Lighting an open fire when camping or having an impromptu barbecue are fantastic fun, but getting them started and keeping them going can be hard work. One simple invention that will make this often frustrating task much easier is a pack of firelighters, which will add fuel and keep a flame going longer so your fire will take.
If you’re looking for something to make lighting your log burner, wood burning stove, fire pit or BBQ easy and stress-free, read on for our recommendations of the best firelighters to buy online from retailers such as Amazon. We've made sure to include the best prices as well as the best natural alternatives to traditional ones too. Let's get started!
Quick List - Top Firelighters
Log Barn
FSC-Certified Wood Make These the Better Choice for the Environment
Bryant & May
An Impressive High Fuel Content and Very Adaptable
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Table of Contents
There are many different brands of firelighter available to buy, but before we look at our recommendations, there are a few important considerations to take into account. It needn’t be a baptism of fire though, so make sure you take a look below first.
There are more and more natural alternatives becoming available to the traditional fuel ones, and each has their pros and cons, so here we will look in more detail at each of them.
The most widely available firelighters are the ones that are made of a solid hydrocarbon fuel, such as kerosene or paraffin. They are inexpensive to buy, and you can even pick them up from the supermarket when doing your weekly online shop.
The downside of this type of firelighter is that they aren’t environmentally friendly, as burning this type of hydrocarbon fuel produces larger amounts of carbon dioxide than their natural alternatives, which, in turn, contributes to global warming.
They are also strong smelling which may be an issue when barbecuing, as the odours can transfer to your food.
Natural firelighters are becoming more and more popular, and as a consequence are becoming more widely available. They can be made from a variety of natural fibres such as wood wool, wood shavings, natural waxes and other plant materials.
They are a really great alternative to their fuel counterparts, as they are non-toxic, odourless and often made with byproducts from other manufacturing processes. However, they aren’t quite as widely available and they are often the more expensive option, so it may be worth buying in bulk if you go for these.
Firelighters can come in packs of varying sizes and while buying a larger pack of one brand may seem like good sense, depending on the firelighter, this may end up being a false economy. This is because different brands need more lighters to get a fire to take than others.
If you pay close attention to the manufacturer’s information, then you will be able to gauge how many firelighters you will need to use each time you light your chosen fire type. By doing this, you will be making sure you are getting the best value out of your purchase.
You should bear in mind which type of fire you are most likely to be needing the firelighters for, as not all types can be used on any type of fire. Some varieties are only suitable to be used outdoors, whereas others are not safe to be used on barbecues or anywhere food is being cooked.
So that you’re not tripped up by this – especially if you've set off on a camping trip – you should make sure you’re not accidentally buying firelighters that aren’t suitable for the task at hand.
Firelighters are all designed to burn for a set amount of time before the other wood or paper fuels in your fire take and allow it to continue to burn. Longer flame times not only give you more chance of success without needing additional firelighters, but they also can be more helpful if your coal, charcoal or wood is slightly damp.
While this detail is often overlooked, it is worth paying attention to it as this will let you know how long you have to get the fire going before they burn out.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Log Barn Natural Eco Wood Firelighters|Pack of 200 | ![]() | FSC-Certified Wood Make These the Better Choice for the Environment | |
2 | Flamers Natural Firelighters |Pack of 50 | ![]() | Economical and Use No Chemicals to Get Your Fire Going | |
3 | Bryant & May Long Burning Firelighters |Pack of 288 | ![]() | An Impressive High Fuel Content and Very Adaptable | |
4 | Weber Lighter Cubes|Pack of 48 | ![]() | Get Your Fire Lit Even in Wet and Windy Conditions | |
5 | Tiger Tim Sachet Firelighters|Pack of 240 | ![]() | Clean, Easy to Use, and Won’t Leave You With Smelly Hands | |
6 | Woodabrix Natural Wood Eco Firelighters|Pack of 96 | ![]() | Totally Odour Free With a Longer Burn Time Than Most | |
7 | Zip High Performance Energy Firelighters |Pack of 40 | ![]() | Longer and Hotter Burning for Improved Performance | |
8 | Quickfire Firelighters |Pack of 14 | ![]() | Reliable, Quick, and Easy to Use Every Time | |
9 | FIREGLOW Superior Performance Fireglow Firelighters |Pack of 24 | ![]() | Use the Highest Grade Kerosene for Less Smoke | |
10 | FIRE UP Natural Sustainable Firelighters |Pack of 200 | ![]() | Sustainably Sourced Materials and Good Value for Money |
Log Barn’s firelighters use wood wool and wax to light fast and stay lit for up to 10 minutes and are much more eco-conscious than other brands. They are very lightweight so will pack easily if you’re going camping, and only 1 lighter is needed per fire to get things going.
Made from FSC-certified wood, you can be sure that these aren’t causing any unnecessary damage to the environment, and they are very effective to boot making them not only better for the planet but also for your patience! These are the total package, and that’s why we’ve chosen them for our top spot.
Flamers firelighters are made from wood wool that has been dipped in paraffin, which ensures a long burn time and no lingering odours on your hands or in the air.
You only need 1 of these lightweight bundles per average-sized fire making them very economical, and they will light even when wet making them fantastic for camping. These are excellent at getting nearly any type of fire going very quickly and easily, and they’re not full of chemicals which is sure to appeal to many.
Everyone knows Bryant & May for their matches, but their firelighters have a high fuel content and are very easy to light and break up into smaller pieces. They burn for a good amount of time and are perfect for lighting barbecues, fire pits, or other garden fires.
These firelighters work on most types of fuel making them very adaptable. All in all, as well as being really reasonably priced for a large pack, these are very reliable, easy to break up and straightforward to use.
Get the perfect grilling experience with these firelighters from well-known barbecue brand Weber. Even in windy or wet conditions these firelighters will stay lit and get your grill going, and they are convenient to use and ash-free for easier cleanup.
Once again with the compressed cube style of firelighter, these aren't always easy to light to begin with, but they are very effective once they are totally ignited. These are much better for cooking food than traditional firelighters owing to them being odourless, and they burn for a long time which is useful.
Tiger Tim firelighters take all the effort out of lighting a fire, allowing you to warm up or get dinner going in no time. They come in clean and easy-to-use sachets, and they contain only top-grade kerosene for no odour and less smoke.
With these firelighters you do tend to use more than the manufacturer recommends, so you should bear this in mind when looking at the quantity in the pack. Aside from this, these are perfect for taking camping owing to their sachet format, and they save on smelly hands if you prefer a solid fuel lighter.
Woodabrix are made from compressed sawdust and vegetable oils and are completely odourless and tasteless when burned. They are safe to store as they don’t contain any liquid fuels, and even if they get damp they will still work perfectly, making them ideal for camping and caravanning trips.
These blocks aren't so consistent, however, as some light with no problems at all and others take a few attempts to stay aflame. Once the flame is established they burn slowly and are very effective at getting your kindling or charcoal lit, and they really are totally odour free!
Well-known brand Zip make these high-performance firelighters, and they promise to light easily and burn longer while using fewer cubes than other brands. Each cube burns for up to 18 minutes which is much longer than many others available, and they contain granules that make them burn much hotter as well.
While these work very well, they are perhaps on the more expensive side when compared to other solid fuel firelighters available, But if you’re looking for the best solid option, then these are hard to beat and make starting a fire a total walk in the park.
Quickfire firelighters are a reliable way of getting your fire going quickly and easily every time. While solid, they break apart easily or will crumble into smaller pieces to allow you to evenly distribute, and their improved formula guarantees great performance for every type of fire you want to set.
The maker of these firelighters doesn’t mention how long they should burn for, but they are known to burn out a bit quicker than the other brands. This may not be an issue if your other fuel is dry, however, and this is a good budget option, especially when bought in bigger quantities.
This pack of 24 firelighters are ideal for barbecues, wood burners and open fires alike. They are suitable for use in smokeless zones, as they use the highest grade kerosene fuel to produce a strong flame with minimal smoke.
The cubes are smaller than you might assume, and despite being scored, they don’t break into pieces very easily or cleanly. Other than this, they light very easily and sustain a hot flame for a good amount of time to get your kindling or coal to catch.
FIRE UP’s firelighters are totally non-toxic and won’t leach harmful chemicals into the soil or water system. They are free from palm oil and fossil fuels, and instead, use sustainably sourced compressed pinewood sawdust and vegetable oils to give you a good flame to start your fires with.
While these have fantastic credentials, they take a little longer than expected to light, although once they do catch, they work very well and get your fire going in no time. We really like the fact these are made from sustainable materials and that they offer good value for money.
No. 1: Log Barn|Natural Eco Wood Firelighters|Pack of 200
No. 2: Flamers|Natural Firelighters |Pack of 50
No. 3: Bryant & May|Long Burning Firelighters |Pack of 288
No. 4: Weber|Lighter Cubes|Pack of 48
No. 5: Tiger Tim|Sachet Firelighters|Pack of 240
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