Weber Rapidfire Compact Chimney Starter Charcoal Grill Accessory

I bought this Weber chimney starter back in November 2020, and after years of heavy use, it’s still going strong. Every time, it lights charcoal perfectly with nothing more than a single sheet of newspaper underneath. It does take a little time to get going, but that’s just part of the charcoal grilling ritual.While it’s definitely not as shiny as it was when I first got it, it performs just as well as the day I bought it. The chimney gets hot, of course, but the handle does a great job keeping the heat away from your hand.If you own a charcoal grill, I highly recommend this. Ditch the lighter fluid—just use a piece of newspaper (but don’t pack too much in or you’ll block the airflow), strike a match, and you’re good to go.

I got this smaller charcoal chimney for about half price through the Amazon Warehouse, and it works just fine. I think it must have been returned because the person buying it thought it was too small. For me, it’s just right. I measured out 2 lbs. of lump charcoal, which was recommended for cooking a 16 inch pizza without wasting coals, and that’s pretty much what this chimney holds. I’ve never used a charcoal chimney before, but I put a few pine cones underneath the grid instead of newspaper as my kindling, and I soon had glowing coals in the chimney above. I worried that some of the pieces of the lump charcoal would fall through the grid, so I set it where I planned to dump it and just let any of the small stuff fall through.

This is the same as my old one. Look no further. This is the one you want, unless you want to pay twice as much for SS, and have had one of those also. This has the right amount of openings for good air flow. Weber

This thing is awesome. I tried lighting charcoal briquettes multiple times with charcoal baskets, paper towels, oil, fire starters… and each time it would take 15-20 minutes to catch.With this, I put a couple pieces of crumpled brown paper bag in the bottom and light it and it produced tons of white smoke almost immediately. It’s made using the grill so much quicker and less frustrating.The photos are at 3, 5, and 10 minutes.

Came damaged and bent, I don't know if it was a packing issue or a manufacturing issue.Is shorter than most chimneys which is great since I wanted it for Yakitori and thus fewer coals than a traditional kettle grill.The handle and heat shield are fantastic.The metal didn't scorch and discolor after the first use like some others had.

Works like a charm. I’ve tried starting charcoal by mounding, building a pyramid, etc. which usually results in uneven coals and a colder fire. This baby is a no brainer. Just pour your charcoal in and add some type of starter material underneath and let it blaze away! Super speedy and the Large one has a large capacity.

Three sheets of newspaper, one match and this chimney gets a chimney full of lump into a bed of coals ready to cook in 20-30 minutes. The “lump” you buy will determine the cook time, along with coal to grill distance, of course. 5 Star Product.I will NEVER return to charcoal briquettes and lighter fluid. This full Weber chimney will easily do 4 large hamburgers or three large steaks over direct heat.Optionally: It can still do some great offset ribs at the same "burn" if you think it through, and have the floor space. I like to go slow with the ribs and start just AFTER the burgers or steaks come off and the lump coals are not so hot. Perhaps 20 minutes? 1 after dinner dessert rib and next day ribs are excellent. 😋 It would be a waste to not take advantage of the leftover heat!Tip: The lump charcoal bag on it’s way to you can't be tossed around, because the contents are fragile like eggs. Bag tossing makes the pieces turn into gravel! Ideally, few pieces should as small as your old whole briquettes. So shipping is not recommended. Some brick and mortar stores treat the bags right, and others toss them around like bags of rice. Ideally you find a store that still has the bags on the pallet as they come from the manufacturer, insuring the bags have not been abused.Tip2: There are web pages that rate lump for flavor. Many are biased for certain brands. It is suggested that you go to the biggest BBQ equipment stores and ask what is good in your area. B&B Oak has been my favorite, but went through a "sparking" and mondo size logs phase, that I hope has past. Academy Sports has been known to have them on original pallets. RockWood is another good lump, usually if carefully stocked, or may be ordered from Ace Hardware stores. Ask around, and you might find lump the right size and flavor for you. Then you may find steak and burger heaven! (That never contacted lighter fluid.)TPinSwUSA rating scale:★ Well below expectations. And/or Listing is false.★★ Below expectations and/or Significant listing errors or Significant problems.★★★ Neutral - some good, some bad. Or highly priced for no known reason.★★★★ Meets expectations. Price seemed competitive when review was written.★★★★★ Exceeds expectations and/or the competition with Value. Unique.

Makes grilling so much faster and I don’t have to create a mini fire to heat my coals. Just a couple pieces of paper and you are good to go.