The Solo Stove Tower is a wood-pellet patio heater rated at 72,000 BTU. Bob Vila's tester measured warmth as far as 6 feet away, against a 4.5-foot comfort zone from a 48,000 BTU Hampton Bay propane heater, and got up to 3 hours of burn from the 25-pound gravity-fed hopper. It weighs 104 pounds, has no heat control, and needs a cover that is sold separately.
Full review
A pellet-burning tower rather than a gas burner
Bob Vila describes the Tower as working like a compact wood stove or chiminea. A hopper at the rear holds 25 pounds of wood pellets and feeds them by gravity down a chute onto a grate in the firebox, where air drawn up through the grate keeps the flame intense. The reviewer got up to 3 hours of burn per fill without tending the fire. The unit is built from 304 stainless steel and cold rolled steel, stands 80.5 inches tall and weighs 104 pounds.
Heat measured against a propane heater
Bob Vila ran the Tower next to a 48,000 BTU Hampton Bay propane patio heater. The gas heater made a comfort zone within a 4.5-foot radius, while the Tower's heat could be felt as far as 6 feet away. The review puts the difference down to where the heat comes from: the Tower's firebox sits at ground level and the whole chimney radiates, while a gas heater concentrates heat near its top.
Warm-up is slower than gas. The reviewer needed about 10 minutes before the stove gave off detectable heat and about 20 minutes to reach full temperature.
Assembly, first burn and placement
The heater arrived in two boxes and went together in about 30 minutes, according to Bob Vila, which advises building it where it will stand because the assembled unit is cumbersome to move. On the first fire the unit smoked for a while and the stainless steel took on a bronze tone; the review says neither happened again on later burns.
The ground under the heater stayed cool to the touch in Bob Vila's check, but the firebox walls and chimney get dangerously hot. The review calls for at least 6 feet of horizontal distance from buildings and flammable materials and 15 feet or more of clearance above the chimney.
What it lacks
Bob Vila's main complaint is that there is no heat control. The Tower is designed to burn at maximum flame, so fuel cannot be saved on mildly cool evenings. The maker says the heater must be covered when not in use, and the review notes that a cover does not come with it.
Strengths
- +72,000 BTU output; Bob Vila felt heat as far as 6 feet away
- +25-pound gravity-fed hopper burns for up to 3 hours without tending
- +Firebox window gives a visible fire glow
- +Assembly took Bob Vila about 30 minutes
Watch-outs
- −No way to turn the heat down: it runs at full flame until the pellets are shut off
- −Takes 10 to 15 minutes to produce noticeable heat, per Bob Vila
- −104 pounds and awkward to move even with handles and wheels
- −Must be covered when not in use, and the cover is not included
How it compares
At 72,000 BTU the Solo Stove Tower is rated above the 46,000 BTU Amazon Basics and the 40,000 BTU Hiland HLDS01, and it burns wood pellets where those two and the Ninja Fireside360 run on propane. It is also the heaviest of the group at 104 pounds, against 39.9 pounds for the Ninja Fireside360.
Rating sources
Our 4.1 score is the average of these published ratings, each adjusted for how strictly its publisher scores. More about methodology.
