Fire blanket vs. extinguisher: which one belongs in your kitchen?

An extinguisher is a great tool — in trained hands, for a fire that has already grown. For the small, fast fires that actually happen in homes, a blanket usually wins on every practical measure.

Speed: a blanket needs one motion. An extinguisher needs you to remember P.A.S.S., pull a pin, and aim correctly under stress.

Maintenance: a blanket has no pressure gauge, no expiry ritual and no annual service. It sits on the wall and it works.

Cleanup: dry chemical powder is corrosive and gets into every surface of a kitchen. A blanket leaves nothing behind.

The honest answer for most households: keep both if you can, but if you keep only one thing within reach of the stove, make it a certified fire blanket.