High-temperature adiabatic calorimetry enables accurate determinations to be made of the heat capacity of key materials and, furthermore, is indispensable for development of high-temperature enthalpy standards for differential scanning calorimetry. Adiabatic calorimeters may, however, be used as versatile instruments for studies of energetic and kinetic aspects of reactions as well. This paper summarizes aspects of the methodology and presents examples of specific applications of adiabatic calorimetry in solid state chemistry. Calorimetric approaches to spin transitions, metastability, and redox reactions in oxides with variable oxidation state of the metal are briefly reviewed.