15-20 sec is about right for a lifeboat match. The 2-3 minute claim is nonsense. That's ample time to start a prepared fire and is no different to the burn time of a conventional match, and firelighting is not actually their original intended use. I have a post on here somewhere explaining that. Do a search. As for the Tinder-Quicks, yes they burn as fast as cotton wool, but they have the great advantage of having a small pack size and of being a lot less vunerable to damp and wet. If you need a longer burn time, Wet-Fire cubes are a better choice. I carry both when I go off pavement.