ottawa foodies

My father has become quite obsessed with his Big Green Egg (as is the norm I suppose...)

I want to get him a device to light the charcoal, as a gift.

What are you guys using? and if you had the option - what would you choose for the best /most convenient way to light it up?

Thanks in advance for the help!

I use a chimney and a blowtorch because they are handy. Electric starters are great.

I agree with Tree Pug - I have always used an Electric starter - quick and easy to use ..and according to the Great Ontario Energy Minister ..only will cost your Dad a cup of Timmies to use each time ;-) You may have to go to a Selected BBQ store since places like Canadian Tire have put away most of the Summer stuff including a lot of the BBQ supplies

Yeah, get a chimney starter

I have two eggs and I have several methods available to me to light -- electric starter, a looflighter, starter cubes, mapp torch and a weed burner. My go to is the weed burner -- it has a long handle keeping your hands away from the sparks and the flame is somewhat dispersed allowing for a quick light (especially important in the winter). I usually find that I can be up and ready in 10 minutes or less.

Chimney starter all the way. I usually use one sawdust based starter cube to get it going.

Thanks for the suggestions!

When you guys are saying electric starter - are you talking about the one specifically for the BGE, or this kind....I may be leaning towards something like this as it seems to be the most convenient

Meh ... think about why someone might buy an egg in the first place. It is about the charcoal baby. And not being bound to the propane (or the electric).

Chimney starters are pretty darned convenient. They take only a half a minute to load and start up and then you wait 10 minutes.

"... think about why someone might buy an egg in the first place."

For foodies ?, probably a good charcoal cooking experience .... for others ?, probably status.

Then again, some foodies may like the status as well.

Nah hes a Caper, so its not a status symbol ;)

I use the sawdust starters (the BGE-branded ones), and light them with one of the tiny blowtorches you get for, like, making crème brûlée and stuff.

Sometimes I have to be very careful about shielding it against the breeze, since the flame it makes isn't the strongest thing in the world (but a far cry stronger than a normal BBQ lighter.)

A weed torch would probably be more reliable, but also seems like overkill to me ;)

We also use the sawdust cube starters, lit by one of those hand-held barbecue lighters. We've also used and liked the Weber branded cubes that are white and look like wax. Made the mistake of buying the Zip cubes once; they stink of kerosene…never again.

This is our first winter barbecuing with charcoal and the cubes still work well but perhaps a bit slower. They are convenient and cheap enough that we haven't looked at anything more elaborate.

Thanks for all the suggestions and help!

Looks like he went ahead and picked up a charcoal lighter as I had pictured above.... grrr, I wish he woulda waitied until Santa came!

I am now on the hunt for these instead :)

There are sale and pepper shakers, too, eh? I found a couple previously loved ones at St VdP a couple weeks ago. ;)

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