For most of history, the multifunctional fire was the only source of energy in the household. It served as a cookstove, toaster, heating device, lighting source, hot water boiler, clothes dryer, and refrigerator, among other functions.  During the twentieth century, the fire was replaced by a wide range of appliances plugged into central infrastructures. In this series of articles, LOW←TECH MAGAZINE critically examines the efficiency, sustainability, health, and safety of the fire and its flame- and smoke-free modern alternatives. What are we saying when we argue that electrical appliances are “better” than a traditional fire?

1. Too Much Combustion, Too Little Fire
2. Thermo-electric Stoves: Ditch the Solar Panels?
3. How to Make Biomass Energy Sustainable Again
4. Well-Tended Fires Outperform Modern Cooking Stoves
5. If We Insulate Our Houses, Why Not Our Cooking Pots?
6. Wood Gas Vehicles: Firewood in the Fuel Tank
7. Medieval Smokestacks: Fossil Fuels inPre-industrial Times