The 8 Best Fire Starters of 2023

Best Overall

Billy Buckskin Co. Fatwood Fire Starter Sticks

4.7

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Made of 100 percent natural fatwood, this fire starter is among the safest and purest fire starters you can buy because it relies not on chemicals but on wood, sap, and resin. While it’s not the cheapest fire starter option, it is a good value given its composure and versatile use. You can use it anywhere you need a fire: for example, in a fireplace, in outdoor fire pits, on grills, and in the wilderness on a camping trip. Each lightweight stick is approximately the size of a forearm.

Once lit, these fire starters burn long enough to create an impressive heat source, typically around 10-20 minutes. Due to their natural composure, some may take slightly longer to light than others, albeit not to a degree that subtracts from user friendliness. 

Outdoors, we love that Billy Buckskin Fatwood Fire Starters are impervious to inclement weather and can be used in all outdoor and indoor conditions. As a bonus, the resin content is known to keep bugs at bay, making it a great option for the outdoors. One note on indoor use, however: Due to these pieces’ resin-rich nature, they often emit black smoke. While this is not dangerous, it can pose a potential issue if you’re using them indoors, say, in a fireplace. That said, most fireplaces typically account for smoke and soot residue. 

You can buy these fatwood sticks in large boxes of varying weights, ranging from 10 to 50 pounds. Since this fire starter requires a mere two sticks per lighting, a 50-pound box should last you quite awhile.

Price at time of publish: $33

_{Material: Fatwood, pine, and resin | Burn time: 15-20 minutes}

Best Ferro Rod

Exotac fireROD Ferrocerium Fire Starter

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A ferro rod is a metal shaft with a groove down the middle that holds some tinder. When you scrape it with a sharp object, sparks emerge that ignite the tinder and start a fire.

This stylish, beautifully designed fire starter, available in three hues, is an excellent gift for those who appreciate an elegant way to start a fire. It’s super-durable, thanks to its anodized aluminum body, which withstands all weather conditions without corroding. The ferro rod inside is replaceable, which means you don’t have to buy an entirely new tool once the rod has worn out. Which it shouldn’t do anytime after your purchase, since the manufacturer rates it to start 5,000 fires.

With a diameter of 5/16 inch, a length of less than 5 inches, and a weight of just over 1 ounce, this is a super transportable option, making it perfect not only for your home’s hearth but also for carrying on a hiking or camping trip. It also contains room to store tinder. 

We note that the product lacks a striker; however, it’s easy enough to use the edge of a knife or another sharp object to spark a fire in seconds.

Price at time of publish: $28

_{Material: Ferrocerium | Burn time: 5,000 strikes}

Best for Food

Superior Trading Co. All Natural Fire Starter with Galvanized Bucket

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While at first glance this looks like a bucket of fish food flakes, a closer look reveals that it’s actually a shredded compilation of wood shavings (sawdust) and wax. The wax just so happens to be food-grade to boot, making this a perfectly safe option for roasting and toasting indoor or outdoor camping classics, such as hot dogs and s’mores. 

This fire starter is incredibly easy to use: Simply dump the contents of one pod (the package contains 40) into a burgeoning fire, light it up, and watch your fire dance within mere seconds. While the product is advertised as non-smoking, it can, in fact, create a bit of smoke in certain scenarios. That said, we don’t consider this factor a deterrent.

The set comes with a sturdy steel bucket, which is reusable and useful in many outdoorsy scenarios. It’s worth noting that sawdust can be messy at times, so make sure you secure your goods prior to throwing them in your car or backpack.

Price at time of publish: $20

_{Material: Food-grade wax, sawdust | Burn time: 10-15 minutes}

Best for Backpacking

Zippo Typhoon Match Kit

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While these may look like any old matches, they most certainly are superior. They’re typhoon matches, which refers to a Zippo match that’s water-resistant, wind-resistant, and incredibly easy to strike (no more fumbling or wasting matches!). For these reasons, this match set is perfect for backpacking—which, as any backpacker knows, can entail wayward weather at the most inconvenient times. 

This set contains 15 of these practically magical matches. Depending on your perspective, they are an excellent deal given their durability and quality; or on the pricier side compared with most matches. 

This kit also comes with a carrying case, which is more durable than the matches it holds. Made from rigid, lightweight plastic, the case floats in water, making it easy to retrieve in any situation (such as if you and your backpack end up in a stream!). The bright-orange hue also adds visibility, so this handy match set is rather difficult to lose. Moreover, it’s also equipped with a lanyard hole, making it simple to port around with you at all times.

Price at time of publish: $15

_{Material: Plastic | Burn time: 30 seconds}

Best for Fireplace

Plow & Hearth Pinecone Fire Accessory

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In general, pine cones make excellent fire starters. These pine cones, designed expressly for indoor use, deliver all the great qualities of trusted wooden pine cones, plus a heck of a lot more.

Besides growing your fire rapidly, these cones—ranging in size from a tablespoon to a can of peas—add a glorious array of blues, greens, and reds to your fireplace for approximately 15 minutes. They're just the thing for entertaining, family nights, and even last-minute gifts for virtually anyone who has a fireplace. The cones are conveniently packaged, too. 

The pine cones are designed also to be used in wood stoves, campfires, and fire pits. However, the manufacturer warns that you shouldn’t use them in gas fireplaces or pellet stoves.

Price at time of publish: $44

_{Material: Wood pinecones | Burn time: 10-15 minutes}

Best for Charcoal Grill

Looft Lighter All-Electric Charcoal Starter

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This electric fire starter can be used in virtually any scenario; the only caveat is that it requires a power source, so it’s not ideal for wilderness outings or emergency situations. To light your home charcoal grill, though, it’s fantastic. Simply plug in the near-10-foot-long cord and flip on its easy-to-see switch. Within 5 minutes, you can use it to light your coals; 4 times quicker than lighter fluid, according to the manufacturer. And you also can use it to light your fireplace kindling.

It heats up in a mere minute to an incredibly hot 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. Its aluminum heat shield aids in quick cool-down once you’re done using the device. We also like that the Looft Lighter doesn’t rely on lighter fluid—it’s powered by clean, superheated air—reducing its fire risk. This also means it emits no carbon dioxide.

While this device is on the pricier side compared with some other fire starter tools and methods, it is incredibly durable and should last for years.

Price at time of publish: $80

_{Material: Aluminum | Burn time: 60 seconds}

Best Eco Choice

Fire & Flavor Wood Wool All-Natural Fire Starters

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While there are many methods of lighting a fire pit, these wood wool nuggets are among the simplest and effective. This product, each of which we note burns for about 7 minutes, comes with 24 wood wool pieces, made from sustainable wood biomass and coated in non-GMO vegetable wax. The manufacturer says these are food safe and heat efficient, releasing more heat per gram than many other methods; and sustainable, made with wood fibers sourced from FSC-certified forests.

For all these reasons, they’re a good option to use for fire pits located around stomping grounds of pets and kids. Moreover, should someone want to break out the hot dogs and s’mores, these wood wool nuggets afford you the flexibility to let ‘em: They’re certified food safe. (In fact, we’ve found that wood wool can even enhance the flavor of food.) 

This box of 24 wood wool pieces is an excellent value. Plus, unlike some other fire pit tools and fuels, they are super lightweight, portable, and take up scant storage space. You need a source to light them, but that can be as simple as a lighter or household matches.

Price at time of publish: $21

_{Material: Wood wool, non-GMO vegetable wax | Burn time: Approximately 10 minutes}