SA Products BBQ Chimney Starter - Aluminium Charcoal Lighter Canister with Heat-Insulated Safety Handle, Cone-Shaped Coal Holder, Vent Holes - Portable BBQ Grill Accessories for Camping - 30.5x20cm

I've had this for just under a week now and have used it on three difference occasions. On inspection, it is very well made and compares equally to leading brands (I also own a Weber chimney starter). The design is a simple as other brands and the spacing of the air holes is similar, which leads to the internal temperature of the chimney climbing quickly - perfect for getting your coals up to temperature quickly. I've tested this on two main different type of BBQ applications in a standard kettle BBQ: 1) A long 10 hour brisket smoke, using the snake method (double layered coals surrounding 270 degrees of the rim of your kettle BBQ. Lighting this, and using the vent controls with the lid on and a thermometer, you can control the burn of the coals and wood chips to create a smoke effect over a long period of time). Why does this differ from using the BBQ in the traditional method? The Chimney Starter is only used for 5-6 coals (added to the start of the 'snake' to get it going), which reduces the total surface area in the Starter, which would normally mean the coals will be harder to get going - however, it worked fine with just newspaper at the base of the Starter; 2) A simple half and half technique (coals loads on one 1/2 of the BBQ for charring, with the other half empty for cooking meat through). In this method you load the Chimney Starter up with plenty of coals - which again, with only a couple of pieces of newspaper scrunched at the bottom, worked a treat. Summary - Excellent piece of equipment. Great saving vs leading brands. Well constructed. Will light small and large amount of coals with minimum effort.

Really big chimney, can easily do a large BBQ. Get the charcoal ready to go in literally 10mins

I should have checked the measurements! It’s fine, sturdy and does the job, but is much bigger than I need. I had an original Weber before, less then half the size of this and it worked absolutely perfectly. You don’t need to light enough charcoal for the entire fire just enough to start it.

Well made and easy to assemble tge handle with two nuts and bolts. Works like a charm. One natural firelighter underneath or some screwed up newspaper and it's away, coming up to grey ash over charcoal within 15 minutes. Save money on smelly expensive lighting fluid or parrafin firelighters. No need to fill to the brim as its quite big, just light what you need it doesn't matter how much you use. Do not use with charcoal which has impregnated lighter fluid in it though.

Honestly, I doubted how good this would be. I used to use firelighting gel, until I found out what was in it, yeah, I know stupid. But seriously, literally cram the bottom of it with non hazardous burning material (paper), and I use a bit of natural firelighting stuff, and top it if off with lump wood, set it alight using one of those long necked lighters, and 25 minutes later, glowing coals, tip them.out, job done. Use oven gloves, and don't do it in flip flops like me, lol

Used for the first time today, for a family bbq. Felt like a professional in front of my dad. Arrived the next day after ordering. Packaging was sturdy yet quite minimal. Put the handle on in about 2 mins. Easy to connect only needed a screwdriver and a small adjustable spanner. To light, I put a couple of fire lighters in the bottom of the chimney and filled it with coal. It held 2kg of charcoal and lit first time.

This is an essential bit of kit for the BBQ. It makes lighting your coals extremely easy and there is no need for any horrible smelling chemicals. In less than 10 minutes you are ready to start cooking.

Works fine. I have used newspaper and parchment paper which you can find as part of the protective packaging in shoe boxes, new electric appliances, etc. to fill the bottom part of the chimney for lighting the fire. Takes at least 25 min to light up your briquettes/lumpwood coal to be BBQ-ready and unfortunately this means a lot of smoke will come out (the use of the word billowing will be a bit exaggerated in this context) of the chimney. If you are leaving in a terraced house, make sure you inform your neighbours in advance of your intention to BBQ as a courtesy , as you will hear some windows slamming shut in the surrounding neighbourhood :). Finally, another glitch is the inner coating of the chimney came off quickly in its first use. Not sure whether this has now transformed the chimney into a toxic BBQ utensil/tool.