Best Chimney Starters: Skip Lighter Fluid Forever

Why a Chimney Starter Replaces Lighter Fluid Forever

Lighter fluid leaves a chemical taste on your food and a chemical residue inside your grill. A chimney starter — a $20 metal cylinder with a grate inside — uses a single sheet of newspaper or a couple of paraffin cubes to light a full load of coals in 15 minutes. Cleaner. Cheaper. Faster.

If you grill with charcoal even occasionally, this is the single best $20 you'll ever spend on your hobby.

Best Overall: Weber RapidFire Chimney Starter ($25)

Holds enough briquettes for a full Weber Kettle (about 80–100 briquettes). Heavy-gauge aluminized steel. Insulated handle stays cool enough to grab.

The "cone" interior shape lights coals faster than flat-bottom competitors. Lifespan is genuinely lifetime — we've used ours weekly for 8 years with zero degradation.

There's a larger XL version ($45) for big drum smokers and kamados. Skip it unless you regularly fill a 22-inch+ pit.

Best Budget: Char-Broil Half-Time Chimney Starter ($18)

Cheaper, slightly smaller capacity, and the handle gets hotter than the Weber. Still better than lighter fluid. Buy this if the Weber is out of stock.

Best Premium: Looftlighter Electric Charcoal Starter ($90)

Plug it in, hold it near coals for 60 seconds, and you have a fire. No chimney needed. Genuinely magical the first time you use it.

Worth it if you grill 3+ times per week and want sub-2-minute lights. Overkill for weekend grillers.

How to Use a Chimney Starter

1. Fill the top with charcoal (lump or briquettes). 2. Place 1–2 paraffin fire-starter cubes ($6 for a box of 24) or a sheet of crumpled newspaper underneath. 3. Light the cubes/paper from below. 4. Wait 12–15 minutes until top coals are gray-ashed. 5. Dump into your grill.

No lighter fluid. No chemical taste. No starter cubes shortage drama.

Read our full [Weber RapidFire review](/review/weber-rapidfire-chimney-starter).