For the past year to year and a half, I have been carrying out an unintentional and uncontrolled experiment with the Charbroil Sure2burn fire starter packs that I found in Home Depot.

Unlike the similar Weber Lighter cube, which "evaporates" over months into a styrofoam-like substance that is not flammable, the sure2burn is smaller and flat. It is easy to carry around in a wallet (which in turn is in my pants). Thus, it is in a warm, humid place that is jostled and rubbed frequently, hardly a friendly environment.

Over this time, the packaging did not have any visible cracks or leaks. The white substance within became fairly crumbly like coarse sand. Originally it was a single flat piece.

However, a single firestarter burned well and easily with a lighter. I did not try my usual ferro spark. Since the fuel "melts" a bit, the fuel can be maximized on an impermeable surface. After burning, there MAY be somewhat MORE black residue than a fresh packet but I'm unsure.

The energy in the packet was sufficient to heat about half of canteen cup of water to make a decent cup of tea (goldilocks temp: not too hot, not too cold). Like the Weber Lighter Cube, it burns with a lot of smoke.

With the Lighter cube, I have had reasonable success using wax to cover the fuel after separating out the 24 cubes into individual cups. While more expensive than the lighter cube, I like the packaging of the sure2burn better. Two lighter cubes fit in the pocket of a USGI canteen cover. The same space fits four sure2burn. The lighter cube is not suitable for wallets.

In summary, the Charbroil Sure2Burn appears to be a superior EDC product compared to the Weber lighter cube.