Review: I Tried the Solo Stove Patio Heater

By Mary Henn

Updated on Sep. 24, 2024

The Solo Stove Patio Heater is back in stock, and we tested it for an entire year to let you know how it works before you buy.

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If you have a smokeless fire pit in your backyard, you’ve probably noticed that they don’t put out a ton of heat. That’s because their smokeless design funnels fumes and smoke (and heat) upward instead of outward into your face. So, if you’re looking for a patio heater that you can use in addition to your fire pit or on its own, the Solo Stove Tower Patio Heater may be what you’re after.

And if it comes from Solo Stove, we cover it at Family Handyman because, frankly, we’re obsessed with the brand. We’ve tried everything from the Pi Prime Pizza Oven to the Mesa Torches and more. So when we heard about the Solo Stove Patio Heater in October of 2023, we were stoked to see what it was all about.

We originally tested the heater during the spookiest month of the year, which is arguably the most perfect time for fire pit hangouts. Now, as October is nearing again, we decided to check in to let you know how the heater has held up over the last year.

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The Solo Stove Tower Patio Heater is a pellet-fueled heater that warms your outdoor space. Like the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 fire pit, it is smokeless. It has about a 10-foot heating radius, so it’s perfect for small to mid-sized patios during colder months.

The Tower Patio Heater’s hopper box holds about 25 pounds of pellets, and a full hopper box should produce about three hours of warmth. Quick note: Something I’ve learned about pellets while testing this patio heater and other Solo Stove products that are pellet-fueled is that there is a difference between the pellets you use in a smoker and pellets made for wood stoves and heaters. Namely, pellets made for pellet heaters like the Tower Patio Heater are less expensive and produce more heat.

That said, if you’ve been searching for a patio heater that doesn’t use propane, then this Solo Stove pellet heater may be just the thing you’re looking for. Pellets are generally easier to store and lighter than firewood; they’re typically less expensive than propane and don’t pose the same combustion risks.

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This pellet-fueled patio heater is perfect for warming your outdoor space.

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Pros:

Cons:

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The Tower Patio Heater measures 80-1/2 inches tall, nearly 20 inches wide and about 23-1/2 inches deep. At 104 pounds, it’s relatively lightweight for its size. The body of the heater is primarily matte black, while the sides of the heater’s base and the very top of the deflector are chrome. Honestly, it’s one of the best-looking patio heaters I’ve seen. (This still holds true a year later.)

I also love that the front of the heater has a perforated door that allows you to see into the base of the heater as the pellets are burning. This design feature provides an added touch of ambiance, as you can see the fire as you sit around and enjoy its warmth.

In my initial review of the patio heater, I mentioned that I planned to leave it outside most of the time. For testing purposes, I left it on the back patio all year, and it still pretty good. I do think it would have been nice to have some added protection against, like Solo Stove’s Tower Shelter, but it’s sold separately, and I did not purchase it. Truthfully, I wanted to see how the patio heater would take a year of unpredictable Midwestern weather. Still, I would highly recommend getting one to protect your Tower Patio Heater and keep it looking perfect.

Solo Stove does not advise placing the Tower Heater on any combustible surface (wood, plastic, grass, etc.). You should also keep it at least three feet from any combustible materials (i.e., a wood fence). The Tower Patio Heater is designed for patios with a concrete or stone surface, not a wooden deck.

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The Solo Stove Patio Tower Heater arrives at your door in two large boxes. One houses the heater’s base, and the other holds the tubing that makes up the heater’s tower. The boxes are heavy, so you may need assistance lifting and moving them from your front door to your backyard (or wherever you plan to assemble the heater).

I’ve said this before about Solo Stove packaging, but I wish the brand added a bit more protection and padding to their products, as I have received a couple of dented products now. Well, two products specifically: The patio heater and the Bonfire 2.0. Granted, I have received dozens of Solo Stove products that arrived in perfect condition, so the issue doesn’t seem to happen too frequently. However, Solo Stove products aren’t cheap—and I expect products to arrive without any defects or markings.

If your Solo Stove Patio Heater arrives defective, you should reach out to customer service, as the product has a lifetime warranty and is guaranteed to arrive free of factory defects. Because the hopper lid covered the most noticeable dent on the main body of the heater, I did not worry about reaching out to customer service, as it’s barely noticeable with the lid closed and doesn’t interfere at all with the heater’s use. However, during my second and third use of the heater, I noticed that the top of it was dented and part of the tower was chipped.

But enough about that, let’s talk assembly. While you might be able to get the Solo Stove Patio Heater built with one person, I wouldn’t recommend it. When it comes time to assemble the tower, it’s nice (necessary, in my opinion) to have an extra set of hands to hold the tower in place while screws are being inserted and tightened. Overall, assembly with two people wasn’t difficult. Although, there were a few things that made assembly more challenging than it needed to be.

Namely, the instructions and parts weren’t as clearly written or labeled in some places as they could have been. The instructions had some addendums, which helped, and the entire assembly process didn’t take very long. In other words, you should be able to use the heater within a couple of hours of opening the boxes.

Once the Tower Patio Heater was assembled, I filled the hopper box with pellets and opened the door to allow the pellets to flow through to the burn chamber. Once the burn chamber was filled with pellets, I closed the hopper box and lit a fire starter within it. The pellets within the burn chamber caught fire almost immediately.

Once the fire has had time to build, you’ll start to notice heat coming from the top of the tower. If you fill the hopper box completely, the pellets can be fed into the burn chamber continuously for a longer burn. While the Tower Patio Heater is said to have a heating radius of 10 feet, I found that the heat was most felt sitting within five feet of the tower.

I do question whether the heat deflector at the top of the tower could be wider to ensure that less heat escapes out above the tower. However, I found it to be quite cozy under the heater, and I loved being able to watch the fire burn through the door in front of the burn chamber. I also appreciated the smokeless, odorless heat that the Solo Stove Tower Patio Heater emits. It was pleasant to have the heat and visual charm of the fire without expensive propane and added fumes.

After testing it in chilly autumn and cold winter weather last year, I can say that this patio heater doesn’t put out quite enough heat to keep you warm when temperatures drop below 40 degrees. However, it’s perfect for crisp autumn nights when you need more light than heat, and it’s a stunning addition to any backyard setup.

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The Solo Stove Tower Patio Heater retails for $760, but Solo Stove frequently runs sales and regularly marks down the heater.

To ignite the Solo Stove patio heater, you’ll light the pellets in the burn chamber behind the front door of the heater’s base. You’ll light the pellets just as you would in a fire pit or any other pellet-burning device. I recommend using a fire starter to get the pellets burning easier and faster.

According to Solo Stove, you can use their fire pits on a wooden deck when paired with the Stand. Of course, whenever using a live fire in any situation, you’ll want to use caution. Never leave your Solo Stove unattended for any period of time.

A Solo Stove or any other smokeless fire pit is similar to a traditional fire pit, except smoke is funneled upward instead of outward to reduce smoke inhalation. That means some heat is funneled upward with the smoke as well. So, if you want to add more warmth to your backyard fire pit setup, we recommend getting a patio heater like the Solo Stove Tower to put out additional heat.

Other reviewers weigh in on the Tower Patio Heater on the Solo Stove site—here’s what they had to say.

Verified buyer Arrian B. says the heater is easy to start. They write, “Light a starter cube, open the gate and it fires right up. Definitely puts out the heat.”

Seth C. says it makes cold North Dakota temperatures on his patios enjoyable for a longer period of time. “It took 2 of them, but the ambient temperature of my patio in Northwest North Dakota has increased to the point I can use it a month later in the fall and a month earlier in the spring. Warmer than the propane ones that we’ve had in the past,” they write.

Kim A. loves it, too. She writes, “It makes a big difference when it is in the 20’s. We had our Yukon and the Tower going and it was comfortable.”

Shopping Editor Mary Henn spearheaded our Solo Stove review series over a year ago in response to our readers’ increased interest in Solo Stove fire pits. That series has grown to include almost all products from the brand. So far, she’s personally tested Solo Stove’s Bonfire 2.0, Mesa, pellet adapter, cast iron grill top, Pi Fire pizza oven, Pi Prime pizza oven, Mesa heat deflector, Adirondack chair and Mesa torch—and she’s currently testing all-new Solo Stove products for review.

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If you’ve been looking for a patio heater that uses an alternative fuel source to propane, then the Solo Stove Tower Patio Heater is one to consider. While it is an investment upfront, you may find that a pellet heater saves you money in the long run over a propane heater. Depending on what type of pellets you buy, they’re likely going to be cheaper than the cost of propane. Additionally, if you’re looking to avoid propane for other reasons, a pellet heater is an excellent option.

Again, I love the way the Solo Stove Tower Patio Heater looks. I love that it’s sleek yet rustic—and Solo Stove does say that the heater will change color over time. The black will change to dark gray, and the stainless steel will be bronze as the heater ages and the outside of it oxidizes. I, personally, like that rustic charm—and the fact that you can see the fire burning on a chilly night for the coziest autumn and winter vibes. Add in a cup of hot cider and a blanket, and you can create the patio setup of your dreams.

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After one whole year of testing the Solo Stove Patio Heater, I can say that it definitely looks more rustic. It’s taken an entire year of weathering without coverage—snow, rain, lightning, winds, you name it. The Solo Stove Patio Heater has survived a frigid Midwestern winter with ice and snow, plus tornado season in Kansas. And it still works like a charm. Yes, it looks a bit weathered, but I don’t mind it. That’s sort of the nature of outdoor appliances and furniture.

I recommend purchasing Solo Stove’s Tower Shelter separately. Had I not intentionally exposed the patio heater to the elements for testing purposes, I would have snagged one to protect it. After all, it is a bit of an investment.

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Solo Stove's patio heater lets you watch the fire that warms you for ultimate cozy vibes.

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The Tower Patio Heater retails for $760 at Solo Stove, and the Tower Shelter retails for $90, which is a great Solo Stove accessory to include. The best place to shop for the patio heater is directly from the retailer to ensure free shipping, a lifetime warranty, and customer service assistance if needed.