Do you enjoy the ambiance that a fire burning in a fireplace offers but hate the mess and hassle that it brings? You are in luck we have an alternative fuel source for you. Gel Fuel is an alternative that will give you the look of a real fire with none of the hassle. You simply open the can, set it in place, and light it.
Here at NorthlineExpress we offer two brands of gel fuel…Sunjel and Jensen’s Real Flame. We have done a comparison test of these two brands to inform and assist our customers in choosing the best gel fuel for their needs.
Gel Fuel Comparison Test
We started with two 13 ounce cans, one of each brand with equal amounts of gel fuel and then we lit each can.
Odor: when we opened each can the odor was fairly strong but during burning the odor is slight to none at all with both brands.
Flame: once the fuel was lit we did notice a difference in flames. Each brands flame started differently and then about 20 minutes into the burn the flames appeared very similar. Both gel fuels make a realistic crackling sound while burning.
Consistency: the Real Flame Gel Fuel was darker with a more orange-red hue and held a consistent flame. The Sunjel Gel Fuel was darker as well, constantly flickering with a smaller, less consistent flame that the Real Flame brand. The Real Flame has the thickest consistency, keeps its form while burning and also comes in a burnable can. The Sunjel also comes in a burnable can, but is a thinner consistency than the Real Flame.
Cost: the typical price per ounce on the Real Flame is 32 cents as well as with the Sunjel.
Burn Time: the Real Flame brand has a longer burn time per can while the Sunjel has the shorter burn time. However the cost per hour to burn is equal for both the Real Flame and the Sunjel. The average burn time for both were between 2-3 hours with the Sunjel lasting 2 hours and 15 minutes and the Real Flame lasting 3 hours.
I hope that you have found this information useful and that it has helped direct you in choosing the best gel fuel to fit your needs. Real Flame and Sunjel Gel Fuels are both great products to choose from.
If you have any questions regarding gel fuel or gel fueled fireplaces please give our customer service department a call at 1-866-667-8454 or reply to us in our comments section. Here at NorthlineExpress, home of the Buy and Try Satisfaction Guarantee, we are always happy to help.
Click here to learn more about our Gel Fuel brands!