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Get ready to roast some marshmallows!

Outdoor fire pits like the Solo Stove are an excellent way to extend summer days long into the night or even into the colder months. They provide light, warmth and (most importantly?) an area for people to gather around and make s'mores! Some come with the ability to grill over an open flame as well.

At the Good Housekeeping Institute, we test all types of home and kitchen products from fire pits and outdoor grills to indoor s'mores makers and more. We tested several Solo Stove models, including the Solo Stove Bonfire and the Solo Stove Ranger, to see if they're actually worth it. We've also started testing the Solo Stove Mesa, Solo Stove's newest release that's a small tabletop version. One of Solo Stove's most intriguing features is that it claims to be "smokeless," so we wanted to see if that was really the case. We also set samples to consumer testers last year when we were testing submissions for our Kitchen Gear Awards. (Spoiler alert: It was a winner!) Here's what we found through our extensive testing process:

The Solo Stove is a fire pit made out of heavy-duty stainless steel. While it's durable and can withstand ultra-high temperatures, it's still light enough for one person to move around, so you can easily transport it from your garage to your backyard or even to a campsite or friend's house. Our chief Chief Technologist & Executive Technical Director Rachel Rothman tested the Bonfire and echoed this sentiment: "It's solidly built and not too heavy for carrying around."

It comes in four sizes: The large Yukon, the mid-sized Bonfire, the small Ranger and the tabletop Mesa. Each model comes with a stand that allows it to be used on all types of non-combustible surfaces, according to the brand, including concrete, grass, various decking and more. The Solo Stove is primarily known for being smokeless, which delivers more heat and a more pleasant fire pit experience.

We built fires in both the Solo Stove Bonfire and the Solo Stove Ranger using hardwood. We assessed the initial setup, ease of use and user guide. The units offered plenty of room to stack the wood and allow for proper air circulation, and the fire caught easily with the help of kindling.

We monitored the fire over the course of an hour and added fuel to it several times. The fire was easy to manage thanks to the Solo Stove's wide diameter, shallow depth and sturdy frame that contained the fire. We also tested the grill accessory following our grill testing methodology and cooked steak and chicken thighs on it. Finally, we cleaned each up by allowing the Solo Stove to cool completely and then flipping it over to empty the ash. The whole process took time to ensure the fire was completely out, and cleaning up the ash was an extra step that required a broom.

We then stored one unit in a garage and another outside, covered with the included carrying case, for several months. While the case has faded and looks weathered, the unit still looks as good as new. We continue to use each periodically and will continue to update with new data as we have it. We also sent three additional Solo Stove Bonfires to consumers who used them without any guidance from us and provided feedback on their experience.

We have tested the Mesa once so far using hardwood pellets for casually making s'mores. We look forward to continuted testing and using it more.

The Solo Stove has a hollow, dual-wall construction. It has holes around the perimeter of the bottom of the outer wall and more holes on the top of the interior wall. The bottom of the unit contains a built-in perforated wood holder and a non-removable base that collects the ash. As the wood burns, Solo Stove explains that air is pulled out of the unit through the exterior holes and pushed back into the unit through the interior holes to create what they call a secondary burn that's hotter and essentially smokeless.

In our testing, the Solo Stove proved to be smokeless once it got hot enough. Flames could still be seen, but it was not smoky. Instead, it emitted something similar to the clear gasses you see when you light a Sterno to keep food warm. It's worth noting, however, that the Solo Stove is smoky as it heats up and the kindling starts to burn. Once the true fire starts, the smoke should clear up. "It's better than what I would have thought for a typical unit," says Rothman.

Cooking accessories can be purchased to turn the Solo Stove into a grill, griddle and even a wok. We tested the grill plate on the Solo Stove Ranger, which took a little finessing the first time we used it since we weren't used to monitoring open flame as we cooked. The Solo Stove Ranger is also the smallest Solo Stove size, which makes it a little trickier to find the right logs for it — pre-cut logs you find in a supermarket are a bit too large. They are, however, a good size for the Bonfire and Yukon. To best use the cooking accessories, allow them to heat fully and make sure the flames are manageable and contained within the unit before beginning to cook.

The Solo Stove is great for beginners and expert fire pit users alike. It's easy to set up, contains the fire well and is pretty much smokeless once the fire gets hot enough. Removing the ash from the original models can be a little cumbersome since you have to wait for it cool before flipping the whole thing over to empty the ash, but the new 2.0 models have removable ashtrays to solve that problem. Some may think covering it after each use is a nuisance, but we liked knowing it was protected from the elements and less prone to rust and related weathering. In terms of price, it's middle of the range compared to other fire pits that can cost anywhere from around $100 to more than $1000.

The portability aspect is really what sets it apart from other firepits that may be too bulky to transport or others that are designed to just be showpieces in your backyard. The smaller sizes can easily be brought to gatherings or on camping trips. Overall, the Solo Stove is a great buy in terms of performance and ease of use, the two overarching details we assess during testing. The brand also offers many accessories you can purchase separately to make it the firepit of your dreams, such as a lid to smother flames faster and a heat deflector for added warmth.

Specs for the Solo Stove Bonfire:

Specs for the Solo Stove Ranger:

Nicole Papantoniou is the director of the Kitchen Appliances Lab where she's been testing outdoor cooking gear since she started at Good Housekeeping three years ago. She's new to building fires, which confirmed that almost anyone can use the Solo Stove.

Rachel Rothman is the Chief Technologist and Executive Technical Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute where she oversees all testing. She tested the Solo Stove as well and put it to use in her backyard with her three young children.

Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.

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