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See why.The Best Fire Extinguishers
When you have only seconds to put out a kitchen fire, you want an extinguisher that’s easy to use and effective. We were shocked at how many aren’t.
By Published May 1, 2017
We followed steps on manufacturer Kidde's website to return a copy of the recalled former winning fire extinguisher, the Kidde model FA110, and promptly received a replacement. The replacement, which has the same model number as the recalled model, has a metal nozzle and handle instead of plastic. We also bought additional copies of the replacement model at a retail store, and we tested the updated model by putting out fires. We found it quick, easy, and intuitive to use; it contained plenty of flame-suppressing material, and quickly extinguished flames with a responsive, easily focused spray. We now return to highly recommending this extinguisher.
Update: November 2017: Kidde has issued a recall of all of its fire extinguishers with plastic handles, including our winning model FA110 (or FA110G) and the not recommended model RESSP. If you have purchased either model, go to Kidde.com and select Product Safety Recall Notice for more information, or call the Kidde Customer Support Line at 855-271-0773 from 8:30am-5pm ET weekdays and 9am-3pm ET weekends to request a free replacement fire extinguisher (it will be a different model) and for instructions on returning the recalled unit, as it may not work properly in a fire emergency. We recommend our second and third place models, the First Alert Tundra spray and the Amerex 2.5 Lb ABC Dry Chemical Fire Extinguisher. While both had minor ease-of-use issues, we found both effective at putting out fires.Top Picks
See Everything We Tested
What You Need To Know
Unattended cooking is the primary source of fire-related injuries and household fires in America; more than $1.1 billion in property damages are claimed each year. Neglecting a pan of hot oil or leaving a dish towel too close to a burner are all-too-easy ways to find yourself suddenly facing fire. And fire spreads fast—experts say you have less than 2 minutes before a fire will be out of control.
That’s why it’s wise to always keep a fire extinguisher within easy reach of your stove. But the big trouble with most fire extinguishers is that you can’t practice with them or give them a test run in the store; once the trigger punctures the pressurized canister, they can’t be used a second time. So how do you know which one is the best for the job—one that will be absolutely easy to use, even with no prior experience, and will work fast when seconds count?
To find out, we bought eight models of home fire extinguishers and drove to a firefighter training facility west of Boston to test them on staged cooking-related fires. Under the supervision of Deputy Chief John F. Sullivan and Captain Robert Hassett of the Worcester Fire Department, we set up shop in the department’s “burn building,” a blackened concrete structure behind the fire station. With a stack of 10-inch skillets, a dozen cotton dish towels, portable electric burners, and a jug of vegetable oil, we set a series of typical kitchen fires and went about trying to put them out.
Choose Your Weapon
The fire extinguisher market offers a bewildering array of products designed to combat specific types of fires, whether they start in a restaurant deep fryer, in a tractor-trailer, or on a boat. For home cooks, the choice is a little simpler. In this category, fire extinguishers break down into two main types. Those with an “ABC” rating are known as “multipurpose” extinguishers, meaning they can tackle (A) cloth, wood, and paper; (B) flammable liquids and gases, such as grease and gasoline; and (C) electrical fires. “BC”-rated extinguishers cover only the latter two categories. Both types work similarly: When you squeeze the trigger, a chamber inside the pressurized canister is punctured and a spray of fire-suppressing material is propelled. (For more information, see “How to Use a Fire Extinguisher.”) For our testing, we chose two ABC and two BC models. The ability to extinguish cloth fires (dish towels, potholders, etc.) is a priority, but BC extinguishers are often sold as “kitchen” extinguishers, which implies that they are still up to the task. Plus, a BC extinguisher took first place in our previous testing. We stuck with the smallest size since bigger isn’t better—you want ...
Everything We Tested
Highly Recommended
- Cleanup: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 3 stars out of 3.
- Performance: 3 stars out of 3.
Fast and very effective, this extinguisher really works. Its powerful spray put out both the grease fire and the towel fire right away, though it left a big cloud of fumes each time. It also left a greenish foam on the burner and pan that took some effort to wipe off.
Recommended with reservations
- Cleanup: 2 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 3 stars out of 3.
- Performance: 2 stars out of 3.
This simple aerosol spray was easy to figure out, and it quickly put out the grease fire. But then, alarmingly, we saw a flare-up after we thought the fire was out, forcing us to spray a second time to eliminate the flames. The same happened with the burning towel. We later learned that the instructions direct users to keep on spraying until the can is empty in order to fully extinguish flames. The small cloud of fumes it generated went away fairly quickly, and this lightweight canister is easier to handle than bigger traditional extinguishers, but the spray residue gunked up our stove surface.
- Cleanup: 1 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 3 stars out of 3.
- Performance: 2.5 stars out of 3.
While this extinguisher quickly and thoroughly put out the grease fire, it also emitted a cloud of chemical fumes that smelled bad and sent testers running out of the building. One big problem with our second test: The powerful spray knocked the towel right off the stovetop. (Luckily, in our case, it was extinguished first.) Residue stuck to the pan and burner and was difficult to wipe off.
- Cleanup: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Performance: 2 stars out of 3.
There’s a fear factor to get over when smothering fires with a blanket, but this blanket put out fires, albeit slowly. But you don’t really know if the fire is out without lifting the blanket to check, which lets in air that can restart the fire. The blanket was much more effective when it could lie flat over the rim of the burning pan; the lumpy towel continued burning for a long time because air was able to get in. Cleanup was a snap—nearly unscorched, the blanket was ready to use again. It’s a good backup to other fire suppression gear, but it’s not our top choice.
Not Recommended
- Cleanup: 2 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 2 stars out of 3.
- Performance: 2 stars out of 3.
A brief struggle to figure out the trigger wasted some time, but once it was going, this model was very effective on the grease fire and easy to control. But, living up to its BC rating, it didn’t work as well on the towel. It extinguished the fire after 5 seconds, so we stopped timing, but the fire reignited a few seconds later. It created a huge cloud and a lot of powder, but residue was easy to clean.
- Cleanup: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Performance: 1 stars out of 3.
Flames flared up in a terrifying way when we hit them with this spray. We kept spraying, and the fire eventually went out, but it took much longer than with our top performers. Busy, bright labeling slowed us down as we tried to find the instructions; we eventually gave up, sprayed, and hoped for the best. It never fully put out the towel fire. On the plus side, the loose, watery foam was easy to clean up.
- Cleanup: 3 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 1.5 stars out of 3.
- Performance: 1 stars out of 3.
An unusual cap slowed us down, but once it was operating, this extinguisher was astonishingly fast (just 2 seconds to put out the grease fire), with a controlled spray. It didn’t leave a cloud of fumes, and residue wiped right off. But when we grabbed a fresh copy of this model to put out the towel fire, it would not spray; the brand-new extinguisher had somehow lost pressure and was useless—a fatal flaw.
- Cleanup: 1 stars out of 3.
- Ease of Use: 2 stars out of 3.
- Performance: NaN stars out of 3.
When we set this device 27 inches above our skillet, the shortest distance recommended, the oil caught fire and burned high, and the FireStop never started. At 24 inches, it still didn’t start. After lowering it to just 15 inches above the stovetop, we finally heard a pop after 3 minutes of flames, and a pile of powder dropped into the pan. The dish towel test was also a failure. It turns out that fire must physically light a tiny wick; by the time that happens, the whole house could be in flames.
Reviews you can trust
The mission of America’s Test Kitchen Reviews is to find the best equipment and ingredients for the home cook through rigorous, hands-on testing.
Lisa McManus
Lisa is an executive editor for ATK Reviews, cohost of Gear Heads on YouTube, and gadget expert on TV's America's Test Kitchen.
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