Fall is made for cozy nights spent by the fire. Picture a warm blanket, a comfy lawn chair and a roasting stick that’s just the right length to hold a marshmallow inches above the glowing embers. It’s bliss, until the wind shifts and sends a face full of smoke your way.
That’s where a smokeless fire pit comes in clutch. These clever backyard fire pits are designed to significantly reduce smoke, so you can spend more time enjoying the flames and less time dodging clouds of it. I’ve had a Yukon Solo Stove in my backyard fire pit setup for several years, and after countless nights spent lounging around the flames, I can attest to just how well a smokeless fire pit can work.
But if you’re looking to add one to your own backyard, choosing the best
smokeless fire pit isn’t quite as simple as picking the first one you see. Popular models differ in portability, cooking capabilities, cleanup, construction and price. Solo Stove vs. Breeo is an especially compelling matchup: Both brands are known for smoke-reducing fire pits, but Solo Stove tends to emphasize portability and convenience, while Breeo offers heavier-duty construction and a robust live-fire cooking setup.
Which is best for you? Here's how to decide.
Solo Stove vs. Breeo at a glance
Both Solo Stove and Breeo are thoughtfully designed smokeless fire pits that can upgrade any backyard fire pit. Whereas Solo Stove is lighter weight and more portable, Breeo is more suited for more permanent placement and has more extensive cooking systems.
Pricewise, Solo Stove comes in much lower, nearly half the cost of comparable Breeo sizes.
Smokless fire pit models compared
Both Solo Stove and Breeo come in economical sizes perfect for smaller patios to large fire pits built to entertain the entire family. The midsize fire pits are the most popular with both brands, but if you're like my family and have frequent fires with more people, the larger models might be worth the extra cost.
Solo Stove fire pits
Solo Stoves come as small as 15 inches in diameter to twice that size with the 30-inch diameter Canyon model. The most popular model is the Bonfire, coming in at 19.5 inches in diameter and large enough to seat four to six people around the pit.
Shop Solo Stove
Breeo fire pits
Breeo fire pits are bigger in size, but built with outdoor cooking and entertaining in mind. The X series is their flagship line, with the X24 being one of the more popular options. The Y Series is its most portable and affordable model, and is a good size for any backyard patio. But if you're looking for a large pit that more than 10 people can comfortable fit around, its the X42 for you.
Shop Breeo smokeless fire pits
Solo Stove vs. Breeo: Design and how it works
Both Solor Stove and Breeo utizle secondary combustion to limit the amount of smoke produced by the fire. These are the features that the two fire pits share:
- Double wall that preheats air: A double wall design includes an internal channel that draws in cool air from the bottom or sides, warming up the air. The preheated, oxygen-rich air then exits through vents near the top of the burn chamber, where it mixes with the hot smoke and gases rising from the fire.
- Secondary burn: The preheated air helps ignite unburned gases and smoke particles before they can escape the fire pit. This process is known as secondary combustion, or the famous “secondary burn” that allows healthy flames while significantly reducing visible smoke from a fire pit.
When comparing Breeo and Solo Stove, its the primary airflow design that differs the most:
- Solo Stove's Signature 360° Airflow system pulls cool air through a ring of lower exterior holes. Some air feeds the fire from below, while some travels between the double walls, warms up and exits as superheated air through upper interior holes.
- Breeo's X Series uses patented X Airflow technology at the bottom of the burn chamber to feed oxygen to the primary combustion. At the same time, air travels up between the double walls, becomes heated and exits through secondary combustion holes around the rim.
Does Breeo produce less smoke than Solo Stove?
Both fire pit brands perform similarly well in their near smoke-free design. Once the fire gets going, you won't notice much for smoke with either. While some reviewers claim Solo Stove is a tad more efficient and heats up to the smokeless level faster, once the fire gets going you likely won't notice a difference if you had a Breeo and Solo Stove side-by-side.
When you first start a fire in either a Breeo or Solo Stove, you'll notice some smoke until you get a real flame going. But after 10 to 15 minutes, the amount of smoke you see compared to a traditional fire pit is significantly less.
Can you cook on Solo Stove and Breeo fire pits?
You can cook on either a Solo Stove or Breeo fire pit, but Breeo's fire pits have accessories specifically designed for outdoor cooks and BBQ. From rotisseries to pizza ovens and open fire grills, Breeo fire pits are the one to get if cooking over a fire is your goal.
But that doesn't mean you can't cook on a Solo Stove. You can buy several aftermarket accessories, like a rotisserie style cooker, to build your ultimate bonfire cooking set up.
Which is easier to move?
Solo Stove smokeless fire pits are easier to move simply because they are lighter weight. Whereas the largest Breeo fire pit can weigh 190 pounds or more, the heaviest a Solo Stove gets is just over 50 pounds.
However, Breeo's Y Series is a portable fire pit that's designed to be moved around. At 31 pounds, it's much more portable than the X Series.
Which is easier to clean?
Solo Stoves are generally considered easier to clean, and it's due to their design. The removable ash pan makes it easy to get rid of the ashes in minutes. Plus, the interior can be wiped clean with a damp cloth to get it looking as good as new.
Breeo's fire pits require more steps and tools. Because the ash is trapped above the airflow holes, you'll need to shovel the ash out or use a shop vac to clean it out.
Solo Stove vs. Breeo price and value
Solo Stoves are less expensive than Breeo, but only by a few hundred dollars. For example, the Breeo X24 (27.5 inches wide outer diameter) starts at $699, and Solo Stove's 27-inch Yukon starts at $599. It comes down to what you want to do with your fire pit. If you want something more portable and lightweight, then you can get away with saving money and getting a Solo Stove. If it's cooking you want, spend the extra cash for Breeo, as they have way more cooking accessories.
Which fire pit should you buy?
Bottom line, both Breeo and Solo Stove are set up to be the cornerstone of your backyard. Their designs limit the amount of smoke, making for a much more pleasant time around the fire. Whereas Solo Stove is the better option for those on a tighter budget and who value portability, Breeo is ideal for outdoor cooks and more permanent fire pits.
Choose Solo Stove if: portability and convenience matter most.
Shop Solo Stove
Choose Breeo if: live-fire cooking and substantial backyard construction are priorities.
Shop Breeo smokeless fire pits
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Solo Stove vs. Breeo: Which smokeless fire pit is better?
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