Kitchn Love Letters

This Stylish and Functional Concrete Personal Fireplace Just May Be My New Favorite Household Item

published Nov 18, 2022
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FLIKR Concrete Personal Fireplace
Credit: Ni'Kesia Pannell

As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop, I find myself wanting to snuggle up on my couch with a warm blanket at all times of the day. Since cozy girl season (aka fall and winter) is truly my time to shine and I’m lucky enough to have my own fireplace in my living room, I always feel like I’m living the best life when the colder months roll in.

Unfortunately though, with the luck of having a fireplace, the responsibility of having to clean said fireplace comes with it. And for me, that’s a big no. While building a backyard fire pit is one of my ultimate goals as a new homeowner, until I get to that place, I needed a good substitute for keeping warm when the temps aren’t too low without having to light the fireplace or turn the heater on. The fix? A personal fireplace that’s both functional and stylish.

FLIKR’s XL Personal Concrete Fireplace has quickly become one of my favorite home items and for many good reasons. Not only does the sleek concrete design make it a focal point of any space, it can be used in both indoor and outdoor spaces, making it easier to stay warm no matter where you are. And the best part is all you need is a bit of isopropyl alcohol (9 ounces to be exact) and a lighter to make it work.

Naturally, when I first received the fireplace, I was a bit skeptical about it actually working. To my surprise, however, it was easy to get set up and it burned for nearly an hour — just as promised. To keep the party going, I lit it a second time and while I didn’t let it burn for another full hour, when I was ready to put the flame out, I just placed the included aluminum snuffer lid over it. Easy and safe — plus, no cleanup afterwards.

Now of course, I wouldn’t completely replace my heater or fireplace with this personal option from FLIKR, but that’s because of that exact reason: it’s a personal fireplace. So if you’re looking to warm up your entire space or keep your full body warm, this is not what this is for. Though it did keep parts of me warm when I was up close to it, I wouldn’t bet on it to warm me up from head to toe. But making a nice round (or two) of s’mores with the gang? Absolutely.