What is the best charcoal chimney starter you ask? I have had the opportunity to use several different brands during my grilling adventures. I can tell you from my own personal experience, one stands out from the rest.

Investing in a BBQ chimney starter helps make lighting your coals easier than ever. To get your coals ready fast and evenly fired, I really recommend investing in one of these babies.

Bellow, I will cover a few quality options and lastly, let you know my number one recommendation.

What is the Best Charcoal Chimney Starter?

Charcoal Chimney Starter, Products Overview

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Product: Char-Griller Charcoal Chimney Starter

Price:  $18.12 at Amazon.com

Size: 7.75″ diameter X 12″ height

My Rating: 4 out of 5

The Char-Griller Charcoal Chimney Starter boasts the Patented Trigger release when squeezing the handle with the bottom drop design. This allows you to conveniently and safely empty the hot coals from the bottom of the chimney starter canister.

This is the only chimney starter I have seen with this innovative option and really makes the process safer and simpler. It is made from Zinc coated galvanized .6 mm steel. It also has a plastic ABS handle with a built in heat shield to protect your hands.

Pros:

• The Patented Trigger release is a really convenient feature.
• It lights coals a little faster than most other options due to the slightly larger base and the number of air vents.
• Has a larger than standard capacity for users with large grilling surfaces.
• When emptying, the hottest coals end up on the bottom of the grill instead of the top of the stack closest to the grill.

Cons:

• Some consumers who have used this product complained that the bottom dropping mechanism of the chimney starter broke after frequent use.
• The thin steel and overall quality are not as sturdy as some of the top rated chimney starters.

Overall this is an innovative and convenient charcoal chimney starter. It is a good option for the less frequent griller who won’t put a lot of wear and tear on it. I was tempted to give it a 5-star rating based on coolness and convenience alone.

CLICK HERE To Take Advantage of Amazon’s Best Deals on the Char-Griller Charcoal Chimney Starter

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Product: Charcoal Companion Stainless Steel Chimney Charcoal Starter

Price:  $22.60 (Retail)

Cheapest Place I have found to buy: Amazon.com

Size: 6-5/8 by 10-1/8 by 10-7/8 inches

Guarantee: 5-year limited manufacturer warranty

My Rating: 4 out of 5                 

The Charcoal Companion Stainless Steel Chimney Charcoal Starter is made from heavy-gauge stainless-steel and claims it is rust proof. The cylinder holds up to 5 pounds of charcoal which is huge. It is one of the bigger charcoal chimneys on the market. The handle is made of naturally heat-resistant rosewood with a stainless steel heat shield for keeping hands safe from the heat.

Pros:

• Stainless steel construction offers lasting durability.
• Fashioned with lower-chamber vents to facilitate airflow and faster lighting
• Able to light up to 5 pounds of charcoal.
• The handle never gets hot even when the canister is glowing red.

Cons:

• The rivets are aluminum and you will most likely have to replace them with screws yourself down the road.
• After a few uses, the shiny stainless steel look becomes tarnished from the heat and does not come off.
• It is a little pricey

Overall a quality product that is built to last. You may have to replace the rivets holding the platform (bottom) with screws as they tend to corrode fast. I have done it and it is really very simple and I have not had a problem since. This product should outlast most other chimney starters and is great for people who need to burn a lot of coals for your cooks.

CLICK HERE To Take Advantage of Amazon’s Best Deals on the Charcoal Companion Stainless Steel Chimney Charcoal Starter

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Product: Char-Broil Half-Time Charcoal Starter

Price:  $9.89

Cheapest place to buy: Amazon.com

Size: 13.1″W x 7.75″L x 7.7″H

My Rating: 4 out of 5

Another innovative design, the Char-Broil Half-Time Charcoal Starter claims it can heat large amounts of charcoal in half the time that it takes in standard chimney fire starters. The wider design is great for lump charcoal too. It comes with a heat resistant plastic handle that is comfortable to hold. The standard heat shield protects your hand from the fire.

Pros:

• It has an innovative airflow design that can heat large amounts of charcoal 2x faster than standard chimney fire starters.
• The wider canister is able to handle lump charcoal with ease.
• Good quality and built to last.
• Excellent value for the price.

Cons:

• It is shipped without assembly and can be tricky when trying to line up the holes.
• Only holds up to 2 pounds of charcoal at a time.

This is another quality product that really speeds up one of the most boring steps when grilling. I had a little difficulty with assembly but it was sturdy when I completed it. When I tested it against my other chimney starter and it really was almost 2x faster for lighting charcoal.

I recommend this product for people who want to speed up the process and for people who have smaller grills and don’t need as much charcoal. I also recommend this product for anyone who uses lump charcoal.

CLICK HERE To Take Advantage of Amazon’s Best Deals on the Char-Broil Half-Time Charcoal Starter

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Product: GrillPro 39470 Chimney Style Charcoal Starter

Price:  $10.89

Cheapest place to buy: Amazon.com

Size: 11.00 x 7.00 x 11.00 Inches

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

This metal canister can hold up to 2 pounds of charcoal and only takes about 10 minutes before the coals are ready for use. Wide air vents make your coals heat up quickly so you won’t have to wait long to start cooking.  Simple yet sturdy design that will whether many a grilling.

Pros:

• Keeps coals evenly fired at high temperatures even on windy days.
• Fast lighting and ready in 10 minutes.
• Solid design and built to last.
• Excellent value for the price.

Cons:

• The heat shield is slightly smaller than other top charcoal fire starters.
• Wood handle isn’t as easy to grip as similar products.

After several uses, I was very happy with the performance of the GrillPro 39470 Chimney Style Charcoal Starter. Simply stated, it does what it says it will do and that counts for a lot in my book.

I can’t vouch for the longevity of this product as it is pretty new to me and I have only used it a handful of times, but I am impressed by it so far.

I recommend this product for the novice and avid griller alike.

CLICK HERE To Take Advantage of Amazon’s Best Deals on the GrillPro 39470 Chimney Style Charcoal Starter

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And now for my #1 rated charcoal chimney starter………………

Product: Weber 7416 Rapidfire Charcoal Chimney Starter

Price:  $14.99

Cheapest place to buy: Amazon.com

Size: 7-1/2 by 7-1/2 by 12 inches

My Rating: 5 out of 5

When it comes to charcoal chimney starters, Weber is king. They have been making this same product for years and it is still the well-made and quality product from when they started.

I read a review from someone that said he had his original Weber 7416 Rapidfire Charcoal Chimney Starter for 20 years before it finally gave up the ghost. Now that is quality. I have personally had mine for over 10 years and it is still going strong.

The aluminized finish helps resists heat and rust quite well. The heat resistant thermoplastic handle is comfortable to hold and stays cool to the touch.

It also has a wire helper handle which I find very convenient for helping dump the coals. The built in heat shield is larger than any other I have seen and really protects the hands from the heat.

The key feature of this chimney starter is the conical wire grid inside that holds up the charcoal. Unlike the vented metal plates inside the most chimney starters, this wire grid lets all flames from the newspaper through to the charcoal, resulting in the charcoal lighting quickly and evenly.

Pros:

• Is the top rated and most used charcoal chimney starter on the market.
• It is really built to last.
• Holds enough briquettes for a 22-1/2-inch kettle grill
• The wire cone bottom ensures an even and fast start

Cons:

• Not ideal for smaller chunks of lump charcoal as they can fall through the bottom grate.
• Many reviews state that it is too big for their needs.

Like I said, I have been using the Weber 7416 Rapidfire Charcoal Chimney Starter for over 10 years now and it is still going strong. Yes, it has some rust on it, but I leave it outside and it has not affected performance one bit.

If I could only recommend one charcoal chimney starter, this would be it. For such a long lasting and high-quality product, the price can’t be beaten. Go read user reviews for yourself and you will see that I am not alone in thinking this.

CLICK HERE To Take Advantage of Amazon’s Best Deals on the Weber 7416 Rapidfire Charcoal Chimney Starter

Bonus addition

Product: Weber 7447 Compact Rapidfire Chimney Starter

Price:  $13.99

Cheapest place to buy: Amazon.com

Size: 5.75 x 8 x 10.5 inches

My Rating: 5 out of 5

Same high quality and fast lighting design as it’s big brother. Perfect for camping, tailgating, and smaller grills. I also use it when I need to add coals for long cooks.

 

CLICK HERE To Take Advantage of Amazon’s Best Deals on the Weber 7447 Compact Rapidfire Chimney Starter

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Double Bonus

Product: All-in-One Collapsible Camping Grill and Chimney Starter

Price: $24.17

Cheapest place to buy: Amazon.com

Size: 8.5”x10.5”

My Rating: ?

Ok, I haven’t actually tried this one out. I found it by accident while looking at Groupon deals the other day instantly thought; “Wow, what a cool looking and fun gadget”. Since I can’t actually offer an honest review on this one, I will just copy what the manufacturer has to say. (By the way, Amazon was cheaper than Groupon.)

All-in-One Collapsible Camping Grill and Chimney Starter

All-in-One Combination

• Grill and chimney starter in one
• It helps make lighting a charcoal fire quicker

Fully Collapsible

• Collapsible design makes it easily portable for beach grilling, tailgating, or camping
  

  All-in-One Collapsible Camping Grill and Chimney Starter, Collapsed

• Easy to store when collapsed

Durable Materials

• Made of aluminum-plated carbon steel
• Nylon handle stays cool while cooking

Specifics

• No tools required for assembly or disassembly
• Assembles in less than 15 seconds
• No lighter fluid needed
• Chemical free
• Approximately 110 briquettes (7lb.) capacity
• Product dimensions (when fully assembled): 8.5”x10.5”

If anybody has had a chance to use the All-in-One Collapsible Camping Grill and Chimney Starter and can offer feedback, I would greatly appreciate it.

CLICK HERE To Take Advantage of Amazon’s Best Deals on the All-in-One Collapsible Camping Grill and Chimney Starter

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So there you have it. I hope I have answered the question, “what is the best charcoal chimney starter?” for you. If you are in the market for a charcoal chimney starter or just looking for a better way to light your grill, you can’t go wrong with any of these products.

If you have any questions about any of these products or want to leave your own personal review, leave a comment below. I hoped you enjoyed this review and you are one step closer to joining me in “The Grilling Life”!

Cheers,

Patrick