Best Smokeless Logs for Fire Pit

I’ll be honest, I don’t own a fire pit but I’m lucky that my next-door neighbour owns two. So when he mentioned the amount of smoke he gets every time he lights up his fire pit. I thought it’ll be a good idea to do some research. So I bought 5 different brands.

We both learnt that smokeless logs offer a safe way to enjoy the warmth and ambience of a fire without filling your home with smoke. These easy-to-use Instant Light Smokeless logs from MDL were easy to use and burn extremely hot. For an option that lasts between 2 – 3 hours, the Homefire Instant Light Firelogs work well as they also leave minimal ash residue.

Of all the smokeless logs we tested, the MDL Instant Light Smokeless logs were the ones that consistently burned well and the fire took hold quickly.

They also make a safer option for those living in neighbourhoods where open flame smoke is prohibited.

With the Homefire Instant Light Smokeless Firelogs, you’ll have a hassle-free way to light your fire. When using these logs, it’s easy to enjoy time with family and friends in front of a cosy fire – without any unpleasant smoke or ash.

We found these logs to be quick starters and fast lighting, so you don’t have to worry about having kindling or firelighters on hand.

What Are Smokeless Logs?

A smokeless log is an alternative to firewood that offers all the beauty of a wood-burning fire without the hassle – or hazards – associated with smoke.

These logs are designed to burn clean, hot and long so you can have a roaring fire in no time at all. They are easy to light and there’s no mess to clean up afterwards.

The Research

Testing the Firewood

To start, it was important to know what type of wood burns best. You can test whether or not your firewood is dry by using a moisture meter.

Dry firewood will help ensure that your fire does not produce smoke when burning and also helps release more heat from the flames.

Burning the logs

We wanted to see just how much smoke was produced with each brand of logs. So we tested five popular brands using a chimney starter in an open-topped kettle barbecue.

The temperature was around 30°C, with little to no wind. We recorded if any smoke was produced over a 15-minute period. We also noted the total number of logs required to maintain a steady heat output.

We were looking for three things:

• How quickly they caught fire,
• how much smoke it produced
• the overall heat output

The smokeless logs that gave off little to no smoke, but burnt well were our number one pick for an outside fire pit – the MDL Instant Light Smokeless logs.

Flaws but not Dealbreakers

The smokeless logs did not burn for that long. We were able to get it to burn for two and a half hours before the fire died out. Smokeless coal was also a good option for people looking for a smokeless fuel source when outdoors.

Overall, we found the all smokeless logs were effective at producing little to no smoke and they burnt well with varying levels of success.

So, Do Smokeless Logs Work?

Smokeless logs definitely work well if you are after an effective solution for getting the fireplace experience without the smoke experience to go with it. In general, the best smokeless logs will give you a non-toxic flame and heat output with little to no smoke production.

Just one of the options we tested did produce some smoke initially but we were able to be overcome the issue by changing up our technique.

Why Use Smokeless Logs?

There are several reasons why you might want to use smokeless logs:

• They’re cleaner than traditional firewood, so they’re ideal if you don’t want to dirty your fireplace with wood or ash residue.
• They don’t produce smoke, so they’re great when you want to enjoy the warmth of a fire during an outdoor party in the winter.
• You can use them in a wood stove, gas fireplace, or open fire pit.
• They’re safer in areas where you are restricted from burning wood due to the risk of fires.
• You’ll have less work when it comes to cleaning up afterwards.