Best Magnifying Glass Fire Starters Tested
A good magnifying glass fire starter is a huge upgrade for a variety of survival kits. Sure, being able to start a fire with nothing but a lens is pretty darn cool, but there are also several advantages to having a magnifying glass handy. For starters, they are not consumable (meaning they don’t get used up, like matches, lighters, or ferro rods), and they are extremely versatile. There are several options to consider when it comes to magnifying glass fire starters: lens material, focal length, durability, etc.
This is where we come in. We’ve researched the best magnifying glasses, put them to the test, and now the results are in: the overall best, a lightweight everyday carry option, and an upgrade option. If you need a magnifying glass that will add tons of versatility in a survival situation, one of our picks will keep your survival in focus.
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In this latest update of the best magnifying glass fire starters, prices have been updated, and additional pictures have been added. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Disclosure»
Best Magnifying Glass Fire Starter
Carson MagniFlip 3X
Effective, Durable, and Inexpensive
An easy-to-use magnifying glass with integrated protection at an unrivaled value.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
This magnifying glass is a small, lightweight magnifying glass solution designed to be durable enough for everyday use. With a 1.6″ diameter lens, it is just the right size to easily get a small focal point for fire starting.
Specifications
- Magnification: 3x
- Lens Material: Acrylic
- Model: GN-33
- Size: 1.7″ x 1.7″ (1.6″ lens diameter)
- Weight: 0.7 ounces verified by our team
The 3X magnification helps put the focal distance not too far or close to the lens itself. I can get the perfect distance away from the ground by just extending my pinky for support. This is nice because you do have to hold your position for a while, depending on conditions and the tinder you are using.
All of these features make the Carson MagniFlip 3X Pocket Magnifier an excellent choice for bug out bags, get home bags, and standard survival kits.
Fresnel Lens Fire Starter
ASE Fresnel Lens
Thin, Lightweight, and Versatile
Unmatched magnification versatility that can travel with you anywhere you go.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The Best Glide Credit Card Fresnel Lens is a marvel. If you don’t have one already, you are missing out. Fresnel lenses are so thin (0.4 millimeters) that you can store one pretty much anywhere- not just in your wallet. Stash some in your survival books, playing cards, or auto repair manual- you can keep a powerful magnifying glass in all of these. If you do keep one in your wallet, you won’t notice it because it only weighs 5 grams.
Specifications
- Quantity: 3-pack
- Magnification: 4x
- Lens Material: Optical PVC
- Color Options: 3 (red, yellow, green sleeves)
- Size: 2″ x 3.5″
- Weight: 0.1 ounces (each, with sleeve) verified by our team
While the magnification is listed at 4X, it is somewhat adjustable since the lenses are so flexible. You can bend the lenses lengthwise to adjust the focal distance, giving you more versatility when you are firestarting.
Best of all, they are darn tough and durable. You won’t have to worry about breaking your glass magnifying lens since they are made of razor-thin flexible polymer. Best Glide prints some survival quotes on the protective sleeves, and three of them come in a pack.
Upgrade Magnifying Glass Fire Starter
Coopers Bay 8X Lens
Clear, Lightweight, and Quality
A simple, quality magnifying glass kit with plenty of protection for transport.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
This little piece of glass shipped from the UK is the real deal. Created just for bushcraft and to make solar fires, it is optimized for fire starting with its size and focal length. The 8X magnification combined with the 2″ size (50mm) makes it easy to light that tinder in sunny conditions.
Specifications
- Magnification: 8x
- Lens Material: BK9 Optical Glass
- Included: Carrying tin, velvet storage bag, plastic bag with 2″ x 18″ char cloth, ranger band
- Size: 3.75″ x 2.5″ x 0.88″ carrying tin (2″ lens diameter)
- Weight: 2.6 ounces verified by our team
The velvet carry bag is essential both in and out of the tin because it is a glass lens that you will need to care for. Pick up a Coopers Bay 8X Magnifying Lens if you want to start a fire with a magnifying glass like the pros.
Comparison Table
| Magnifying Glass Fire Starter | Recommendation | Price* | Magnification | Lens Material | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson MagniFlip | Best Overall | $5 | 3x | Acrylic | 0.7 oz |
| ASE Fresnel Lens | Best for EDC | $5 | 4x | Optical PVC | 0.1 oz |
| Coopers Bay | Best Glass Fire Starter | $19 | 8x | BK9 Optical Glass | 2.6 oz |
The Magnifying Glasses We Compared
Our research narrowed the field down to several brands and types of magnifying glasses that we compared: Carson, Adventure Survival Equipment (ASE), Outdoor Supplies Direct, Coopers Bay, Self-Reliance, Grim Workshop, Wenger, and more.
You can see our full list of review criteria below in the What to Look For section, with an explanation for each.
We considered a wide range of magnifying glasses with focal points capable of starting a localized fire. We narrowed the focus to hand-held portable ones with smaller, more manageable sizes.
We’re always looking for new and better equipment, so if you have a magnifying glass in your fire kit that you swear by, let us know in the comments. We review most of our tested gear annually so we can try to get it in the next roundup and see if it will beat out our top picks.
What to Look For
A magnifying glass is a unique way to start a fire. For it to be most effective, you’ll need to look for:
- Value
- Focal Point
- Material & Quality
- Size & Weight
- Versatility
When you get the right blend of these, you can find a way to harness solar energy to create a fire with magnification. Below, we break down what each of these features means for the lenses that truly set themselves apart.
Value: Cost vs. Benefit
The amount of money you spend on something like a small lens shouldn’t blow out your entire budget. There is a wide range of fire-starting tools, and magnifying glasses are one of the more niche and conditional methods.
But they’re also one of the most sustainable methods, giving you virtually endless fires if you have quality gear that is properly protected.
You never want to spend too much money on one thing when it comes to your fire kit. It’s better to diversify your tools within your budget to make sure you are covered for a wide range of scenarios.
Focal Point
Both the diameter and the focal length are important since they must be close in order to effectively pinpoint this energy in a way that is useful for fire starting.
The type of magnifying glass is important since it rules out what can and can’t start a fire. For instance, if you are nearsighted, your glasses cannot help you start a fire since they will disperse the energy. If you are farsighted, however, then you are in luck. You could use your glasses in a pinch to focus the sun’s energy to a point and start a fire. If you have a low prescription, it may be more difficult, though, since your focal length will be pretty far away from the glasses, and hard to hold steady.
Material & Quality
The most common materials that are used for optical fire-starting are:
- Glass
- Plastics
- Water (and Ice!)
Many magnifying ‘glasses’ are actually made out of plastic. Plastic is usually cheaper to manufacture, but it is also harder to crack. There are many different types of plastics; however, plastic magnifying glasses can have a few drawbacks, including:
- optical impurities (distortion and filtering)
- easy to scratch
- lower melting point than glass
A glass lens should produce better results with its clarity. Many bushcrafters swear by well-protected glass lenses that are quality-made because the optical clarity can make the difference between getting a fire started or not.
Size & Weight
Magnifying glasses are small already, but even the ones we tested varied in weight. From glass lenses that need additional protection to carry in your kit to ultra-portable fresnel lenses- a few ounces can make a difference in bug out bags or EDC loadouts.
Versatility
Besides fire starting, magnifying glasses can come in handy in many survival situations. This added versatility can include:
- Reading smaller-print guides, checklists, and books.
- Precision first-aid visibility (inspect wounds, etc).
- Signaling by directing the focal point at another group/person.
- Burning markings/directions/signs.
- Boil water (this will take much longer than starting a fire, and only with very small amounts of water).
How to Use Magnification to Start a Fire
A magnifying glass is a versatile survival tool and makes for an excellent backup fire-starting solution. Using a magnifying glass as a fire starter can be more difficult than it seems. Several factors come into play that could derail your attempt:
- Weather – In order to start a fire with the sun, you need to harness solar energy with the sun in the sky. Cloud cover or rain will prevent this.
- Tinder – Bad tinder can ruin your chances of starting a fire before you even start. Make sure you have good, feathered, dry tinder.
- Magnifying Glass – We talked about how you can start a fire with many different things that magnify, but some materials are easier than others. Using ice to start a fire may be possible, but it is extremely difficult to do.
- Training – Learning the focal distance of your magnifying glass and how to focus the energy into a point may seem like common sense, but without practice, you may find it harder to accomplish in a survival scenario.
One of the main tips I can give you is that you need to hold still to let the energy and heat build up on the small focal point. I brace my hand by extending my pinky if I’m lighting tinder on the ground, or brace my hand with my shoe or other gear if it’s in a stove. I’ve found it to be a lot like a firearm, where you make plenty of contact points to reduce sway (and lost energy in this case).
This video demonstrates very well how to use a magnifying glass fire starter:
You’ll notice in the video that she goes for the char-cloth for tinder, which is very forgiving and takes much less time to ignite. Even with the perfect conditions that we laid out above, one of the most important things you need to keep in mind is patience. A magnifying glass fire requires a steady hand, attention to detail, and plenty of time.
Who Needs a Magnifying Glass Fire Starter?
A magnifying glass can be a cheap, lightweight tool that boosts the functionality, versatility, and redundancy of a survival kit. The gear you carry is one of the most important factors in your preparedness. A magnifying glass is a smart tool to include in your:
We even suggest considering it for:
Everyone should be familiar with these kits and have a disaster survival kit at the very least.
Why a Magnifying Glass?
Solar power, while not always reliable, is incredibly powerful. If the sun is out and you need to get a fire going, you can easily harness the energy to do so with just a small tool. A magnifying glass is an elegant solution. There are no moving parts to break. It doesn’t need electricity. Best of all, magnifying glasses are not consumable.
Using a magnifying glass to start a fire doesn’t leave you with any less potential to start a fire the next time. Matches, lighters, and even ferro rods eventually run out of strikes.
Magnifying glasses are versatile. You can use a magnifying glass to signal with pinpointed light. You can use it to see smaller objects and faraway objects better. Magnifying glasses are often used with detailed maps. Some people even need them to see clearly since they are the lenses in glasses.
Lastly, magnifying glasses are found everywhere. Even if you don’t follow our suggestion and add a magnifying glass to your survival kit, chances are that you have one around the house. If you bug out, there are magnifying glasses found everywhere. Some TVs are basically one giant Fresnel lens. Take a look at this ingenuity by harnessing the power of the sun:
If that doesn’t get you excited about the potential of starting fires with a magnifying glass, I don’t know what will. As he demonstrates, your imagination is the limit when it comes to harnessing solar energy with lenses.
How We Review Products: We research thoroughly before selecting the best products to review. We have vast prepping and survival experience and bring in outside experts when needed. Hours on end are spent testing gear in stressful conditions and using specialized testing gear to verify claims. We assign performance criteria and impartially rate each tested item. Learn more about how we test.
Sources & References
All of our experience and the testing we do to determine the best magnifying glass is useless without listing our research sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our hands-on testing and practical military and prepping experience:
Beck, H. (1928). Early Magnifying Glasses. The Antiquaries Journal; Cambridge University Press. Volume 8. Issue 3. Pages 327 – 330. (Source).
Essilor News. (2018). Missed Boy Scouts? No Problem. Learn How to Use Your Glasses to Start a Fire. Essilor USA. (Source).
Fowles, G. (1989). Introduction to Modern Optics. Dover Publications. (Source).
Conclusion
Magnifying glasses have been around since before 400 BC, and some of the earliest uses were to start fires. It may be old technology, but it is a great tool to include in any survival kit.
Our subscribers have also found these reviews and guides helpful:
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See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.
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