We Don't Recommend Fire Blankets

Here's Why...

You may have seen advertisements or YouTube videos about fire blankets. Fire blankets are a flame-proof blanket meant to smother small fires in your home, such as stovetop grease fires.

Fire blankets do work for smothering small fires. The problem with fire blankets is that they require the person using them to get very close to the flames in order to use them. And, if the blanket is removed too soon, a flare-up may occur while the user is near the flames. You will notice that the person demonstrating fire blankets is usually a fireman in full protective gear. We feel that there are better alternatives than fire blankets, here are two:

• Every home should have one or more fire extinguishers. We mean a medium or large sized A-B-C rated extinguisher, not a little one. The primary place you need a fire extinguisher is in the kitchen, near the stovetop. Since fire extinguishers can be used 4-5 feet from the flames, we feel that they are a safer alternative to fire blankets. Note: we do recommend having a small fire extinguisher, in addition to a medium or large one in homes that have small children or people not able to handle the larger models. The larger model is for people that can handle them, and the smaller versions for those that cannot.

• We also recommend a stovetop passive fire suppression system. These are small canisters that usually attach under your stovetop hood vent. When fire reaches the fuse on the canister, they dump fire retardant powder on the stovetop. These are great, especially when used in conjunction with a fire extinguisher.

Last updated: 11/5/2023