Super Cedar Observations........

[soupy1957]

With all due respect to the gentleman in here who is intimately involved with the manufacturing, sale and promotion of Super Cedars................

Ok, I figured I'd hold my tongue on further comment on the product, until such time as I have used a couple dozen or so.

Downside:
A) They light, but stubbornly (broken or otherwise)
B) They are messy (having to make sure I contain the crumbs is a pain in the arse)
C) The plastic wrap is stubborn to remove by hand when you are half asleep in the morning
D) They have to be ordered; they are not sold locally
E) You have to pay for them.

Upside:
A) They're relatively inexpensive
B) They burn well, once lit
C) You support a fellow wood burning buddy, when you buy them.
D) They give off a nice "sweet smell" (as my wife calls it) when burning
E) They are a conversation starter with folks who come to the house and
see them in a bucket by the wood stove.

So folks, as you can see by my (imho) fair and balanced assessment of this product, that it is a 50/50 rating.
I think that's as fair and balanced evaluation I can give.

Will I buy more of them? Haven't decided yet. I did some first year burns with "Fatwood" and am tempted to go back to them. Not sure if I will.

Are there any other "fire starter" items that are similar that you would recommend I try next?

-Soupy1957

 

[ecocavalier02]

no complaints here i love em. they light up pretty easy for me. there nice for my hiking trips as well get the fire going quick. bout a box of 30 that should last a few years or more as i do not stop the stove very often.

 

[sksmass]

I got the free samples and then ordered a box of 100. I never use newspaper anymore. One quarter of a SC and some strategically placed kindling or small splits always works. I get a good vibe from the owner/entrepreneur and I like to support great customer service. One suggestion is to offer a "green" package in 100-count size (fyi: the "green" package means "without the annoying plastic wrap"). Also, as Soupy said, the crumbles are a little annoying but not so much that I'd re-engineer the product.

Also, as a marketing guy, and because I know the SC family reads this, here is some free branding/packaging advice. Make your smallest package (30) come in a tubular box, kind of like a can of Pringles. Tubes are reminiscent of logs, like, you know, fire logs. It would a better selling retail packaging for people looking to buy christmas gifts and stuff.

 

[HotCoals]

Make your smallest package (30) come in a tubular box, kind of like a can of Pringles. Tubes are reminiscent of logs, like, you know, fire logs. It would a better selling retail packaging for people looking to buy christmas gifts and stuff.

[/quote]
You must be in marketing,that seems like a great idea!

 

[fsr4538]

Are there any other "fire starter" items that are similar that you would recommend I try next?

-Soupy1957[/quote]

While I think that Super Cedars are a good product, you can make your own fire starters very easily.

I save all of our old egg cartons. When I get a half-dozen or so I use them to make starters.

I purchased an $8.00 bag of cedar pet shavings and a 30.00 block of wax. Stuff the shavings into the egg cartons filled to the top and pour melted wax over them until it soaks through the carton. Allow to cool/harden and break off as needed. One cell starts my fire with no kindling needed (though it helps.) for under a $40.00 investment I have enough material to make starters for probably four or five years. I have read on here that dryer lint works as well.

Good luck

 

[sksmass]

Right, if you're willing to work at it, you can make good firestarters. Although anyone trying that should be sure that they use a double boiler to melt the wax. It is not the safest thing in the world to be heating up a flammable liquid on a stove. Plus you end up messing up a pot with wax residue and risk getting it all over your kitchen (from experience making candles!). So you should use a pot that you no longer care about. Personally, I don't want to deal with it.

 

[spur0701]

My only complaint is since you don't really need a whole one when you break them in half they crumble and make a little mess......if I'm going to use a whole one I don't even bother to unwrap it..........

 

[fishingpol]

It's as simple as "set it and forget it". I cut mine in the basement on the bandsaw and they are ready to go. Few sticks of pine kindling and I'm roaring away. I don't worry about the little bits breaking off. It all stays down the basement. My wood drops enough crap off so we vacuum every few days.

They work great on my Weber grills and smoker. No more newspaper. I have given 3 boxes away to my brothers and dad for birthday gifts. I don't burn 24/7, so I make a fire almost everyday now and it just works fine and convenient. Wifey likes them a lot to. No more crumbled paper.

I did a side by side comparison with a few fatwood sticks and a 1/4 supercedar. The supercedar burned longer than the fatwood. As far as the packaging, I can think of a lot of other products that I purchase that I need to get out the tin snips to open the plastic packages. As far as lighting them, 10 seconds with the stick lighter and it is off. I light it first and them stack kindling around it log cabin style.

Great product, no complaints.

 

[soupy1957]

In all fairness, I agree........Super Cedars DO burn longer than Fatwood.

One additional thing I like about Fatwood, is that it is a naturally occurring product. The processing aspects are still there for both, because someone has to harvest the Fatwood, and someone has to create the Super Cedars. It's the more "natural" aspect to Fatwood that I appreciate.

-Soupy1957

 

[NH_Wood]

I don't buy my wood, so I can't see why I'd buy fire starters. I'm sure they work great - most reviews are excellent. But, I just spend one day in the fall going for a hike in the woods with a large garbage bag. I fill the bag with birch bark. Birch bark lights very quickly and burns a relatively long time - plenty of time to catch the kindling. Again, why buy what you don't need - unless super convenience is your goal. If so, have at 'em - they are apparently pretty darn good! Cheers!

 

[soupy1957]

I watched a video the other day, about where Fatwood comes from, and liked the notion that I could go out in the woods and find tree roots that had become filled with sap (essentially what Fatwood IS) and I could cut off a big chunk, and harvest strips of the stuff for fire starters. No cost.

On the other hand, I like the idea that someone ELSE has done the work, whether we're talking about Fatwood, or Super Cedars.



-Soupy1957

 

[LLigetfa]

Downside:
A) They light, but stubbornly (broken or otherwise)
B) They are messy (having to make sure I contain the crumbs is a pain in the arse)
C) The plastic wrap is stubborn to remove by hand when you are half asleep in the morning
D) They have to be ordered; they are not sold locally
E) You have to pay for them.

Nit picking...
A: I find them very easy to light, especially along the jagged edge when broken.

B: I break them apart on the hearth and the few crumbs are no different than what falls off the wood that I'm burning. If a few crumbs on the hearth bother you, you should burn gas, not wood.

C: I buy the ECO version so there is no plastic wrap.

D: I buy 100ct at a time so they last for years.

E: They cost pennies a day. I spend a lot more on stuff that gives much less pleasure.

 

[NWfuel]

I got the free samples and then ordered a box of 100. I never use newspaper anymore. One quarter of a SC and some strategically placed kindling or small splits always works. I get a good vibe from the owner/entrepreneur and I like to support great customer service. One suggestion is to offer a "green" package in 100-count size (fyi: the "green" package means "without the annoying plastic wrap"). Also, as Soupy said, the crumbles are a little annoying but not so much that I'd re-engineer the product.

Also, as a marketing guy, and because I know the SC family reads this, here is some free branding/packaging advice. Make your smallest package (30) come in a tubular box, kind of like a can of Pringles. Tubes are reminiscent of logs, like, you know, fire logs. It would a better selling retail packaging for people looking to buy christmas gifts and stuff.

You may request the 100 ct as "Green" and we will be happy to arrange it.

Your suggestion of a cylinder type package has been considered in the past as I do like the look. However it does add considerable cost to packaging and I decided to produce a quality product with a get it there package. We do have gift boxes (8 packs) for that retail look!

I compare it to toliet paper. Who needs it to look any better!

Thomas

 

[Treacherous]

A - I just use a long butane lighter and they fire right up.

B - I keep a large zip lock type freezer bag around and open them out of package in this plastic bag. No messy shavings on the floor. I pre-break them before putting them in this bag using my homemade tool I made like the Youtube video. I usually keep 2 or 3 pre-broken

C - Keep them pre-broken in bag I mention above.

I could probably get away with using a 1/4 but I usually use a 1/2 of a Super Cedar and (4) medium size splits. I never bother with kindling anymore and I get a roaring fire in short order. I guess I just have really dry wood and a good draft.

With all due respect to the gentleman in here who is intimately involved with the manufacturing, sale and promotion of Super Cedars................

Ok, I figured I'd hold my tongue on further comment on the product, until such time as I have used a couple dozen or so.

Downside:
A) They light, but stubbornly (broken or otherwise)
B) They are messy (having to make sure I contain the crumbs is a pain in the arse)
C) The plastic wrap is stubborn to remove by hand when you are half asleep in the morning
D) They have to be ordered; they are not sold locally
E) You have to pay for them.



-Soupy1957

 

[NWfuel]

With all due respect to the gentleman in here who is intimately involved with the manufacturing, sale and promotion of Super Cedars................

Ok, I figured I'd hold my tongue on further comment on the product, until such time as I have used a couple dozen or so.

Downside:
A) They light, but stubbornly (broken or otherwise)
B) They are messy (having to make sure I contain the crumbs is a pain in the arse)
C) The plastic wrap is stubborn to remove by hand when you are half asleep in the morning
D) They have to be ordered; they are not sold locally
E) You have to pay for them.

Upside:
A) They're relatively inexpensive
B) They burn well, once lit
C) You support a fellow wood burning buddy, when you buy them.
D) They give off a nice "sweet smell" (as my wife calls it) when burning
E) They are a conversation starter with folks who come to the house and
see them in a bucket by the wood stove.

So folks, as you can see by my (imho) fair and balanced assessment of this product, that it is a 50/50 rating.
I think that's as fair and balanced evaluation I can give.

Will I buy more of them? Haven't decided yet. I did some first year burns with "Fatwood" and am tempted to go back to them. Not sure if I will.

Are there any other "fire starter" items that are similar that you would recommend I try next?

-Soupy1957

Thank you for taking the time to consider my product in your reviews.

In answer to your request for other firestarters may I suggest the following! While you are sitting in your rocking chair on the porch you might try rubbing 2 sticks together. This will save the $ and you can do it alone!

Have a great Holiday!

Thomas

 

[LLigetfa]

I pre-break them before putting them in this bag...

At first I would break it inside the bag to contain the crumbs but now I just do it on the hearth. I find that I'm sweeping up the hearth anyway after loading the stove.

 

[Treacherous]

I pre-break them before putting them in this bag...

At first I would break it inside the bag to contain the crumbs but now I just do it on the hearth. I find that I'm sweeping up the hearth anyway after loading the stove.

I did that before using my SS cutting tool but with tool it generally doesn't break the outer wrapping on the SS so crumbs are still contained within the packaging.

Even if some crumbs get spilled big deal... it's just part of wood burning IMO.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

With all due respect to the gentleman in here who is intimately involved with the manufacturing, sale and promotion of Super Cedars................

Ok, I figured I'd hold my tongue on further comment on the product, until such time as I have used a couple dozen or so.

Downside:
A) They light, but stubbornly (broken or otherwise)
B) They are messy (having to make sure I contain the crumbs is a pain in the arse)
C) The plastic wrap is stubborn to remove by hand when you are half asleep in the morning
D) They have to be ordered; they are not sold locally
E) You have to pay for them.

With all due respect to our friend Soupy, I submit the following:

A) I do not understand the stubbornly broken part at all. First, when I am preparing these things, I leave the wrapper on. Then I simply grasp a super cedar in my hands and they break in half extremely easy. I then turn the thing to complete breaking the other way. The wrapper is easily opened when you want a quarter out. The remainder is placed in a zip loc sandwich bag and left on the heart ready to use the rest of it.

B) Messy? Not so. If you break these thing while they are still in the wrapper there is no mess at all. We do not have any crumbs to contend with.

C) Slash some water on your face upon arising in the morning so you can wipe the sleep out of your eyes.

D) They have to be ordered. That is true and this should be placed in the upside portion rather than the downside. I don't have to run to the store to buy them which saves me time, energy (which comes in small portions as of late), gas and wear and tear on the car.

E) There is always a catch.

 

[tickbitty]

Eco pack has no plastic.

I can't break them with my hands (not strong enough I guess) so I put it on a paper plate and use a serrated knife. No biggie. The plate catches the crumbs. If the scoring was a little deeper I might be able to do it, but - whatever!

Not too expensive.

REALLY WORK WELL, I have not had the lighting problem with them.

simple to reorder, arrive quickly, no shipping to pay

Sales and hearth.com discounts give us plenty of chances to order more at a discount

Gift packaging is nice looking and has a perfect number of starters for a casual user (or just to get a real woodburner hooked! Though obviously it only takes one or two as evidenced by the free sample folks who repeat.)

the idea of "log" packaging might be neat, but then again might make people think of them like an expensive firelog and compare to a different type of product

I tried another starter that came with my stove. It was small, the size of a charcoal briquette or an egg, and was made of what looked like blonde wood splinters/dust with some kind of clear resin. It wasn't bad but didn't burn very long. I was not tempted to figure out how to get more.

If somebody gave me a cheap bag of the Rutland ones or something, I would certainly burn them, I'm not about waste. But for now I feel like the supercedars are the way to go. Last year I used a fair amount of paper, etc as well. Now I know I don't need it, just maximize the use of the live coals and use a 1/4 supercedar, easy.

I get a good feeling about supporting the company that makes them and I kinda like it that so many of the folks on here like them and we are all in the same club on that! Thomas is a paying hearth.com sponsor and supporting the sponsors helps support hearth.com!!

I know there are plenty of good folks who eschew firestarters altogether or can get the job done with something different or cheaper - that's cool too, whatever starts your fire right?

 

[Lumber-Jack]

OK I got a question that seems to be getting overlooked. Keep in mind I have never used these Super Cedar fire starters.
It seems everybody is breaking these things into halves or quarters, why does the manufacturer (Thomas) not simply make them smaller?

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Probably because everyone might not like them in quarters or halves. Sometimes a whole one would be nice because they burn pretty darned good for 30 minutes.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Probably because everyone might not like them in quarters or halves. Sometimes a whole one would be nice because they burn pretty darned good for 30 minutes.

Thanks for the quick reply Dennis, but if this forum can be used as any sort of marketing survey, then it's pretty clear that the majority of people want them in smaller pieces. Even you admit you break them in two.

 

[LLigetfa]

OK I got a question that seems to be getting overlooked. Keep in mind I have never used these Super Cedar fire starters.
It seems everybody is breaking these things into halves or quarters, why does the manufacturer (Thomas) not simply make them smaller?

Probably not, because of retooling cost. Last year we suggested that the score line be made a little deeper but retooling cost was cited then.

I'm still waiting for BWS to post pics of using his log splitter to quarter them up. Last year I made a tool that works like a pop can crusher just cuz I was bored. Unfortunately, it did not fit with the decor and the wife vetoed it.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

True Carbon, but I doubt all of us on this forum make up a majority of his customers. Still, I can somewhat agree with you except for the fact that it would increase the cost.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

OK I got a question that seems to be getting overlooked. Keep in mind I have never used these Super Cedar fire starters.
It seems everybody is breaking these things into halves or quarters, why does the manufacturer (Thomas) not simply make them smaller?

Probably not, because of retooling cost. Last year we suggested that the score line be made a little deeper but retooling cost was cited then.

I'm still waiting for BWS to post pics of using his log splitter to quarter them up. Last year I made a tool that works like a pop can crusher just cuz I was bored. Unfortunately, it did not fit with the decor and the wife vetoed it.

:lol: I'll have to give that a try some day.