People are already torching things they shouldn't with Elon Musk's flamethrowers

iJustine/YouTube

YouTuber Justine Ezarik with her flamethrower.

• Elon Musk's Boring Company got its $500 flamethrowers into the hands of consumers for the first time.
• 1,000 people got hold of the devices at a Boring Company HQ pick-up party over the weekend, where they torched marshmallows.
• For legal reasons, the machines are named "Not-a-Flamethrower."
• Some people have already been torching things at home and sharing the images on social media.

Elon Musk's Boring Company got its $500 flamethrowers into the hands of consumers for the first time on Saturday.

The company sold 20,000 of the machines, but the first 1,000 were distributed at an event at the Boring Company's HQ in Los Angeles. People formed long queues to get their hands on their very own flamethrowers.

Musk was happily tweeting away from the so-called "pick-up party."

The name of the fire-spewing machine is "Not-a-Flamethrower," owing to shipping and customs regulations that restrict the transport of anything termed a "flamethrower."

Musk tweeted what he claimed was the terms and conditions for the machines, some of which he said are presented in the style of US children's author Doctor Seuss.

Last month, Digital Trends walked through what it called the "ridiculous" terms and conditions for the Not-a-Flamethrower.

YouTuber Justine Ezarik unboxed the device in a video over the weekend, in which tech reviewer Faruk Korkmaz commented: "Read the terms, they're not joking. Even though it's written in a joking manner."

At the pick-up event punters tested out the flamethrowers (which are definitely flamethrowers) by torching marshmallows.

After customers took the flamethrowers home they started sharing pictures and videos on social media. These guys flame roasted steaks.

Musk's terms and conditions recommended using them for crème brûlée - these people obliged.

Not all of the images depicted entirely safe or controlled use of the machines, however.

This included vlogger Ezarik, whose YouTube channel has over 4 million subscribers. She accidentally burned a section of her garden's artificial grass when making a cooking video.

This guy lit something he was smoking with the device.

While another man sprayed flames dangerously close to his feet.

Some have criticised the sale of the "Not-a-Flamethrower" to the general public, viewing it as a major safety risk.

With 20,000 flamethrowers now in circulation, expect more flame-throwing displays on social media.