The Light My Fire Orginial Spork now comes in a “Bio” version made of biobased, BPA-free plastic. It is commonly sold in a 2-pack, so that's what we're linking to above.
April 2020Light My Fire Original Spork Review
Our Verdict
Compare to Similar Products
This Product
Light My Fire Original Spork | |||||
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Awards | Best Overall | Best Bang For Your Buck | |||
Price | $7.00 List $7.95 at Amazon | $8.95 at Backcountry Compare at 3 sellers | $8.95 at REI Compare at 2 sellers | $4.49 at Amazon Compare at 2 sellers | $5.00 List $3.96 at Amazon |
Overall Score | |||||
Star Rating | |||||
Bottom Line | An easily breakable hybrid utensil combining a spoon, fork, and knife | The best model for your on-the-go meal needs | A great option for the backcountry due to its comfortable and lightweight design | This sturdy plastic model offers the best price to performance ratio | Although lacking in durability, this product is comfortable, lightweight, and highly packable |
Rating Categories | Light My Fire Origi... | Snow Peak Titanium... | Toaks Titanium | humangear GoBites Uno | MSR Folding |
Eating (35%) | |||||
Durability (30%) | |||||
Cooking (20%) | |||||
Cleaning (15%) | |||||
Specs | Light My Fire Origi... | Snow Peak Titanium... | Toaks Titanium | humangear GoBites Uno | MSR Folding |
Material | BPA-free Tritan plastic | Titanium | Titanium | High-temp nylon | Nylon |
Measured weight (oz) | 0.3 oz | 0.6 oz | 0.6 oz | 0.5 oz | 0.4 oz |
Length | 6.75" | 6.5" | 6.625" | 6.5" | 8"/4.5" |
Dishwasher safe? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes - Top rack recommended | Yes |
Our Analysis and Test Results
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
Value
This product is inexpensive, but don't expect it to last for long. Unless you don't really intend to use it out the house, it is worth paying more money for a more durable product. You don't need to spend much to secure a better deal.
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.