Fluid or Not

[Dsorgnzd]

I often use a paper towel and cooking oil to oil the grate, then use that oily paper towel under the chimney. It's recycling on a small scale.

[clarissa]

I use a chimney too. I started with using paper then migrated to a paraffin based starter called QuickFire. One pak does the chimney and it is raging in 10-15 minutes. No smoke from the lighter, just from the coals themselves. Wish there were smokeless coals

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[Playdough]

I use the Weber cubes and chimney. One cube works fine for me. The last Weber I bought the guy gave me a bag of Kingsford MatchLight and 2 half full bottles of lighter fluid. No idea what I'll do either..haha

[Troy]

I use a chimney too. I started with using paper then migrated to a paraffin based starter called QuickFire. One pak does the chimney and it is raging in 10-15 minutes. No smoke from the lighter, just from the coals themselves. Wish there were smokeless coals

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YES
Everytime I light a chimney full of kingsford, the plume of white butt-smoke that fills the 'hood makes me wish the same thing.

[HoosierKettle]

Don't be hating kingsford smoke. It's been filling the air in backyards for generations


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[clarissa]

Don't be hating kingsford smoke. It's been filling the air in backyards for generations


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It would be great to decrease the more intense smoke during the lighting process. That is just an annoyance and serves no real purpose, especially in a tiny townhouse property. It drifts into my house unless I shut my patio door, and it concerns me that my neighbors have that same problem every time I light my grill but have not mentioned it to me yet.

Lately, I have been making breakfast as well as dinner on my kettle. The food tastes great, but the smoke issue I could do without, part of why I stopped using paper in my chimney and went to QuickFire. That instantly makes a very hot flame to quickly light the coals in the least amount of time

Then you can choose and control the smoke with chips of your choice. That part is fine.....

[ryno5000]

Don't be hating kingsford smoke. It's been filling the air in backyards for generations


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It would be great to decrease the more intense smoke during the lighting process. That is just an annoyance and serves no real purpose, especially in a tiny townhouse property. It drifts into my house unless I shut my patio door, and it concerns me that my neighbors have that same problem every time I light my grill but have not mentioned it to me yet.

Lately, I have been making breakfast as well as dinner on my kettle. The food tastes great, but the smoke issue I could do without, part of why I stopped using paper in my chimney and went to QuickFire. That instantly makes a very hot flame to quickly light the coals in the least amount of time

Then you can choose and control the smoke with chips of your choice. That part is fine.....

I can see your point for a townhouse or apartment. I know this is going  to sound corny though but I love seeing and smelling the smoke. It connects you to people from the beginning of time that cooked outdoors over a fire. Even the Bible has a story of Jesus cooking fish on hot coals to feed the disciples. I can imagine him getting the coals hot on the beach and seeing the smoke raise up to the sky. Then like a true friend you treat the cold, tired and hungry fisherman to a hot meal next to a warm fire.

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[JDD]

I would have no problem using lighter fluid if I had to. I just haven't had to in a long time,  I do keep a bottle around for camping and tailgating just in case.

[vader06]

Lighter fluid?  What is that?  Chimney starter and light cubes.  Lighter fluid taste can get into your food.   

[TD]

I use charcoal lighter a lot. Its just kerosene, right? Sometimes I just use the Performer. I almost always use a chimney. I will only use paper if that is all I have. I don't like the blowing ashes and I definitely won't start with paper over the kettle. Paper starts are smokey. Most times I will put briquettes in the chimney and coat with starter trying not to use so much as to cause it to drip out the bottom and fire it off right away. Flames consume most of the smoke at least for the initial start. First coals to start are the ones on top. When the starter fire dies out I can fire it with the Performer. It starts  bottom coals first. The fuller the chimney the more smokey the start. You could start multiple half chimneys if you were where smoke was a concern, but only the first could use the Performer for gas assist if you were cooking on it. Only smell I like is select hardwood chunks smoldering. If you use lighter add it away from the pit or make darn sure you burn it off. Worst thing you can do is drip it into the bottom of the pit and have it soak into ashes only to bake out as you are cooking your food. But I am preaching to the choir on that. That's probably why the cubes are so popular. Never have tried them. I probably should get some.They don't drip wax, do they?

[Cellar2ful]

I use a chimney with hand held propane welding torch. Just cut one of the tabs on the bottom of the chimney with tin snips for the nozzle to fit through.  The briquettes start in 1 minute and no paper ashes to deal with. Much faster than the gas assist that is on a Performer. Guess it is because of the intensity of the welding flame.

[TD]

I use a chimney with hand held propane welding torch.

Is that a propane only torch(no oxygen)?

[Madpap]

After I learned about the starter cubes that's all I use. Quick and easy with no ash.


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[Cellar2ful]

I use a chimney with hand held propane welding torch.

Is that a propane only torch(no oxygen)?

Got it free with a CL kettle purchase. They attach to the small disposable propane tanks. I had amassed quite a collection of those propane tanks from sellers throwing them in selling their performers.   That is what prompted me to try this method. Finding a use for free stuff I have gathered.

It is like this one on Amazon. There are much less expensive ones that will work though.

https://www.amazon.com/Bernzomatic-TS4000-Trigger-Start-Torch/dp/B00008ZA09/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1497626426&sr=8-11&keywords=propane+hand+torch