Before you buy any other fire starter read this review featuring Safe Lite Fire Starter Squares from Rutland.
I love a natural wood fire. Our home has two natural fireplaces that are used constantly during the winter, through out the summer we enjoy a nice fire in the firepit down by the lake. The only aggravation is actually starting the fire.
I have tried every fire starter product that is out there. Everything. I have tried the long black ones that look like yak dung from Napal. I have tried the compressed wood and glue pucks. I even tried to use the fake logs in a bag. The problem with all of them is that they don't light as easily as they should. Then when they are lit, they don't put off a hot enough flame to light a normal size split piece of hardwood. I end up splitting the wood into kindling size wood and slowly working up to a big enough, hot enough fire to be self sustaining. And if that is not enough - they are expensive. I just cannot get myself to burn (pun intended) $2 or $3 just to light my fire.
The magic of the little squares from Safe Lite is, get this it is big, they actually burn. Each square is about 1" x 1" and when you put a match to it, the little thing lights instantly. It produces a hot flame for about 10 minutes which is long enough to get a huge fire started using normal split hardwood - no special splitting. I usually just use one square to light my fire. Now the second amazing thing about these - I bought a box of 144 squares at the local hardware store (Browns Do-It Center in Goodrich, Michigan) for $14.19. That works out to about $0.10 a fire!! Try yours today. Safe Lite Fire Starter Squares are available at my eStore.
