A couple of years ago, Ignik lit up impromptu campsites everywhere with the FireCan, a compact, portable gas fire pit shaped like an ammo can. The FireCan packs more easily than other portable gas fire pits, and brings the campfire to areas where wood fires are banned or impractical to build. With the new FireCan Deluxe, Ignik expands the can’s feature set with a grill top and dual-purpose controls. The Deluxe delivers both cooking and ambient fires so that campers can leave the standalone grill at home.
The original FireCan is a great way of packing fire-making capabilities to go, allowing campers to get a blazing fire going in seconds in places where wood fires are prohibited. Unlike larger disc-shaped portable fire pits, the FireCan plays very nicely with tightly packed vehicles, its slim, rectangular shape packing neatly among coolers, duffel bags and gear boxes. Collapsible legs let it pack like a box but stand up off the forest floor when fired up.
Even in places that allow wood campfires, the FireCan is an attractive alternative for its unmatched ease of use. Simply connect the propane tank and twist the dial to get a large, flickering flame, then flip it off at the end of the night – no searching for firewood, building up fuel teepees or log cabins, constantly poking logs around, or extinguishing flames with gallons of water or dirt.
If there was one shortcoming the FireCan had at launch, it was its lack of a grill top option. The small box may never have been the ideal solution for preparing large group meals at base camp, but it certainly had potential to cook up meals for shorter, simpler camping trips and tailgates. Why not leave the standalone grill at home if you already have a perfectly capable gas burner packed?
Ignik revealed its first grill-topped FireCan Deluxe design a year ago, and recently reworked the model into a more capable dual-purpose fire box. The new FireCan Deluxe launched this month, bringing a removable grill insert perfectly sized for cooking up burgers and dogs. A slim handle makes it easy to drop the stainless steel grill into the FireCan body and pull it up and out when you’re done cooking.
To help FireCan chefs avoid charring dinner into an inedible crisp, Ignik equips the new FireCan Deluxe with dual gas hookups to regulate the flames. The “Fire Pit Mode” connection opens up for tall, flickering bright-orange flames, ready to mesmerize campers into early bedtime. “Grill Mode,” meanwhile, dials things back for low, hot blue flames that allow for more thorough fuel combustion and smooth, even cooking. A flame adjustment knob lets users control cooking heat.
The FireCan Deluxe kit also includes a grease tray to catch the drippings. Weight lists in at a vehicle-camp-friendly 13.8 lb (5.9 kg) for the kit.
The FireCan Deluxe retails for US$299.99, a $100 premium over the original (non-grilling) FireCan.
Ignik adds grilling capabilities to compact, go-anywhere fire pit [New Atlas]