Van_and_Terri
Ranger
That was with a small bag (10lb.) of pellets! It burned brightly for an hour, significantly less so for another hour. The heat deflector on top does seem to slow the burn somewhat which has been a good thing.
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Solo Fire Pit
- Thread starter Van_and_Terri
- Start date
Sweeney
Administrator
That rally is a beaitufl picture
The deflector --- how much difference does it make? Seriously, the only downfall of the solo is the heat goes up, not out. And when its 50 degrees --- I love that radiant heat....I'll be giving the solo pellet its first formal run tomorrow night
--- Can't wait. Inaugural trip of 2023!!!
Van_and_Terri
Ranger
Two observations on the heat deflector. First is does allow for a slower burn. Second, it does dissipate the heat better, but it’s not a remarkable difference. Would I buy it again? Yes, just don’t set high expectations.That rally is a beaitufl picture
I'll be giving the solo pellet its first formal run tomorrow night
Sweeney
Administrator
Yeah, the pellet adapter is the perfect money spent. A bag of pellets costs $6 or so at tractor supply for softwood. Hardwood used for pellet grills (Traeger/pit boss etc.) runs about $18 at Lowes. I would imagine that those would burn even better, though probably not enough to justify the cost --- just for availability. Based on what I saw with the cheap stuff, it is cheaper than camp firewood which s now $6 or more per bundle. A bundle that will last significantly less than 2 hours. I've gone through 3 and 4 bundles for an evening...it gets silly pretty fast.
I filled my ranger to about 2 inches below the "reburn" holes...at 8:00 pm, it took 10 minutes to burn nicely though not 100% up to temperature. Still no smoke. After another 5 minutes, it was fully engulfed.
At 9:45 it was starting to quiet down, but I still had flame coming over the top, but nearing the end. So rounding to 1:45 minutes before the flame was below the lip is a reasonable estimate.
I think one of the things I appreciated is that there were no embers in the updraft. No popping and sparks, I would feel comfortable burning in slightly breezy conditions where I might otherwise forego a fire altogether. There is also zero fire maintenance. Fill, light 2 or 3 "fire starter cubes" and stuff them into the pellets....sit back and relax. No action is needed after that for an equally easy cleanup.
If this had been a cold autumn night, I'd feel differently. The only major drawback I see in the solostoves is that it does not give a large amount of radiant heat. However, this thing is fantastic for ambiance and a warmer evening. I can see wanting to light a fire 80-degree evening simply as a gathering space.
I have no regrets over this, and I'd say that the pellet insert was the best accessory to an accessory I've ever bought
I filled my ranger to about 2 inches below the "reburn" holes...at 8:00 pm, it took 10 minutes to burn nicely though not 100% up to temperature. Still no smoke. After another 5 minutes, it was fully engulfed.
At 9:45 it was starting to quiet down, but I still had flame coming over the top, but nearing the end. So rounding to 1:45 minutes before the flame was below the lip is a reasonable estimate.
I think one of the things I appreciated is that there were no embers in the updraft. No popping and sparks, I would feel comfortable burning in slightly breezy conditions where I might otherwise forego a fire altogether. There is also zero fire maintenance. Fill, light 2 or 3 "fire starter cubes" and stuff them into the pellets....sit back and relax. No action is needed after that for an equally easy cleanup.
If this had been a cold autumn night, I'd feel differently. The only major drawback I see in the solostoves is that it does not give a large amount of radiant heat. However, this thing is fantastic for ambiance and a warmer evening. I can see wanting to light a fire 80-degree evening simply as a gathering space.
I have no regrets over this, and I'd say that the pellet insert was the best accessory to an accessory I've ever bought
I recently received a Solo Fire Pit from camplux as a gift. It’s impressive how well it works—virtually no smoke and a strong heat output. One thing to note is that it consumes wood more quickly than the fire pits I'm used to at campsites. But the trade-off is a cleaner burn and less smoke in your face. It’s been great for our backyard, and I’m really pleased with it.
Sweeney
Administrator
love mine! No sparks either...