As far as fire pits go, Solo stoves are definitely in the top tier category of fire pits. Not only are they fuel-efficient, but they are also smokeless and highly durable. This makes them one of the most coveted fire pits on the market. Of course, you know it works differently from a conventional fire pit if you own a solo stove.

This makes you question whether you should use it as you would a regular fire pit. Keep reading to learn the best wood for Solo stove, among other things.

What wood burns best in a Solo stove?

The manufacturer recommends burning hardwood in a Solo stove, the top options being oak, hickory, and pecan. These tend to be seasoned, meaning that all the moisture has been pulled out of them, so they’ll burn very readily, with minimal smoke production.

You can also use the harder types of softwood, like cedar and Juniper – which is why Solo Stove provides Juniper themselves. These types, again, are usually well-seasoned, so you’re likely to get a good experience from them.

Check price here: What to Do with Fire Pit Ashes

However, Solo Stoves are very efficient burners and suck air in to feed the flames, so you can burn any wood on your stove as long as it’s cut into small enough pieces. You may find that some woods burn down very quickly, so it’s best to choose woods that will blaze for some time.

What size of wood fits in a Solo stove bonfire?

Solo stove recommends using logs that are 8-12″ in length. You can also use wood blocks and charcoal briquettes. Depending on your model, you may need larger or smaller pieces.

The Best Wood Size for the Ranger Solo Stove

The Ranger is the smallest fire pit made by Solo Stove.

The Ranger is 13″ wide and 12″ deep.

It needs chunk wood to burn.

Full-size logs would be too large.

Solo recommends using 4-6 chunks of hardwood to start your fire.

The Best Wood Size for the Bonfire Solo Stove

The Bonfire is the Solo Stove medium-sized fire pit.

The Bonfire measures 17″ wide by 14″ deep.

While the Bonfire can burn chunks, it can also handle short firewood logs.

Use logs 12″ to 16″ in length.

To start a fire in your Bonfire, use 4-6 logs.

The Best Wood Size for the Yukon Solo Stove

The Yukon is the largest Solo Stove fire pit.

The Yukon is 23″ wide and 16″ deep.

For best results, Solo recommends using logs measuring 20 inches!

This is longer than most store-bought firewood.

Because of its size, 8-10 logs are recommended to start up the Yukon.

Note: Whatever the size of your Solo Stove fire pit, the manufacturer recommends burning hardwoods, such as oak or maple. However, if you are looking for native Texas wood, pecan is another excellent choice. There are also several other hardwood species available in the area, including fruit woods, ash, and bois d’arc.

What can you burn on a Solo stove?

The best burning wood for a Solo stove is dry hardwoods. Hardwoods such as birch, maple, hickory, and oak, will burn longer and cleaner than softwoods. You can also use charcoal on your Solo stove.

Ensure that whatever kind of wood you are using; it’s nicely dried out. For example, you should never use wet wood in your Solo Stove, as it will smoke a lot more, and you will struggle to get a flame to take to it.

Since the smoke isn’t very good for you to breathe and one of the major selling points of a Solo Stove is its reduced smoke production, this is a pretty important factor to consider. You don’t want to be breathing in smoke particles when you’re sitting outside and enjoying your fire!

Wet wood will also make your fire pit harder to clean because of the extra smoke production. While many people aren’t too worried about the aesthetics of their stove, it’s worth considering this when you’re selecting your fuel. In addition, burning wet wood can cause a lot of build-ups, which you may struggle to shift.

Wet wood doesn’t give off much heat and is more likely to prove frustrating to light. It may even simply burn out if it’s very wet. On the other hand, it will just hiss and spit if it’s only damp but won’t provide a satisfying blaze.

The more seasoned the wood is, the better the burning experience. It is also much better for the environment to burn well-seasoned wood as it reduces emissions. Wet wood is very inefficient as a fuel source.

Other Fuel Sources

You can put pretty much any dry kindling in your Solo Stove and successfully light a fire. For example, you might use pine cones, twigs, sticks, or even dry leaves or moss. These make great fire starters, although they won’t burn for long, so you still need logs.

The key is to ensure your fuel is all dry. Wet fuel will result in a smokey fire, which isn’t good for you or your Solo Stove.

Can I use Duraflame logs in a Solo stove?

It is not advisable to use Duraflame logs in your Solo stove. Duraflame fire logs should not be burned in wood stoves or fireplace inserts with doors that will affect airflow. Additionally, Duraflame logs cannot be used with other types of fuel. You cannot add wood to a Duraflame fire. When you add other materials to the Duraflame fire, it can change the characteristics of the burn.

Check this too: How Do You Keep a Solo Stove from Rusting?

Duraflame fire logs are designed to burn one at a time with a controlled burn rate that burns the log’s external surface area, slowly exposing more internal fuel as the log burns. Adding wood to a burning fire log can cause the log to break apart, resulting in a suddenly increased burn rate or flare-up.

If a flare-up occurs, flames can consume your fireplace, creating more heat and smoke than your chimney is designed to exhaust, resulting in unwanted smoke potentially pouring out the front of your fireplace.

Duraflame also contains twice the BTU energy content per pound of firewood, so burning the fire logs with wood could create excessive heat exceeding your Solo stove’s specifications.