A warm and inviting fire creates the atmosphere of late-night conversations, scary stories, and cherished family time. They are the s’more delicatessen waiting for young hands to test marshmallow burning skills.
One of the biggest complaints people have about starting up a fire for a campsite or in an outdoor accessory is all the smoke. While the heat feels great and the fire is warm, the smoke can end up stinking up your clothes and continually wafting into your face as you try to talk.
That is why many people are turning to smokeless fire pits as an alternative fire experience vs the traditional fire pits. These handy and often mobile devices create the desired heat and fuel for enjoying the outdoors but without the problem of heavy campfire or fireplace smoke.
We have an excellent little side yard and patio area at our review office location, where we set up a few different types of smokeless fire pits to test out their claims and provide a bit more in-depth info for our readers. None of these smokeless fire pits required a lot of work, and the fuel type is varied enough for practically any fire pit application. So let’s dig into our review of smokeless fire pits.
What is a Smokeless Fire Pit?
A smokeless fire pit is a type of backyard or patio fireplace that lets you enjoy the heat and ambiance of an outdoor fire without any smoke, ash, or soot. Smokeless fire pits operate like regular gas fire pits, wood, and wood pellets stoves, but with one significant difference – they are designed to catch all the smoke before it escapes into the air.
The unique design of a smokeless fire pit works to create less smoke whenever you burn different types of fuel. There is also a re-burning process through secondary combustion that elevates the airflow, so the fire is extremely hot, eliminating more smoke from getting out into the air around the fire pit.
Smokeless is a relative term. There is a small amount of smoke that will come out of a smokeless fire pit, but it is incredibly tiny compared to the onslaught of smoke you would typically get from a fire pit used at a camp or on your backyard porch. The fire pit works to reduce this smoke to a tiny trickle.
Most smokeless fire pits are made from copper, cast iron, stainless steel, or heat-resistant materials to ensure a safe and durable experience.
The benefits of a smokeless fire pit include:
- No Smoke – A smokeless fire pit reduces the amount of smoke coming out of the fire and fuel to a minimal amount. This creates a far more rewarding fire pit experience without sacrificing heat or ambiance.
- No Ashes – Your friends won’t have to shovel out ashes after they’re done grilling, and there won’t be any leftovers in the pit when they leave due to the extreme heat being worked inside of the fire pit.
- Easy Maintenance – Most smokeless fire pits are designed for as little work on the part of the owner as possible. That means less cleanup or concern over breakable parts.
- Excellent fuel efficiency – With a higher fuel burn point and heat, a smokeless fire pit is highly efficient. That means fewer materials escaping into the atmosphere or your breathing space.
- Keeps things local – You do not have to worry about bugging your neighbors with a smokeless fire pit. There will not be enough smoke to work its way to their yards.
How Do Smokeless Fire Pits Work?
Smokeless Fire pits are designed to eliminate the smoky, odor-causing flames that come from traditional fireplaces. In addition, smokeless Fire pits create a more efficient combustion mechanism than conventional fireplaces because they have better airflow and design in order to generate heat.
You get much more heat from a smokeless fire pit than from a traditional campfire or fireplace. This is because the device works with a thicker (double-wall design) enclosure that maximizes heat efficiency and distribution. That includes working well with a variety of fuels – most often being wood.
A smokeless fire pit captures the smoke from burning fuel into a double-walled enclosure that can then reburn that material before it escapes into the cool air. This is not entirely foolproof but effective enough to eliminate most smoke, odor, and materials in a fire.
We should note that dry wood was the best fuel source that worked with the different smokeless fire pits we tested out. So if you can find a way to get your wood from a dry source, especially one that is a year or two old, you will be in great shape.
Do Smokeless Fire Pits Give Off Heat?
Not only are smokeless fire pits excellent at giving off heat, but they also use a double wall enclosure for more intense heat exchange. That creates higher temperatures that help you stay warm and cozy throughout a cool night in the fall. These devices can sometimes reach temperatures of 800-1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, but we suggest staying a bit under that heat level.
You will need to use your own judgment as far as heat from a smokeless fire pit is concerned. We had the two different fire pits we tested out cranked up pretty high that we had to sit back a ways from the actual devices.
We suggest following the directions on the smokeless fire pit you decide to purchase and then running a few tests to find the best burning point for the heat you want with as little work as possible. That way, you can enjoy more time with family and friends instead of managing the fire pit.
Do Smokeless Fire Pits Smell?
Smokeless fire pits do not smell as much as a conventional fire pits. They smell less than gas, charcoal, and propane fire pits.
Smokeless fire pits are made of premium materials and have a design that is meant to limit the amount of smoke emitted from the burning of wood or other fuel sources through a re-burning process even at a high temperature
They do this by using an airflow system that allows the heat to be vented towards your surrounding area instead of into the air around you. This means that most users will experience little – if any – exhaust fumes. That includes smells from the inside of the smokeless fire pit. With such efficient heat exchange, most smells get burned up in the re-burning process.
The smell you get from a standard fire pit is because of the materials or fuel you are burning. The best option for a smokeless fire pit is dried wood. The lower the moisture in the smokeless fire pit, the less chance of any odor. That will make your friends, family, and guests a lot more comfortable. They will not have to deal with the scent of the smokeless fire pit getting into their clothes, hair, or faces.
Best Smokeless Fire Pits – Breeo vs. Solo Stove
When it comes to picking out the best smokeless fire pits, there are several things you should keep in mind:
- Ease of use and maintenance. Every time you want to use your fire pit, you will have to clean it up before lighting a fire. You don’t want to be stuck with a unit that takes hours upon hours of cleaning every week. A smokeless fire pit should be easy to maintain because of the high heat.
- Durability and longevity. The last thing anyone wants is for their smokeless fire pit will not to last more than six months before breaking down on them. Look for materials proven to hold up well in outdoor settings.
- Portability and size. Finally, think about the overall size of the smokeless fire pit you wish to purchase. A lot of users prefer something that can easily be moved around the backyard or taken on camping trips.
We used two different smokeless pits as part of our pits review.
Both were exceptional quality and design, allowing for a unique smokeless fire pit experience from our review team. They included:
Solo Stove Smokeless Fire Pit
This is an easy-to-move-around metal cylinder container perfect for backyard, travel, or camping trip. The Solo smokeless fire pit uses the airflow reburning process for heat and distribution and creates enough open flame for cooking up to a point.
There are three different types of Solo smokeless fire pits you can learn about more from our recent Solo smokeless fire pit brand review. Our favorite was the smokeless Solo Stove Bonfire. This is roughly 14 x 19.5 inches and weighs about 20 pounds.
The Bonfire smokeless fire pit is designed for around 5-12 people and is large enough for using a grill on top. We were able to cook burgers and hot dogs without any extra work with the Solo Bonfire smokeless fire pit stove.
The heat is significant enough for our review team to experience a warm sensation without getting too close, and the materials are made from 304 stainless steel. That means you will get years of use out of this smokeless fire pit creation.
Solo offers a warranty on their smokeless fire pits, and the customer service team is excellent.
Breeo Smokeless Fire Pit
This stress-free smokeless fire pit option puts out a great deal of heat and is relatively easy to clean. The primary difference between the Breeo and the Solo smokeless fire pits is that the Breeo is much harder to move around because it is larger.
Even the smallest Breeo smokeless fire pit design is set at 14.75” x 22.1” and has a weight of 47 pounds. While some in our review could move that around with ease, most of us required a second or third pair of hands.
The Breeo smokeless fire pit is something you want as a permanent installation as your backyard fire pit or around your family cabin. It is built with heavy, thick steel that uses X Airflow technology that is a bit more advanced than the Solo but has a similar final result – less smoke, more heat, and easy clean-up.
The price tag on the Breeo is a bit more than the Solo, so you should check out the latest listings or read our in-depth Breeo smokeless fire pit review to see if it is suitable for your home.
Wrapping it Up
Sure, you can use a traditional wood-burning fire pit, but that means you’re going to end up with a lot of smoke and ash in your yard, odor in your clothes/hair, and a bit of maintenance. Plus, it can be frustrating when your eyes are watering from all the smoke. A smokeless fire pit is an easy solution to this problem by emitting minimal smoke.
The best thing about these types of fire pits is that they don’t give off any smoke or other harmful particles that could potentially harm you or your family while they are enjoying their time by the fire. If you have been considering getting one for yourself but haven’t yet because of safety concerns, then now would be a great time to look into some options before making up your mind about whether or not this type of outdoor heating source will be right for your needs.
A regular fire pit may be a less expensive option, but a smokeless fire pit will give off little smoke and offer the comfort of good fires everyone can enjoy. If you’re looking for a comfortable easy to use smokeless fire pit, Breeo and Solo Stove are a great option.
Thanks for reading and let us know what you think in the comments section.
