Solo Stove donated this product for the purpose of review.
There’s nothing worse than realizing your campsite doesn’t include a fire pit, especially if you’ve been building up S’mores as a reward for good behavior with the kids. Then there’s all the work to build a larger fire in a traditional pit. This Mesa Tabletop Fire Pit review highlights why this compact Solo Stove is the perfect solution and an amazing alternative to traditional fire pits.
Solo Stove’s Mesa Tabletop Fire Pit is a cylindrical portable fire pit made of stainless steel and ceramics. It is 6.8” tall, 5.1” in diameter, and weighs only 1.4 pounds. It comes with a stand, can burn pellets or traditional firewood, and has a nylon carry bag.
Mesa Tabletop Fire Pit At-a-Glance
Let’s begin with a quick snapshot of the Mesa Tabletop Fire Pit’s main features and specifications:
Specs
- Materials: 304-grade Stainless Steel and Ceramic
- Weight: 1.4 pounds
- Dimensions: 6.8″ H x 5.1” D
What’s Included?
- Tabletop fire pit
- Stand
- Pellet adapter
- Nylon carry bag
See the full list of specs and features
Who Is This For?
The Solo Stove Mesa Fire Pit would be great for just about any camper. It’s small and portable, making it easy to fit in the storage of any RV, from the largest fifth wheels to the smallest teardrop trailers. Its size also makes it easy to set up on its stand on a picnic table or another flat surface to have a quick, hot, enjoyable fire in minutes. For some real backwoods ambiance, consider having a few of them strategically located around your campsite (or backyard).
Why is a Solo Stove Better than a Fire Pit?
A stove like the Mesa Tabletop Fire Pit has many advantages over a traditional fire pit. Because of the high burn temperatures it creates, there is much less ash after a fire, and the ash is finer than what you get from traditional fires. This makes for easy cleanup – if you need to clean up at all.
Most Solo Stove products are designed to be portable, allowing you to enjoy a safe wood or pellet fire in campgrounds without a fire pit at your site. They also expand your ability to enjoy a safe fire when camping off-grid, allowing you to bring your own pit instead of creating one in the natural environment and risking an ethical Leave No Trace violation.
What are the Pros and Cons of the Mesa Tabletop Fire Pit?
We quickly fell in love with this durable little stove. We’ve used it in various environments, from camping to a cabin stay to sitting out under the stars in our backyard. Here are our positives and negatives of the Solo Stove Mesa fire pit:
Pros
- Lightweight and easily portable. You can take it with you just about anywhere you go.
- Easy to store. Store this fire pit (or two) in your RV or trailer to have it ready to go once the sun goes down.
- Versatile. Use it to create a warm ambiance during a tailgate, or set it up in the backyard for s’mores for the kids and their friends. The dual fuel grate allows you to burn pellets or traditional wood.
- Easy to use. It fires up quickly, and the double-walled design encourages airflow and a secondary burn.
- Easy cleanup. The unique construction of the unit brings the flames to a higher heat point than conventional fires, which helps create a smokeless fire that also results in finer ashes.
Cons
- Flame visibility. Because the stove is cylindrical, unlike a traditional campfire, you will only see the top flames of the fire. For this reason, you may want to set it up on a lower surface to allow you to gaze into the actual fire.
Mesa Tabletop Fire Pit Features
Let’s take a closer look at the unique features of the Solo Stove Mesa Tabletop Fire Pit:
- Dual Fuel Capability: Burn with wood or pellets. Pellets burn for 30-45 minutes, while wood should be limited to pieces 5” or smaller.
- Tabletop Stand: It provides a solid, stable platform and elevates the fire pit above the tabletop. This provides an airspace to protect the tabletop, as the stove will get very hot. The stand is also foldable, so it packs up nicely for storage.
- Easy to Light, Easy to Feed: Just place the fuel inside and, with the added benefit of a fire starter, you’ll enjoy a warm fire in minutes, no matter your experience or skill level. Then, you can drop more fuel into the fire to sustain it long into the night.
- 304 Stainless Steel: This highly durable steel is surprisingly lightweight and easily withstands the pressure of an ultra-hot flame.
- Carry Bag: This simple drawstring bag is great for neatly packing and storing the fire pit. The bag is nylon, so be SURE the unit has cooled off completely before dropping it inside.
Would You Recommend the Mesa Tabletop Fire Pit?
I absolutely and unequivocally recommend this product. As a family, we adored the fire pit from the first flames and now use it regularly while camping and at home. We’re excited to fire it up any night and show it off to guests and friends.
We’ve become big fans of this product. It’s so easy to set up, prep, and fire up that we’re enjoying more fires than ever before. We may even consider getting multiple units to have a few going at once when we have a larger group camping trip, or perhaps at an outdoor party. We’re even now considering upgrading to the full-sized Ranger Fire Pit.
FAQs About the Solo Stove Mesa Stainless Steel Fire Pit
First-time users of a tabletop fire pit may have some reservations, but I assure you it’s incredibly easy to use, and having one is utterly delightful when camping.
Are tabletop fire pits any good?
During our testing, we found the product to be a great addition to our campsite, whether in addition to a traditional ring fire or as an alternative. We also use it regularly at home, especially while sitting out in our backyard.
Will a Solo Stove work inside a fire pit?
You could absolutely set up a Solo Stove within a traditional fire pit. However, you should be sure that the surface upon which it sits is entirely flat, perhaps using flagstone or another flat surface that would be safe to handle very hot temperatures.
How long will Solo Stove Mesa burn?
This will vary based on the fuel you use. We found the pellets to be a delightful option because they light quickly and burn clean and hot. A full load of pellets (285 grams) will give you about 45 minutes. It’s a little harder to gauge how long a full load of wood burns in the stove because we kept adding more. It should generally burn a little longer –about an hour, but will likely require more regular tending than burning pellets.
We only used the pellets for a single, continuous burn and didn’t add any more. You could certainly add more if you were careful, but it’s far easier to add wood, as you just drop in whatever wood you’re burning. Adding pellets would require some sort of large, fire-resistant scoop or something.
What can you burn in a Solo Stove Mesa?
You can burn pellets and traditional wood. We found it a great way to safely burn fallen tree limbs from our yard, particularly the smaller ones that we’d normally save for kindling for a larger fire. The manufacturer also sells a smokeless gel that you can burn within the stove.
How Does the Mesa Tabletop Fire Pit Compare to the Competition?
There are many fire pit options out there in a variety of sizes. Some larger, heavier units might be more suited to a more permanent camping situation or simply to light and delight your backyard. Don’t forget portable propane fire pits for camping which offer a alternative to a wood fire.
- If you want to go big, check out the Solo Stove Ranger Fire Pit Select Bundle 2.0, which is more than 16” tall (yet only weighs 16 pounds) and comes with a removable base plate, ash pan, stand, shelter, and carry case.
- If you want a larger unit, check out the nearly 17” tall TIKI Brand Retreat Smokeless Fire Pit (but note that it weighs 41 pounds).
- The Ukiah Tailgater X Portable Fire Pit is a portable tabletop propane unit that comes with a magnetic lid, lava rocks, and electric ignition (and their Ukiah Tailgater II Premium Portable Audio Gas Fire Pit with Beat-to-Music Technology actually features a mode that synchronizes the flames to your music).
- The Duraflame 5.5″ Stainless Steel Mini Fire Pit is also 6.8” tall and has fold-down feet, a pellet chimney addition, and a nylon storage sack.
Portable fire pits are great for easier, cleaner fires wherever you go. They can also be a nice patio upgrade for your campsite. Here are a few other gear reviews and patio upgrades to consider:
- Ukiah Firepit Review: Looking Into the Qube
- 7 Charming Patio Lighting Ideas for Your RV
- The Best Rocking Camping Chairs from GCI Outdoors
Do you have any questions about the Solo Stove Mesa Tabletop Firepit? Ask them in the comments below.
