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How to use chafing fuel gel

Updated: 23 October 2026

The gel looks simple, which is why people light the tin on the worktop and then carry it, or blow at the flame when the course is over. How to use chafing fuel gel is a short sequence: seat the can or the fondue pot, light it where it will stay, keep a cover within reach, and smother the flame instead of blowing. The products in our [fuel paste comparison](/hub/diy-supplies/fuel-paste) are ethanol cans and fondue paste pots from amazon.co.uk. The steps below follow UK fire-service advice and UK supplier notes, not a lab trial by Peter F. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

The gel looks simple, which is why people light the tin on the worktop and then carry it, or blow at the flame when the course is over.

Our top picks

ZSP ZSP ethanol chafing gel, 12 pack

Best overall

ZSP ZSP ethanol chafing gel, 12 pack
9.4/10about £16.45
View offer
Till Brennpaste Till Brennpaste fondue gel pots

Alternative

Till Brennpaste Till Brennpaste fondue gel pots
9.0/10about £13.00
View offer
Sterling Saver Sterling Saver chafing gel, 6 pack

Best value

Sterling Saver Sterling Saver chafing gel, 6 pack
8.8/10about £11.95
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Before you strike a match
  2. 2.Light and leave it where it is
  3. 3.Put it out and let it cool
  4. 4.When you stop

Before you strike a match

Read the fuel name on the tin. ZSP and Sterling Saver name ethanol. The Till listing and the METRO can do not, so do not invent a name. If the hazard label is missing, do not light that tin. Seat the gel before any flame. Nisbets says to put chafing fuel in a holder with a damper, then light it. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service says children and pets stay away. Open a window or a door. METRO’s can is about 85 mm across and 52 mm high, Till’s pots are listed at 9 cm, and ZSP’s 17.15 cm figure is the parcel. The buying checks are on the chafing fuel gel buying guide.

Light and leave it where it is

Light the gel only once it is seated, with a long lighter or a long taper. Flamos warns that the vapour is flammable and that the flame can be hard to see. Do not light the can on the sideboard and then carry it. If it is in the wrong place, put it out, let it cool, and move it cold. A chafing dish needs water in the pan. The gel heats the water, and the water holds the food. Do not top up fuel while the burner is hot. A fondue burner is different. Boska’s notes say you light with the air holes open, wait a few minutes, then leave the holes slightly open. Opening them wide scorches cheese. Stay at the table. Cheese temperature is on fondue burner gel.
ZSP ZSP ethanol chafing gel, 12 pack

Testsieger

ZSP ZSP ethanol chafing gel, 12 pack
9.4/10about £16.45
View offer

Put it out and let it cool

You put the flame out by excluding air. Flamos says to cover the gel with a non-flammable saucer. Do not blow. A fondue burner usually has its own cover. Boska says to keep that cover to hand. The flame may be faint, so look again before you decide it is out. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service says to wait at least 15 minutes before you refuel, and you do not refill a lit or hot burner. Nisbets says gel is not suitable for reuse, and many trade tins are single use. If your tin says single use, that instruction wins. Do not pour a second fuel in to finish the first.

When you stop

A Till reviewer added white spirit to a dried pot and reported a climbing flame and black smoke. Do not revive a pot with white spirit, meths or another liquid. Stop when the cover will not smother the flame, or when gel is burning across a tray. Do not pour water on gel that has spread. If you cannot cover it, leave and call 999. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, or someone has a headache, dizziness, nausea or confusion, get fresh air and use NHS 111 or 999 if symptoms are severe.

Common questions

Do I light the can and then slide it under the dish?
No. Seat the gel in the holder, with the damper or the fondue cover within reach, and light it there with a long lighter. Carrying a lit can is the mistake Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service warns against when it says not to move a lit burner. If it is in the wrong place, smother it, wait, and move it cold.
How do I put the flame out?
Cover it. Use the burner lid, the chafing damper, or a non-flammable saucer, as Flamos describes for ethanol and methanol gel. The flame can be hard to see, so leave the cover in place and look again before you decide it is out. Then leave the tin for at least 15 minutes before you handle it or put it in a bin.
Can I use the rest of the gel tomorrow?
Only if the tin you bought says you may. Nisbets says gel is not for reuse, and many trade cans are sold as single use. Some ZSP reviews mention putting the lid back, and one caterer said an opened lit can could not be reused. Sterling Saver does not state a rule. Where the label allows a later burn, cool the tin fully and store it away from flames. Do not top up a warm burner.
What if the gel has dried?
Leave it. Do not add white spirit, meths or another fuel to wake it up. A Till review that tried white spirit on a dried pot described a climbing flame and black smoke. A dried pot has finished its burn. Replace it with a fresh one that still names a fuel you meant to buy.
When should I stop and treat it as a fire?
Stop when you cannot smother the flame, when burning gel has spread beyond the can, or when an alarm sounds or people feel unwell. Do not use water on gel that has spread. Call 999 for a fire you cannot cover, and use NHS 111 or 999 for carbon monoxide symptoms after you have fresh air. A public room with no plan for an open flame is a reason not to light it at all.

Related pages

Chafing fuel indoors

Fuel paste

Best fondue gel fuel for chafing dishes and fondue

Chafing fuel gel buying guide for fondue and buffet

Fondue burner gel for cheese, oil and one 80 g pot

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings compared on this page. Updated 22.10.2026.

  1. HSE: GB CLP (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  2. Fire Safety Order 2005 (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  3. GOV.UK: fire safety risk assessment for small and medium places of assembly (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  4. Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service: bio-ethanol and gel fuels (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  5. Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service: gel fuel burners (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  6. NHS: carbon monoxide poisoning (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  7. GOV.UK: methanol general information (retrieved 22.10.2026)
  8. GOV.UK: General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (retrieved 22.10.2026)