Light Bottom or Light Top

uheep

Is there any advantage to lighting the egg on top of the coals or putting the wax cube under the the metal grid plate? I did a cook yesterday and lit the egg under the metal grid. 

SGH

@uheep‌
It's a personal choice in my opinion. I prefer lighting the top for no other reason than it's convenient and easy. Just my preference. I'm sure that there are others who light the bottom though .

ChillyWillis

I'd never even thought of lighting from the bottom. The only issue I could see would be the heat spreading upwards and spiking the temp too quickly.

That being said I've only ever lit the egg from the top so it will be interesting the see what others say. One good thing about lighting from the top is you can mix in smoke wood chunks around the top and be sure that they'll burn in the cook you intend them to. Not sure if that'd be as easy if lighting from the bottom (if you're the type to cook multiple cooks on one load of lump). .

jllbms

Much discussion here: http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1167729/bottom-up-lighting#latest

GeorgeS

I usually fill up the egg and light with my map torch about mid way down the pile with the tip facing in toward the middle. I usually hit about three or four spots for about 15 seconds each and then close the lid with the bottom went open all the way and the top off completely. I usually put the top on when close to temp and close down the bottom vent. If low and slow same process but top is put on much sooner and I only light two places.

JRWhitee

I have only lit from the top, never thought about the bottom either.

mslaw

Just use an electric lighter. Cram it in and !0 mins later, fire.

Cymbaline65

I do both and I find more smoke from a bottom light. What moves things along even more quickly is a 3' piece of stove pipe I use on the top. It drops the air pressure in the firebox so more oxygen flow. Speeds getting to temp considerably.

Skiddymarker

The egg is a marvel of getting the most bang for your buck, it provides the heat you need using the least amount of fuel when lit from the top. The idea is to have the fire follow the air flow down or as noted by @nolaegghead :

"If you light it from the top, like a candle, the lump (say you have an 8" deep pile of lump) below is out of the hot effluent from the fire.  Most VOC driven out by heat from the lump below the fire goes through the active fire and burns, getting consumed.

Contrast that to lighting on the bottom.  The heat cooks and outgasses the unburned fuel above it.  You're cooking unburned lump."

fishlessman

i light my little vision kub thru the lower vent for faster startups, and it makes a diffence with the lighting method....you want to lite the napkin and slide it thru the vent fire first, seems to burn hotter and faster. have had some troubles with low and slows lighting thru the lower vent on my large, the bark never fully formed to my liking so those cooks i light from the top now

Mattman3969

Edited. Never mind.