Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 450
 I would give it 10 stars if I could May 11, 2006
theoriginalsubguy (Florida)
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
I am a huge fanboy of these chimney charcoal starters.
Here's why: I didn't start out grilling. I started out smoking, smoking on a brinkman SNP to be exact. The direction for smokers is that you can never, ever use lighter or starting fluid. I bought a nice, but somewhat small version of this from W*LM*RT for 7 dollars. That model worked nice, but it was just too darn small. Maybe good for the Weber Smokey Joe 14 inch grill. Anyhow, the original chimney starter was good, except it started to get rusty. I gave that to a good friend (who is a starting fluid junky) and bought the Weber model because Weber brand is coated with aluminum which will reduce the rate of corrosion and rust. When I opened the box, I was like, "damm!!" It is twice the size of my old one. It easily holds enough to start my smoker (which I add logs to later) or the Weber 18 1/2 Gold I have. My neighbor has the 22 1/2 and I can tell you that it will hold enough for that too.
Anyhow, I can taste lighter fluid a mile away, and this product will prevent that taste. Also, it is faster. Yes, as of may 2006, Kingsford did a slight change to the shape of their charcoal and it takes exactly 16 minutes (with less than 3 MPH breeze) to get all the coals ashed over and ready for grilling. Although my lighter fluid friends think they are faster, I timed one of them and it takes over 30 minutes for them. I guess the chimney starter is so simple (it does 99% of the work) that it is boring to them. Well I will tell you that their burgers taste like a little Exxon or Mobil was added, and mine do not.
Bottom line: Get this--
1) Faster
2) Easier
3) Cheaper (never buy starting fluid again)
4) Better for the environment
5) More even charcoal burn rate
6) Light it and set the stove timer for 16 minutes
7) Big
8) High quality
9) No oil taste in food
10) Did I mention it's faster?
Weber chimney is the best August 6, 2000
Chris Allingham (San Jose, CA)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
Once again, Weber provides a product that is superior to its less expensive counterparts, this time in the form of the Weber charcoal chimney.With a capacity of six pounds of Kingsford charcoal briquettes, this chimney is larger than most and features high quality construction and materials to prevent burn-through, providing many years of reliable service. The durable handle and fold-away secondary handle provide for secure handling of the hot coals. Buy this one, and you won't be buying a replacement for a long time. "Buy the best, and only cry once."
It Really Works!! October 9, 2003
Cheryl D. Denton (San Diego, California United States)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
I have to admit that I am not great when it comes to outdoor cooking. I ALWAYS have trouble getting the charcoal to light, so I usually end up drowning the briquets in lighter fluid. Then of course, everything that I cook ends up tasting like lighter fluid (even if I use the "tasteless/odorless" kind). But I saw a recommendation for the chimney starter when I bought my Weber grill, so I figured that for the price, I might as well give it a try. My husband was a little skeptical, but after just one use, we both are totally SOLD. Just follow the simple directions, light the crumpled paper, and walk away. I really was expecting to be disappointed (only because I am no genius at outdoor cooking), but the thing REALLY WORKS. Just remember to use oven mits when you are ready to dump out your coals, because the unit will be very hot, and somewhat heavy. I can't tell you how long it has been since I have totally enjoyed the flavor of food cooked over charcoal, and with NO lighter fluid taste. I think I am ready to start perfecting my grilling skills!
Great product...unbelievable price! September 11, 2002
Jan Lee (Compton, CA United States)
13 out of 13 found this review helpful
Hello. I'm ...the unofficial "griller/smoker" in the family. My old, much used, half rusted chimney starter is OFFICIALLY retired. This Weber Starter not only works far better than described here, it rocs, and it is also a beautiful thang to set near your grill (must have been designed for one of those high-falut'n $2500 jobs that I don't own). It is large, both in size and capacity. However, the moving "leverage" handle allows you to handle it with ease. The "plastic" main handle allows my large hands a good grip without burning my knuckles on the chimney, while giving my Wife (and her tiny, tiny hands) the confidence to handle its' size with ease and grace (you know how "Wives" are). It should stand up well in the weather and does a good job of not transfering heat. PLEASE FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS! Two pieces of newspaper WORK! I use natural wood lump charcoal. Within 7 minutes of lighting the paper, I had rip roaring red ashed-over coals. But this thing smokes like...well you know (;-O). The next time I use it (tomorrow), I'm going to stick a couple of hot links on my que-fork and smoke/cook them at the same time. I'm a Firefighter; safety is ALWAYS my main concern. NO starting/lighting fluids! NO "starter" blocks (with chemicals)! NO chemical laced briquets! And God forbid, NO GASOLINE! The metal part does get HOT! Please use some kind of heat resistant gloves (I use my long gauntlet welder's gloves). And WATCH the children! At this price, you couldn't beat it with a peach switch ;-) Oh yeah, did I mention that it's a beatiful thang to look upon? ...--the grilling man...yeah baby, it's a good thing!
Toss the starter fluid, this is the best way to light a fire December 15, 2002
S. Jentsch (United States)
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
I haven't used lighter fluid in years, ever since getting one of these.I didn't believe that just a couple sheets of newspaper would be enough to get the charcoal going, but that's really all you need. I use natural charcoal exclusively (you know, real wood, not gravel and clay briquettes), and this works perfectly with that kind of charcoal. You'll reduce the amount of time necessary to get a usable fire, and you won't have that annoying starter fluid smell or taste on your food. Two caveats to consider: this thing gets very hot by its nature, so use oven mitts when grabbing the handle, and be careful where you put it after dumping the coals, so as to keep small children and yourself from touching it until it cools.
|
