No smoke, just fire
Cody and Rayna Wells bask in the warmth of the Revolve smokeless fire pit, alongside Krista Panerio and Justin Moody.
COEUR d'ALENE — Fire pits are a focal point for many outdoor activities, offering a place to socialize, as well as warmth, ambiance — and acrid smoke.
A Post Falls manufacturer has made that last part a thing of the past with the invention of a new “smokeless” fire pit.
Flame Innovation recently launched its newest product, the Revolve fire pit, which uses innovative airflow technology to dramatically reduce smoke production.
“We had to do something that was completely different than anything else on the market and be the first of its kind,” said Dusty Henderson, Flame Innovation’s CEO and founder. “We’ve tried to address design faults in other products and be innovative in our thinking.”
The fire pit channels airflow to maximize combustion and reduce smoke to the absolute minimum, allowing users to enjoy the warmth and beauty of a crackling fire with the discomfort of smoke.
“It’s the first fire pit that has damper doors on the side, so you can control the burn,” Henderson said.
The product is available in five different sizes, all of which are designed to be lightweight and portable, so users can enjoy the smoke-free fire pit at home or while camping or picnicking.
It’s not the first time Flame Innovation has changed the game. The company’s first product was a gravity-fed log stove, originally designed by Hayden inventor Frank Reed.
In 2017, the Optimum log stove stove won best new marketable product of the year at the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association Expo in Atlanta, catching attention from the stove industry.
The stove went on to win the People’s Choice Award at the Alliance for Green Heat’s 2018 wood stove design competition.
“It was the first and only one of its kind and still is,” Henderson said.
Henderson began to explore other products that could be sold at different times of year.
The Flame Innovation team developed a miniature version of the original stove, called the Mini Me, meant for recreational use in small spaces like tiny homes, hunting cabins, green houses, RVs and school bus conversions known as skoolies. Henderson said the gravity-fed, non-electric Mini Me is one of the company’s most exciting products.
“It’s utilizing a resource that’s clean and efficient and would otherwise go unused,” he said.
The Caboose arrived next, a tiny wood stove that completely heats 200 to 600 square feet. It’s proved to be a hit among people who live downsized or nomadic lifestyles, including tiny home residents and folks who travel in RVs.
“The tiny living movement is getting to be huge,” Henderson said. “We saw a market there.”
The product is available in five different sizes, all of which are designed to be lightweight and portable, so users can enjoy the smoke-free fire pit at home or while camping or picnicking.
Flame Innovation currently employs five people, though Henderson said he expects to hire a few more people this year as demand continues to grow.
“We’ve got highly skilled and trained staff,” he said. “We’re all a team.”
All of Flame Innovation’s products are manufactured in Post Falls. The company uses steel sourced in the U.S. as much as possible, Henderson said.
“We’re proud to be a manufacturer in the USA,” he said.
Above all, Henderson said, Flame Innovation is committed to developing more innovative, eco-friendly and cost effective heating solutions.
“We’re trying to be forward thinkers in building clean-burning, efficient products,” he said. “We’re trying to think outside the box.”
