What's the best way to start a fire?

[David Parrish]

In your pit of course... We're not talking forest fires. I rely on my trusty propane torch, a Weber chimney, and some sort of ignition source like a lighter cube.

[Huskee]

I too use a Weber chimney, simply because by design it is the best and most user-friendly one on the market IMO. I rarely use lighter fluid (see next paragraph). Usually I use old buyer's guide newspapers from the drawer and/or junk mail to light under the chimney, which helps keep household clutter down. If I'm out of that I use empty charcoal bags. When dry, kingsford bags work excellent, rip off a decent shred and wad it up- flame on. When damp, they don't work at all.

In rare cases I'll use lighter fluid. To avoid the associated trouble I'll put roughly a single layer of briquettes in the the chimney, maybe twenty or so, add fluid and burn them to grey until the fluid is long gone. The I fill the chimney the rest of the way with fresh briqs. You essentially have to wait twice with this method, but with proper planning this shouldn't be much of an issue. This avoids any residual fumes from the fluid and guarantees a good light w/o dry paper.

[Jerod Broussard]

Weber chimney for everything grilling and smoking when using charcoal, except the Pit Barrel Cooker. Lighter fluid mostly for that dude. Have done the chimney with some success but the lighter fluid method is too easy and too consistent.

[rickmoorect]

Weber chimney here, along with some wadded up newpaper and its all good to go

[Smokin' Jobo]

Weber chimney with old newspapers. Have used the sear burner on the gas grill to start it before (instead of newspaper and lighter), but generally, it is too windy.

[MattBilling]

Yup. Weber Chimney. I have given up with newspaper, I'm not sure whether it's the permanently damp British climate or my ineptitude, but I've take to using firelighter cubes which work a whole lot better!

If I'm grilling I tend to light a big fire and cook over wood as much as possible. I might chuck a bit of lump charcoal on at the end to keep the temp up, but there's nothing like a roaring fire on a hot summers day to work up a thirst!

[David Parrish]

I should add I can no longer live without my BBQ Dragon. I didn't know I needed one until I had it though.

[Jon Solberg]

that BBQ Dragon looks pretty cool. I never heard of it till now..

Me? Weber chimney and fluid

[David Parrish]

that BBQ Dragon looks pretty cool. I never heard of it till now..

Me? Weber chimney and fluid

If you get one be sure to let us know how much you also love it. I'm sure this will be the result.

[Crimedawg]

Push a button..... I cook with pellets. Crimedawg

[Skip]

This past winter I read about someone using a heat gun from the hardware store. I bought a Dewalt Heat Gun. Works great to start lump charcoal for my Green Egg. Skip

[Jon Solberg]

Why am I suddenly reminded of a Eddie Murphy bit. Guny goo goo Gus. I need to ding that clip.

[fmjr0510]

For me its a chimney starter and a crawfish / fish cooker. All it takes is about 30 seconds on the burner and its going. For my offset smoker I use a propane weed burner.

[Mettius]

I used to use a chimney but the newspaper ash/half cooked paper and "ugly" smoke produced moved me to lighting via a paraffin block directly inserted into the coals of my BGE or (occasionally) underneath the Webber chimney. More expensive, but cleaner and more consistent (I've never come back 15 minutes later to discover the chimney didn't "take" as often happened with newspaper).

[boftx]

Can't beat a chimney in my book. Even when I'm starting up a log I put down a bed of coals consisting of a half-chimney of charcoal. I usually use something called Strike-a-Flame fire starters under the chimney. Those are basically paraffin coated sticks.