Solo Stove Yukon 2.0 Review

Our Solo Stove Yukon Experience

The Solo Stove Yukon 2.0 is an ideal fire pit for group and family gatherings, with impressive heat output, minimal smoke, and a durable stainless steel construction.

The Yukon is cylindrical in shape, composed of 304-grade stainless steel, and features a removable ash pan and base plate.

One of our favorite pits for backyards and patios, the Yukon can withstand the elements without worry of corroding or rusting out. It does not come with a cover, but if you plan on leaving it out year-round, it's a good idea to consider one.

The larger diameter of the Yukon does mean it requires feeding more wood into the pit than you would be accustomed to with smaller pits, but once a fire is achieved, the Yukon is one of the easiest and most efficient smokeless pits we've ever tested. We never felt the need to dodge smoke or play musical chairs around the fire. It produces plenty of heat, enough to keep an entire crew of people warm even on the coldest nights.

At the end of the night, using the removable ash pan, you simply remove the base plate (once cooled) and dispose of the ash until you're ready to use the pit again.

Heat output

With infrared thermometer readings of up to 1,000 degrees and heat dispersion well past 6 feet, the Yukon was one of the best-performing pits in our heat output tests.

Three medium-sized logs burned for up to 70 minutes with minimal tending. We could comfortably fit logs up to 22" inches wide, allowing for longer and hotter burning fires.

And compared to its little brother, the Bonfire 2.0, the larger diameter clearly helped radiate more heat outward, as our testers, friends, and family all confirmed.

Smoke Management

No other pit reduced smoke particles as much as the Yukon 2.0. The double-chambered walls and top and bottom vent holes allow air to circulate and burn the smoke before it reaches the outside of the pit.

While this concept is used in almost every smokeless fire pit design, the Yukon repeatedly proved to be the most effective. Even during ignition before the “secondary burn” was achieved, smoke was minimal, especially compared to a non-smokeless pit.

Portability

Our one big gripe with the Yukon 2.0 is its lack of portability. Weighing 42 lbs and lacking proper hand placement for carrying, we'd recommend keeping this pit in a designated location. Its wide, cylindrical shape also makes carrying the Yukon solo a tough task.

Ease of Cleaning

The Yukon 2.0 has an improved ash plate design that is now removable. The ash pan sits under the base plate. Removal involves removing the base plate, then accessing the tray to dispose of the ash.

The biggest flaw in cleaning the Yukon is the need to remove the base plate to access the ash pan. Leftover logs and larger coals that don't make it through the grate end up on top of the base plate. This entails awkwardly trying to move the base plate without spilling larger coals and ash. This is where more thoughtful designs, such as removable sliding trays, are appreciated.

Ease of Assembly

Aside from removing the Yukon from its packaging, inserting the baseplate, and setting the ash pan into place, there is essentially no assembly required. Solo Stove also does a nice job with its packaging to avoid damage to the stainless steel during transport.