Global warming detrimentally affects the environment both directly and indirectly. For example, it has been linked to extreme weather events, rising sea levels and drought. Although the pollutants released by wood burning stoves are clearly linked to negative health and environmental outcomes, the actual amount of these pollutants released into your home and the air around it during stove use is currently unclear. Solo Stove’s Bonfire 2.0 is an update to the Bonfire we previously tested, now including a removable ash pan. While its smokeless performance remains unchanged, the ash pan does add about five pounds to the overall weight. Some of these particles are visible to the naked eye. For example, smoke is made of visible PM, including particulates of carbon and tar. However, many types of PM are invisible. This means they can be carried around the body and cause damage to other organs. A review of current research has linked to PM to conditions including:

Key specs – Size : 55 x 37.1 x 66.5cm (WDH); Heat output : 7kW; Energy rating : A; Guarantee : LifetimeWood burning stoves also release particulate matter (PM). These include particulates of carbon and tar, which are small enough to be suspended in the air.

The Bonfire projects heat—a lot of it—in an even circle, but mostly from the rim and up. If we had the fire roaring, the heat radiated more evenly but didn’t really reach our feet on a cool day. Any appliance that burns solid fuel, such as wood burning or multifuel stoves, releases dangerous gases. These include organic gaseous compounds (OGC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO2). verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ Key specs – Size : 45.1 x 38.6 x 75.3cm (WDH); Heat output : 5kW; Energy rating : A+; Guarantee : 10yrs

Most smokeless fire pits burn wood. You’ll want to use seasoned wood—that means it has had time to dry out over six or more months. Wood that’s still green or wet will burn more slowly and may produce smoke even if you use it in a smokeless fire pit.

Peak concentrations were between 250% and 400% higher after the stove door was opened to add more fuel. The researchers named these ‘flooding events’.

Success!

With central heating more expensive than ever, burning your own fuel to stay warm might feel like an economical - as well as cosy and aesthetically pleasing - choice. We found the firebox to be a little shallow at eight inches, but we were able to get two layers of logs loaded in. This meant re-loading a little more frequently, but that had no bearing on its smoke-free performance. To empty the ash pan, we had to reach in and remove the perforated bottom grate and tip it to dump any ash off and into the pan below. After removing the grate, we could remove and dump the pan though the pan is smaller than the grate, so some ash is going to fall around the outside edge. According to a report released in 2017 by the Air Quality expert group, one Ecodesign-compliant wood-burning stove releases the same amount of particulate matter per hour as 18 newer diesel cars or six modern heavy goods vehicles. We fed logs as needed to keep the wood loaded even with the rim, which had flames extending 12 to 24 inches out of the fire pit, creating a comfortable warm zone. The X Series is the shortest model we tested, which meant that we could feel more heat radiating lower on our knees as we sat two feet from the fire pit.