happidural Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Trying to find the easiest and quickest way to light my charcoal. Extra points if I can use the device to warm my house's chimney in the winter to get the draft going up! (I'm currently lighting the kamado with a hand held Creme brûlée torch - cause I have one! But it seems to take a while to get it going- I usually end up using a Webber chimney starter just to get things moving a little faster. Please advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 I use one of these, work well for me. Propane tanks are cheap and the last a long time, I've probably done about 20 cooks using it and its maybe about half empty. MrBet62 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben S Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 I alternate between JoeBloe, lighter cubes, and a torch. I haven't tried cotton ball and rubbing alcohol. They all work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gayton81 Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 I use a heat gun. Lights quick and adds more air to fuel the fire if I'm doing high temp cooks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Benzomatic MAPP torch. 30 seconds per spot and you've got a fire lit well. jannisg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rwalters Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Been using a MAPP torch for the past couple of years. Recently went back to Weber starter cubes. I really like the way each one burns for about 8-10 minutes. The fire(s) is very well established within 10 mins or so... and IMO, gives me a better and more consistent bed of burning lump than my MAPP torch did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernux Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Heat gun and propane torch. Heat gun light fire faster. I use this one http://tinyurl.com/hyzkvxc From 0 to 450 in less than 10 minutes. But when I m too lazybones to plug the heat gun, I use the torch. Envoyé de mon SM-T800 en utilisant Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 I've also used cotton balls soaked in 91% isopropyl alcohol. DO NOT use regular rubbing alcohol. Get the 91% isopropyl and use about 3 cotton balls per spot you want to light. I've also used cooking oil soaked paper towels to great success. I think there are more ways to get a fire going than have been discussed here. Back in the day when I had hair, and the hair I had wasn't gray, I used flint and steel. Seriously. Big Dawg and onewondershow 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edsland Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 As others have said mapp tourch ckreef and onewondershow 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewondershow Posted May 12, 2016 Share Posted May 12, 2016 Benzomatic MAPP torch. 30 seconds per spot and you've got a fire lit well. This right here is what I do CeramicChef 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John421 Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I've also used cotton balls soaked in 91% isopropyl alcohol. DO NOT use regular rubbing alcohol. Get the 91% isopropyl and use about 3 cotton balls per spot you want to light. I've also used cooking oil soaked paper towels to great success. I think there are more ways to get a fire going than have been discussed here. Back in the day when I had hair, and the hair I had wasn't gray, I used flint and steel. Seriously. Try a handful of potato or corn chips. CeramicChef 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeramicChef Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I've also used cotton balls soaked in 91% isopropyl alcohol. DO NOT use regular rubbing alcohol. Get the 91% isopropyl and use about 3 cotton balls per spot you want to light. I've also used cooking oil soaked paper towels to great success. I think there are more ways to get a fire going than have been discussed here. Back in the day when I had hair, and the hair I had wasn't gray, I used flint and steel. Seriously. Try a handful of potato or corn chips. @John421 - now that's a new one on me! I'm not sure how I feel about wasting potato chips or corn chips when there are some many other ways to start a fire. Down here in these here parts, chips are a sacred thing! rich_l and retfr8flyr 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charcoal Addict Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 I've been using my so Looftlighter for 5 years now. She ain't pretty no more and it occasionally causes the lump to spark but it does a good job of lighting the lump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beninsocal Posted May 13, 2016 Share Posted May 13, 2016 rolled up paper towel and vegetable oil works great. i also like using a chimney when i want quick, hot, and even heat like when i'm cooking carne asada Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk CeramicChef 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happidural Posted May 13, 2016 Author Share Posted May 13, 2016 Thanks for all the replies. Will a heat gun blow air enough to heat my chimney to get the air flowing up? I know the looflighter and similar looking devices on Amazon claim to do this- but the heat gun is cheaper and seems to have more fans on this website (compared to the looftlighter). Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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