Lighter cubes smell like...

[OGlenn]

I picked up a couple  boxes of Weber lighter cubes last week and noticed a strong odor of lighter fluid today when I punctured the foil to pop out a cube.  Sure enough, the cube reeks of lighter fluid scent. I didn't notice it the first time I used these cubes until I came back out to empty the chimney and it smelled as if I were using Matchlight Charcoal.  I actually chalked it up to the Kingsford smell, as I am low on my usual coals and had to open up a blue bag.

I'm tossing this box (made in The Netherlands?, FWIW), as I've been using the cubes 4-5 times a week for two years and have never experienced this odor, so I'm hoping it is just a bad batch. Yet, I wonder if anyone else has come across cubes that smell like lighter fluid?

[Troy]

yikes.

I JUST bought a box yesterday, i'll have to give it the sniff test.
I haven't used them in years, but I remember them being odorless.

[Santo]

Just went and smelled my open box, and opened a single cube on my reserves (purchased about 2 weeks ago), both had their normal, paraffin smell.  Let us know how a new pack smells once ya get it.  I'd be quite unhappy if the formula changed on these.

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[crowderjd]

I just went out and smelled mine...all seems normal.  My pack is about 3 months old. 

[charred]

Planned to stock up tomorrow. Guess I'll check them outside the store. I use them mostly for wood stove fire starting and don't want that stink in the house. Thanks for the heads-up.

[OGlenn]

Cool, sounds like this is a one-off thing, which is what I had hoped. I'll post back when I buy a new stash later this week.

Thankfully, they still print newspapers, so I'll be OK.

[TheDude]

Just opened a week old box. Light paraffin smell. Same as all summer.

[mrbill]

been using them since I caught the weber bug a few years ago. never had any kind of petroleum smell at all. just went and took a whiff of my current package(purchased over a year ago). it was made in the Netherlands and all I smelled off of it was cardboard and foil. maybe the box your pack was in got contaminated somehow post production(as in, maybe they were stored under a bottle of lighter fluid that leaked while on the shelves/in storage/transit).

[SixZeroFour]

I've had a pack with a stronger smell before as well.... Odly enough they actually were harder to light than the "normal" ones.

I wonder how heat effects the cubes? I had them stored in a deck box and we had some real hot days this summer...

[TheDude]

I've had a pack with a stronger smell before as well.... Odly enough they actually were harder to light than the "normal" ones.

I wonder how heat effects the cubes? I had them stored in a deck box and we had some real hot days this summer...

Mine are stored outside as well.

[OGlenn]

been using them since I caught the weber bug a few years ago. never had any kind of petroleum smell at all. just went and took a whiff of my current package(purchased over a year ago). it was made in the Netherlands and all I smelled off of it was cardboard and foil. maybe the box your pack was in got contaminated somehow post production(as in, maybe they were stored under a bottle of lighter fluid that leaked while on the shelves/in storage/transit).

The odor is in the cubes themselves, not the cardboard packaging, and that smell is pretty strong, literally like lighter fluid.
In any event, I bought a couple new boxes today (different big box store than before) and they seem fine, with no petroleum odor at all. Hopefully it was just a bad batch and not a reformulation by Weber.

[dwnthehatch]

Bringing back an old thread. I just used the last of the 22 boxes boxes of lighter cubes from last years Target clearance. I usually used the gas assist on my performer to light my chimney but bought a Summit charcoal whose gas assist function is worthless so I primarily switched to using the cubes to light my chimney.

I just purchased a new box and noticed they are in different packaging now. They reek of lighter fluid and are harder to light than what I'm used to. I also have to use two cubes to light a chimney of Coshell which normally took one. I hope its just a bad batch.

[HoosierKettle]

Bringing back an old thread. I just used the last of the 22 boxes boxes of lighter cubes from last years Target clearance. I usually used the gas assist on my performer to light my chimney but bought a Summit charcoal whose gas assist function is worthless so I primarily switched to using the cubes to light my chimney.

I just purchased a new box and noticed they are in different packaging now. They reek of lighter fluid and are harder to light than what I'm used to. I also have to use two cubes to light a chimney of Coshell which normally took one. I hope its just a bad batch.

Save yourself the expense. Wipe excess oil and fat with a paper towel from cooking and fold it and store in a coffee can. They work just as good as cubes. In my case I use my cast iron skillet neatly everyday so I always have a supply


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[YardBurner]

Dollar store sterno.
Lost count of how many starts
I get with a can.
5-6 minute burn
Lift the chimney
grab can with tongs and
plop on the lid.

[Webby]

The box I bought last week reeked of lighter fluid smell as well. I think they better get their quality control back on track.