Choosing the right charcoal starter can significantly impact your grilling experience, affecting both speed and the amount of smoke produced. This crucial step often gets overlooked, yet directly influences how quickly you can get started and the overall quality of your cook. Different starters offer varying levels of convenience and efficiency, leading to a noticeable difference in the final product. This experiment aims to settle the debate once and for all.We put four popular charcoal starters to the test: Weber paraffin wax cubes, Big Green Egg sawdust starter cubes, True Cue match starters, and good old newspaper. Each starter was used to light one pound of Kingsford Competition briquettes, allowing for a direct comparison of lighting speed, smoke production, and overall effectiveness. Our findings reveal surprising differences in performance, highlighting the importance of selecting the right tool for a quick, clean, and efficient charcoal start.
Pros And Cons
- Burns quickly
- Burns cleanly after initial smoke
- Smoky at the beginning
- Comes with its own match built-in
- Produces a lot of smoke
- Slowest to light
Read more: Kingsford Chimney Starter: 8-Pack for Easy Charcoal Grilling
The Contenders: Four Charcoal Starters Face Off
This experiment pitted four popular charcoal starters against each other: Weber paraffin wax cubes, Big Green Egg sawdust starter cubes, True Cue match starters, and ordinary newspaper. Each was used to ignite one pound of Kingsford Competition briquettes.
The goal was simple: determine which starter lit the charcoal fastest and with the least smoke. This is crucial for efficient grilling and minimizing unpleasant fumes. We'll assess lighting speed, smoke production, and overall effectiveness.
The Lighting Process and Initial Observations
Lighting each starter varied slightly. The newspaper required twisting into a loop for optimal airflow. The Green Egg and True Cue starters ignited easily, while the Weber cube consistently burned effectively. The initial smoke production was significant for the paper and Green Egg starter, but less so for the others.
Early on, the newspaper surprisingly ignited quickly and provided good heat, but its short burn time was a drawback. The Weber cube, a consistent performer, also lit quickly and produced minimal smoke. The Green Egg cube, while lighting well, generated a lot of dark, smoky fumes. The True Cue match starter, while convenient, proved a bit slower in initial lighting.
Mid-Test Observations and Performance Differences
Three minutes into the test, the paper-lit coals showed the most red and least smoke, indicating efficient burning. The True Cue starter continued to generate considerable smoke, while the Weber cube performed consistently well, producing less smoke than the others. The Green Egg starter emitted dark, brownish-black smoke, noticeably different from the other products.
At the six-minute mark, the paper starter burned cleanest. The Weber and True Cue starters were almost ready, but the Green Egg was significantly behind. The varying smoke colors provided clear visual distinctions in burning efficiency. Even at close range, the difference in smoke color and volume was evident.
Final Results and Conclusion
After 15 minutes, the paper and Weber wax cube excelled, with coals almost ready for grilling. The True Cue and Green Egg starters were noticeably slower, though still functional. The paper provided the fastest initial ignition but a short burn time. The Weber wax cube offered reliable, efficient lighting with minimal smoke. The True Cue match starter provided convenience but took longer to heat the charcoal.
The Green Egg starter, while functional, generated a large amount of dark, smoky fumes. Ultimately, the Weber paraffin wax cubes were the most efficient and produced the least smoke, making it the best overall performer for a quick and clean charcoal start. While the paper was surprisingly fast, its short burn time is limiting. The True Cue and Green Egg are convenient but slower and smokier.