The Solo Stove Bonfire is a near-smokeless fire pit perfect for smaller patios. Here’s how it works.

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• The Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 fire pit is a worthy investment for a small backyard space.
• The smokeless fire pit is easy to set up and the fire produces a lot of heat.
• With additional accessories, I can char steaks and roast vegetables over the fire.

Whether it's a long summer night or a chilly winter evening, few things compare to gathering around a fire. I love spending time gardening or using my outdoor pizza oven, but I was hesitant to give up more of my limited patio space to a fire pit. I decided to put the moderately-sized Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 to the test. 

Solo stove fire pits range from tabletop models to the 42-pound Yukon, with the two-foot wide Bonfire right the middle. After making several fires, roasting marshmallows, and cooking steaks, the Bonfire has become one of my favorite backyard additions.

The Bonfire took me just ten minutes to set up.

The Bonfire 2.0 comes in one box with the fire pit, removable base plate and ash pan, and carrying case. After opening the box, all I had to do was set the fire pit outside on my patio, place the unwrapped ash pan and base plate inside, and put the fire ring on top. It took less than ten minutes to unpack the fire pit and get it ready for use.

The fire pit is less than two feet tall, but produces a lot of heat.

With some kindling and bunched up newspaper, it was easy to get the fire started. I only needed two or three logs at a time to keep the blaze going. The fire produced a lot of heat for such a small vessel: the Bonfire 2.0 takes up just two feet of my townhouse patio, but kept my friends and me warm on a cold December night. 

Even with a blazing fire, the Bonfire was nearly smokeless.

Solo Stove's claim to fame is that the fire pits are smokeless. The Bonfire 2.0 includes vent holes around the sides at the top and bottom of the fire pit. As long as your firewood is below the top vent holes, barely any smoke comes out. Because of the improved airflow, the burn seems to be more efficient, requiring less wood and creating a much warmer fire to gather around or cook on.

There was smoke as the fire got going, but it tapered off. After having multiple fires, I can say it's as close to a smokeless fire as I've experienced from backyard fire pits or campfires. 

You need to purchase additional accessories to cook on it.

It's possible to roast marshmallows or even cook hot dogs on a stick over the open flame. However, I found that the high heat made it too challenging to cook anything else without the additional hub and cast iron griddle.

The hub sits snugly on top of the fire pit, but it elevates the surface away from the direct flame. Of course, it's tricky to regulate heat when cooking like this, so it's best to stick with heartier items that work well with a bit of char. I cooked steaks, along with red peppers and onions, as well as pancakes on the griddle. It's a fun outdoor cooking experience, but you definitely need the right accessories. 

The removeable ash pan made cleaning out the fire pit quick and painless.

Once the fire is out and the pit has fully cooled, the base plate and ash pan can be lifted out to dump the ashes in the compost bin. This should be done every two or three times the fire pit is used. If any ash is left over after dumping the ash pan, a quick vacuum will take care of the rest.

As with any fire, it's important to be sure it completely burns out before leaving it unattended. I learned the hard way that you definitely should not douse the fire with water — this will cause the ash to get stuck, making it harder to clean out later.

The Bonfire is compact and comes with a carrying case for easy storage.

The fire pit can be stored inside or outside, but the brand does recommend storing it in a cool, dry location such as a garage. Since the Bonfire is so compact, it was easy to tuck it away in my garage during the winter. With the included carrying case, it's also possible to pack up the fire pit and take it on a camping trip.

The bottom line

I found a fire pit that allowed me to enjoy having a fire in a smaller backyard space in Solo Stove's Bonfire 2.0. It is compact, designed with improved air flow for better heat, and puts off less eye-watering smoke. If you're willing to purchase additional accessories, it's a great cookstove as well. Overall, it's a versatile and easy-to-use fire pit for relaxing in an outdoor space.