This worked better and faster than any method I've ever used, including a torch. Thank you very much! I don't always have paper towel tubes, but I can make triangle cardboard tubes by folding pieces of those Amazon boxes that are already around.
I have tried this twice now but only had a toilet roll tube which is obviously much shorter. Pleased to report it works brilliantly. My coals were ready in just 12 to 15 minutes each time - about half the time it used to take! Thanks for the great tip guys!
Instead of paper or paraffin cubes I use the bag the charcoal comes in. If you use it right you can tear off a 5 inch section or so all around the top, crumple it up with plenty of air pockets in the crumples and throw it under the chimney. It burns hot and slow and you don't have to throw away the bag. I get a good chimney in 15-20 mins every time.
Thank you! I've tried this method half a dozen times over the last few weeks and won't look back. The speed with which the coals light is certainly an advantage, but best of all is how *evenly* they light. Using a chimney alone, I find that the coals on the bottom are fully lit and ready to go well before the coals on top are ready, but now they all start to ash over at the same time, so I get maximum production from the briquettes.
This is awesome!! I basically do the this but without the paper towel, i use tongs to make an air tube. This is going to help big time! The only other thing i do is add a crunched up paper towel ball soaked in cooking oil, lasts a long time.
This has become my S.O.P. for starting my starter. The tube creates a path for heat and air to flow up the center of the stack. Pulling fire up through the core with no obstructions really accelerates the whole process of lighting the charcoal. And God knows I have no shortage of cardboard paper towel tubes, so it doesn't cost a penny.
Take a look at the Charcoal Charger. The tube design increases the chimney effect like you describe with the paper towel roll but we actually create a flame all the way through the column lighting charcoal even faster.
I did take a look. Seems like a decent product, except: 1. You get only 1 tall tube (and 4 small ones) per package) 2. The package is $4.95, but shipping is $10!! Bottom line, not ready for mass market.
Duayne Draffen thank you for your feedback. Right now we have a pack with 3 talls, a pack with 6 small and a pack of 2 talls and 2 minis. Unfortunately shipping is the hardest part as a start up. We are always working on decreasing that cost. Thank you again
@@charcoalcharger5601 Thank you for your concerned, helpful response. I didn't see a pack with only full size tubes, so I must have overlooked that. Best of luck to your company!
I have switched to an electric heat gun and I am very happy with how well it works, I use highest heat setting with medium fan and then once the coals are well lit I turn heat low and fan to high.
Great question CWBush73. That's an old basketball goal installation that the previous owners of the house cut down to the metal and concrete. Now I use it to light charcoal chimneys so I don't get a mess on the driveway.
I use the same technique but I twist a peace of paper and place it in the tube, then I put just enough lighter fluid on the paper to ignite the fire. It starts from the top and works its way down which seems to start it a little faster.
Awesome video, I grabbed a chimney earlier this summer but haven't used it yet just out of not knowing how, but hopefully will use it soon after seeing this.
I think you are onto something! I have tried using paper towel and toilet paper cores. I haven't measured the time, but I'm sure it is quicker! I notice a center core of really hot charcoal before the top is gray. I'd recommend a better chimney than you showed: Weber or BBQ Dragon. The Dragon with the forced air Dragon (fan) will have the charcoal ready before you have your glass of wine and food ready!
I light mine with newspaper and I am ready to dump in 15-20 minutes, same time as you. Only I am using high grade lump charcoal like Royal Oak, Big Green Egg. etc.
oh man... I just made a tube from aluminium ducting with holes/slots punched in it for the same concept. I'm going to try it today. The cardboard tube def looks easier.
@@TheBarbecueLab it actually worked really well! I stuffed the tube twisted oily paper towel. That, plus the amount of air going through it made lighting the coals to the top so easy. Just need to be careful removing the tube
@@TheBarbecueLab screaming hot was right... grabbed it with the tongs but it slipped coming out. Luckily it landed on some soil where I bury ashes. need to put make a handle for the next time
I know I'm going to get blasted for this, but here goes... My air conditioner unit is not far from my grill. I wait for the newspaper to mostly burn and ash up the bottom coals. This takes around 2-3 minutes. Then I take my chimney starter to (wait for it) the fan on my AC unit and place the starter atop the fan where only 10% of the fan is blowing on the coals. The rest is to the side and the air is blocked. If I place it completely over the fan, it's too violent with sparks. I haven't timed it, but it probably takes 5 mins. Anything to feed a hungry, angry family faster...
We've experienced 1 paraffin lighter cube not being enough a couple of times in the past year to get it going, but we do admit that our charcoal chimney is quite large and it takes awhile to get fully engulfed.
I just make a small mound of charcoal, light up a small candle, then pile up a few more charcoal at the top. It works well for me. But then, I'm just using a tiny smoker at 14 inch diameter. I use only around 20 to 25 lump charcoal for a single cook. Perhaps your method would be best if I were using a large offset smoker.
Sounds like a great way to light charcoal Lester. This video is more about the idea of how we can incorporate a way for air and fire to flow freely around more of the charcoal when lighting it up. There's always more than a single way to light charcoal, and I love that our community is always experimenting at finding a better way.
A chimney starter is such a simple design, you'd think somebody might come up with a chimney with a built-in thin metal perforated tube up the middle to achieve the effect even better and part of the device itself. Sell zillions.
Fastest I’ve done is in my kamado. Fill the grill with lump. Light the to with a fire starter or torch. Just give it a minute to burn. Close the lid, open the vents and grab a hairdryer. Blow it in the bottom vent and give it a few minutes. I’ve gone over 1000 degrees this way before
I don't understand. Every video I watch about using a chimney looks nothing like what I've experienced. Mine gets huge flames, sometimes over a foot above the chimney for 15 minutes or so. By the time I see the coals with whitish color and put them in the grill, it seems the grill never gets real hot. Like, I never have flare ups, and not much sizzle when I put whatever it is I'm cooking on. Why do I get so much fire in my chimney? I don't see what I am doing wrong, lol.
Well that is a great idea but it was a very inaccurate comparison because you compared newspaper as the fuel to start it, to paraffin cubes? how can you change the starting fuel & say the paper towel tube makes it better? I have a feeling that the paper towel tube is absolutely better but try it again both ways using newspaper and compare with the paper towel tube with nothing else different.
the best way i found is Iuse the side burner on my gas grill, turn it on high set my chimney on top and let it burn for 5 min or so( longer if you wish) if you keep the burner on it's not long before you have a chimney of red hot coals works very well
@2:12-2:14 Melissa let a briquette fall down the paper towel roll, perhaps 2. Bye-bye airflow ;) Fail That's NOT a fully engulfed chimney of charcoal LOL Outer briquettes are still black but that's beside's the point, Kingsford is shit!
The day I buy starter cubes or cakes or whatever to light my charcoal is the day I quit cooking over charcoal. But instead of just shitting on ideas. When I am in a bind and forget my chimney or go camping without it, I will trim the fat cap off of whatever I am cooking and throw that on top of a couple dry sticks which goes on top of a piece of paper or whatever is flammable. Any fat or oil will extend the flame and light it faster. Normally I save the fat to make tallow, but this works too.
Yeah , I don't see the need to use dedicated charcoal starters, I just use the paper towel or napkins I've soaked in oil to lubricate the grill to light the chimney. Its never taken more than 20 minutes which is what this method took.
Umm… 17 minutes is an improvement??? Seriously?!?!? I’m pretty sure if you did the same test side by side with a regular chimney full of coals you’ll see no difference whatsoever. You’re also losing 6-8 coals by doing it this way so your fire isn’t going to last as long. We’re probably only talking 5 or 10 minutes of more time, but why bother with a method that doesn’t improve your light time, and takes less fuel out of a cook?
I think this is a waste of time it takes up space in the chimney where you can use actual charcoal I don't know how it took you 17 minutes to light the charcoal pretty much any charcoal is ready in about 15 minutes so this was saving no time but taking up space in the chimney
Very helpful, I would've never thought of this technique before! I can't wait to try it out at my next barbecue!
Just spray a little cooking oil on each sheet of paper you crumble under the starter and it will cause the paper to burn longer to light your coals.
Damn that's a good idea......
This worked better and faster than any method I've ever used, including a torch. Thank you very much! I don't always have paper towel tubes, but I can make triangle cardboard tubes by folding pieces of those Amazon boxes that are already around.
That's a great idea Mary! We're going to have to try that.
I have tried this twice now but only had a toilet roll tube which is obviously much shorter. Pleased to report it works brilliantly. My coals were ready in just 12 to 15 minutes each time - about half the time it used to take! Thanks for the great tip guys!
Instead of paper or paraffin cubes I use the bag the charcoal comes in. If you use it right you can tear off a 5 inch section or so all around the top, crumple it up with plenty of air pockets in the crumples and throw it under the chimney. It burns hot and slow and you don't have to throw away the bag. I get a good chimney in 15-20 mins every time.
Exactly ! Not to That galvenized chimney is full of poisonous fumes
Thank you! I've tried this method half a dozen times over the last few weeks and won't look back. The speed with which the coals light is certainly an advantage, but best of all is how *evenly* they light. Using a chimney alone, I find that the coals on the bottom are fully lit and ready to go well before the coals on top are ready, but now they all start to ash over at the same time, so I get maximum production from the briquettes.
You’re absolutely right Joshua. It’s a huge advantage as we’ve noticed the same thing lighting our big offset. Keep on smoking!
Use a sterno under the chimney, then screw the top back on to reuse multiple times. Been doing it for years.
That’s a good tip. I need to try that. Especially when sterno cans last a pretty long time.
It’s truly been said that
“time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted”
Worked like a charm with briquettes...almost too good. Coals ready in 12 minutes. Awesome!
This is awesome!! I basically do the this but without the paper towel, i use tongs to make an air tube. This is going to help big time! The only other thing i do is add a crunched up paper towel ball soaked in cooking oil, lasts a long time.
Awesome concept. I might try making a tripod with some metal skewers in place of the tube, hopefully a reusable option
Let us know how it goes!
Dude, you're a genius. I tried your method... and it worked like a charm. Thank you for sharing.
You're welcome! All the best Resat.
Well did I ever show my husband how to successfully light charcoal 🤣🤣 This was awesome! Game changer! Thank you!
This has become my S.O.P. for starting my starter. The tube creates a path for heat and air to flow up the center of the stack. Pulling fire up through the core with no obstructions really accelerates the whole process of lighting the charcoal. And God knows I have no shortage of cardboard paper towel tubes, so it doesn't cost a penny.
I put the full chimney on the side burner of my gas grill. it fits perfect and it lights way faster than that did.
That is a great idea. I just started using charcoal and this is great info!
I find, it works better if you set the chimney on a grated rack or similar that alllows maximum airflow
Great tip Wesley!
Take a look at the Charcoal Charger. The tube design increases the chimney effect like you describe with the paper towel roll but we actually create a flame all the way through the column lighting charcoal even faster.
I did take a look. Seems like a decent product, except:
1. You get only 1 tall tube (and 4 small ones) per package)
2. The package is $4.95, but shipping is $10!!
Bottom line, not ready for mass market.
Duayne Draffen thank you for your feedback. Right now we have a pack with 3 talls, a pack with 6 small and a pack of 2 talls and 2 minis. Unfortunately shipping is the hardest part as a start up. We are always working on decreasing that cost. Thank you again
@@charcoalcharger5601 Thank you for your concerned, helpful response.
I didn't see a pack with only full size tubes, so I must have overlooked that.
Best of luck to your company!
Use the side burner on your propane bbq
You’re a genius!!! Lol!!
@@FrankFergusonNI kinda am. Glad I could teach you something! 😉 You are welcome.
Mellisa through a charcoal in the paper tube at 2:14.
Nice catch! Looks like we're going to have to do this one again and expand to some new methods as well. Look for that video coming soon!
I grab mine by the wire handle and swing it pushing a lot of air through. I will try the paper towel tube method next time, thanks for sharing.
Let us know how it goes
Melissa! You had one job! Lol. Nice video though.
Thank you I thought I was the only one who has problems with opening the bag. I've never heard anyone else mention that.
I actually use my teeth
Great idea. Love the chimney but hate the wait. I will start doing this from here on out
Works good!
I have switched to an electric heat gun and I am very happy with how well it works, I use highest heat setting with medium fan and then once the coals are well lit I turn heat low and fan to high.
We've been seeing those coming on the market, and we're going to have to give them a try here on the channel soon.
What is the chimney sitting on?
Great question CWBush73. That's an old basketball goal installation that the previous owners of the house cut down to the metal and concrete. Now I use it to light charcoal chimneys so I don't get a mess on the driveway.
I use the same technique but I twist a peace of paper and place it in the tube, then I put just enough lighter fluid on the paper to ignite the fire. It starts from the top and works its way down which seems to start it a little faster.
That’s really really helpful! As there will be tubeless times..
great idea but I wouldn't say the charcoals were ready in 17 minutes, most of yours looked unlit
brilliant
Awesome video, I grabbed a chimney earlier this summer but haven't used it yet just out of not knowing how, but hopefully will use it soon after seeing this.
I made a 'chimney' from tin foil, and I'm gonna add this into the mix for next time
Battery powered leaf blower or small fan set on high.
I use strike a fire from Home Depot it’s giant match like sticks. I always have a chimney ready to dump in under 20 min
You put in with the charcoal? Or where the paper goes?
17 min is standard to not using a paper towel roll.
I think you are onto something! I have tried using paper towel and toilet paper cores. I haven't measured the time, but I'm sure it is quicker! I notice a center core of really hot charcoal before the top is gray. I'd recommend a better chimney than you showed: Weber or BBQ Dragon. The Dragon with the forced air Dragon (fan) will have the charcoal ready before you have your glass of wine and food ready!
We would love to put the BBQ Dragon to the test against the paper towel roll method. I think that would make a fun test to video here on the channel.
I usually buy a small bag of match start charcoal and put 2-3 in the bottom of the chimney first and then light.
I put a 1/2 inch piece of rebar in my chimney, then the charcoal. And pull it out before lighting. I think a smaller hole works better.
I light mine with newspaper and I am ready to dump in 15-20 minutes, same time as you.
Only I am using high grade lump charcoal like Royal Oak, Big Green Egg. etc.
oh man... I just made a tube from aluminium ducting with holes/slots punched in it for the same concept. I'm going to try it today. The cardboard tube def looks easier.
How did it work?
@@TheBarbecueLab it actually worked really well! I stuffed the tube twisted oily paper towel. That, plus the amount of air going through it made lighting the coals to the top so easy. Just need to be careful removing the tube
@@mellowfellow9 I bet that tube was screaming hot, lol. Sounds like a great way to do it though!
@@TheBarbecueLab screaming hot was right... grabbed it with the tongs but it slipped coming out. Luckily it landed on some soil where I bury ashes. need to put make a handle for the next time
I know I'm going to get blasted for this, but here goes... My air conditioner unit is not far from my grill. I wait for the newspaper to mostly burn and ash up the bottom coals. This takes around 2-3 minutes. Then I take my chimney starter to (wait for it) the fan on my AC unit and place the starter atop the fan where only 10% of the fan is blowing on the coals. The rest is to the side and the air is blocked. If I place it completely over the fan, it's too violent with sparks. I haven't timed it, but it probably takes 5 mins. Anything to feed a hungry, angry family faster...
Very neat idea! Thanks
I use one paraffin lighter and no roll. No problem with lighting it up.
We've experienced 1 paraffin lighter cube not being enough a couple of times in the past year to get it going, but we do admit that our charcoal chimney is quite large and it takes awhile to get fully engulfed.
I will use a smoker tube in place of the roll.
I just make a small mound of charcoal, light up a small candle, then pile up a few more charcoal at the top. It works well for me. But then, I'm just using a tiny smoker at 14 inch diameter. I use only around 20 to 25 lump charcoal for a single cook. Perhaps your method would be best if I were using a large offset smoker.
Sounds like a great way to light charcoal Lester. This video is more about the idea of how we can incorporate a way for air and fire to flow freely around more of the charcoal when lighting it up. There's always more than a single way to light charcoal, and I love that our community is always experimenting at finding a better way.
Seems like it would be less smokey too since it lights faster
Neat idea but we don't go through enough paper towel rolls to match grilling rate.
You can use toilet paper cores, too.
If you are in a cold climate and do not grill in the winter, save them up during that time.
Same here. There's too many paper towels in landfills when regular towels you launder perform the same task.
A chimney starter is such a simple design, you'd think somebody might come up with a chimney with a built-in thin metal perforated tube up the middle to achieve the effect even better and part of the device itself. Sell zillions.
Sounds like someone needs to race to the patent office and start printing money. I'd buy one.
@@TheBarbecueLab Now I'm thinking why not just make the metal tube fitted to standard bottom hole size, attached with magnets.
Great tip crappy charcoal B&B is the best.
Fastest I’ve done is in my kamado. Fill the grill with lump. Light the to with a fire starter or torch. Just give it a minute to burn.
Close the lid, open the vents and grab a hairdryer. Blow it in the bottom vent and give it a few minutes.
I’ve gone over 1000 degrees this way before
I don't understand. Every video I watch about using a chimney looks nothing like what I've experienced. Mine gets huge flames, sometimes over a foot above the chimney for 15 minutes or so. By the time I see the coals with whitish color and put them in the grill, it seems the grill never gets real hot. Like, I never have flare ups, and not much sizzle when I put whatever it is I'm cooking on. Why do I get so much fire in my chimney? I don't see what I am doing wrong, lol.
would be nice if they just designed it with a metal tube in the middle
only problem is that I grill way more often than a roll of paper towels could keep up with
but ty for the video
Well that is a great idea but it was a very inaccurate comparison because you compared newspaper as the fuel to start it, to paraffin cubes? how can you change the starting fuel & say the paper towel tube makes it better? I have a feeling that the paper towel tube is absolutely better but try it again
both ways using newspaper and compare with the paper towel tube with nothing else different.
Get the Oklahoma joe fast lighter chimney..... super fast light up
She let a coal fall down the center
Yep, toilet paper rolls paper core stucked together
But….it’s not the most desirable mix of hygienics.
the best way i found is Iuse the side burner on my gas grill, turn it on high set my chimney on top and let it burn for 5 min or so( longer if you wish) if you keep the burner on it's not long before you have a chimney of red hot coals works very well
Great idea!
@2:12-2:14 Melissa let a briquette fall down the paper towel roll, perhaps 2.
Bye-bye airflow ;)
Fail
That's NOT a fully engulfed chimney of charcoal LOL
Outer briquettes are still black but that's beside's the point, Kingsford is shit!
After I smoke a brisket/ribs, I save the oily butcher paper it was wrapped in, and use it to light the chimney.
Nice re-use of materials Mimi!
In 20 minutes I'm already cooking spritz a little bit of lighter fluid on my bricks Start cooking
I used a toilet paper roll and aqua net . Burned my eyebrows off.
The day I buy starter cubes or cakes or whatever to light my charcoal is the day I quit cooking over charcoal.
But instead of just shitting on ideas. When I am in a bind and forget my chimney or go camping without it, I will trim the fat cap off of whatever I am cooking and throw that on top of a couple dry sticks which goes on top of a piece of paper or whatever is flammable. Any fat or oil will extend the flame and light it faster. Normally I save the fat to make tallow, but this works too.
Yeah , I don't see the need to use dedicated charcoal starters, I just use the paper towel or napkins I've soaked in oil to lubricate the grill to light the chimney. Its never taken more than 20 minutes which is what this method took.
Hair dryer
If you can’t get it started with paper then you’re doing it wrong.
Umm… 17 minutes is an improvement??? Seriously?!?!? I’m pretty sure if you did the same test side by side with a regular chimney full of coals you’ll see no difference whatsoever. You’re also losing 6-8 coals by doing it this way so your fire isn’t going to last as long. We’re probably only talking 5 or 10 minutes of more time, but why bother with a method that doesn’t improve your light time, and takes less fuel out of a cook?
I think this is a waste of time it takes up space in the chimney where you can use actual charcoal I don't know how it took you 17 minutes to light the charcoal pretty much any charcoal is ready in about 15 minutes so this was saving no time but taking up space in the chimney
its better for small cooks....a chimney is essentially a measuring cup for how hot you want your coals.