91% Rubbing Alcohol as Starter

Someone on here uses the 92% alcohol but most have a mapp torch or weedburner. You can light in numerous places and cut your wait time down. The entire egg cooking environment is one great toxic soup...but a very delicious toxic soup.

Forty to sixty bucks at Lowe's or Home Depot. Small handheld with igniter. The Map is a yellow tank as opposed to blue for propane.

A mapp torch is a small hand held tank and nozzle typically used by plumbers. They can be purchased at Menards, Home Depot, etc. A weed burner has a much larger nozzle typically used to burn weeds or melt ice in driveways. Harbor freight sells some at a reasonable price and often they hook up to a 20 lb propane tank. Either item will set you back $30 to $50 but are well worth the price. I use a mapp torch and a small gas cylinder lasts me 1 to 2 years.

That's a propane torch as opposed to a MAPP torch. Look for the yellow tank if you are looking for a MAPP torch.

 
Hopefully you are not using anything like Kingsford lighting fluid.

This link will take you to 2 different weed burners
http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=weed+burner&Submit=Go

They work great, the egg is lit in less than a minute.

Propane or MAAP works well. The Naked Whiz mentioned MAPP as apposed to Propane. The important thing is to get a head that will allow Propane to burn inverted, if you use propane. MAPP or Propane will work on the same head (my BernzOMatic head anyway).

Third bullet point down on the BernzOMatic FAW page.
http://www.bernzomatic.com/resources/faq.aspx

Alcohol is a great way to light the egg. I use it 95% of the time. Vents wide open, in my large and medium, I have to use about 1.5oz of isopropyl alcohol (91% alcohol) in 2 spots left and right of center for a good reasonably fast start. I let the alcolol seep into the lump for about 15 to 20 seconds before lighting with the dome open. When the alcohol is burning evenly over the lump (15 to 20 seconds) I close the dome. There will be an initial heat spike from the flame then a die down in temperature. On the second temperature rise I adjust my vents.

There is no residual odor and it is non-toxic.

The least cost to light I would think is paper towel and oil (great method), then MAPP/Propane or weed burner, then starter cubes and Alcohol.

One note about MAPP being inexpensive, you can't count all the spark holes in clothing as a cost to start the lump.

Speed to light to a stabilized 350° temperature, in my experience.
Fame thrower (weed burner)- absolute fastest.
Then oil/napkin - MAPP - alcohol (depending on how much alcohol one uses)
Then cubes, chimney starter.
I have no experience with electric starters.

GG

 
I am at 5,000' elevation and I need to use about 60 ml to 80 ml in 2 spots, left and right of center. I do let the alcohol soak/evaporate a little before lighting.

I get a good fast start. About equal to using 3 to 4 cubes (I use 1/2 cubes), and the same as using 2 paper towels/oil and using MAPP.

Once in a great while I have to pull out the MAPP to 'juice up' alcohol light.

The advantage with alcohol as with MAPP or paper towel/oil is there is no residual odor.

Alcohol, is one of the cleanest methods to light the lump. I rank the MAPP/Propane a little lower because of the sparking.

What I hate about starter cubes is the residual aroma/flavor of the cubes if they are not completely burned out.

There are a lot of good ways to light the eggs. The best way is ones individual preference.

GG

And I thought I had no reason to go to Lowe;s tomorrow with this gift certificate!!!! :laugh:

I use the 91% alcohol 100% of the time. I fill a chimney starter up with lump, measure 1 shot glass(1oz) alcohol poured in center of chimney, wait 20 secs, then lite. In 10 - 15 mins chimney is glowing red hot with lit lump, I dump that in used or new lump filled to fire ring for overniters or half full load for any other cooks. Close lid and watch temp to raise to near target temp, then close vents and adjust, or use my bbq guru and set to temp. Works for me.

Santa brought me a BGE electric starter for xmas. I will be trying it out in the next few days and report on how that works.

Currently I am using the BGE squares the dealer gave me, but I think these take a bit long to spread out the fire.

Just use vegetable oil and paper towels. Works like a charm and is very cheap. Why is your text blue?

Steve, I'm new here too. Like you I was wondering what's the best way to light my egg. I've tried a variety of things, but I keep going back to the alcohol. You can buy alot of alcohol for the money versus investing in a MAPP torch. In my opinion, Shiff said it best.

MAPP burns slightly hotter and then it gets too technical for me. I think Trex explained it as something like the velocity of the flame propagation is greater with MAPP and thus you get more heat faster than with a propane torch.