Best Fire Starters of 2021

Publish date: 2024-05-06

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If you're in the wilderness, be it on a camping trip, a backpacking trek, or anything else, knowing how to properly start a fire is a highly beneficial skill. With a warm, crackling fire, you can cook up a meal, boil and purify water, ward off the cold of winter, or add some light to your campsite. You may even need it if you ever find yourself in a survival situation, whether it's for keeping warm or alerting people to your location.

Being able to reliably make fire starts with what you pack along with you. True to their name, fire starters make the entire process far easier. With a suitable fire starter in your hike, camp, or outdoor kit, setting up a campfire, backyard bonfire, or any other type of flame can be done in a matter of minutes — so long as you have the right fire starter on hand. 

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Always take proper precaution

Of course, with the deadly fires we've seen in recent years, you should always take proper care when starting a fire, as well as putting it out. We advise against using one of these products if you lack the experience and highly recommend consulting an expert before using them. It doesn't hurt to heed Smokey Bear's fire safety rules, either.

Here are the best fire starters: 

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Updated on 2/3/2021 by Rick Stella: Updated the review of the Zippo Emergency Fire Kit, added links to relevant Insider Reviews coverage and fire safety, checked the availability of each recommended fire starter, and updated the prices. 

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