14 DAY TRIAL // Ultimately, the cool hand grenade-like gadget is in fact the world's smallest fire extinguisher! Pinqy is only 14 centimeters high and can contain about 1 kilogram of fire extinguishing foam, which is more than enough to put out small fires, such as those that spring up accidentally into your kitchen. Traditional fire extinguishers are most of the time bulky and bad looking, hidden away from keen eyes, thus you can never find them because you can't remember where you have put them.
Designer Erik Crommelynck observed the same behavior at his Belgian compatriots; none of them were keeping their fire extinguishers in their kitchens or living rooms. So he decided to change this once and for all.
According to Erik, this new design makes Pinqy ideal for the job, as it looks good and has high functionality at the same time. When trying to put out a fire, all that matters is the initial reaction. Just one moment of inattention and the blaze can get out of control. Most of the people keep their fire extinguisher hidden away in garages or cellars and usually don't have the time to reach them. As it sits on a shelf in the house, Pinqy may resemble a classic perfume bottle people used to have in their houses.
But, with Pinqy, one would never have such problems and could basically put out the fire as quickly as it develops. Unbelievably, although only 14 centimeters tall, the device could pack as much foam as a fifth of the mass contained in a traditional fire extinguisher. Crommelynck proudly reports that some of the biggest fire departments in France are already using it with good results.
The device has been designed about three years ago and since then it won a gold medal at the British Innovation Show, and seems to have conquered the British householders as well. Most of the traditional fire extinguishers explode when exposed to high temperatures, but Pinqy presents a security valve which will automatically open when it detects extreme temperatures, releasing the pressure inside.