Owning two fire pits feels a little redundant. A bit excessive, even. And yet, I have two fire pits. How? And why? Well, my home on the coast of Maine came with one—a lovely fire pit in the backyard made of neatly stacked bluestones where we circle up with family and friends all year-round to marvel at the milky way and cook hearty winter meals over an open fire. My backyard sauna sits front and center to the bonfire, too. In case I ever wanted to enjoy it from my sauna bench, of course. (This hasn’t actually happened yet, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.)
The other fire pit? The new Solo Stove 24” Summit Fire Pit.
In spite of my appreciation for the classic fire ring that has served us so well over the years, it was just far enough away from the house that quickly making a fire can be a bit tricky. I began to wonder, how could living with two small kids who love to be outside be just a little easier and more convenient? I wondered how many family moments we were missing out on. How many marshmallows went unroasted? A Solo Stove, perched on the rear porch just a few safe feet from our home, seemed the solution to ensure more s’morecore outdoor memories where guaranteed.
Below is my review of the Solo Stove 24" Summit Fire Pit.
A Close Look at Solo Stove’s Design Upgrade
Building off the massive success of the brand’s first line of smokeless fire pits, this redesign reportedly came with some key upgrades to enhance the overall experience. Like before, the Summit Fire Pit is made from a lightweight corrosion-resistant stainless steel for durability. It didn’t come with a cover so I bought one separately for extra coverage, but even without the cover the pit itself seems to hold up fine when exposed to the rainy and cold spring conditions we’re famous for here in New England. A built-in stand provides a layer of protection on surfaces like decking, grass, and even turf, which gave me peace of mind knowing it wouldn’t singe my deck or the mood.
The major improvements primarily focus on how the fire burns; Solo touts the Summit as their “easiest fire pit to use, ever” and claiming it produces the “tallest and brightest flame yet.” All thanks to a cone-shaped interior designed to improve airflow so the logs stack over small chambers for Solo Stove’s Fire Starter Gel that sparks a flame almost instantaneously. This feature also allows it to burn clean and nearly smoke-free. (Although that was not my experience with it exactly, it was significantly less smoky than a typical bonfire.) The brand also altered the stove's shape for better visibility with a low-profile design purely for aesthetics.
How I tested the Solo Stove
Over three weeks I tested the Solo Stove 24" Summit Fire Pit in a range of New England "spring" conditions. This means rain, rain, and the occasional 70 degree dry day. Now, I wouldn’t classify myself as a brilliant fire starter but I can make a campfire if given the chance, although it’ll definitely take me a few tries. To test the easability of use with the Solo Stove, I opted to prep the logs ahead of time so they were the right size and dry enough to ignite. Using the fire starter gel (included in the kit), it was only a matter of minutes to light a roaring fire.
During the testing period, I tried to consider a range of use-cases and typical weather scenarios. So, I also tested the pit without the fire gel using good old-fashioned kindling and newspaper, and used not-exactly-dry firewood as a test of the stove's superior fire-starting abilities. The result was a slower start and more smoke that didn't burn quite as bright and clean as the gel and dry wood, but relative to your standard campfire, still provided a solid experience.
Why The New and Improved Fire Pit Deserves the Hype
From a better airflow, smokeless (or perhaps more accurately, less-smoke) technology, and a cleaner, brighter glow, these small engineering tweaks make the 24” Summit Fire Pit a great midsize option for those who want an easy to use portable fire pit.
On a day when the wood is a little wet, kindling supplies are scarce, or there’s a few inches of snow to clear out, all those bumps in the road slow things down to a complete stop. The appeal of the Summit is it’s always ready to go, and while I did have some smoke at first, it eventually dissipated, which was a relief because scooting your chair, or your little one, out of the way of a billowing smoke trail that seems to come at you with a vengeance really kills the vibe. And when it comes time to get rid of the ash, the removable tray works quickly to clean up the mess.
My final verdict? The Summit Fire Pit’s upgraded features and design make it incredibly easy and user-friendly regardless of experience. The fire starter gel speeds up the process to the point that you can light it with one hand (which I did) and have a brightly burning bonfire in minutes. As a result, our marshmallow intake has nearly doubled, which is alright by me if it means more time outside in the end.
