marketing video. Short answer: with the right wood, it mostly does.
Quick Verdict
One cold winter night was all it took to sell me on this smokeless fire pit. The Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 threw off real heat without smoking me out, then cooled down fast enough that I wasn’t babysitting embers for an hour. At 23.3 lbs it’s the rare fire pit I can carry, store, and set up alone.
Buy if you:
- Hate coming inside smelling like a campfire after every burn
- Want a fire pit you can lift and store solo between uses
- Have a patio you’d rather not scorch (grab the stand)
- Take it to campsites, tailgates, or the beach
Skip if you:
- Burn unseasoned or wet wood, because it’ll smoke no matter what
- Want to cook straight over it without buying extra accessories
- Expect a huge bonfire, since the 19.5 in bowl keeps the fire contained
| Dimensions | 19.5 in diameter × 14.3 in tall |
|---|---|
| Weight | 23.3 lbs |
| Material | 304 stainless steel |
| Fuel | Firewood logs or wood pellets |
| Includes | Carrying case |
| Warranty | Lifetime |
The First Cold Night Sold Me On It
I used seasoned wood, some newspaper, and a bit of fatwood to get it going. The fire caught fast and settled into that clean, tall flame the brand is known for. No wall of smoke chasing me around the patio every time the wind shifted. That alone is the whole reason people buy one of these.
What’s Actually Happening Inside The Bowl
The smokeless trick is airflow, not batteries or fans. The Bonfire 2.0 uses a double-wall 304 stainless steel design with vent holes at the bottom and top. Air gets pulled in through the lower burn holes, heats up inside the wall as the fire burns, then rises out the top ring to create what the brand calls a secondary burn. That second burn is what eats most of the smoke before it ever reaches your eyes.
It’s a 19.5 inch bowl standing 14.3 inches tall, and the whole thing weighs 23.3 lbs. That weight matters more than the spec sheet makes it sound. I’ll come back to that.
Heat That Warms You Without Roasting You
The heat output struck the balance I needed: real warmth on a cold night without the one-sided blast of a traditional pit. With a regular open bowl, I’m always rotating like a rotisserie chicken, hot face, cold back. With this, I sat in one spot the whole night and didn’t have to think about it.
Assembly is genuinely nothing, no tools, no parts, just set it down and load wood. I had a fire going inside two minutes of pulling it out of the carrying case. The stand is a separate purchase, but if you’re putting this on concrete, pavers, or a deck, buy it. It lifts the bowl off the surface to protect it from heat scorch and opens up the bottom vents for a cleaner burn.
The other thing I didn’t expect was how quickly it cooled down after I let the fire die. Instead of a pile of glowing logs sitting there for an hour, it burned down to fine ash and dropped in temperature fast. That made ending the night a lot easier than with a traditional pit.
Smokeless Has One Big Condition
Here’s the catch nobody puts on the box: smokeless depends entirely on your wood. I used seasoned wood and it burned clean. Toss in damp or unseasoned logs and that secondary burn can’t keep up, and you’ll get smoke like any other fire pit. The airflow system is good, not magic.
The startup is also a smoke moment. Before the pit heats up enough for the secondary burn to kick in, you’ll see some smoke off the newspaper and fatwood while it gets going. Give it a few minutes and it clears up as the walls heat. Just don’t expect zero smoke the second you strike a match.
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Who This Smokeless Fire Pit Actually Fits
This is for people who love a fire but hate the aftermath. If you’ve ever moved chairs three times chasing the wind, or refused to wear a good jacket near a fire, this fixes most of that. The lighter smoke means you can sit closer and stay put.
It’s also a strong pick if you move your fire around. At 23.3 lbs with a carrying case included, it’s realistic to load it in the car for camping, tailgates, or the beach and carry it yourself. When the night’s over and it’s cool, it stores away without eating half your garage. Cleanup is a lift-and-dump job thanks to the removable base plate and ash pan, so I never dreaded dealing with it the next morning.
Against A Traditional Open Fire Pit
The Solo Stove’s real competition isn’t a $400 gas insert, it’s the $60 open steel ring sitting in half the driveways on your street. That pit wins on one thing: fire size. Everything else goes the other way. You’re back to wind-chasing smoke, an hour of babysitting glowing logs, and scooping wet ash out of a bowl the next morning.
The 304 stainless steel build and lifetime warranty also put this in a different bracket than a cheap painted-steel pit that rusts through in a season or two. If your priority is a huge fire on a budget, an open pit still makes sense. If your priority is clean air, fast cooldown, and something that lasts, this is the trade I’d make.
Tips Before Your First Burn
Buy seasoned wood and keep it dry. That single decision is the difference between the smokeless experience people rave about and a smoky letdown. Fatwood and newspaper get it started clean and fast.
Get the stand if you’re using it on a patio or deck. It shields the surface from heat and boosts airflow at the same time. And don’t overload the bowl right away. Let it come up to temperature so the secondary burn kicks in, then feed it. Rush that step and you’re just making smoke.
Pros
- Burns clean and low-smoke with seasoned wood
- Strong, steady heat that doesn’t feel overwhelming up close
- Cools down fast so ending the night is easy
- Light enough at 23.3 lbs to carry, store, and travel with
- Quick cleanup with removable base plate and ash pan, plus a lifetime warranty
Cons
- Smokes at startup and with wet or unseasoned wood
- The 19.5 in bowl keeps fires contained, so no massive bonfire
- The stand and cooking gear are separate purchases
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 truly smokeless?
It’s low-smoke, not zero-smoke. Once it heats up and the secondary burn kicks in, seasoned wood produces very little smoke. You’ll still see smoke at startup and any time you burn damp or unseasoned wood.
Can I cook on it?
Not out of the box. The Bonfire is built to be a fire pit first, and the brand sells separate cooking accessories if you want to grill or add a griddle. Budget for those extras if cooking is your goal.
Can I leave it outside in the rain?
It’s 304 stainless steel, so it handles the elements better than painted steel pits, but I’d still cover it or store it. Sitting in standing water and ash long-term is asking for staining. It’s light enough to bring inside a shed anyway.
How heavy is it to move around?
It’s 23.3 lbs and comes with a carrying case, so one person can move it comfortably. That’s what makes it realistic for camping, beach trips, and tailgates. Just let it fully cool before you pick it up.
Do I need the stand?
If you’re placing it on a patio, deck, or any surface you care about, yes. The stand protects that surface from the heat underneath and improves airflow for a cleaner burn. On bare dirt or gravel it’s less critical.
How do you clean it out?
Lift the base plate, pull out the ash pan, and dump the ash. Because it burns down to fine ash rather than chunky char, cleanup is quick. Wait until everything’s cold before you do it.
Can I burn wood pellets in it?
Yes, it takes traditional firewood logs or wood pellets. Most people run logs for the look and heat, but pellets are an option if that’s what you have on hand.
Is the lifetime warranty worth anything?
It covers manufacturing defects for the life of the product, which is reassuring on a stainless steel pit that lives outdoors. It doesn’t cover misuse or normal wear, so rust from neglect won’t qualify. Still a better safety net than most budget pits offer.
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Get it now
Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0
Get the best price on Amazon →As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
