Since Father’s Day is right around the corner (this Sunday!) I thought I’d take the time to review something that might interest the outdoorsy pyro-loving man (or woman) in your life, this Solo Stove. We got the Bonfire size Solo Stove bundle at the beginning of the year and it was the perfect gathering spot on our patio during the cold winter months! So do I think the Solo Stove is worth it? Absolutely (if you are the campfire-loving type).

First off, the Solo Stove is so much better than a regular wood-burning fire pit because of it’s design. With double walls and air holes at both the top and the bottom (they call it their “360 Signature Airflow Technology” lol), it’s the most fuel-efficient fire pit we’ve ever seen. The first time we used it (above) we put in as much fuel as we would normally put in for a regular fire pit (about 4-5 large logs) and we had a raging inferno (but the safe, contained kind). The air holes allows the efficient pulling of air into the fire (see the flames coming out of the air holes at the top), so now we know to only put in 3 logs with some kindling to get a good mid-size fire going. This means we use less firewood than we normally would too. Also the design allows for maximum heat radiation with minimal smoke dispersement. When they say a “smokeless” fire pit, they aren’t lying (though maybe slightly exaggerating). Due to the air holes, the fire gets much hotter, faster than in a regular fire pit, thus minimizing smoke (I wouldn’t claim that it “eliminates” smoke like they do—but it’s much much less than usual). I don’t think you’ll ever have a smoke-less fire pit since you’re obviously starting a fire. And last but not least, the Solo Stove generates way more heat than a standard campfire, keeping everyone around it nice and toasty.

Since we became Airstreamers, we’ve started quite a few campfire pits in our day (well mostly my husband because he likes doing it). And he says the Solo Stove makes fire starting much easier than in a regular fire pit (again thanks to the design and air holes). I also like the Solo Stove because I’m always a bit nervous with our kid around an in-ground camping fire pit (but luckily she’s also wary and usually stays pretty far away). At least with the Solo Stove I know she can’t trip and fall into a fire pit. The bundle also comes with other safety items like a grate (they call it a shield) to prevent embers from flying and a stand so that the Solo Stove doesn’t damage a heat sensitive surface like a deck. Also because the Solo Stove is portable (and the bundle comes with a cover for easy transport), we can’t wait to take our Solo Stove with us to all our Airstream trips!

There’s a couple more items included in the bundle now that weren’t included when we bought it 6 months ago, like the fire tools and the lid that would easily smother the fire and also make the Solo Stove an outdoor table when not in use. Overall I think the bundle is a great deal and worth it since most of the accessories are quite useful.

And a note about size: we decided to go with the mid-size Bonfire because we wanted it to be portable and yet big enough for our family of three. I think the Ranger (the smallest size) is a good size for ultimate portability and maybe for a couple or single person. The Yukon (the largest size) is best for those who don’t plan to really move it ever.

So if you or someone you know is the camping-type or you have a deck where a fire pit would allow for some great outdoor hangs, I highly recommend getting the Solo Stove. But if you’ve never made a fire in your life yet aspire to do it, I’m not sure how much use you’d get out of this.