Solo Stoves have become very popular, and for good reason. They are high quality, smokeless fire pits that are actually affordable. If you’re in the market for a Solo Stove, you may be wondering which of the sizes is best for you. We’ll take a look at the Ranger, Bonfire, and Yukon models, and help you decide which model to buy.
Comparing the Ranger, Bonfire, Yukon
The three Solo Stover models that we’ll talk about today are the Ranger, Bonfire, and Yukon. Solo also makes smaller backpacking stoves, but we’ll keep our focus on the bigger fire pits.
Ranger
The ranger is the smallest of the three fire pits. That means it’s the lightest and most portable. It’s also the least expensive.
The Ranger is 12.5” tall, with a 15” diameter. Weighing only 15 lbs, it’s very easy to move around. The Ranger comes with a free carrying case that lets you carry the fire pit with one hand.
The Ranger is perfect for:
- Small backyards
- Adventures to the beach, camping, etc.
- Roasting s’mores
You’ll want to start with 3-4 logs, and add as needed.
Bonfire
The Bonfire is a good balance of size and portability. With a 19.5” diameter, the Bonfire is big enough to keep a smaller group warm. And it weighs about 23 lbs, so it’s still light enough to move around easily. The Bonfire also comes with the free carrying case.
The Bonfire is perfect for:
- Groups of 3-5 people.
- Cooking
- Backyards, Patios, Driveways,
- Beach, tailgates
For information, check our in-depth comparison of the Ranger and Bonfire.
Yukon
The Yukon is the biggest Solo Stove fire pit. With a 27” diameter, it can burn a lot of wood and out of a lot of heat. At over 41 lbs, it’s not as easy to move. But with some help you could move it to the driveway or put it in the back of a pickup truck. Unlike the Ranger and Bonfire, the Yukon does not come with a carrying case.
If you’re stuck, read our article on the Bonfire vs Yukon.
{Table: Size comparison}
| Ranger | Bonfire | Yukon | |
| Diameter | 15″ | 19.5″ | 27″ |
| Height | 12.5″ | 14″ | 17″ |
| Weight | 15 lbs | 23 lbs | 42 lbs |
| Logs | 3-4 | 4-6 | 6-8 |
Other buying considerations
There are a few other things to consider when choosing a SOlo Stove. First, how fast these fire pits burn through wood. And second, what accessories are available for each of the three fire pits.
Bigger means more logs to burn
The bigger the Solo Stove, the more wood you’ll burn through. Here’s the guidance for how many logs you’ll need to get started for the three pits:
- Ranger: 3-4 logs
- Bonfire: 4-6 logs
- Yukon: 6-8 logs
And of course you’ll need to continue adding logs as the fire burns.
If you’ll be buying your wood, the Yukon will cost the most, followed by the Bonfire. I recommend buying wood in bulk. Depending on where you live, you should be able to find someone selling wood by the truckload at a more reasonable price than the small bundles at the grocery store.
Check out our guide on where to buy wood for your fire pit for more tips and advice.
Available accessories
You’ll likely want to add some accessories to take your Solo Stove experience to the next level. The Hub and cast iron cooktops are great for cooking. The Stand protects your deck or patio, and the spark screen adds a level of safety. And there are many more accessories available.
Most of these accessories are made specific to each of the three fire pit sizes. For example, the Stand comes in three sizes to fit the Ranger, Yukon, and Bonfire. So regardless of which fire pit you get, you’ll be able to find an accessory made for that pit. Just keep in mind you’ll pay more for the bigger accessories. Sticking with the Stand as an example, the version for the Yukon costs about twice as much as the Ranger Stand.
What’s in the box?
For the Ranger and Bonfire, you’ll get the fire pit, removable ash tray (new to 2.0 models), and a carrying case.
The Yukon only includes the fire pit and removable ash tray. No carrying case.
Best Solo Stove for Camping
The Ranger is going to be your best bet for camping. It’s small enough to store in a trunk (when completely cooled), but big enough to keep a few people warm. Plus it’s great for roasting hot dogs or toasting marshmallows for s’mores.
The Bonfire can also be taken to a campsite. The Bonfire can do all the things the ranger can do, with more heat for bigger crowds.
We wouldn’t recommend the Yukon, since it can be awkward to move.
Best for Backyard
While any of the three models are great for a backyard, we recommend the Yukon for backyards because it’s plenty big and puts off the most heat.
The Bonfire would be next best for the backyard. It’s also easy enough to move from the driveway to the patio and back. The Bonfire works well for about 2-4 people.
Best for the Beach
Assuming your beach allows fires, go with either the Ranger or Bonfire for the beach. They’re both easy to move with carrying cases. You probably won’t need too much heat at the beach, even at night. So the Ranger and Bonfire are both great options to liven up your beach party.
Best Solo Stove for Cooking
It seems like everything tastes better when cooked over an open flame. Any of the three Solo Stoves are great for cooking. The main difference is size and how much you’ll be able to cook at a time.
A popular option for Solo Stove cooking is to get the Hub and cast iron cooktop. We compared the cooking surface of the cast iron cooktop for all three models. The Ranger has a cooking surface of about 160 square inches. Not surprising, that’s the smallest surface out of the three. What is interesting, is that the cooktop for the Bonfire and Yukon are the same size. They both have about 247 square inches of cooking surface, which is ~55% more than the Ranger. That’s a decent amount of cooking space. For comparison, the 2 burner Weber Spirit 210 has 360 square inches of cooking surface.
So all three are great for cooking, but for maximum cooking surface you’ll want either the Bonfire or Yukon.
Wrapping Up
We hoped this helped you decide what Solo Stove is best for you. They’re all great. The Bonfire is the most versatile, but the Yukon is best if you don’t plan on moving it much. Whichever one you pick will provide many nights of warmth and fun for you and your guests.
Happy burning!
Hi! I’m Tim and I love fire pits, especially the smokeless kind. Fire pits are perfect for gathering friends and family around. My fire pit of choice is the Breeo X Series 24.