'My Solo Stove is perfect for spring evenings in the garden – and it now comes in these metallic shades'
Until recently, if someone had suggested an after-work BBQ in spring, I'd laugh before (politely) declining – after all, we all know British evenings in spring are on the frosty side. That was until I became the proud owner of the Solo Stove Ranger 2.0.
What is a Solo Stove?
If you haven't heard of a Solo Stove before, let me fill you in on what this nifty piece of kit is all about. A popular garden accessory in the US, the Solo Stove is a compact stainless steel fire pit that's both portable and smokeless.
Unlike most fire pits, the Solo Stove has a patented double-walled design that, along with vent holes, creates a 360-degree airflow to super-heat the air. The result is a fire that burns roughly twice as hot as a typical campfire, burning off any smoke before it can reach your clothes.
Solo Stove claims that you can wave goodbye to that pesky post-fire smell for good with this smart smokeless gadget. But how did it fare when I tried it out?
Solo Stove review: my experience
The set up
If you're a complete fire pit novice, you'll love the Ranger 2.0. This small but mighty piece of kit is super easy to set up and use – simply pop in your logs, light it up and away you go. When you're finished burning, you can lift the base plate to remove the ash pan and clean out its contents (a feature that's new for the 2.0 model).
The stand
One of my favourite features of the Solo Stove 2.0 is the stand. This innovative pit comes with a built-in stand so you can use it on heat-sensitive surfaces without any damage. I have porcelain patio tiles in my garden and I was thrilled to learn that I could use the Solo Stove on them without harm (I can confirm: patio slabs are still intact).
The (lack of) smoke
The last thing you want when hosting an alfresco dinner is the smell of smoke lingering in the air and on your clothes. So, naturally, I was chuffed to see that the Solo Stove really is smokeless. Because of its double-walled design, it creates a secondary burn that's much hotter and therefore produces a lot less smoke.
The only thing I would mention here is to be cautious with the type of wood you choose to burn. I used a selection of 'offcuts' of wood and, before it was too late, realised there were small amounts of MDF in the wood. This caused what I can only describe as a mini smoke tornado – lesson learned.
Dry wood, such as oak or juniper, is best for burning on a Solo Stove. If you want to be really safe, you can even invest in some smokeless logs (although you may not get the same mesmerising flame you do with dry wood).
Portability
What I really love about the Ranger 2.0 is how lightweight it is. Measuring 38cm in diameter and weighing just 6.8kg, it's super easy to pick up and transport around the garden (although do not do this when it's hot).
For longer journeys (think: camping or a trip to the beach), the Solo Stove comes with a handy carry case so you can get moving in a flash. I'm not particularly strong, but the pull cord and long straps meant I was able to carry it back to the shed with ease after use.
Solo Stove metallic range
Better still, Solo Stove has recently announced that the coveted Bonfire 2.0 (a slightly larger version of my Ranger) now comes in a selection of stylish metallic shades, including bronze, deep olive, gunmetal and water blue.
Solo Stove: the verdict
All Solo Stoves in the 2.0 range (the smaller Ranger, medium-sized Bonfire and larger Yukon) are great fire pits for beginners. The Solo Stove is easy to set up, produces little smoke and is a breeze to clean. The built-in stand removes the worry of burning surfaces underneath and the Ranger, in particular, is incredibly lightweight and portable.
I haven't tested the larger models in the range so I can't speak for these but, overall, my Solo Stove experience has most certainly made me a fire pit convert.
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