About the monTEK Tabletop Fire Pit
monTEK sells a large rectangular concrete tabletop fire pit measuring 15 inches deep by 4 inches wide by 3.8 inches tall, weighing 11.5 pounds, and burning isopropyl alcohol, rubbing alcohol, or bioethanol for up to 2 hours per session. The product is marketed for indoor and outdoor use as a s’mores maker and includes a fire extinguisher and an adjustable flame plate.
The extinguisher’s inclusion is a thoughtful safety gesture — but monTEK’s own listing still instructs users to “Never pour fuel onto an open fire,” a warning that is functionally unenforceable when the nearly colorless, odorless flame these products produce can be invisible in normal lighting. A consumer who cannot see whether the fire is still burning cannot meaningfully follow that instruction.
The Flame Plate Problem
A verified Amazon customer review of the monTEK fire pit specifically notes that the adjustable flame plate — the product’s built-in tool for controlling the size of the flame — “just puts the flame out” rather than reducing it, adding that this “is not mentioned in the instructions.” The reviewer’s solution was to use the fire pit without the plate entirely.
That workaround eliminates the only mechanism designed to give users control over the flame during use — and it means the user must now manage the fire entirely through fueling and timing, without any intermediate adjustment option. In the context of a fuel that burns with a nearly invisible flame and can trigger a flame jetting explosion during refueling, removing the flame control mechanism raises the product’s risk profile substantially [1].
Federal Warnings and Industry Accountability
In December 2024, the CPSC declared all alcohol-burning tabletop fire pits “extremely dangerous” and urged all consumers to stop using them, citing two deaths and more than 60 serious burn injuries since 2019 [1]. In July 2026, the CPSC issued a specific warning against Houswise Tabletop Fire Pits after seven consumers suffered burn injuries — including third-degree burns — and the manufacturer refused to recall the product [2].
Lawsuits have been filed across the country against manufacturers and online platforms. monTEK is among the brands attorneys are actively investigating for burn injury claims, and no formal recall is required for an injured consumer to bring a product liability claim.
Can I File a Lawsuit?
Consumers who were burned while using a monTEK tabletop fire pit — whether from a pool fire, a flame jetting explosion, or a fueling incident related to the adjustable flame plate — may have significant legal options against the manufacturer, seller, or online platform. Contact an attorney promptly to have your case evaluated.
References
1. https://www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2025/Consumer-Alert-Stop-Using-Alcohol-or-Other-Liquid-Burning-Fire-Pits-That-Violate-Voluntary-Standards-and-Present-Flame-Jetting-and-Fire-Hazards-Two-Deaths-and-Dozens-of-Serious-Burn-Injuries-Reported
2. https://www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2026/CPSC-Warns-Consumers-to-Stop-Using-Houswise-Tabletop-Fire-Pits-Immediately-Due-to-Risk-of-Serious-Burn-Injury-or-Death-from-Flame-Jetting-and-Fire-Hazards