With their low prices and ease of use, aerosol fire sprays are a tempting purchase. But the sprays are no substitute for a fire extinguisher. In fact, in Consumer Reports' tests the sprays ...

Consumer Reports breaks down the simple steps you need to keep in mind to make sure your fire extinguisher works if you need it.

1. Amerex B417 Fire Extinguisher. Amerex supplies fire extinguishers to major industrial buildings and stores, so handling a house fire is no problem for this 2.5 pound B417 (around 5 pounds charged).

To ensure the extinguisher will work when needed, it needs to be within rated age limits; have the recommended charge as indicated on the pressure gauge; and undergo periodic inspection for dents ...

Fire extinguishers are one of those things that you don’t tend to think about until you need one. And when you need one, there’s a good chance that it’s an actual emergency. You don’t want ...