Best Chimney Starter Reviews 2023

Anyone who has basic knowledge of economics knows about factors of production. These factors are land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship. We’ve been taught that land includes any natural resources used in manufacturing, so we can safely include raw materials. All these affect the price tag that the finished product would carry. So, note that if you’re looking for a good product of top quality, you’ll naturally be prepared to pay commensurately.

That said, we found out that a good chimney starter costs between $13 and $30. There may be some high end brands that cost higher but you won’t go wrong with any of our products within this price range.

In the course of our research, we came across some cheap chimney starters, but they aren’t featured in this review. Some of them aren’t safe to use — their handles aren’t well attached and can fall off at any point — while others are just too cheaply made and wouldn’t last long.

A chimney starter (also known as a charcoal chimney or starter) is an important accessory for any griller. It helps you get your grill started faster and chemical-free (since it works without the use of any lighter fluid). Before buying a chimney starter, there are features to look out for to ensure that the product will serve its purpose and adequately too. Some of these features include:

• Design — The design of the starter refers to its shape whether round or square. This determines the type and size of charcoal or briquettes that’d fit into it
• Size — This is important because it determines what size of grill it’d be appropriate for
• Capacity — This determines the quantity of coals it can hold
• Kindling time — This is the time it takes for the charcoal to heat up
• Material — The material used often determines how long it lasts
• Handle(s) — Some come with a single handle while others have two. The material of the handle determines how safe it is

As we discuss further, you’ll see how these features affect the performance of the product.

Chimney starters are usually designed in a barrel shape and are made of metal, stainless steel or aluminum-coated carbon steel. Some have wide diameters and these allow you to use lump charcoals while others are narrower and may require you use briquettes or wood chunks. So before you decide on any model, consider whether you’ll be using charcoal, briquettes or wood chunks. Which one is readily available to you?

The material used to make the starter determines how long it lasts. Since all the materials that are commonly used to make them have the potential to either last a long time or be of low quality, it may be difficult to determine this just by looking at the product. It’s therefore advisable to read reviews by people who have bought and used the brand you’re considering to find out whether the product is made with the best and most durable materials.

The design of the starter is also important. Most designs have holes that regulate the ventilation of the starter. A well-ventilated starter would operate faster than one that isn’t well ventilated. So look for starters that have holes on the sides as these would operate better and faster than the ones that don’t have them.

Getting a chimney starter that has adequate capacity for your grilling need is important. A starter that can hold only a small quantity of charcoal, briquettes or wood chunks would frustrate your cooking, especially if you’re grilling something that requires slow cooking. This is because you can only replenish a small amount of coals per time. Small or compact starters are adequate for people who grill for maybe one or two persons and rarely do stuff that require a long time to cook. This means that the quantity of stuff that you frequently grill, the size of your grill and the recipes should all be considered before you decide on a model. The bigger your grill, the more charcoal you need, and as such you require a commensurate size of starter. Compact-sized starters are for small grills and people who don’t cook large quantities of food.

The handle of a chimney starter is also an important feature because it determines the safety of the starter. Some starters have protective shields on their handles, which helps to protect the user from burns. Others don’t have protective handles, but are made with materials that are heat-resistant and remain cool to the touch, even when the coal is hot and ready to use. It’s important to read the description of any product that you’re considering, but also read the reviews (we can’t say this enough), as there are issues that you may not discover from reading the production description that you’d see in users’ reviews. You don’t want to get a starter with a handle that’ll fall off when you’re about to transfer the coals, nor one that’ll burn your fingers.

Different chimney starters have different time frames within which the coals get hot. On the average, a good chimney starter should get charcoals hot in ten to twenty minutes. So, if you get one that doesn’t heat up charcoals in less than twenty minutes, then it’s not a high performing starter. The faster it gets charcoals heated, the better for you. This also impacts your cooking because you’ll be able to replenish your grills faster and as quickly as you need it.