Best no-fuss alcohol burner is one of those that caterers and some restaurants use for keeping big pans of food hot. They're in a metal can, but I don't know the name of them. No soot at all and last a long time. They have a built-in wick and a cap to keep them from drying out between uses. This is not Sterno, but a gel-type alcohol burner.

Heat gun works great too, if you have one already. Just stand it up on it's back-end. Somewhat safer than a burner 'cause there's no flame.