Lighting your coals

sjm1027

what do others use for lighting their coals? I've been having a difficult time

lkapigian

Many many ways bit always chimney for me

Gulfcoastguy

Looftlighter personally, others use weed burners or paper towels soaked in oil. It is largely a personal preference.

Carolina Q

sjm1027 said:

what do others use for lighting their coals? I've been having a difficult time

What have you been doing? And what has been difficult? I usually use a propane torch. Cheap and effective.

jtcBoynton

Lots of ways to light. I use a weed torch.


If you are having problems, my guess is not a good air flow.  Make sure you don't have an air blockage.

Jeremiah

Good quality lighter fluid. Usually Kingsford. 

nolaegghead

heat

SmokeyLopey

@Jeremiah: Surely you are teasing abt using lighter fluid in your egg?!

YukonRon

SmokeyLopey said:

@Jeremiah: Surely you are teasing abt using lighter fluid in your egg?!

He does live on the edge....

sjm1027

I have been using the BGE square wafer board soaked in wax. 

sjm1027

Gulfcoastguy said:

Looftlighter personally, others use weed burners or paper towels soaked in oil. It is largely a personal preference.

How do you like Looftlighter?

lentsboy007

Used to do the propane torch , got tired of popping sparks . Went to vegetable oil soaked paper towel and will never go back . Fire is ready quicker and no sparks or uneven spread . 

BugFreak72

Looflighter here. 

Cornholio

I use a BGE electric starter I bought when I purchased my egg in 2011.  Still works, I prep stuff while it’s lighting, never had an issue, no need to change until it dies.  After it does die I will go torch route.  

hoosier_egger

JJ George Grill Torch or weed burner if I'm in a big hurry 

mickstephen

Rutland square firestarters here. 

mahenryak

lentsboy007 said:

Used to do the propane torch , got tired of popping sparks . Went to vegetable oil soaked paper towel and will never go back . Fire is ready quicker and no sparks or uneven spread . 

Do you soak the paper towels and have them at the ready in a gallon freezer bag?  Just curious, I happen to still be using a propane torch.

Shiff

I don't like the waxy starters due to the smell. I half fill a chimney with used charcoal, then sprinkle some 91% alcohol on the coals in the BGE then put the chimney on top of where I sprinkled and toss in a match.  Works very quickly with no bad odors.

RRP

I have used several of the popular methods over the years, but now for the last couple years I use 1 Rutland square  buried swallow in the center and then squirt inexpensive 91% rubbing alcohol. The extent of my squirting depends on how soon I want to get the fire stabilized and the temperature thereof.

Eoin

Paper towels soaked in oil. Fold them to a narrow strip, tie a knot in the middle and stuff them in a jam jar - as many as will fit. Pour on some oil, which will spread through the paper over a day, so the towels are not soaked in oil and burn well. Works really well and is great if you're cheap like I am.

lentsboy007

mahenryak said:

lentsboy007 said:

Used to do the propane torch , got tired of popping sparks . Went to vegetable oil soaked paper towel and will never go back . Fire is ready quicker and no sparks or uneven spread . 

Do you soak the paper towels and have them at the ready in a gallon freezer bag?  Just curious, I happen to still be using a propane torch.

Nah, right before I’m ready to light I take two paper towels and fold them each into approx 3 by 3 inch squares , stack in a bowl and pour enough veg oil on them to lightly soak . Take them right outside .  Dig a shallow bowl in coals , the key is to use a small butane lighter , but a regular stick lighter  will work if u don’t have one . Light the edges and when it starts burning lightly place a few chunks of charcoal over the burning paper towel. Walk away and u will have flames going soon . 

However I do like Eoin’s idea of having them in a jar ready to go . 

Botch

@sjm1027
I've been egging for at least six years now, and it seems I'm having more and more trouble lighting my lump; I don't get it.  
I started with the BGE paraffin squares, and didn't have a problem for a long time.  Got a different brand (can't remember if they were Rutlands) and they worked.  I tried the paper towel/oil method, that was hit or miss, and totally miss in the wintertime.  Someone here suggested paper towels used to drain breakfast bacon; GREAT, no cost and 100% recycling, but again, hit or miss.  
Went back to BGE squares, and two of them didn't even stay lit by themselves, and this was this summer!!!  Finally went into walmart (I hate that place) and bought the 91% isopropyl, used a double-shot; again, hit or miss (plus, I always seemed to get my hand wet with alcohol, a recipe for Botching it up badly).  
I had been avoiding the torch route, because my Eggs are on a deck.  Got the Grilltorch on sale for $25,
https://www.jjgeorgestore.com/grill-torch-charcoal-starter-20-reach/?sku=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8Iv60p7W4wIVEr7ACh1BawguEAQYAyABEgIFUvD_BwE
It doesn't spark as much as the high-power Looflighters, weedburners, Phoo-phighters that I've seen in videos here, and in my Small it works great; the shaft length from the bottle to the nozzle is too short to use easily in my Large (and I'm not able to rotate the nozzle upwards, to light my lump through the bottom intake, as I was hoping).  
So, I feel your pain, and don't have a 100% answer for you.  Need to order a box of Rutlands to see if they work better in my Large.  I'm happy with the Grilltorch for my Small (and it worked in the winter).  

Gulfcoastguy

sjm1027 said:

Gulfcoastguy said:

Looftlighter personally, others use weed burners or paper towels soaked in oil. It is largely a personal preference.

How do you like Looftlighter?

It suits my needs and has done so for several years. I start a low and slow with one spot that I focus on until the coals are orange hot in about a softball size. Two or three spot for a quick hot fire.

Theophan

I used to use the starter squares, and they were fine, just slow.  But for years, now, I've been using a MAP gas torch, and it's SO fast and so easy, I can't imagine going to anything else.  I do sometimes get showers of sparks, and burned a tiny hole in a favorite shirt, once, but again I've been doing this for years, now, and only one such mishap.  I always put on safety glasses first...

danv23

nolaegghead said:

heat

Please, illuminate.

milesvdustin

nolaegghead said:

heat

Dang, I've been doing it wrong all this time 

nolaegghead

Fire = Oxygen + Fuel + Heat

Matt86m

If you are using the squares I found they work better if you let them burn for a bit before loading charcoal on top of them. You can snuff them out if you do it too soon. leave air gaps when I stack pieces on top of them too.

1voyager

Another vote for Rutland squares. 

JohnEggGio

I like these little bundles.  Get them at Home Depot.  I build a little teepee of coals around it.  Works great.

jwc6160

Used a weed burner forever but have gone back to a couple of paper towels in oil. So much easier and just light them and go to prep as opposed to standing over the grill with a burner.