I've Used the Solo Stove Bonfire for Years—It's My Go-To Outdoor Fire Pit

Here at Serious Eats, we love outdoor cooking—when the weather is nice, you can bet we'll be out there priming our fuel lines and scrubbing our grill grates. But live-fire cooking? I always thought I’d leave that to the Francis Mallmann’s of the world (he’s a renowned Argentine chef with a penchant for cooking over a big ol' wood fire). Sure, I might've stuck a marshmallow or a hot dog on a twig and toasted it over a campfire, but that was the extent of it. Enter the Solo Stove: This dryer barrel-shaped outdoor fire pit aims to make lighting a fire, and even cooking on one, easy and accessible. I tested it (as well as the cast iron grill and hub) to see if it's worth all the fuss (and money). Three years of use later, and it's earned a prime spot in my backyard.

Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0

$250 at Amazon $325 at Williams Sonoma $300 $250 at Walmart

Solo Stove Bonfire Cast Iron Grill Top + Hub

$220 at Amazon $225 $220 at Walmart View on Solostove.com

The Tests

• Usability and Cleanup Tests: I carried the Solo Stove (in its bag) 100 feet and noted if it was difficult to carry. Then, I set up the Solo Stove Bonfire, lit a fire in it, and roasted marshmallows. After use, I cleaned the stove and stored it in its bag, evaluating how easy it was to do so. I've used it for three years since, to keep it on its toes.
• Cooking Tests: I cooked a variety of meats and vegetables and grilled flatbread on the Solo Stove with the cast iron grill top and hub. I repeated these using the Lodge griddle/grill. Since then, I've cooked a medley of char-grilled, wood-fired meals on it.

What We Learned

The Solo Stove Bonfire Is Pretty Portable

The stove weighs 20 pounds and comes with a carrying bag that slips over it, which works quite well. That said, it is bulky (the stove measures 22 x 22 x 17 inches), and I wouldn’t want to walk miles carrying it, but it’s portable enough to bring to a campsite or a friend’s backyard (or to just haul out of the basement or garage when the weather turns nice).

It's Easy to Set Up (Even for a Fire-Starting Newbie) 

Now, there’s something you must know about me before we dig into these results: I would call myself a moderately outdoorsy person; I like hiking and camping, and in a past life I even tested tiny backpacking stoves. But I’ll be honest—starting a fire has always intimidated me. I usually leave that part of camping to my husband while I wander around the campsite pretending to be useful. Could the Solo Stove be dummy-proof? Would we have some burnt meat on a stick that was still raw inside? Truthfully, that’s what I expected.

But with the Solo Stove, it's surprisingly simple to get a fire going; I just set up the stove per the instructions (which is as easy as putting the base on the ground and putting the stove on top, then placing the rim on top of that), then start a fire using some scrap wood, a couple of torn up seltzer boxes, and a lighter. Then I pile on two small-ish logs and before I know it, I have myself a fire. This formula has been easy to replicate, and now when my husband and I want to hang out in the backyard and roast marshmallows, I have the confidence to get the fire going.

Cooking On the Solo Stove Is Easy and Fun

For my first cooking test, I started easy (and I did have a frozen pizza on hand, just in case). I cooked up a few Italian sausages, some small sweet peppers, and a few rounds of red onion brushed with olive oil. I also grilled some pre-baked pierogi towards the end, when I was a little over-excited that it wasn’t a total disaster.  

One thing I learned was the cast iron grill grate got hotter on one side because of the way the wood fits in the stove, so being attentive and moving food helped ensure an evenly cooked result. I also learned that it’s worth investing in a good pair of log tongs and a poker; readjusting the logs or giving the coals a poke helps regulate and control the heat. 

Sausages are also a very forgiving food; since they are fatty, it’s hard to overcook them. The peppers and onion were soft and nicely charred, and even my oddball grilled pierogi turned out well, with a faint smoky wood flavor. 

Next, I cooked up some thinly sliced, marinated beef chuck. The small, thin pieces of beef cooked quickly, about 1 minute per side (faster than our Galbi recipe likely because I cut the meat into roughly 4-inch long, thin pieces), so again, attentiveness was key. I also used the hot grill to warm some pitas and char some steamed broccoli. Everything was delicious. 

It Works with Other Cast Iron Griddles, Too

I also wanted to see if you could use a different grill surface with the Solo stove, and the closest thing was a flat-top griddle/grill made by Lodge. It’s smaller than the Solo grill grate (it’s 16.75 inches long by nine inches wide), making it a little trickier to cook on since food could fall off the edges into the flames. It’s also thinner than the Solo grill and heats up very quickly. I used it with the Solo hub to avoid direct flame-to-cast iron contact.

I started with Kenji’s recipe for grilled naan, using the griddle side of the Lodge. The cast iron was a bit hot right out of the gate; the first two pitas got a bit more burn on them than I would have liked, but after letting the fire die down and it cool off a little, the naan puffed up nicely and got a crisp golden crust. I tossed the last naan on the Solo grill grate to see how it would compare. The naan didn’t cook as nicely as it did on the smooth griddle surface, and it was a bit soggy. I also cooked some simply seasoned lamb loin chops on the Lodge (using the grill side), and after cooking them for a few minutes on each side, they were beautifully seared. 

But when it came time to cook the corn, chicken souvlaki skewers, and eggplant, I switched back to the larger Solo grill grate—the Lodge worked well for the naan and fatty lamb, but was small and thin (it heated up VERY fast), and I wanted to have more control over the amount of heat hitting the food (especially for the chicken). So I put the Solo grill grate back on and grilled the chicken skewers for a few minutes on each side, rotating them around the grill to ensure even cooking; I did the same for the eggplant (which I tossed in an agrodolce sauce after) and corn. 

The verdict: Everything was not only edible but also delicious. While I did like the Lodge grill/griddle for making the naan (the flat griddle side cooked the naan more evenly and got hotter, which helped with the quick rise needed), it was just too small and thin to cook meats that can dry out readily.

The larger Solo grill, which had slats, was great for all manner of cooking (save for flatbreads, which sagged through the slats); the large surface area meant there were cooler spots that you could move meats or vegetables to in case they started to get a little too charred. So, if you really want to cook on a Solo stove, I would suggest investing in the cast iron grill top and hub.

Finally, the Solo Stove Is Just a Great Outdoor Fire Pit

As I mentioned before, it's super easy to set up the Solo Stove and get a fire roaring. The flames are directed upward by the air flowing through the holes at the bottom and the top, ensuring a healthy fire and minimal smoke.

When I finish using the stove either (for cooking or a fire), I let the setup cool down overnight (Solo recommends waiting between two to four hours to disassemble). Cleaning it is dirty, and I find tipping the entire container on its side is the best way to sweep out the ash. The metal on the hub and inside the stove did discolor after multiple uses—but that was to be expected and hasn't affected usage.

The Verdict

It's really fun cooking over the Solo Stove. Sure, you could just use a grill (be it charcoal or gas), but if you’re looking for something different (and want to impress your friends), live fire is a fun cooking medium. 

The Solo Stove is also easy to set up, and the double-walled siding and air vents at the top and bottom make starting a fire quick and easy. The grill hub and grate are also great to cook on, and I've never had any issues with burnt or raw food. And even if you’re not looking to cook over a fire, the Solo Stove Bonfire makes for a great fire pit; it burns clean and the shape of the barrel focuses the flames upwards rather than outwards. 

FAQs

Can a Solo Stove be used on a deck?

You can safely use the Solo Stove on a deck if you use it with the stand, which elevates it from the deck's surface. We also used the Solo Stove Bonfire (plus stand) on a stone patio with success.

What can you burn in the Solo Stove?

Hardwood and kiln-dried firewood are totally fine to burn in the Solo Stove. Just don’t over-fill it or it’ll get really hot and you’ll have more of a mess to clean at the end. The brand does not recommend using charcoal briquettes.

How should you store the Solo Stove?

Solo Stoves come with a carrying/storing bag. We recommend storing it somewhere where it won’t be exposed to water for a prolonged period, though if some rain gets on it, it will be fine.

How soon after using can you clean the Solo Stove?

We recommend waiting until it’s completely cool before cleaning it; this can take anywhere between two to four hours. It's also okay to let it cool overnight if you have a late-night fire.

How do I snuff out a fire?

Solo recommends using sand to snuff out a fire; they don't suggest water, as it can deform the metal and cause it to rust.

Why We're the Experts

• Grace Kelly is an editor at Serious Eats.
• She's been with the site since 2022 and previously worked for America's Test Kitchen.
• For this review, Grace used the Solo Stove and its grill hub to cook sausages, flatbread, vegetables, and more.
• She's been using it as her go-to fire pit for nearly three years.