The best fire starters of 2019: Überleben, Zippo, and more

If you’re out in the wilderness on a camping trip, knowing how to properly start a fire can be beneficial. With a warm, crackling fire, you can cook up a meal, boil and purify water, ward off the cold of winter, and light up the darkness, bringing comfort to the nighttime forest. Or, you may need it if you ever find yourself in a survival situation, whether it is for staying warm or alerting people to your location.

The best fire starter is a lighter, followed closely by a match. These tools make the process of igniting a fire almost effortless, provided you have selected the proper tinder and fuel setup. If you’re headed out for a camping trip or assembling a disaster preparedness kit, always put a lighter and some emergency matches in there with the rest of the gear. But as lighters eventually run out of fuel or break, and as you can only carry a finite number of matches, it’s a good idea to also bring along a fire starter.

In a perfect world, your lighter or matches will always be at hand and you will never have to use your fire starter. In the real world, however, assume Murphy’s Law will apply during your next multiday hiking trip or when you find yourself stranded in the forest following some sort of dramatic, cinematic situation where the stakes are high, the dangers real, and there’s nothing you can count on except your own wits.

In other words, if you want to stay safe out there in the wilderness, just be sure to bring a fire starter.

Of course, with the deadly fires we have seen in recent years, you should 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; consult an expert before using.

Here are the best fire starters you can buy in 2019:

Updated on 09/17/2019 by Les Shu: Updated prices, links, and formatting.