A couple minutes of propane and another 5-10 minutes to fully light a chimney. For a 'quick launch' I'd recommend lump as it seems to light faster. Like Foxfire, I close up and reuse charcoal when finished cooking.
One chimney easily hits 350º but I would go for two if I was aiming for 500º (Might hit that in the middle of a single chimney pile of charcoal.)
Accessories:
- Charcoal Chimney - a must for any Weber owner!
- ET-732 for measuring cooker and meat temperature
- Cast Iron grate (look at the Stok grate at Home Depot or perhaps the Craycort.)
- A head mounted lamp (your head, not the grill ) that you can use for grilling after dark - very useful on those short winter day.)
- Cover to protect your investment
- Basket for grilling vegetables.