When it comes to smokeless fire pits, a lot of the models perform pretty much the same, and they're all pretty durable too. That's why our top pick for the best fire pit — the Solo Stove — hasn't changed in a while.
Now the company introduced a new model, the Summit 24, which it says will help reduce the two biggest pain points when it comes to fire pits: Starting them and cleaning them. However, there's a little catch.
The Solo Stove Summit 24 features what the company calls a "Quick-Strike Cone" in the middle of the fire pit, which looks like a little metal volcano. After arranging your logs in the fire pit, you then pour a packet of the Solo Stove Fire Starter Gel onto the top of the cone, which then drips down the sides and onto the logs. After that you simply ignite the gel, sit back and relax.
As someone who was in the Boy Scouts and had to build numerous fires using kindling I foraged around the forest, this feels like a cheat code, but the gel will certainly be handy for those who don't have a lot of twigs lying about their yard.
The Summit 24's exterior design is also different from Solo Stove's older models, as it has a built-in stand, so you can use it on multiple surfaces without having to buy an additional accessory.
Solo Stove also claims that the Summit’s low-profile wall design will let you see 25% more flame visibility than the Bonfire.
The Solo Stove Summit 24 measures 24 inches in diameter, 15 inches high, and weighs 35 pounds. It went on sale today (September 8) for $599. That's $50 more than the 27-inch Yukon, and $250 more than the 19.5-inch Bonfire.
In addition, you have to buy the Starter Gel separately, which comes in a 6-pack for $19.99.
At the moment, it doesn't look like there are any accessories, such as a fire pit surround, that are compatible with the Summit 24, but we imagine that they'll be available before too long.
Once you've created a pretty much ideal product — like Solo Stove did with its original fire pit — it's tough to design something better. While many people will still gravitate towards Solo Stove's less expensive models, those who aren't as adept at lighting fires might prefer the Summit. Or, they could just get the cheaper Solo Stove and simply pour the starter gel over the logs.
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