Charcoal fireplaces offer smokers and pit masters an easy way to light their grills or smokers. These lighters quickly heat lump charcoal without resorting to lighter fluid or cheap briquettes. Find out with our guide to the best charcoal fireplaces.
Charcoal Fireplace Lighters make lighting your grill quick and easy. Where lighting lump or briquette charcoal is notoriously difficult and frustrating, chimney starters can help make things a lot easier.
Here are five of the best charcoal fireplaces that will get your charcoal grill up and running in minutes.
Weber Rapidfire Fireplace
With the Weber Rapidfire fireplace, you can prepare your lumpy charcoal for the grill in just a few minutes.
The Rapidfire is made of aluminized steel that helps contain the heat better. As a result, the briquettes ignite faster and more evenly. A thermoplastic handle is attached to the chimney making it safe and easy to use.
We also love that this charcoal fireplace has an inverted cone-shaped base. This design allows for better heating when the Weber Lighter Cubes are already placed on the ground. This effectively ignites the charcoal even without lighter liquid.
The Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter is also very easy to use. Just fill it with briquettes, place it on lit lighter cubes and wait for the top layer to turn ash gray. Once the charcoal has turned an ash gray color, simply pour it into your grill to start grilling.
This particular Weber charcoal fireplace can accommodate briquettes for boiler grates up to 22.5 inches.
The Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter is the best charcoal fireplace around thanks to its excellent heat retention, user-friendly design and excellent value for money.
Advantages:
- Easy to use
- Excellent heat retention
- Durable construction
- Large-capacity container
- Good airflow
Disadvantages:
- The mango melts when exposed to high temperatures.
- The fireplace ignition system ignites charcoal quickly and evenly
- Constructed from aluminized steel with a stay-cool thermoplastic grip.
- Holds enough briquettes for a 22-1/2 inch kettle grate.
Char-Griller Chimney Starter
Another top contender for best charcoal fireplace is the Char-Griller quick-release charcoal grill fireplace starter.
This chimney starter is made from galvanized galvanized steel which provides excellent heat distribution. This will ignite the charcoal briquettes in minutes with minimal effort on your part. You don’t have to heat for hours, just let the fireplace do its work while you wait.
Measuring 12 inches tall and 7.5 inches in diameter, the Char-Griller Quick Release Charcoal Grill Chimney Starter is a high-performance chimney capable of heating charcoal briquettes for your large grills.
And to make sure we don’t get caught when handling it, it comes with an ABS handle that’s fitted with heat protection.
But if there’s one thing that sets the Char-Griller Charcoal Grill Chimney Starter apart from the rest, it’s its patented quick release trigger. By simply pressing the trigger, the charcoal is released easily and cleanly into the kettle grill. This reduces the risk of accidents and also saves you a lot of time.
Advantages:
- Provides excellent heat distribution.
- Its patented quick release design makes it convenient.
- It is a large capacity fireplace.
- is to be expected
- It’s easy to use.
Disadvantages:
- The device on the bottom tends to fall off over time.
- Some users report rust.
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Weber 7447 Compact Rapidfire
For those looking for a medium sized charcoal chimney for their home grill, the Weber 7447 Compact Rapidfire Chimney Starter is perfect for you.
Thanks to its compact size, this charcoal fireplace can light coals in less than 15 minutes. This makes it perfect for preparing meals for your family and other quick barbecues.
Even without lighter fluid, the Weber 7447 Compact Rapidfire Fireplace Lighter is able to heat your charcoal briquettes evenly, so you don’t have to worry about unpleasant fumes getting onto your food. You can simply use Weber fire starters or crumpled newspaper and wait until the briquettes are ready to grill.
Due to its compact size, this fireplace is one of the easiest to use. And since it lights charcoal faster, we think this is the best charcoal fireplace for minimal home use.
Advantages:
- It’s easy to use.
- Is light
- It has excellent heat distribution.
- Light charcoal briquettes in less than 15 minutes.
- No fan or lighter fluid required.
Disadvantages:
- The handle tends to get hot.
- Light coals in less than 15 minutes. Dimensions: 8 high x 5.8 wide x 10.4 deep inches
- Place hot coals in Weber lighter cubes or crumpled newspaper and light
- The compact design makes it ideal for smaller grills or shorter grilling sessions
Char-Broil Halftime Charcoal Starter
The Char-Broil Half-Time Charcoal Starter is another top contender for best charcoal fireplace.
This special charcoal lighter offers briquette lighting in half the time typically required with other Char-Broil charcoal lighters. This is made possible by its large diameter, which distributes the heat efficiently and evenly. This also makes it perfect for lighting large chunks of charcoal.
You can easily light the Char-Broil Half-Time Charcoal Starter without the hassle of lighting crumpled paper. Once the papers burn whenever you just wait for the charcoal to ignite without any further action. You also don’t have to use lighter fluid. This ensures that you can safely prepare the food.
Advantages:
- It’s very easy to use.
- It has a sturdy construction.
- Its shorter height and wider construction help charcoal light faster.
Disadvantages:
- Some users report problems with the screws on the handle.
- The bottom plate tends to fall off after repeated use.
- Advanced chimney starter lights charcoal quickly and evenly
- Charcoal ready for the grill in half the time compared to the standard Char-Broil fireplace…
- The large diameter is ideal for lumpy charcoal
Madness Chimney BBQ Dragon
For reliable people who love to grill in style, then the BBQ Dragon Chimney of Insanity Charcoal Starter is the perfect chimney for you.
This charcoal fireplace is 11 inches tall and 6.75 inches in diameter. This way you can keep a decent amount of charcoal for your home cooked meals. And thanks to its strong galvanized steel body, this charcoal fireplace offers incredible durability.
Insanity Charcoal Starter’s BBQ Dragon Chimney features an innovative design that prepares charcoal in just three minutes. This is due to its 90 degree angle opening on one side of the chimney. This allows airflow to naturally aerate the charcoal without additional effort on your part.
The unique side opening of this charcoal lighter also allows you to light your charcoal without having to move the chimney. This saves a lot of time and effort.
Overall, the Insanity Charcoal Starter BBQ Dragon Chimney is the best charcoal chimney if you want to get your briquettes ready in just minutes. It’s also designed to be user-friendly, so you don’t have to worry about complicated preparations to get started.
Advantages
- Quick Start
- Continuous
- Excellent heat distribution
- Elegant outside
Disadvantages
- Less carbon capacity
- The handle is prone to wear
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- Unique side hole: allows you to light the charcoal without lifting the chimney or using a lighter…
What is a chimney lighter?
A chimney starter does what its name suggests. Helps you start a fire whether you are using lump charcoal or briquettes. A chimney starter will help you light your fire more easily. It looks like a large mug with a handle. It’s a metal cylinder with a grille welded in at the bottom to help airflow.
In the cylindrical part you put the charcoal that you want to use. It is designed to create a chimney effect and concentrate heat inside the cylinder. A fireplace lighter eliminates the need for fuel to start the fire. It’s a great way to start a fire faster. It is a useful tool for people who use charcoal for their grills.
How do you use a charcoal fireplace?
Before you begin, lay your chimney starter on the grates of your grill. This will protect other surfaces from being burned by the high heat from the underside of the starter. Now YOU are ready to use your charcoal fireplace .
Start by placing crumpled newspapers on the bottom of the fireplace. Calculate how much charcoal you need and fill the chimney with it. Light the newspaper and wait for the embers to ignite from below. Wait for the coals to char before adding them to your charcoal grill or smoker.
Allow the grill to heat to approximately 400°F (205°C) before adjusting the vents. If using a smoker, bring it to 149°C (300°F) before doing the same.
Frequently asked Questions
Do you have burning questions about where to start with chimney starters? Our FAQs will help you with this.
What size charcoal fireplace do I need?
The size of a chimney YOU need should be large enough to hold the amount of charcoal YOU need for your grill, at least for an acquired amount of time. A chimney starter normally holds about 3 to 5 liters of charcoal. This should mean between 80 and 100 briquettes. With this amount you can cook up to 1 1/2 hours. The cylinder is usually between 15 and 20 cm in diameter and up to 30 cm in height.
Which material is better?
You need to make sure the chimney lighter is made of the right material. The best material is heat-resistant and also conducts heat efficiently. Most chimney starters that you find on the market today are made of sheet metal.
The handle is made of insulating material so you can hold it snugly and securely even when you have hot coals on it. You want something that doesn’t heat up the handle and doesn’t burn from the cylindrical cone. Also make sure the handle is stable enough and won’t fall off when carrying.
Should I use lump charcoal or briquettes?
Both types of charcoal are great to use and are made from burnt wood, but briquettes and lump charcoal have different advantages and disadvantages.
The briquettes have a more regular shape. One part will look like the other. This uniformity is noticeable as soon as the bag is opened. This results in a more even burn. However, briquettes contain more additives and therefore produce more ash. This means that it is more complicated to handle. Lump coal has less ash and is therefore easier to clean up later.
When it comes to heat production, lump charcoal burns better than briquettes, but it’s not constant. It also glows faster. If you’re searing meat or need more sizzling coals, opt for lumpy charcoal over briquettes. Lump charcoal, also known as natural hardwood, has irregular shapes. Some are smaller than others, which may also mean they’re not evenly charred.
Lump charcoal and briquettes also differ in that the latter IS manufactured through an industrial process and has a chemical odor, while lump charcoal is in a purer state and does not have the same odor. You can manipulate the scents emitted by adding wood chips with specific flavors. Therefore it is recommended as the most authentic and closest to the way a natural wood fire would burn. Lump coal is free of additives.
When it comes to pricing, Lumpy Coal is on the higher end. It’s also more expensive to use lump charcoal because it burns faster. It is not as fuel efficient as briquettes. Even during firing, the temperature does not remain constant. This may be due to the different shapes and sizes of the packaging.
Not only does lump charcoal produce little ash, but it also burns cleaner because it doesn’t produce a chemical odor that can also affect the taste of meat or cooked food. Briquettes take a little longer to light, but they also save fuel as they’re more efficient in that department.
What do I need for a fireplace lighter?
The best part about using a fireplace lighter is that YOU don’t have to use lighter fluid. This means none of that flavor transfers to the meat. To encourage the fire, you can use combustible paper, e.g. B. crumpled newspaper. You can also use twigs and wood shavings. While lighter fluid can be an easy way to do this, it is not recommended.
You can use the paper together with charcoal or briquettes. The point is to get something that catches fire easily and gives the charcoal a chance to ignite.
How long should I leave the charcoal in the chimney before putting it on the grill?
Once you’ve lit your coals, it’s important to keep them hot and burning even before you put them on the grill. Leave the coals in the chimney starter for at least 10-15 minutes. You’ll know your charcoal is ready and you’ll be looking at the top charcoal. It should turn gray and contain some ash that you can blow off. As soon as you see this, you know the coals are ready to be put on the grill.
Is a charcoal fireplace necessary?
There are many reasons why a charcoal fireplace is necessary. The first is that it makes your life a lot easier. You don’t have to work as hard to light the fire and warm up. Not only do they make your life easier, they are also cleaner. You’ll also find that because you’re not using a lighter, there’s no off-flavor transferred to the meat.
A good chimney starter also gives you a little more control over the fire you start than you normally would.
Writer & content creator. BBQ fanatic!
