Best fire extinguishers

Home fires are often unpredictable, and they can be deadly. That's why you need one full-floor, multipurpose fire extinguisher on each level of your home and one in your garage, plus smaller, supplemental units for the kitchen and car.

We tested six full-floor and seven supplemental models. Heavier extinguishers have more flame retardant and delivered it quicker and longer in our tests. Though models that weighed more than 9 pounds can be harder to hold and use, you should still buy the largest one you can comfortably handle. We also tested two aerosol sprays on the market (see Fire sprays).

No matter which fire extinguisher you buy, make sure its pressure indicator shows "full" and that it was manufactured within the last year. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that dry chemical extinguishers that are intended to be discarded after use should be disposed of 12 years after the date of manufacture. It would be useful if more manufacturers placed an expiration date on their extinguishers.