Old ammo cans are the Tupperware of the emergency preparedness world. Although they were originally intended to carry loose ammunition or machine gun belts, we’ve seen these inexpensive stamped steel boxes repurposed to contain everything from tools and camp cooking utensils to fishing tackle, portable radios, and medical gear. Some DIYers even outfit them with batteries and USB ports to function as a portable charging station, or with speakers to serve as a boombox. Washington-based gear company Ignik Outdoors came up with their own ammo can contraption — a portable propane fire pit called the Ignik FireCan — and has continued to develop and upgrade it with some clever features.
FireCan: Bringing the Heat
The concept of converting an ammo can into a mini propane fire pit is nothing new. If you’re handy, you can make one by drilling a hole in the side of an ammo can, inserting a capped piece of pipe with some smaller holes drilled in it, and adding a fitting on the end to attach a propane tank. You can buy these cans in the form of DIY kits or complete units from a variety of vendors. You can also make a shotgun with some pipe, a roofing nail, and a 2×4 from the hardware store… but a Beretta 1301 it ain’t.
The moral of the story is that DIY projects are fun and can save you some money, but sometimes it’s preferable to have a thoughtfully-engineered product with added features and quality-of-life improvements. Such is the case for the Ignik FireCan, especially its Deluxe package.
Ignik’s standard FireCan is a powdercoated steel can with mesh grates cut into each side to increase airflow, heat transmission, and visibility of the flames. It also has heat-resistant silicone carry handles and four folding legs that lift the can off the ground, reducing the risk of your fire scorching the ground or spreading out of control. Rather than a basic screw-on propane connector, it has a locking quick-release fitting and includes a matching 5-foot hose with adjustable regulator. After removing the can’s lid and unfolding its legs, just connect the regulator to your propane tank (or one of Ignik’s convenient Gas Growlers — more on that later), click the other end onto your FireCan, light it through the included access hole, and enjoy your portable heat source.
For more radiant heat, you can fill the can with some fire rocks to increase its thermal mass. Ignik offers tumbled lava rocks (5 pounds) as well as ultra-lightweight ceramic “Moon Rocks” (1 pound) that can be used to fill your FireCan. Each of these also varies the flame pattern to create a more natural fire pit experience, as opposed to the propane burner’s symmetrical jets.
A Note About Fire Restrictions
I live in wildfire country, and it’s normal for the local forestry service to issue bans on open campfires during the dry months. This is a major bummer for anyone who’s planning a camping trip, because sitting around an LED lantern doesn’t have the same appeal as sitting around a warm fire. Thankfully, there are usually exemptions for propane-fueled fire pits and stoves — this means that the FireCan is one of the few ways to safely and legally have a fire at the campsite during wildfire season. Check your local laws to see if this is also true in your area, but if it is, it’s a major selling point for the FireCan (and other propane fire pits).
The FireCan Deluxe
Recently, Ignik introduced the FireCan Deluxe, which improves upon the regular FireCan in several areas. The first thing you’ll notice is its brushed silver finish, which indicates stainless steel construction. This should be more corrosion-resistant than the black powdercoated carbon steel, even if it gets a little scratched and banged up over time. But its biggest difference is revealed when you open the lid.
Beneath its lid, the FireCan Deluxe features a removable grill insert that’s constructed from stamped stainless steel. Its inner surface is ramped and slotted to funnel drippings down gutters and into a removable drip tray that sits in a slot at the base of the unit. Four hooks in the corners of the grill insert hold a 5 by 10-inch rectangular wire grill — the perfect size for hotdogs, hamburgers, chicken breasts, veggies, and other small items. Granted, you won’t be making a meal for the whole family on this setup, but it’s perfect for cooking a quick meal for one or two people.