How long does your chimney take? Mine takes forever.

[12ring]

Maybe it's the norm but it sure seems like 40-45 to get white coals is to long. My lighting methods have been a tuna can of alcohol, Weber cube things, kamando Joe fire starters, news paper and a small torch. My chimney is a Weber large. I set it on the Weber coal grill grate when I start it and have the bottom vents open all the way. I'm talking about lighting a full chimney also. I have used KBB and Stubbs briquettes. Everything I have tried seems to have taken about the same amount of time. 40-45 to get white. Is this normal or are you guys getting your coals ready faster?

 

[Kaptain Kadian]

Fish fryer. Ready in 5 - 10 minutes.

 

[northeast bbqer]

I get a full chimney ashed over in about 20-25 minutes with just 2 crumpled newspaper pages stuffed in the bottom. No starter cubes, just light with mini torch.

 

[mikemci]

1/2 Weber chimney takes me about 15 min.

 

[Shagdog]

Try spritzing or dribbling some cooking oil on the crumpled newspaper. It will burn 3x as long. Thanks Alton Brown.

 

[Bludawg]

Mine takes about 20-25 min I hit the bottom with the weed burner for 2 min. If you have a gasser with a side burner that works good too.

 

[cheez59]

Side burner on my gasser takes about 15 minutes for 1/2-3/4 chimney.

 

[jwtseng]

Yeah, forever sounds about right, and I don't have time for forever. I think it's the paper you are using. It may be burning up too fast and then you get too little of the actual charcoal lit. It's then going to take that much longer for the rest of the chimney to catch. I like the vegetable oil idea. Or brisket greased soaked butcher paper if you save that kind of stuff. Otherwise, I'd skip the chimney altogether and use a weed burner to light the charcoal directly in the bowl of your kettle. That *will* work.

 

[m-fine]

With alcohol or oil soaked paper, it is good enough to dump in 10-15 min. You don't need all the coals ready to cook on, you just want most of the lit so then can spread the fire to their neighbors when you dump then on the grill. If you are in a hurry, look for the highest BTU rated propane turkey fryer burner and set it on there for 3-5 minutes, or use a 500,000 BTU weed torch. If that is not fast enough, stand back and dump some liquid oxygen on a pile of charcoal with a lit match. If your grill survives the fireball, it will be ready to cook on in just a second or two.

 

[Ray43050]

15 minutes and I am ready

 

[allancoh]

what chimney are you using? i was using a plane old chimney and had the same issues. once it got beat up enough i switched over to the weber chimney and im never looking back. probably about 20 minutes, it works great. I'm guessing the extra added side ventilation does the trick.


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[Smoke_at_Altitude]

I'm a mile high here in Denver.

I notice my Weber chimney full takes 30-40 minutes ... Usually 30 ...

 

[Norm]

I save my paper towels from draining bacon FF's anything greasy, use it as my fire starter.

I'm with the folks that say about 20, I use lump though.

 

[fnjay]

Side burner on my gasser takes about 15 minutes for 1/2-3/4 chimney.

Same

 

[angryelfFan]

3 full sheets of newspaper rolled corner to corner into log pieces. Then make them into doughnut circles and put in bottom of chimney. Leave hole in middle and place on top of grill. Light, 15 minutes, ready.

 

[landarc]

I use a small Weber chimney for my UDS, along with two Weber cubes, takes about 10 minutes to light up. For the kettle, I use the large, with two cubes, about 15 to 20 minutes for the entire chimney.

 

[BBQ Freak]

vegetable oil on a paper towel works for me but just make sure went you light it is on concrete or something that will not catch fire .

 

[IamMadMan]

Try spritzing or dribbling some cooking oil on the crumpled newspaper. It will burn 3x as long. Thanks Alton Brown.

^ +1 or some cooking oil on a paper towel if you are out of newspaper.

 

[gun smoke]

I use my camp stove maybe 10 min. 5 with the gas on 5 with it off

 

[yakdung]

Abandoned the chimney years ago and went to one of these. Instant flame, instant results.