How to Light Charcoal with a Chimney Starter
How to Light Charcoal (The Easy Way)
Forget the lighter fluid. A chimney starter is safer, faster, and gives you clean-tasting food every single time.
Why Use a Chimney Starter?
Most beginners start with the classic “pile of coals and a splash of lighter fluid” method. It works, but it’s messy, dangerous, and can leave your food with a chemical taste. A chimney starter fixes all of that:
- No chemicals: pure charcoal flavour only.
- Quick: hot coals in around 10–15 minutes.
- Consistent: every briquette lights evenly from bottom to top.
- Simple: just some newspaper or lighter cubes and you’re set.
How It Works
The design is straightforward: a steel cylinder with vent holes, a small grate inside, and a handle. You light a flame underneath, the heat pulls air upward, and the chimney effect does the rest—igniting coals quickly and evenly.
Step-By-Step: Lighting Charcoal with a Chimney
- Remove the cooking grate so you can place the chimney on the charcoal grate.
- Fill it up with as much charcoal as you need (all the way to the top for long cooks).
- Light it using either scrunched-up newspaper or BBQ lighter cubes under the chimney.
- Wait 10–15 minutes until the top coals turn grey and ashy.
- Pour the coals onto the charcoal grate and spread them for direct heat or bank them for indirect cooking.
- Preheat your grill with the lid on—your kettle will usually hit 500–550°F in another 10 minutes.
Safety First
- Place hot chimneys on a fireproof surface—never the grass or deck.
- Keep kids and pets clear until it’s cooled down.
- Always use heatproof gloves when handling.
Cooking on a Smaller Grill?
If you’re using a compact BBQ like the Smokey Joe or Weber GA, we stock smaller chimney starters that are perfectly sized for tailgates, picnics, or camping trips.
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