Lighting the Egg

QDude

The Weber cubes work well for me also.

hvhunter

I have a Kick Ash Basket and Can. After I shake it down and empty the Can, I pour the left over charcoals into a 10x12 pan. Reload the Basket with new charcoal (that is exposed to moisture; bucket with no lid under cover outside), put the spent charcoals on top. Hit it with mapp gas for about 10 seconds and we're off the races. Spent charcoals light easily and give off zero sparks. 

smittydog27

I use a Looftlighter.  Now, be prepared, Imma bout to blow your mind for another firestarter.  Cotton balls and petroleum jelly.  When your just sittin around watchin tv or drinkin. massage PJ into the cotton ball, continue until it is saturated, the store them in a little metal (something you can seal) container.  These babies spark right up in a rain storm!  Can use flint or match to light.  Try it.....I use them for camping though. 

SonVolt

Maybe I take back my propane torch recommendation. I just got popped right in the lip with a flying spark and it hurt like a sonofabiotch. An ember shot right into my closed lips and wedged itself right in the corner of my mouth for a split second. OUCH. 

hvhunter

smittydog27 said:

I use a Looftlighter.  Now, be prepared, Imma bout to blow your mind for another firestarter.  Cotton balls and petroleum jelly.  When your just sittin around watchin tv or drinkin. massage PJ into the cotton ball, continue until it is saturated, the store them in a little metal (something you can seal) container.  These babies spark right up in a rain storm!  Can use flint or match to light.  Try it.....I use them for camping though. 

I'd be curious if anyone else uses cotton balls? I can't imagine it being that much different than a lighting up with a cube or whatever?

SonVolt

hvhunter said:

show previous quotes

smittydog27 said:

I use a Looftlighter.  Now, be prepared, Imma bout to blow your mind for another firestarter.  Cotton balls and petroleum jelly.  When your just sittin around watchin tv or drinkin. massage PJ into the cotton ball, continue until it is saturated, the store them in a little metal (something you can seal) container.  These babies spark right up in a rain storm!  Can use flint or match to light.  Try it.....I use them for camping though. 

I'd be curious if anyone else uses cotton balls? I can't imagine it being that much different than a lighting up with a cube or whatever?

It's 1000x cheaper, that's a pretty significant difference. 

Canugghead

Shiff said:

I use 91% alcohol (from Walmart) under a chimney starter partly full of some lump.  I just squirt some alcohol on the lump, put the chimney over it and then toss a match into the holes under the chimney.  Very simple and it starts face with no smell from the wax starters.

Also, be sure you have your bottom vent open.

can I trade my TS8000 for your 91% alcohol  it's like liquid gold man

speed51133

Just a PSA. I was hosting a bonfire and smores with my sister and her three kids, along with my two kids and wife. I was trying to grill burgers and tend the kids and all sorts of stuff. The lump was having a hard time starting, I was mixing new lump with old partially burned.

I normally use a MAPP torch with a plumbing soldering torch tip. I lighted it and rested it tipped upside down in the coals (leaning on the edge of the egg. I do this many times without issue. Well due to the chaos, I actually forgot about it. The plastic adjustment knob melted and the bottle was too hot to touch. The coals were fully lit. 

I grabbed my grilling mitts and threw the gas bottle down the hill almost in the lake. Holy ****, I almost had a bomb right next to 5 kids, newborns to 3 year olds.

I am now investing on one of the electric hot air starters. Gas torches are so convenient and effective, but I can never risk something like that again.

Are they all the same? I am looking at this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MRQWLMY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

SonVolt

5 kids almost died and one burned lip all in a single week.  If they made a cordless "electric" starter I'd switch, but until then I'm going to have to put up with the burns. 

speed51133

I do have a GFCI outlet in a weatherproof bubble about a foot away from the egg in my new outdoor island. I think electric is the safest. 

fishlessman

speed51133 said:

Just a PSA. I was hosting a bonfire and smores with my sister and her three kids, along with my two kids and wife. I was trying to grill burgers and tend the kids and all sorts of stuff. The lump was having a hard time starting, I was mixing new lump with old partially burned.

I normally use a MAPP torch with a plumbing soldering torch tip. I lighted it and rested it tipped upside down in the coals (leaning on the edge of the egg. I do this many times without issue. Well due to the chaos, I actually forgot about it. The plastic adjustment knob melted and the bottle was too hot to touch. The coals were fully lit. 

I grabbed my grilling mitts and threw the gas bottle down the hill almost in the lake. Holy ****, I almost had a bomb right next to 5 kids, newborns to 3 year olds.

I am now investing on one of the electric hot air starters. Gas torches are so convenient and effective, but I can never risk something like that again.

Are they all the same? I am looking at this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MRQWLMY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

ive thrown two of those propane bombs into the lake. i dont use them anymore

Gulfcoastguy

speed51133 said:

Just a PSA. I was hosting a bonfire and smores with my sister and her three kids, along with my two kids and wife. I was trying to grill burgers and tend the kids and all sorts of stuff. The lump was having a hard time starting, I was mixing new lump with old partially burned.

I normally use a MAPP torch with a plumbing soldering torch tip. I lighted it and rested it tipped upside down in the coals (leaning on the edge of the egg. I do this many times without issue. Well due to the chaos, I actually forgot about it. The plastic adjustment knob melted and the bottle was too hot to touch. The coals were fully lit. 

I grabbed my grilling mitts and threw the gas bottle down the hill almost in the lake. Holy ****, I almost had a bomb right next to 5 kids, newborns to 3 year olds.

I am now investing on one of the electric hot air starters. Gas torches are so convenient and effective, but I can never risk something like that again.

Are they all the same? I am looking at this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MRQWLMY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

I can't tell you if all are the same but I used my Looftlighter for about 8 years before I gave it to my nephew with the old medium Egg. I have a spare Looftlighter in the box that I bought 2 years ago during a sale combined with a coupon at ACE hardware. My situation wasn't broke so I'm not fixing it besides a 100 foot extension cord will reach anywhere in my yard.

speed51133

fishlessman said:

show previous quotes

speed51133 said:

Just a PSA. I was hosting a bonfire and smores with my sister and her three kids, along with my two kids and wife. I was trying to grill burgers and tend the kids and all sorts of stuff. The lump was having a hard time starting, I was mixing new lump with old partially burned.

I normally use a MAPP torch with a plumbing soldering torch tip. I lighted it and rested it tipped upside down in the coals (leaning on the edge of the egg. I do this many times without issue. Well due to the chaos, I actually forgot about it. The plastic adjustment knob melted and the bottle was too hot to touch. The coals were fully lit. 

I grabbed my grilling mitts and threw the gas bottle down the hill almost in the lake. Holy ****, I almost had a bomb right next to 5 kids, newborns to 3 year olds.

I am now investing on one of the electric hot air starters. Gas torches are so convenient and effective, but I can never risk something like that again.

Are they all the same? I am looking at this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07MRQWLMY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

ive thrown two of those propane bombs into the lake. i dont use them anymore

Similar situation?

fishlessman

run in to get a beer ...phone rings...benzomatic torch guts in flames. dont remember what happened the second time

Webass

I keep a gallon ziploc full of vegetable oil soaked paper towels handy.  Two lit with my lighter work very well.   

SonVolt

It's pretty easy not to leave a lit propane torch unattended. 

speed51133

Pretty easy to also leave it unattended just one time over 20 years or whatever. Only takes once.

That said I opted for the JJ George torch wand and will make my own bottle stand to keep it secure ( a more robust one than they sell). Still get the power of the torch, and leave it and not worry about an explosion or tip over.

Canugghead

I use torch to start initial sparks only, finish stoking with an old hair dryer.

Carolina Q

I use a Bernzomatic torch. So far so good. Probably better to use a paper towel and canola oil. Or the Rutland starter cubes.

SonVolt

Just an observation on torch use... I've watched people light an egg with a torch for anywhere from 10-20 minutes. IMO that is overkill. I light 4 spots just 10 seconds each, then repeat once. After that I'm good to go. I've not found a reason to leave the torch on a stand for extended periods of time. 

Carolina Q

At least a year ago, maybe two, I wadded up a bunch of paper towels, placed them in a plastic coffee tub 
and drizzled them with canola oil (new or used, don't remember). Figured I'd try them when I ran out of propane. They've been outside, in that more or less water-resistant , but far from airtight tub, for a long time, thru multiple seasons. Just went outside to check with a BIC lighter and it lit up as though I had just oiled it. I know they work for their intended purpose, just never tested over a long period. Cheap, safe, effective.

Canadianegger2020

I've tried lots of different methods but I keep going back to the Webber Fire starter cubes ....wax. Easy to light , stay lit and don't need a touch or anything to fire them up. Bonus is they are cheap and at Lowes or HD all the time . 

dbCooper

Some weeks back I read a piece titled "12 things you don't know about Cheetos".  The only one I found of interest was use as a charcoal starter.  Gave it a go on Sat night, my results were mixed.....

- First shot lit with butane lighter, they self extinguished after 60 sec or so.

- Next I gave them a shot from propane torch, they performed as well as any starter cube I have used.  Burn time was about 4 min using two sets of three Cheetos.  They produced foul smoke while burning.

Of course if you have the torch you don't need the Cheetos, more testing may be done.  The article did not state to use regular or crunchy, I was using crunchy, might be the puffy ones are better.

Kjunbob

One question about the above... I have been using the BGE Firestarter Squares for some time, and I have always pushed them to the bottom of the lump and then lit them, leaving a little space above them and building a small tent-like stack above them and then letting the fire get started.  But something just occurred to me, should I be just putting the Square on the top?  It works just fine as I have been doing it, but could it be better by putting them on top.

Runamuck

I use a torch on both my eggs, 18" weber, and smokey joe. My grill is up and running almost as fast as a gas grill, especially the joe. I'll never mess with anything else, unless I get a bigger torch.

msloan

I used to be a big looflighter guy......but then I discovered the wax cubes from Weber at Lowe's and my life changed.  I use them in my egg, my stick burner and my firepit in the back yard!!!!  I typically pick up a pack or two every time I go into Lowe's so I never run low or think about them being $5 per pack.  lol