Fire Starter Recommendations

JP2558

Title says it all. There are a lot of choices on Amazon. What's the consensus here for a good fire starter for campfires? We don't need a 50 or 100 pack, 20-25 will do, and as always, storage space is a consideration too. Thanks in advance!

ScottG

I personally like the little wax/sawdust bricks (various brands)--they light reliably and burn long enough to be forgiving if you haven't been meticulous with your kindling. You can stretch them by using a half or even a quarter brick and they still work fine.

qhumberd

We use fatwood which you can add or subtract to your fire starter kindling depending on how wet and the type of wood. Burns hot and does not take up much space. We get them at grocery store most often when on sale

ChrisFix

I've been loving these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00138MO16/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I use 2 squares to light a fire...Has worked like magic everytime!
They look a bit like a giant candy bar...so you can carry one or a couple of bars with you (which is 5-10 fires worth, and they take up almost no space.
Will not go back to paper and kindling anytime soon...

CrabTab

We collect and pack dryer lint into empty toilet paper cardboard tubes. Wrap it all with a piece of wax paper, twisting the ends like a candy wrapper. They work well...

TNOutback

I’ve tried all kinds, but while in a campground, we just use charcoal lighter fluid on some pieces of scrap lumber.  Sometimes will use the fireplace starter blocks/logs you can get at HD or Lowes.

JP2558

Thanks for the input everyone, much appreciated!

Rodent77

I've been using this stuff for over 25years to light my fireplace in the house. Might work for your need as it is all natural and you can carry just a few sticks in a small bag for as needed... https://www.homedepot.com/b/Fatwood/N-5yc1vZfyg

Rodent77

@JP2558 if you read the previous post the fatwood doesn't stink either like some firestarters. 

nhmike

We do the same as Crab Tab without the wax paper.  The big plus is we're using throw away products.  Gotta try it to be a believer.

ecstatic

I really dig these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C3KO7X0/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

CrabTab

We will need to give it a try without the wax paper @nhmike. Thanks for the tip!

Tampakayaker

I've seen people make wax and lint starters in the cardboard egg cartons.  Just cut them apart when needed.  Also a charcoal grill chimney works great.  Put newspaper in the bottom, then above it put either charcoal or small pieces of wood.

mona

I’ve tried a lot of different fire starters. Right now, fat wood is my go to. 

falcon1970

Lots of good suggestions here, but I will still add my two cents:  I wad up dryer lint with a small amount of 0000 grade steel wool.  You can drip a little candle wax over the wad to keep it together but I have found it doesn't really unravel much at all without the wax.  To light it I use a 9v battery.  Touch the two terminals to the steel wool and you will have enough flame to ignite your kindling.  Be sure you use some sort of non-conductive cap over the terminals of the 9v battery when you store it.  If you just throw it into a drawer it might short out against something and start an unintended fire in the drawer.
BTW, this is exactly why you shouldn't store batteries (any kind) loose in a junk drawer.

Jersey

Tostitos tortilla chips. They light easily, large ones burn hot and stay lit a few minutes. I line up a few so they burn back to back. Economical at $3/bag and obviously double duty as a snack.

DanManz

This is a great thread!  I love the @Jersey suggestion of Tostitos tortilla chips.  Similar to @CrabTab we like to use dryer lint mixed with a little Vaseline.  You can put it in a small Tupperware container and scoop out a tablespoon or so glob to put under whatever other kindling you have.  

Jersey

DanManz said:

This is a great thread!  I love the @Jersey suggestion of Tostitos tortilla chips.  Similar to @CrabTab we like to use dryer lint mixed with a little Vaseline.  You can put it in a small Tupperware container and scoop out a tablespoon or so glob to put under whatever other kindling you have.  

Yeah, this things are all corn loaded up with oil. Works perfect and tastes great too. How many other fire starters can you eat?  Lol

GatorEgg

We dump our document/paper shredder in gallon ziplock bags.  Also our dryer lint gets kept and brought along.  In my survival packpack I also carry a small ziplock bag with dryer lint and or cotton balls mixed vaseline.

wolfeel2000

i make my own using cardboard egg cartons and empty the sawdust from my table saw or lathe into the cups and fill with melted paraffin wax.  I make a couple dozen at a time.

bergger

I usually just take my time and build a solid fire with proper kindling and laying out of the wood.  However sometimes we also use carboard egg cartons but fill it match light charcoal.  I usually cut the carton in half and use one half to help get the fire going.  

Lawyerboy

Weber, the grill company, sells fire starter wax like cubes at Home Depot and they can easily be stowed.  You place one under your pile of sticks or firewood, light it and easy fire.

tabiphile

We use wax soaked belly button lint. 
A Firestarter is generally not necessary if you have a small supply of dry kindling bits and some newspaper. We split a few bits of kindling from the wood we use, carefully stack it around crumbled newspaper and light it.... Cardboard egg cartons also work well as a starter. You might opt to use the waxed starters but if you pay close attention to what happens with them, they generally just sit in the midst of the kindling doing very little. They will be sitting mostly unburned in the base of the fire long after you have it started. 
If we are in a hurry then we either take the leftover charcoal from our Weber and dump it on top of our kindling pyramid or if we did not cook with the grill we will start use some charcoal in our charcoal starter chimney and dump that in. Lit charcoal will almost instantly start a campfire for you and it's not toxic. 

The key to building a good fire is to use good dry kindling and to make a nice small structure that will light. You must have a small hatchet or axe handy to prepare your kindling. If you try to start bigger pieces or damp pieces of wood than accelerants become more necessary.

4ncar

Step back, trained professional here; I was a Boy Scout!🤣

Denny16

A product know as Fat Wood works very well.  It is about the size of small kindling sticks, and has a natural high pitch waxy content, which burns quite easily, and will infinite bits of wood much larger than normal small kindling.  We use this in our home wood stove also.
cheers

AirBoss

@tabiphile

You know that feeling you get in your nose when you have a mouth full of Diet Coke and then you read something funny?

Yeah...thanks! BTW, I'll be sending you a bill for a new keyboard!