Ethanol for fireplaces: Which one to choose?

A quick reminder about bio-alcohol

Ethanol is a combustible liquid derived from biomass. In other words, it is made by fermenting plant sugars - more commonly, ethanol is a super-fine alcohol, 96% pure at the end of the distillation process.
Since it is a non-food alcohol, customs regulations require that this liquid be given an additive, making it unfit for consumption.

Does price determine quality?

To a certain extent, yes. It is estimated that a good ethanol costs between €2 and €2.50 a litre. As we don't sell ethanol, we usually refer our customers to the products of two French manufacturers:

Bionodor, which works with a list of retailers throughout France;
Pur-ethanol.com , which sells online and therefore delivers directly to your home.

Ethanol can also be found in major DIY stores such as Castorama.
We have found, and this is especially true at the time of writing, that certain products should be avoided outright - often those found in supermarkets. As our aim is not to conduct a public smear campaign, we will not name any brands, but we will be happy to give you a call if you have any doubts.
Before closing this chapter, you should know that some of our customers have noticed black deposits on the inside of the burners and on the ceramic foam, as a result of using the wrong products. These deposits are accompanied by unpleasant odours at the end of combustion.

The container

Ethanol is available in a variety of packaging - conventionally in 2, 5, 10 and 20 litre cans. Make sure you buy a well-made container, with a tight-fitting cap and the regulatory safety markings: these are a guarantee that the fuel has undergone rigorous quality control.

Pitfalls to avoid

Far from wishing to be childish, but just thinking of your safety, we would remind you that you should only use ethanol for fireplaces: household alcohol, paraffin or the ethanol blend available from service stations are therefore to be avoided.
Generally speaking, quality is your assurance of a long-lasting burner and increased safety.