Zippo Firefast Electric Bellows

The Zippo Firefast Electric Bellows is a small handheld fan built around an impeller, so it pushes out a steady stream of air you can aim at a stubborn pile of kindling. If you have ever knelt over a fire pit blowing until you were dizzy, that is the appeal: the work moves to a motor and your lungs get a break.

The body is triangular, which sounds like a small detail until you set it on a folding camp table or a sloped patio ledge and it stays put instead of rolling off. The grip is textured enough to hold with ash on your fingers, and the nozzle is flame-retardant, so you can work it close to coals on a grill or a wood stove without worrying about the tip.

The battery is rated for up to 180 one-minute bursts, which fits how most people use a fan like this: a short puff, a look at the fire, then another puff. The auto-off button shuts it down if you forget it is running, which is handy when you are also juggling tongs.

It suits campers, backyard grillers and wood-stove owners who want a quicker start without getting winded. The drawback is that it works in bursts, so it helps a fire catch but will not keep a big log going on its own. Dry kindling still does most of the heavy lifting, and keep your hands clear of the flame whichever way you point it.