Fired Up About New Products From the HPBExpo

The Christmas animated film character Heat Miser would have felt right at home visiting last week’s Hearth Patio and BBQ Expo in Salt Lake City. Of the more than 350 exhibitors, most were showing off their high-end fireplaces, patio heaters and BBQ grills. Looking for what’s new in the application of fire, we found innovation mostly among the smaller, entrepreneurial exhibitors. Here’s a list of our favorite products:

1. Fire Disk – If you’ve been frustrated in trying to cook a camp breakfast or tailgaiting feast for more than four, the FireDisk is for you. Its base made from a 22” diameter farm plow disc, this sturdy, propane-heated griddle is large enough to fit a dozen hamburgers, a giant heap of scrambled eggs, or a paella feast for 10. The unit quickly breaks down into three flat pieces that stow neatly into the back of your pickup or hang with a half-dozen inches of clearance on your garage or shed wall. Suggested retail price: $399. The smaller FireDisk Mini retails for $379.
2. WiFire Remote – You’re on your way home from a long day at work. Instead of arriving home to a cold dark house, you can turn on your gas log fireplace remotely with the patented WiFire switch with the accompanying

   

   app loaded on your smartphone. Estimated ship date: Mid-April, 2014. Suggested retail price: $449.

3. CycloFlame – Until now, indoor and outdoor torches, lanterns and lamps let the flame do its thing naturally, just dancing around the wick randomly. CycleFlame pairs striking modern design with technology that directs the lamp’s flame into a slender cyclonic shape. Created in Taiwan, this line made its debut at the HPBExpo and will be available to consumers this coming summer.
4. Seasoned To Go – Until recently, bringing all your BBQ seasonings camping or to a tailgate party has been like herding cats- keeping track of the salt, black pepper, garlic salt, BBQ spice, seafood seasoning, rib rub, lemon pepper, and Cajun spice can be a real hassle. Enter Seasoned To Go, with a collection of 8 seasonings plus kosher salt and black pepper, plus a set of BBQ tongs packed neatly into a rugged plastic case. The clamshell design easily snaps shut to keep out rain and dust. Suggested retail price: $49.99.  Look for Seasoned To Go to introduce innovative new products such as the

   

   Portable Bloody Mary Kit and the Portable Fry Batter Kit in coming months.

5. The Great Scrape – Finally, a natural alternative to the short-lived metal BBQ scraper/brush. Billed as The Ultimate Grill Cleaning Tool, The Great Scrape is a ½” thick red oak paddle with a wedge-shaped tip that when rubbed across a hot BBQ grill grate, burns grooves into the paddle, creating a perfectly-shaped grill cleaner. Can be personalized (hot branded) and available in three sizes.
6. Duraflame Illuma Fireplaces – Nationally recognized as the inventor and market leader in pressed sawdust firelogs, Duraflame has expanded its brand with the introduction of Illuma fireplaces, fire pits and firelog inserts, all of which use ecologically friendly bio-ethanol fuel. The ultra low emission fuel emits no smoke and so can be used in a table top fireplace or in a traditional fireplace on no-burn days in areas with winter wood burning restrictions. The convenient no-pour fuel insert makes set up mess-free and easy to use. The firelog inserts and bio-ethanol fuel packs are available at Plow and Hearth, Amazon, and Walmart.