Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter for Use With Charcoal Grills, Aluminized Steel

This product borders on miraculous. I have been grilling for nearly twenty years but have never thought to pick up one of these. Everyone has their little tricks to get their BBQ lit and fired up. But lets face it, we've all been failed by our little tricks more often than we'd like to admit. Like many of the other reviewers listed here, I too saw Alton Brown, from Good Eats, highly praise the magic of a charcoal chimney; and yet I still wasn't motivated enough to order one of these. However, my mother was kind enough to order one for me as a gift (although she did ask me to show her which brand/model I wanted). I've only had this thing for a little over a month but I simply can't remember what my BBQing/grilling life was like before I owned this magical tool. It works so well, efficiently, and effectively, that I swear it borders on voodoo. It really is as simple as dumping your charcoal into the chimney, wadding up two pages of newspaper and stuffing it under the chimney, then simply lighting the newspaper. That's it! No lighter fluid whatsoever. None. Zero. In 15-20 minutes, you'll have perfectly red coals and you're ready to grill. It really is that easy. I have used it around ten times, in all kinds of weather (strong wind, dead calm, pouring rain with high humidity, single digit freezing temperatures) and it has never failed me. In fact, not only has it never failed me, it has never failed to impress me. Each time I think, "Alright, the last couple times must have been flukes. There's no way it's really this easy. It's got to fail this time." The sad truth is, it makes me feel stupid for not having used one for the last twenty years. And that's why I think every man should be born with one of these in his hands. It really will make your life easier. Now, some stuff about the product and its usage: It's made of nice thick metal that feels sturdy (but not so heavy as to be awkward to handle). Not flimsy in the least. It feels like it's built to last. The wire grate at the bottom (that keeps the charcoal from falling out) is also made of very thick wire. And as stated in the description, has a cone shape to it, which increases the real estate of how much charcoal is exposed to the flame from the burning newspaper (which helps the charcoal take the flame that much faster). There is a separate flat sheet of metal between the chimney and the handle, which acts as a heat shield, protecting your knuckles from the heat high heat that's radiating from the chimney. (While not necessary for this application, I also have a pair of full-arm-length welder's gloves when I BBQ, to protect my hands, arms, and sleeves from the extreme heat while I'm rearranging the hot coals in my BBQ. And I recommend the gloves to everyone! They're cheap, effective, and add an extra level of safety.) There seems to be a lot of discussion about where to place your chimney when it's in use (on cement is an obvious choice, on a wooden deck not so much) When I light my chimney, I like to set it in the BBQ on the fire grate (the grate that you ordinarily put the charcoal on), because it's obviously designed to take the heat, and I don't have to worry about it leaving any black scorch marks on my cement walkway. That being said, there are times when that's not an option. Such as: One of the things that really makes this gizmo shine is the versatility it offers you when grilling. For example, if you're grilling a large piece of meat that won't be finished before your coals burn out, the chimney comes to your rescue! As your coals start to die down, simply put a new load of fresh coals in your chimney and fire it up. 15-20 minutes later, you have a whole new batch of red coals that can now be dumped into your BBQ, with no loss of cooking time, or dealing with the hassle of trying to light new charcoal in a BBQ that already has meat on it. The only catch, is that you'll obviously have to sit the chimney somewhere else while it warms up, other than the BBQ, and a patch of cement is the obvious choice. It really all comes down to this: A charcoal chimney is one of those things that will make your life easier and (and if used properly) safer. It's dead simple to use, and hard to screw up. But most of all, it's one of those very few magical products that not only do what they promise to do, but they do it so well that they exceed all rational expectations. And hey, you can't beat the price either. I did a fair amount of research and comparison shopping before deciding on this particular charcoal chimney model. When comparing the known brand names, the remarks made by previous buyers, and of course the price: I found this one to be the best buy. And I have no regrets (other than not getting it sooner). I could not be happier with my purchase. I strongly recommend this product to everyone that cooks with charcoal. You will not be disappointed.

W ooo res very well and very durable

I bought this as an add on to the Weber Premium Charcoal Grill and boy are we glad we did. I got this grill as a gift for my boyfriend who is the gourmet cook in this family and I don't cook at all. I figured he'd want a charcoal grill so that food is authentically grilled and much to my surprise he has little experience using charcoal grill. So we've been cooking on it nonstop since last weekend and learning from awesome dishes and failures how to become better at it and I don't know where we'd be without this starter. It's LARGE and holds a lot of charcoal. I ordered the starter cubes, but they haven't arrived, so we used standard charcoal and just filled it up and lit through the holes as directed. Large flames shoot off the top when it catches, so be sure that you have the starter placed on the bottom grill and not the cooking surface so you can easily pour the coals and spread them out as desired. This makes life a LOT easier and I imagine we'd have spent a lot more time trying to start the coals evenly and get cooking without this. The handle stays cool no matter what and you can easily fit enough coals in this to cook for hours without refilling it. I really recommend this over the smaller one because if you're going to do it....do it right. Why have to cook up two batches of coals just to cook your chicken and burgers? This gets your grill up to 500 degrees and ready to cook pretty fast compared to doing it the old fashioned way. Just paper and coals works fine if you don't use any starter cubes or other items. I am thrilled I chose to add this onto my gift, otherwise I think he'd have been too stressed to cook off a first meal!

I've had this chimney starter for 1 year and 3 months. I use it one to two times per week and thought it was time that I write a review, since I have a lot of experience with the product. First things first, this is my favorite chimney starter. I've had no issues with it whatsoever and it's greatest benefit is you'll never have to use lighter fluid to get your coals going. I use about 4 sheets of newspaper and have found to stay away from the newspaper that is shiny for best results. I crumple the 4 sheets of newspaper and then stuff them under the bottom of the chimney starter (from the bottom) and then pour however much coals I'm going to need for my grill. I'm not a fan of placing the chimney starter on the grill grates because all of the ash that comes from the newspaper can make a mess of the grill. I place my chimney starter on an extra stone paver that I have lying around the backyard and light the newspaper on multiple sides of the bottom of the starter for an even burn. Within minutes the bottom coals will be burning and the chimney starter has excellent ventilation which pulls the flames upward to ignite the coals that are located in the mid to upper levels of the starter. Depending on how many coals I'm using, the coals usually take about 15 - 20 min before they're ready for to place inside the grill. The 15 to 20 minutes that it takes to light the filled chimney starter is great because it gives me time to prep other foods that I will be barbecuing or cooking in the kitchen. While smoking meats low and slow over long periods of time, I sometimes have to use this chimney starter multiple times and it lights small amounts of coals with no problem. Two days ago, I smoked a pork shoulder for about 10 hours at 250 degrees Fahrenheit and used the chimney starter two times without any problems. I've used all types of charcoal, from low to high quality, and found that the chimney started works with them all. I have some wood charcoal, which seems to burn at a higher temperature and can make the handle pretty warm. Other than that, this chimney starter is a great asset for a person that barbecues frequently and makes it simple to light small to large amounts of coal with ease.

This chimney starter is great! It's big, the handle to hold the chimney starter is big, and the entire starter feels like solid construction that won't break, bend, rust, or damage easily, which is sometihng I really appreciate. The plastic around the handle is heavy duty, and resistant to heat, I was handling the chimney starter without barbecue gloves (not recommended), by holding the plastic handle, and I couldn't feel any heat on my hand which was great! i just crumpled up a few sheets of ad-papers I got in the mail, and in about 20-30 minutes, my coals were burning hot and ready! I was initially worried, because as soon as I set the papers on fire, they burned up and disappeared within a minute or two, so I stuffed more paper below the starter, thinking I would need to light more paper on fire, but what I didnt realize was how efficiently this starter disperses heat and continues to disperse it, even when you can't see any flame. As soon as I put newspapers below the chimney starter, despite there not being any visible fire, the starter was producing so much heat that it immediately set the new newspapers on fire. BUT it is a little deceptive, the description says that it holds enough briquettes for a 22.5 inch grill, but after filling up the chimney starter, I found that my grill did not fill up sufficiently. I'd say it's perfect for something closer to 20 inches, but it's a tad small for 22.5, but this isn't too much of a problem. I simply put some unheated coals at the bottom of my grill and pour my hot coals on top of them, by the time my grilling grate heats up hot enough for me to scrape it clean with my grill brush, the unheated coals have heated sufficiently and I can start grilling! This is a GREAT chimney starter, and I'd highly recommend you purchase it, especially for it's pricepoint. I must confess I have no idea why the Weber 87886 Chimney Starter is almost double the price of this chimney starter. I'd reccommend this one wholeheartedly! For $15, I'm not sure you can beat this!

I bought this in April, 2012 and I still use it at least twice/week (every time I fire up my charcoal grill). It's January 2012 now and this thing is still irreplaceable for me. Very easy to use, fill up the main section with charcoal, crumble up newspaper and stuff it into the bottom and light. Give it a few minutes and you've got hot coals to pour out into your grill and start going. A few tips/info: 1) It smokes a lot at first, just be prepared. It is paper lit on fire, after all. 2) Don't over stuff with paper - too much paper doesn't allow enough air to circulate around the bottom and it won't work as well. 3) Don't use glossy paper like with some junk mail you receive. Be careful only to use plain paper, throw away the glossy stuff because it has chemicals and burns differently - you don't want to use that. 4) The whole point of this thing is to not have to use charcoal fluid, at least in my case. Don't add fluid to your charcoal or use the type of charcoal that has fluid included in it - those chemicals are added to the flavor of your food, trust me don't do it. 5) After the coals are hot there can still be some paper or ash underneath. Lift up the unit with 2 hands (one on the main handle, one on the hinged top handle) and shake it (while still upright) into the grill a little to get that stuff out of it. Otherwise, you may drop some paper or ash on yourself or nearby where you don't want it. Not a big deal, but it can happen. 6) Keep the coals going in the unit until you see red near the top. That's when they're ready to go - not every coal has to be red, just make sure that MOST of them in there are glowing. 7) ONLY light this while it's in the grill, don't do it on the ground or on a shelf (especially a wood one) attached to your grill. Just do it on the grates inside. 8) Flip it quickly, then slowly lift up so you have a nice pile of coals. Lifting it too quickly spreads them out more and usually means they'll burn up faster, same with "pouring" them out slowly. 9) If you are smoking wood with your coals, don't add wood chips or chunks to the coals until after they are in the grill. 10) Once you have emptied the coals out, the unit will still be hot! Make sure you have a safe place to put it - again not on your wood shelf or on the ground usually. I put mine on top of the grate under the grill itself, where it can cool quickly. Like I said I use this constantly. It's still bright silver, barely looks used. Very high quality product and a must have for real charcoal enthusiasts. UPDATE 3/21/13: Still a great unit, still used every time I grill. The metal has very slightly warped in shape, you can only tell if you're looking straight down from the top and it doesn't affect the unit in any way. Of all my grilling tools and gadgets this is one of the few that I absolutely cannot do without. -D

Easy to use and effective. Smokes a lot because the paper smolders until there is enough heat to create a good chimney effect. It even works if you stuff the paper in the top and pile the charcoal on top of it, but do it the right way and wad up the paper in the bottom and put the charcoal in the upper chamber. I use brown Kraft paper that's used as packaging and it works very well. Free fire starter! Don't expect an immediate flaming miracle. Plan on 20 minutes to start the charcoal and get it all going before you dump it in the grill. The process starts slowly and builds exponentially. At first, it looks like not much is happening, but the chimney starter is a much better way to start charcoal than building a pyramid and stacking briquettes. Be patient. Start the fire and then go do some food prep or something. A watched fire starter never starts a fire. It only requires a few seconds of your time, but the chimney starter needs 15-20 minutes to do its magic. I have a smaller hibachi style grill and the grate isn't adjustable, so it's critically dependent on the correct amount of charcoal. It really needs a single layer of charcoal on the bottom of the grill. Any more than that and the coals are way too hot and the outside of the food is incinerated in about a minute. For smaller grills, I recommend putting the cold charcoal into the grill first to measure how much you need, then dump it into the chimney starter and mark that as the amount to use each time.

I bought this Weber RapidFire for my brand new Weber Gold Kettle grill. I watch food network religiously and my favorite chef, Bobby Flay, said never to use lighter fluid in grills, use a chimney starter. I listened to him as he is one of the best there is on the grill. Although it may be a little more work, you can save money on lighter fluid and use this safer method. Also, the fumes from the lighter fluid may get in the food and make it taste unnatural. The grip on this starter is the exact same as on my grill. That being said, it has excellent grip in your hand, even when wet. I also prefer the synthetic handle because it is more hygenic and easy to clean when dealing with raw meats and other foods. Wood handles will absorb the bacteria and may cross contaminate your food, a dangerous and unpleasant result. To use this item, you simply stuff some scrap paper or newspaper in the bottom and fill the top with the desired amount of charcoal. I usually cook for only two people, so filling the coals about halfway is ideal. Then, you place the starter on the rack of your grill (I use the bottom rack), and light the paper on fire in a few places. Make sure you use enough paper to light the coals. When I first started using it, I did not put enough in and it did not light, stuff some paper in there man! Wait about 15 to 20 minutes and your coals will be piping hot and ready to cook. After use, give it time to cool off and clean it out with a cloth. The charcoal residue will eventually corrode the steel if cleaning and proper storage inside your house is not practiced; fairly straighforward stuff. Also, you will notice discolorations in the steel after use, no big deal, this is just from the heat of the coals. I have used this starter at least 30 times and it is resiliant and able to withstand high temperature. Sure, there are cheaper ones out there at walmart, but I cannot guarantee the longevity on those, this one will last you. Weber is synonomous will quality grilling products and this item is no different. i highly recomend this product.

Effektiv och supersnabb

Very good. Excellent for Weber Kettle

Si estás buscando una forma rápida y fácil de encender tu barbacoa, la chimenea de encendido Weber 7416 Rapidfire es una excelente opción. Esta herramienta es increíblemente eficiente y hace que el proceso de encendido de tu barbacoa sea mucho más rápido y fácil. La construcción de la chimenea es sólida y resistente, y la capacidad de la cámara es suficiente para encender una cantidad considerable de carbón. El diseño de la chimenea permite que el aire circule adecuadamente para una combustión uniforme, lo que significa que el carbón se enciende de manera rápida y uniforme. La chimenea de encendido también es muy fácil de usar. Simplemente llena la chimenea con carbón y colócala en la parrilla de tu barbacoa. Enciende el papel debajo de la chimenea y en poco tiempo, tendrás un carbón ardiente listo para comenzar a cocinar. En resumen, si eres un amante de las barbacoas y buscas una forma fácil y rápida de encender tu carbón, la chimenea de encendido Weber 7416 Rapidfire es una excelente opción. Es resistente, eficiente y fácil de usar, lo que la convierte en una herramienta imprescindible para cualquier parrillero.

Would recommend a Chimney Starter to anyone!

good quality, fairly large