How do different Flexible Chimney Liners match up to one another?

In this article we compare different brands of liners and see if there is any major difference. We are comparing three chimney liner brands. Forever Flex™ Homesaver™ and Flex King™

Forever Flex and Homesaver are the two most popular liner brands. What is the difference between them and the Flex King Liner?

Forever Flex
Homesaver Ultra & Ultra Pro
Flex King	Flex King Pro

Homesaver Ultra and Ultra Pro, whats the fuss about?
Just looking at the liners shows that they are very similar in appearance. Homesaver, however, is slightly different in its design. The difference is in the seam and the steepness of the corrugations. Figure 1.1 shows the corrugations and the seam. The seam is located on the top of the corrugation with no crimping. This type of build allows for a slightly more flexibly liner.  The liner is stronger while lying on the ground. If a heavy man was to stand on it, it would be able to hold the weight without crushing.  The liner comes in two thicknesses .006" and .005". The Ultra being the .006 and the Ultra Pro being the .005.

Figure 1.1
Out of the box the liner is easier to uncoil. The manufacturer claims it will just role out and be straight, almost like a slinky. But users have said it takes a little effort to get it straight.

Do these specs make the liner better than the other liners? Not neccessarily.

Flex King and Forever Flex
Two other liners we are comparing are identical to each other — Flex King™ and Forever Flex™. Their construction is a little different compared to  the Homesaver™ liner. Instead of the seam being at the top of a corrugation, the seem is at the bottom. The seams are folded over each other, creating a  7-ply seam that is crimped.

The steepness of the corrugations are also a bit less than the Homesaver liner.

Now, what does all of this mean. Nothing really. All three liners will do the same exact thing and perform the same task. The Homesaver liners have a deeper corrugation allowing for more creosote to get stuck in the liner, making it a bit harder to clean, but it's not really an issue to be too concerned with. The Homesaver liners are more expensive, and if paying more for something makes you feel better about the quality, then this is the liner for you.

Flex King Pro
Flex King Pro is a flexible stainless liner truly "fit for kings". The liner is constructed in a way that creates a smooth interior wall which helps increase draft dramatically. As a result of the smooth interior walls creosote has a harder time finding a place to get packed in, making it extremely easy to keep clean. The liner is also thicker than normal flexible chimney liners. Remarkably this added thickness doesn't decrease its flexibility, it's actually more flexible than regular liner.

Flex King	Flex King Pro

Flex King Pro — Is it tough?
The proof is in the picture. This is not trick photography. This liner is holding a 265lb man without crushing. Add a few more men and it will still hold strong. What does this mean? No one is going to stand on your chimney liner when it's in your chimney, but just knowing that you have a strong and sturdy liner will give you peace of mind. Flex King Pro has a total overall thickness of .012in. — that's double the thickness of traditional flexible liners.

What about Liner Kit Components?
The Homesaver and Forever Flex kits offer the same type of components. They feature a clamp securing device. Over the last few years the "Clamp Style" components have been a big seller. They are said to be the easiest to install.

Flex King Kits also come with the same type components as the Forever Flex and Homesaver liner kits.

All the liners come with great warranties, but just be aware that if you choose to install the liner yourself certain restrictions may apply. Make sure your retailer will back the factory warranty if you install it yourself.