Hmmm. Not at all sure the price is really a consideration given -
1. Regular extinguishers require maintenance every six years and then at 12 years extensive maintenance and/or replacement depending upon model if one wants to be certain the unit will work properly when needed. This makes the cost difference a mote point unless one frequently uses their extinguisher (something we all hope is not the case??).
2. If used the mess one has to clean up is extensive and some items (especially the carb & wiring in my experience) are damaged by the chemicals and will need to be worked on to restore externally unless it was rinsed off completely very quickly.

I see that they have been developed in Italy and are imported from there so wonder what testing and approval process has been gone through to sell in Europe. I've raised the question of why they are not UL rated and will update when (if) I hear back from Element.

Here is the response received from Element. Sounds as though UL needs to revise their testing standards to include new technologies such as this one.

Thanks for taking the time to contact us. UL711 is the UL testing standard which is used for every Listed portable handheld fire extinguishers in North America. Besides setting performance standards, UL711 defines what physical characteristics a portable fire extinguisher needs to have. 711, for example, makes reference to pressure gauges, the pressurized cylinder that holds the extinguishing agent, etc. These are all things that our extinguisher does not have because it is of a fundamentally different design than what UL envisioned when they wrote their standard decades ago.

In short, UL will not even consider testing our extinguisher because they do not recognize it as one in the first place. We, among other companies that have produced personal use fire extinguishers of unconventional design, are lobbying UL to write a new standard against which to test. Until this new standard is written —a process that realistically takes years- we cannot be considered for a UL listing.

Hope this answers your question. If you need more information please do not hesitate to ask.

Last edited by GeneBrink; 08/01/2018 10:14 PM. Reason: Additional information