Upgrade Your Charcoal Setup with the Flaming Coals Charcoal Chimney Starter

Author: Sasha Halabi  Date Posted:28 October 2025 

Charcoal chimney starter filled with burning coals producing tall orange flames, placed on top of a charcoal BBQ grill.

If you cook over charcoal, you already know the pain of waiting for your coals to get going. Uneven lighting, cold spots, or the temptation to use lighter fluid can all ruin the start of a great BBQ. That’s where a charcoal chimney starter changes everything.

The Flaming Coals Charcoal Chimney Starter is the fastest, cleanest, and most consistent way to get your coals red-hot and ready for cooking. It’s the tool serious BBQers trust for hassle-free fire every time.

 

What a Charcoal Chimney Is and Why It’s Better Than Lighter Fluid

A charcoal chimney starter is a simple but game-changing tool. It’s a metal cylinder with a handle and a vented base. You fill it with charcoal, light firelighters under it, and let airflow do the rest.

Because it uses natural airflow rather than chemicals, there’s no lighter fluid smell or taste getting into your food. Your coals light faster, burn hotter, and you know exactly when they’re ready to pour into your BBQ or spit tray.

How the Flaming Coals Charcoal Chimney Starter Works

Using the Flaming Coals Charcoal Chimney Starter is simple:

1. Place a couple of natural firelighters on your grill or fireproof surface.

2. Fill the chimney with lump charcoal.

3. Set the chimney over the firelighters and light them.


Charcoal chimney starter filled with burning coals inside a BBQ grill, showing flames and glowing embers ready for cooking.

4. Let the chimney do the work. In about 10–15 minutes, your charcoal will be glowing red and covered in white ash.
 

5. Pour the hot coals into your spit roaster, kettle, grill, or pizza oven and start cooking.


Hand pouring hot charcoal from a chimney starter into a SNS Kettle with sparks flying as the coals ignite.

No waiting around. No uneven fires. No wasted fuel.

Clean Ignition Using Natural Firelighters

Pair the chimney with Flaming Coals Natural Firelighters (head over to BBQ Spit Rotisseries to view product) for a completely chemical-free start. These cubes light easily, burn long enough to get your chimney roaring, and don’t leave any residue or odours behind. It’s the cleanest way to fire up lump charcoal for authentic flavour.

Close-up of natural firelighters igniting with bright orange and blue flames on a BBQ surface.

Faster Start-Up, Better Heat

With a chimney starter, your charcoal lights evenly and reaches cooking temperature much faster than lighting it directly in your BBQ. That means less downtime and more time enjoying the cook.

Evenly lit charcoal also gives you more consistent heat across your spit roaster or grill, which is critical for controlling cooking times and achieving perfect results.

Ideal for Any Charcoal BBQ Setup

The Flaming Coals Charcoal Chimney Starter isn’t just for one type of cooker. It works with:

  • Spit Roasters - pour in a ready-made bed of glowing coals under your meat.
  • Kettle BBQs (head over to BBQ Spit Rotisseries to view kettles here) - get your coals ready for indirect or direct grilling.
  • Pizza Ovens - preheat your firebox fast for authentic wood-fired pizzas.
  • Camping Grills - light coals for a bush cook-up without any hassle.
     

If you cook with lump charcoal, this is the tool that makes every start-up smoother.

A Must-Have for Anyone Cooking with Lump Charcoal

Once you use a chimney starter, you won’t go back. It saves time, keeps your fire clean, and delivers even, controllable heat all while protecting the flavour of your food.

The Flaming Coals Charcoal Chimney Starter is a simple, affordable upgrade that makes your entire BBQ experience better.