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Why I Bought A LooftLighter

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r270ba
r270ba Posts: 763
in EggHead Forum
All:

Been going back and forth on this for a while now and just thought I would share.  I have used an electric started for a year (I have been through 2 already) and they have worked great.  They take a little longer than I would like to get everything lit but all in all I have been pleased.  With two young boys, it is tough to find the kind of time I need to enjoy cooking on the Egg during the week.  I have an XL but am hoping to get a small for father's day.  This summer my wife will be home with the boys and has offerred to help out with getting the egg ready to go so when I get home I can start cooking and not have to have the ramp up time of lightening and getting to temp.

So my last electric starter broke this past weekend and I didn't realize it until I had 3 racks of ribs rubbed down and ready to go.  Thanks to @stike for the oil and paper towel method.  It worked like a charm.  However, I decided that I would replace the electric starter with something a little easier for my wife to use and something a little less prone to my curious 18 month old walking over to and pulling on the extension cord.  I thought about MAPP or a weed burner but I thought the heat gun solution would be more appropriate for my wife and young boys.  I looked at the harbor freight heat gun and while it looked like the ticket I thought my wife might be a little uneasy about using something that looked like a gun that made fire :).  Therefore I was left with the LooftLighter.

I hope I made the right call.  Will let you know what she thinks.  First use will be tomorrow.

Just wanted to share since it seems to be a topic that comes up every few weeks.

Ron
Anderson, SC
XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

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  • Bjorg
    Bjorg Posts: 241
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    I love my looflighter. 

    I envy you though, my GF will not touch the egg so cooks during the week are kind of on the late side. 
    Quebec - Canada
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  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
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    Bjorg said:

    I love my looflighter. 


    I envy you though, my GF will not touch the egg so cooks during the week are kind of on the late side. 
    I am really excited about it… Anything that cost $80 and makes fire is a plus in my book.

    My wife loves the big green egg food… She hates big green egg food at 8 o'clock at night. We really like to eat dinner with our boys in they cannot make it up that late. So it was pretty much her only option :))
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    Sounds like you worked out a good deal for a new toy :) I like a propane torch because it doesn't have to be plugged in.

    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
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    @caliking I think I might buy one of those too. For now I will stick with the oil and paper towel.
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

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  • Jackh
    Jackh Posts: 109
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    After burning 2 cords at the handle of the electric starter I bought a looflighter, love it
    Lg&Sm ---Middleport NY
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  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
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    Yea I burned the first one but the second one broke in half. I am not hard on them so not sure why they suck so bad. Can't wait to try out the Looft!
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

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  • Canugghead
    Canugghead Posts: 11,512
    edited May 2013
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    My BGE electric starter is still in great shape, had a couple of close calls - left it and almost forgot!

    Last year Toronto eggfest host Dickson Hardware and BBQ Centre generously gave each cook $100 gift cert to spend on accessories which were also discounted 20%, I spent it on a Looftlighter and other stuff,  I've never used my BGE electric starter since,

    The Looftlighter died on me after 5 or 6 months but fortunately replaced under warranty. I was puzzled and disappointed ,,, it was pampered and kept in originally box after every use.

    I now realised what may have caused the premature failure: I was turning it on and off for each spot, it failed on one of the on attempts, heard a 'pop'.  I think it's the power surge on startup.
     
    I now plan ahead on all the spots to be lit, then press and hold the on button until all spots are lit, sometimes it's tough to switch thumbs while keeping it running.  May be I'm over analytical but I feel safer.






    canuckland
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  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
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    Thanks for the input!  Reliability has been my concern after reading reviews but time will tell.
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

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  • TurtleCreek
    TurtleCreek Posts: 140
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    I absolutely love my Looftlighter too. (Thanks TexasGrin)  
    It makes life so much easier.  I have power right at my Egg table, so the electric/power concern is not an issue for me.  Start up time is virtually nothing compared to the old paper towel or Rutland starter squares I was using.  The Looft' is so quick that it almost feels like cheating.  Now we eat a lot more Egg'd food during the week because of the convenience it provides.  

    I treat mine like a baby too, thanks for the heads up on the failure - I will be sending in my registration card immediately.
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  • jaydub58
    jaydub58 Posts: 2,167
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    r27oba........................please do post a report after some experience to let us know how you like your Looft!
    John in the Willamette Valley of Oregon
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  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
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    I will *should* be using it tomorrow for the first time.  I will report back.  In the meantime, you can do a quick Youtube search for Big Green Egg Looftlighter and see other peoples thoughts.
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

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  • jimreed777
    jimreed777 Posts: 324
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    how about a fricken LASER BEAM to light your lump and burn the hair from the neighbors cat from across the yard?
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  • Solson005
    Solson005 Posts: 1,911
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    I got the looftlighter when I bought my large egg, almost 3 years ago. I have no zero issues and would buy it again if I had to do it over again. I use a propane torch to light the small when I travel with it and prefer the looft. I use my index finger to hold down the button and find that is more comfortable than using my thumb when lighting two or three spots.
    Large & Small BGE, CGW Two-Tier Swing Rack for BOTH EGGS, Spider for the Wok, eggCARTen & and Cedar Pergola my Eggs call home in Edmond, OK. 
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  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
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    Thanks!
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

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  • hapster
    hapster Posts: 7,503
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    Got my looft months ago. Love it. Especially quick when lighting leftover lump. Even with new it really doesn't take too long, quicker than the starter cubes and the turbo effect seems to get me where I need to be a little quicker, great for during the week.
    MSV Chill Spot
    Chester County, PA

    http://egginwithedward.blogspot.com/

    http://edwardhardingphotography.zenfolio.com/
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  • SmokinTiger81
    SmokinTiger81 Posts: 746
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    Got mine for Father's Day 2 years ago--no issues, love it.  Also a little tamer than the Mapp torches so easy to have wife or teenager daughter fire up the egg while I am driving home from work.  When tailgating with no elecrtical power (well, enough power to run the satellite and TV, not just crank up a high energy looflighter), I just use the 91% alcohol and a match method.
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  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
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    Thanks guys!  Plan to use it tonight for the first time.  Will let you know my thoughts!
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

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  • Whaler
    Whaler Posts: 110
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    Love my Looft....Works out great for reverse sear.
    Pensacola,FL
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  • bigphil
    bigphil Posts: 1,390
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    I've been looking at them but my eggs are on a wood deck just a little worried about all the sparks from it . Anyone have that issue ?
    Large Big Green Egg , XL Big Green Egg . BBQ Guru, Weber Kettle, Weber Q grill for road trips.
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  • TurtleCreek
    TurtleCreek Posts: 140
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    Sparks are really controllable by you and how close you cram it in/on the coals once they are 'going'.  My eggs are on a wood deck and wood table and I have never felt any less safe than when some brands of charcoal want to start sparking on their own.  Hope that helps.
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  • bigphil
    bigphil Posts: 1,390
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    @TurtleCreek Thanks 

    Large Big Green Egg , XL Big Green Egg . BBQ Guru, Weber Kettle, Weber Q grill for road trips.
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  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
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    @bigphil, I am on a trex deck but wooden cabinets.  I will let you know more tonight.
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

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  • Jackh
    Jackh Posts: 109
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    I also have a composer deck and a pine table.I placed 12x12 tiles from Lowes under my table. Have not had any problem w/ my loof and any sparks
    Lg&Sm ---Middleport NY
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  • Wylecyot
    Wylecyot Posts: 203
    edited June 2013
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    Big Phil,

    I live in a fire-prone area with lots of dry brush/wilderness around me.  The combination of potential sparks and the frequent winds in my area were the main reasons I went with the Looftlighter over a weedburner/torch.  One of the best accessories I've purchased next to the Adjustable Rig and Thermapen!  
    Large BGE, Medium BGE, Kamado Joe Jr, 36" Blackstone Griddle Blackstone Tailgater and Roccbox owner/operator from Los Angeles
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  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
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    Ok so I tested it out last night for the first time.  Didn't get my XL up to temp nearly as quickly as I had hoped.  Honestly it took longer than my $10 electric starter.  Sparks were not much of an issue other than the fact I had a lot of dust because I was at the end of the bag.

    My question...I had an extremely small amount of lump in the XL because I was out.  Could this have been why it took so long?
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

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  • damnedhooligan
    damnedhooligan Posts: 213
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    That could be....did you have the lower vents open all the way without the screen door? After you lit the lump, did you continue to blow and spread the fire to other pieces?

    XL BGE with adj rig & woo2

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  • r270ba
    r270ba Posts: 763
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    damnedhooligan said:
    That could be....did you have the lower vents open all the way without the screen door? After you lit the lump, did you continue to blow and spread the fire to other pieces?
    Yes and it lit up just like I have seen on the videos.  Honestly, there was probably only 1 level of used lump and 1 level of fresh lump deep.  I really didn't realize I was out until I went to light the egg :)).  
    Anderson, SC
    XL BGE, Father's Day Gift 2012 (Thanks Fam!!!)
    Webber Kettle and Webber Summit Gasser
    Want List: Thermapen, Small BGE, Wok, Adjustable Rig, Food Saver, More $

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  • damnedhooligan
    damnedhooligan Posts: 213
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    r270ba said:
    damnedhooligan said:
    That could be....did you have the lower vents open all the way without the screen door? After you lit the lump, did you continue to blow and spread the fire to other pieces?
    Yes and it lit up just like I have seen on the videos.  Honestly, there was probably only 1 level of used lump and 1 level of fresh lump deep.  I really didn't realize I was out until I went to light the egg :)).  
    To compare apples to apples...have you ever done that with your electric starter and it reached to temp faster?

    XL BGE with adj rig & woo2

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  • SmokinTiger81
    SmokinTiger81 Posts: 746
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    Just my experience--I am fortunate to have a large at home and at our weekend retreat.  Use looflighter at home, but regular electric starter on weekend when over there.  Electric starter takes 10 minutes in lump, looflighter takes 2 minutes to get even a hottor spot going than the electric.  Looflighter much quicker as it starts out 8 minutes ahead at the beginning.  I light both slightly toward the front of the egg.  Good luck.
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  • SPRIGS
    SPRIGS Posts: 482
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    Probably just didn't have enough lump in there.  With my XL - if I am grilling, I light the center and 4 spots around the center.  Leave the lid open for about 5 minutes and then close with all vents fully open.  It is usually at 425 plus within 15 minutes.
    XL BGE
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