The Light My Fire Original is an exceptionally lightweight on-the-go utensil, weighing in at only 0.3-oz. Made of Tritan, its available in a wide variety of colors. While unique in design as a combination of a spoon, fork, and knife, this model was also without-equal in its low scores.
Performance Comparison
A clever combination of a spoon, fork, and knife, this product fails to deliver in performance.
Eating
One of the biggest drawbacks of this product is its serrated knife edge combined with the double-ended design. Located on the outside of one of the tines, the knife is sharp in both your mouth and your palm. As with all double-sided models, keeping both ends clean is a challenge. If you plan to switch from using the fork to the spoon end, expect hand grime in your food and food on your hand.
Spreading and slicing with the serrated edge performed worse than using the bowl for the same purpose. Overall, the addition of the serrated knife edge is a great example of over-engineering.
The spoon ended outperformed the serrated edge when cutting cheese.
The spoon end did hold a large amount of fluid, so if you can get past holding a plastic knife edge, it works well as a soup spoon. You can forget about eating ramen noodles though, as the slippery plastic let them slide right back into the bowl.
Take note of how close this product is the bowl. Any higher and the noodles slide right off.
Cooking
Although still uncomfortable to hold, this model's one redeeming quality lands in this category. It was the only spork we tested that did not scratch a non-stick pan. That said, over time, sauteeing causes the tip of the spoon to deform due to the heat.
The serrated knife edge is rough in hand when trying to cook with the spoon end.
Cleaning
Cleaning this utensil proved surprisingly difficult. The constriction at the base of tines is angular rather than rounded making it hard to get food out from between tines. A sponge is necessary to get it thoroughly clean. As with the other plastic models, the protein in eggs adheres to the material, making breakfast clean-up a bit more involved.
Durability
We're sad to say this is the only model we tested that did not survive regular use. It snapped while cooking breakfast potatoes one fateful morning. One of our testers works as a backpacking guide, and his company provided this product to its participants. This utensil failed to survive for the majority of backpackers on every trip.
The LightMyFire was the only model that didn't survive general use during our testing period.
Best Applications
This product is your best choice if you are determined to cook and eat with a single utensil and are dedicated to cooking in a non-stick pan. If you're looking for a more durable but equally light product that's comfortable to use, check out our Top Pick for Ultralight Backpacking, the Vargo Titanium ULV.
Value
At $2.99, this product is inexpensive but don't expect it to last for long. For only a penny more, our Best Buy, the humangear GoBite Uno, provides superior comfort and durability.
Inexpensive but we found this product fragile and over-engineered.
Conclusion
With so many high scoring alternatives on the market, the Light My Fire Original earned its spot in the very back of this metaphorical silverware drawer. Whether for backpacking or everyday use, there are better options to choose from.
