Popular in the early 1900s, these dry powder extinguishers, often referred to as “shakers”, contain a powder chemical mixture (usually containing sodium bicarbonate) that is effective at smothering fires. These extinguishers were only available on the market for a short amount of time, and were replaced by more popular options such as carbon tetrachloride extinguishers and dry chemical fire extinguishers.

Most of these extinguishers are simple metal tubes with tops that could be pulled off. Others were similar to pump-type extinguishers. The powder inside would be shaken with force at the base of the fire in order to smother the flames. Some instructed the user to throw handfuls at a time, while others were meant to be dumped in their entirety.