List Price: $94.99
Sale Price: $85.49
Today's Bonus: 10% Off
I bought this approximately six months ago and at first really enjoyed it. It's well designed and ruggedly built and has considerable heft to it so it won't blow over in the wind. The highly polished stainless steel top really adds to the appearance of the flame making it appear much larger and brighter than it really is. A good design feature. The only problem right off the bat was that gel fuels leave behind a black gummy residue that's impossible to remove. Most likely it's the additives mixed with the alcohol that provide the rich yellow flame color and appealing crackle as the fire burns. But the real problem came about 2 months after I purchased the item when I learned that pourable gel fuel had all been recalled from the market (all manufacturers) and was no longer available. I wrote to Blomus and asked them if I could use the new fuel (replacement for pourable gel) ethanol alcohol. I was told I could not. I was told that gel was still available in "cans" (which I already knew) and that I could use a spoon to transfer the gel from the can to the unit. Problem is the process is a pain. The cans were designed to burn the gel inside the can and were not designed for a spoon. Too much is wasted and the process is messy. A pain in the neck quite frankly and much harder to control which causes it to spill on the polished surface stain it. In summary this unit was made specifically for use with pourable gel fuel which is no longer being sold. Yes, you can buy the small (made to be burned) cans which are really made for use in fireplaces designed specifically for holding the cans, but the process of transferring the gel with a spoon to the unit is a pain. If you could burn liquid ethanol fuel in this it would be worthwhile but since you can't I'm stuck with a messy headache. Before buying this unit I would recommend checking out some of the bioethanol fireplaces available. Larger more colorful flames, double the heat of gel,cheaper fuel costs and much easier to get. There are some really neat units out there too!
The foregoing review is my opinion of this unit and not a statement of fact.
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