Earlier this year, 1,000 people ordered torch guns developed by Elon Musk for $500. These “Not a Flamethrower” devices were delivered last weekend. Musk even held a pick-up party in Los Angeles, Calif., for people who ordered the first batch.
Unsurprisingly, several of them are now for sale on eBay.
The guns are not as exciting as they sound. Instead of igniting flammable liquids and throwing flames a far distance, they more resemble propane blowtorches. Musk created them to promote The Boring Company, his tunnel-digging startup.
Prices of the flamethrowers vary, according to CNN. One is listed for just under $3,000, while another offers a “But It Now” price of $20,000. An instruction manual is priced at $250.
The devices don’t appear to be generating much attention on the auction website. This is in contrast to the attention the flamethrowers garnered when Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, announced in December that he was planning on selling the devices. The flamethrowers sold out within just four days, Musk announced in February.
Not everyone is happy that Musk is selling the flamethrowers, citing safety as a concern.
“I’m really a fan of you @elonmusk but it’s totally unclear why you need to provide in my view such a useless and dangerous device,” wrote a Twitter user named Dan. “You are known for intelligence and forward thinking but a flamethrower is, in my opinion, neither of these.”
The tech giant wrote on Twitter: “Please use as directed to avoid unintentionally burning things down. For simple & concise instructions, we drew upon wisdom in great Dr. Seuss book ‘Green Eggs and Ham’…I will not use this in a house, I will not point this at my spouse, I will not use this in an unsafe way, The best use is créme brulee….and that exhausts our rhyming ability.”
In one of the photos from the flamethrower launch party, a couple is shown holding the device next to a baby carriage. “Nothing makes your baby more zen than a few gentle puffs of a TBC Flamethrower,” Musk tweeted.
Musk also offered some uses for the flamethrower—in case anyone needed an excuse to fire it: “Flamethrower obv best way to light your fireplace/BBQ. No more need to use a dainty “match” to ignite! If no wood, just drop your flamethrower in a fireplace! It will generate way more warmth than a quaint pile of logs.”
