How to Light a Bioethanol Fire Table

Short answer: fill the cold burner to its MAX mark through the safety spout, wet the tip of the lighting rod in the fuel, light the rod, then dip it back into the burner. To put the flame out, hook the burner lid over the opening with the same rod. That is the whole routine on every EcoSmart fire table we sell.

If that answers the question, stop reading here. The rest covers what the short version leaves out: where the decorative glass belongs, how long a single fill lasts, why the burner must rest for an hour before refuelling, and what to check when the flame refuses to catch. Every instruction below comes from EcoSmart's current support documentation, cross-checked against the ACCC's published safety advice for ethanol burners.

What comes with an EcoSmart fire table?

Everything except the fuel. EcoSmart lists a 5 L jerry can, a lighting rod, a refillable butane fire lighter and a bottle adaptor as standard inclusions with its AB8 burner, the burner inside tables such as the EcoSmart Base 40 Fire Table; the AB8 also arrives with an efficiency ring. The only thing you need to add is e-NRG bioethanol, which is the one fuel EcoSmart approves for use in its burners.

The lighting rod does most of the work in this routine. The rod measures 354 mm and does three jobs: lifting the burner lid for filling, carrying the flame to the fuel and, with its hook, drawing the lid back over the burner at the end of the evening. EcoSmart's safety instructions for its ethanol burners say to ignite the appliance only with the lighting rod and lighter supplied, because matches or other lighters could result in serious injury.

The same instructions prohibit petrol or any fuel other than e-NRG, along with wood, charcoal, paper or any other combustible object placed in the fire. A bioethanol fire table is a decorative appliance with one fuel, operated with one set of tools.

Where should the table sit before the first light?

On a level, stable surface with generous space around the flame. EcoSmart's clearance requirements for its fire tables specify a minimum of 600 mm between the flame and fixed furniture such as lounges, plus 2,000 mm overhead to anything that can move in the wind, such as tree branches. The same page rules out grass, artificial turf, carpet and rock as surfaces; it also asks for a 12.5 mm air gap beneath the sidewalls, set with the adjustable feet.

A second figure is worth knowing alongside those: EcoSmart's regular safety checklist for its burners asks for 1,500 mm between the flame and all flammable items, which is two and a half times the fixed-furniture figure. The 600 mm rule is written for lounges that stay put, whereas loose cushions, throws and paper napkins are the items that drift closer than anyone planned, so we would work to the larger number for anything your guests can pick up and move.

For decks, pergolas and covered patios, the separate guide to fire table clearances works through each situation in more detail.

Where does the glass media go?

Around the burner, never on top of it. EcoSmart fire tables, fire pits and fire pit kits include black glass charcoal as standard, a decorative media made from tempered glass, so the table arrives with its glass already supplied. EcoSmart's guidance is to avoid placing any decorative media directly on top of the burner, or anywhere it could interfere with the burner's operation or the stability of the flame.

That settles the question behind most searches for fire glass. The fire glass calculators that rank online work out how deep a layer of glass should cover a fireplace or fire pit floor. A bioethanol burner operates differently, because the fuel held in the reservoir burns to produce the flame, so the opening has to stay clear rather than covered.

An EcoSmart table therefore needs no calculation at all. If the layer ever looks patchy, the aim is to hide the tray while leaving the burner mouth and the lid completely free to move.

Glass is not the only option. EcoSmart permits pebbles, quartz, rock or crushed glass, provided the media is completely non-combustible, non-porous and free of air pockets, which excludes porous stone such as the lava rock used in gas fire pits. The safety instructions add their own conditions: decorative media must never interfere with the shut-off mechanism; no piece may be smaller than the largest opening of the burner, so nothing can fall in.

How do you fill the burner safely?

Cold, through the spout, to the MAX mark. EcoSmart's e-NRG fuel filling procedures state that the burner must be off and cold before you approach it with fuel. The same page warns never to fill a burner directly from the e-NRG bottle because of the risk of explosion, which is why every step below runs through the safety spout, following EcoSmart's guide to filling and operating the AB burner.

1. Confirm the flame is out and the burner is cold.
2. Decant e-NRG into the supplied jerry can in a well-ventilated spot away from any ignition source, or fit the bottle adaptor and safety spout directly to the e-NRG bottle.
3. Lift the burner lid with the lighting rod.
4. Insert the nozzle into the burner's filling point and press the green button. The nozzle stops by itself when the reservoir reaches MAX.
5. Wipe any spill with a dry cloth followed by a damp one; let the area dry completely before lighting.

The spout is not optional equipment: Australia's mandatory standard requires these appliances to come with a fuel container fitted with a flame arrester or an automatic pump; the ACCC's guide to ethanol burners notes that many injuries occur while a burner is being refilled.

On an AB8, filling is also the moment to fit the efficiency ring if you want a lower, longer flame. EcoSmart's efficiency ring guide explains that the ring sits over the burner vent while the burner is cold, reducing flame height and heat output while extending the burn time. Remove the ring only once the burner is completely cool. The XL900 burner in the Cosmo 50 uses a set of baffles for the same purpose.

How do you light it?

With the lighting rod, never a match. Before you start, check that the fuel sits above the 1 litre line, since EcoSmart's troubleshooting guide lists insufficient fuel first among the reasons a burner will not ignite. Then follow the same AB burner guide:

1. Dip the tip of the lighting rod into the burner to wet it with fuel.
2. Light the tip of the rod with the supplied lighter.
3. Dip the lit rod back into the burner to ignite the fuel.

Expect a modest flame at first; EcoSmart's note on a small or low flame explains that ethanol needs a few minutes to warm up before the flame reaches its normal height. Flame height also follows fuel level, running taller near MAX and lower as the fuel drops, so the flame at seven o'clock will look fuller than the flame at eleven without anything being wrong.

In bright sunlight a bioethanol flame can be difficult to see, which is why EcoSmart's safety instructions warn never to assume the appliance is off. If your table is going somewhere awkward, such as under a pergola, beside timber decking or on an exposed balcony, ring Hayden on 1300 515 620 before you buy; we will talk through the clearances for that exact spot.

How long does one fill last?

Most of an evening. An AB8 holds 8 L and uses 1.1 L an hour at full flame, which EcoSmart translates into 7 to 9 hours per fill. EcoSmart also quotes up to 11 hours for the AB8, while the efficiency ring extends a fill further still. The table below compares the three burners used across EcoSmart's fire tables and fire pits.

The figures come from EcoSmart's AB3 and XL900 burner pages and the AB8 page above; EcoSmart describes all of them as indicative only. One caution applies to the AB3, whose page lists a 2.5 L capacity while quoting its burn time against 3 L, so treat the upper end of that range as generous.

EcoSmart's own model pages put the AB8 in the Base 40, Mojito 40, Manhattan 50, Martini 50 and Mimosa 40 tables, with the XL900 in the Cosmo 50 and the AB3 in the Mix 600 and Stix fire pits. For planning fuel cartons across a whole season, see how much bioethanol fuel a fire table needs.

How do you put the flame out?

Close the lid with the rod. The AB burner guide says to use the hook at the end of the lighting rod to lift the lid and cover the burner. EcoSmart's troubleshooting guide for ethanol burners adds that the lid should close smoothly, because closing it too slowly can leave the flame burning.

If the flame still refuses to go out, let the fuel burn until the reservoir is empty, then contact the distributor before using the burner again. Never use water: EcoSmart and the ACCC both warn against it, with the ACCC explaining that water may spread the flames. For a burner that will not go out, EcoSmart's troubleshooting guide also says not to blow on it or throw a blanket over it.

The shut-off mechanism stays hot for up to 60 minutes after use, according to the safety instructions, so the lighting rod does the touching rather than your hand.

When is it safe to refuel?

After 60 minutes, never before. EcoSmart's safety instructions say to shut the appliance off and allow it to cool for 60 minutes before refuelling. The warning printed on every EcoSmart burner is blunter: filling an alcohol-fuelled device while lit has caused severe burns and deaths.

Picture a Saturday night on a paved courtyard. At ten o'clock your friends are still talking while the flame burns low, so someone suggests a quick top-up. That top-up is the moment the ACCC associates with many burner injuries, because a burner that is still alight or still hot can ignite the fresh ethanol vapour.

The fix is planning rather than bravery. Filled to MAX before the guests arrive, the 8 L AB8 burns at 1.1 L an hour for 7 to 9 hours, which covers the whole evening; the night then ends with the lid closed, the table cooling and nothing left to do until tomorrow.

Why won't the burner light?

Usually water or low fuel. EcoSmart's troubleshooting guide lists five causes: too little fuel, the wrong fuel, an obstructed opening, cold fuel that takes time to catch, and rain diluting the fuel outdoors. Outdoors, check for water first, because any moisture left in the reservoir dilutes the fuel enough to prevent ignition.

EcoSmart's page on a water-contaminated burner sets out the remedy. Empty the reservoir (ethanol can go down the drain, followed by plenty of water), wash the burner in a dishwasher or by hand, let it dry fully, then refill with fresh e-NRG to MAX and light as normal. EcoSmart is clear that you should not attempt to burn off contaminated fuel.

Keeping the burner lid closed between uses, as the clearance page advises, stops dust and debris collecting inside the burner. The fire table cleaning guide, How to Clean a Fire Table, covers the rest of the maintenance routine.

The honest trade-off

A bioethanol fire table is a hands-on appliance. On EcoSmart's AB and XL burners, filling, lighting and closing are all done by hand with the lighting rod; flame height comes down to how full the burner is and whether the ring is fitted. The routine takes a few minutes, but the end of the night cannot be hurried, because the hour before refuelling is fixed.

If you want a flame at the press of a button, that is a fair reason to choose a different appliance. For everyone else, the routine is quick to learn. Buy an EcoSmart fire table from us and our price-beat promise applies; delivery is free as well.

Owner's after-care comes with every table: a fit check before it ships, a delivery we shepherd to your door and a check-in within a week. If anything goes wrong under warranty, we handle the claim for you. Ring Hayden on 1300 515 620, use the contact form, or send a message through the chat bubble; if we miss your call, we ring back the same day.

You May Also Like:

• How Do Fire Tables Work
• How to Clean a Fire Table
• How Much Bioethanol Fuel Do I Need For A Fire Table
• How Much Clearance Do You Need For A Fire Table
• Are Bioethanol Fireplaces Safe?
• Ethanol Fire Pit Tables

Hayden Pearson

Learn More

About the author:
“I have a real passion for helping transform outdoor spaces so people can relax, connect and entertain with confidence and pride. With My Acre, I love guiding homeowners to create beautiful and functional outdoor living areas."