The Chimney Starter

The more popular method for lighting charcoal is to use a chimney starter, a large, upright, hollow metal cylinder with a wire partition in the center. The charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal go in the top and a crumpled piece of newspaper goes in the bottom. As an alternative to newspaper, you can use paraffin starters. You light the paper and in 15 to 25 minutes you have blazing coals. The beauty of a chimney starter is that its cylindrical shape helps ignite the coals evenly. Also, it allows you to light additional coals to replenish those in a smoker or grill used for indirect grilling in advance of when you’ll need them. Chimney starters are widely available at grill shops and hardware stores.