Starting Egg

Get yourself a mapp torch. It lights lump in seconds and a tank will last years. Doesn't matter if it is windy outside or raining, the mapp torch will come through.

Johann,

If you want to spend money on something, I second the vote for a MAPP torch. I have one and it works great. It lights fast, and has the added bonus that you can dictate where and how fast you want to start the fire.

Honestly though, for the 1st couple of years that I had my Egg, I just tore some paper off the side of the charcoal bag, crumpled it into a fist-sized ball, and buried halfway in the middle of the lump, putting a few small pieces over it. I lit that with a wooden kitchen match (worked better than a lighter for some reason) and it nearly always lit just fine.

-John

Paper towel and veggy oil trick has always worked for me. Just use two sections...twist together...put inside egg...pour some oil on the towel....light...apply charcoal as if building a regular camp fire. Never had a problem. Also handy if you are transporting egg and have minimal means of lighting...i.e. no torch.

Wayne

I have tried the oil/napkin technique but I prefer using 91% isopropyl alcohol. There are some YouTube videos that describe one way to do it, but here's my slightly different method:

Load up the egg with lump.

Using a pyrex measuring cup, slowly pour 2-3 oz of 91% isporopyl alcohol in an 8 inch diameter circle onto your lump. I concentrate the pour just on the outline of the circle, rather than filling in the whole area of the circle with alcohol.

Toss a few extra pieces of lump on top of the lump that you just wet with alcohol.

Light the wet lump with a long match or lighter (watch out because it will flare up quickly).

Immediately close the dome, leaving daisy wheel off and bottom vent wide open. Dome temperature will shoot up to 600-700 degrees and then drop down to 200-250 and will then climb its way back up to cooking temperature.

If it's taking too long to climb up, you can open the dome and use a small hand-held fan to stoke up the coals quickly from above.

i take two paper napkins, lay them next to each other, drizzle a couple "zees" across them, then fold it in half lengthwise, fold it again lengthwise, and maybe again, then just twist into a long wick with bowtie ends.

you want the paper to be translucent, not dripping

i toss them in, light the both ends, and bridge some lump over the flame. sometimes if i don't mind screwing around, i'll keep piling lump from the sides over the holes where the fire is coming out. it will keep growing the longer you add charcoal where the flame comes out.

usually though i just go in and prep the food. come back out in ten fifteen minutes and i'm at temp usually

i've done MAPP, have a weed burner, used fire logs, starters, etc.

for me, the paper towel trick is a good combination of stuff i have on hand, minimal time standing around, and fastest to desired temp. alright, the weedburner may get you there faster. but it's just overkill in my small place

I normally use the electric starter (what don't you like about that?)

If its wet out or if I am denied access to electricity for any reason I use the paper towel and oil methid.

You need to get yourself a small Rubbermaid storage bin you can keep near the egg..

Why keep hauling stuff up from the basement???

I like the 91% alcohol because I can get it refunded on my medical reimbursement account!!! :evil:

I use either a MAPP torch for quick starts or the little Weber cubes. They are great as well. I didn't like the smoke bombs from the BGE cubes. Haven't tried the paper towel method yet.

I used the BGE starter squares for about a year until one day I found I'd run out of them, so I used the paper towel and oil trick. I found it started the lump just as well and didn't smell nearly as nasty. I haven't used anything else since. The MAPP torch does sound like fun though.

i actually use it as a weed burner. for the brick patio. i am really self-conscious, because that thing makes a shungload of noise when it's going full blast. sounds like a jet engine.

i run it when the neighbors are at work hahaha