Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter

This thing works exactly as advertised and deserves all the positive reviews it got. I don't know how I lived without this for so long. This starter is simply fantastic! I used this for the first time today to start a BBQ and was astounded by how easy and fast this thing is.

No more lighter fluid, fanning, piling coals into a pyramid, and other nonsense. Just stuff some paper in the bottom, light, and come back 5 mins later. Your coals will be glowing red.

Very nice construction quality and durable build. And not a bad price too. Highly recommended.

This is an amazingly easy-to-use product that speeds up the time it takes to get a charcoal grill ready to cook while eliminating the need for lighter fluid (and thus the safety and taste issues associated with its use). Both my husband and I were amazed at how quickly it gets going; it's literally not much difference, speed-wise, than propane. We've seen other model starters slightly cheaper, but with a difference of about $5 at most, this one is by far the sturdiest, most efficient, and easiest to use (with that extra metal handle for stability while handling). You'll want a pair of sturdy gloves for handling the lit starter; we like the red leather gloves by Lodge, but any good leather gloves will do. (And really, if you're grilling, you should have a pair of sturdy gloves handy anyway.)

This chimney works great, but I could have had a smaller one. It didn't look so gigantic in the picture. It almost overwhelmes my Webber - I will never use its entire capacity. Although I love it, I would select a small one next time.

This product saves time, money, and eliminates lighter fluid taste. I get 4-5 years out of each one I purchase, and I grill heavily year round in Florida. I save a tremendous amount of money not having to purchase lighter fluid. It gets coals ready much faster and more thoroughly than lighter fluid, and leaves no aftertaste. You can start full baskets for large grills, or fill it less for smaller grills. Uses only newspaper. I have tried cheaper no name chimneys, but have always been disappointed. This is a much higher quality product than any equivalent product I have seen. You owe it to yourself to get one!

This is a simple, great invention. The coals burn hotter, faster than with lighter fluid. I use two pieces of old news paper and they will light charcoal in 15 - 20 minutes. If you use charcoal, give your neighbors your old lighter fluid and buy one of these.

I switched to this starter from Matchlite charcoal in order to be more environment-friendly. On calm to moderately windy days it works great as advertised with the two pages of wadded up newspaper. I find that the Dallas Morning News or WSJ is the best but I've even managed to get it to work with the New Orleans Times Picayune.

The only problem I've encountered is that on windy days, which are frequent where I live in Plano, TX, I sometimes have to put a few briquettes of Matchlite underneath with the newspaper and that will get it going just fine even in a stiff wind.

A pyromaniacs dream come true. I honestly do not know how I lived without this item. It only took 1 match and 1 newspaper to start my fire and minutes later, my charcoal is a bright firery red waiting to be used. The chimney starter is not only practical, but it is economical as well. There is no need for lighter fluid, so you save money that way. But also the taste of the food is that much more better since you don't get that nasty lighter fluid taste.

I purchased this to use with my new grill. It starts the charcol in 20 minutes. The shield and handle help to keep the heat under control when handling it with hot charcol. The extra wire bail is very helpful when dumping the hot charcol into the grill. Very hapy with with my purchase.

A long time ago a friend of mine made something like this from an old Maxwell House coffee can. At the time I though he could get rich if he marketed his idea. I was almost ready to give up on charcoal and switch to gas (yuck) because I am the world's worst fire starter. So I saw this Weber thingie at Amazon and for a few bucks thought I would give it a try. WOW! I took the advice of one reviewer and added a few drops of cooking oil to 2 sheets of crumbled newspaper. 15 minutes later the coals are BLAZING!!!! Not just warm, not just hot, as hot as the sun. Dump the coals out and toss your meat on the grill. The Weber chimney starter gives a whole new meaning to BBQ. I have rarely been so impressed with such a simple gadget. It is worth every penny and you absolutely have to get one. If I could give a 100% satisfaction guarantee on any product this is surely one that I would give a totally perfect 5 to!

My family has used the same Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter for 8 years and we live in So. California where our Weber grill is the cooking method of choice year-round. The Weber Chimney Starter heats charcoal without any starter fluied, as evenly and as fully as you like. For a slow-cooking dinner, we may turn the charcoal over before it starts sparkling. We have used many different kinds of newspapers to start the fire and find that black printed newspaper works the best -- we like the NY Times, as it doesn't fly around like other paper when you start it. Don't use slick paper or color printed paper as it doesn't seem to burn evenly.

I have used generic chimney starters in the past,and, while they worked, they were also awkward and slow to get going. On the Weber 7416, the convex wire base, ample vent holes, and extremely comfortable double handle make this unit work perfectly. Two sheets of newspaper, given a quick spray with Pam, then crumpled, will have you ready to cook in less than 20 minutes. This is a great product, period!

Does the job. It's bigger than my last one; which is good because I can use a little or a lot of charcoal depending on my needs. My lighter won't fit through the slots around the bottom but that's not really a problem. I just lean the can over and light the paper. That second handle comes in handy especially if I fill the can up. It makes it easier to pour out and makes it easier for me to spread the charcoal.

I love this product. It really does work as advertised and reviewed by hundreds of others. Great product. It anything ever happens to the one I have I will definately be getting another one.

Love the Weber firestarter, works as intended and the wire handle gives excellent control when dumping coals.

The Rapid fire chimney does exactly that. 2 1/2 sheets of the NY Times in the bottom fill the top with whatever charcoal you want and 10 minutes later you are cooking. No lighter fluid, no starter briquet taste on the food.

The only word I can use to describe this thing is magic! This replaced another charcoal chimney that was purchased from "the" major department store. With the old chimney, it took about thirty minutes for the charcoal in the top to ignite. Not to mention it rusted to pieces! The first time I used the Weber chimney, I used one broadsheet of newspaper, crumpled it in the bottom, sprinkled on some oil, dumped the charcoal and lit it. Within ten minutes this thing was blazing!

The design definitely contributes to the speed. It is full of vents, and the wire grate on the bottom is far superior to perforated metal. Charcoal also heats more evenly in this chimney, and becomes much hotter than with the old one. And of course the helper handle is nice.

Although this is a little more expensive than some other chimneys, do not even mess around with them. This makes grilling fun, and it allows the charcoal to heat so fast that even impatient gas grillers won't mind the wait! Now I never have to hear my wife ask, "how much longer?"

This worked just as all the reviews have said. Durable and FAST!

Definately a great buy. Just one word of advice...if using in semi-windy conditions, be aware the newspaper ash will fly out from the bottom of the chimmney.

This thing rocks, simply rocks. Two piece of newspaper and one match, that's all it takes. Solid, nothing fancy, and get the job done. Never go back to fluid again.

I must have been living in a cave because I just learned about this device. The hassle of starting charcoal - newspaper, starter fluid, paraffin squares - are GONE. The lingering taste of starter fluid in grilled meat - GONE. This gadget works incredibly well. I place 2 sheets of crumpled up newspaper in the bottom, add charcoal to the top chamber, then light the paper. After 10 minutes, it's a glowing inferno and the briquets are ready.
CAUTION! Wear a welders glove though - the handle can get hot, and flames shoot out the top and bottom when you dump out the coals.

I recently purchased a Weber grill and didn't buy the RapidFire Chimney Starter with it. What a mistake! I initially used charcoal starter fluid until I finally bought the Chimney Starter. Wish I would have got it sooner because this item works great! In about 10 minutes you will have charcoal that's perfectly started on all sides and ready to go. BUY THIS ITEM if you use charcoal!

This product works as advertised. Easy to use and quickly lights charcoal. Only one or two sheets of newspaper is needed. Easily wins out over charcoal lighter fluid.

Pros:
It does a great job of evenly starting charcoal.
Using it as a cooking engine is really cool.
Cons:
Doesn't hold enough charcoal. Two separate burns are required to supply my Weber kettle grill.
The newspaper that is recommended to start the fire turns to ash and flies around.
Tipping hot coal into the grill is hazardous. I don welding gloves to protect my arms and shoo the kids and pets away first.

Tip: Although explicitly advised against in the literature, I use lighter fluid anyway. Accelerants are just that: accelerants, and I like to minimize waiting.

Efficiently, quickly, and easily starts a sufficient amount of charcoal for a good-size barbecue. Heavy steel- should last a long time. Very easy to light.

Gets the charcoal started quickly with just a couple pieces of paper. I never use my gas grill any more.

Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter This thing is the bomb!! You will never need lighter fluid anymore and have to deal with that nasty smell and taste that the fluid leaves on the food. This is the perfect accessory for a charcoal grill. Everybody should have one. It's real easy to light charcoal and when used correctly the charcoal comes out perfect for cooking. Buy this!

This starter is bigger than I thought it would be when I ordered it. It is big enough that I have never filled it more than about halfway with briquettes. Even at about half-full it is enough to supply two dutch ovens (12 inch and 14 inch, stacked) with enough firepower to cook a good meal.

I really like that this requires no lighter fluid and will start the charcoal faster than the lighter fluid ever could. Applying a little cooking oil to the paper you place in the bottom does seem to start the charcoal faster, although it will temporarily smoke a bit more. Without adding oil I have found that I sometimes need to wait 10-12 more minutes longer or add more paper to the bottom before the charcoal is fully going.

To stress again the size of this, filling the starter completely as shown in the picture would probably use between one-quarter and one-third of a 20 pound bag of charcoal.

By consistently filling my it to approximately the same level (between the second and third holes on the side) my starter has developed a nice dull ring around it from the oxidation of the aluminum at high temperatures. Yes, the can was red hot (actually glowing). This does not in any way affect function and is almost certainly the reason for the aluminized steel, since this layer of oxidized aluminum will help to prevent oxidation of the steel (rust). I suspect that this would extend to cover the whole can after several years of use or a few big barbecues where the whole can is filled.

Weber 7416 Rapidfire Chimney Starter works well every time. Stuff it with 2 full sheets of the newspaper, light the fire, and come back 10 minutes later, and you have yourself a fire ready to barbeque. I'll never be without one. You can buy the imitation and pay for it with frustration when the smaller ones won't light the 1st time, every time.

1. Chimney starter is the best and easiest way to get charcoals ready for the grill. Even if you don't subscribe to the "lighting fluid smell" theory, you will save money annd hassle of restocking on the said fluid.
2. The Weber chimney starter is the best of them all. It has a few unique features (2 handles, cone shaped grate) and it will last.
3. Buy it.

I love it! It is so much faster and easier when it is time to grill and to lite the charcoals. The coals are hot and burning when they are poured onto the grill grat.


LOVE IT:)

WOW WOW WOW this thing is the best! No more taste of lighter fluid or no more match light charcoal. I just grab some of the old mail that I was going to shred crumble it up and light it with one of those wand lighters from any dollar store.
A beer later the charcoal is nice and hot and ready to cook.
If you do not have one of these and like charcoal grills YOU NEEED ONE!
Thanks Weber you guys are by far the best!
ciao
fd

I purchased the Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter with high expectations due the reviews I read about this product on Amazon. I am a Chemist and so I have ample opportunities to run cool experiments. Even so, this product absolutely amazed me. Just as the directions specify, you literally need two sheets of newspaper to get the coals started. In fact, I used two small sheets of newspaper from a local circulation. Almost immediately, the charcoal turned into an inferno. My rookie mistake was letting the coals burn for too long. I let them start in the chimney for about 20 minutes because I was looking for the top layer to have a white coating. As a result, I had to let my burgers sit on the grill for twice as is called for in the Weber recipe book; the coals had already burned past their peak. In reality, the chimney probably needs just 10 minutes to get the coals going, which is another plus for this product. Why hassle with lighter fluid? Save yourself the worry of dining on propellant tainted steak. Buy yourself a Weber charcoal grill, a bulk bag of charcoal, this starter, and a cover and you will be good to go for the season.

This charcoal starter is by far the best I know of....do NOT buy the kind with the flat grate...it is not the same as the cone shaped center grate. Also, don't use colored advertisement paper..it does not burn like regular news print with black ink. Wish I had known about these years ago..would have saved thousands of dollars spent on charcoal starting fluid ...oh, yeah...and no nasty lighter fluid taste! One caution: light only on sand or a hard surface away from other flammables...happy cooking!

I have had my Weber chimney started for years, and it has held up well. It holds an ample supply of fuel and paper starter material. My only gripe is I would like to see the helper handle include a heat shield like the main handle.

This item solves the problem, hands down. We were frustrated
with other "ignition methods" but totally delighted with Rapidfire.
One or two pieces of newspaper crumpled and within 12 min. you too
will be stoking the BBQ.

The Weber 7416 Chimney Starter works well. It is larger than I expected, so even a full bed of coals fits in. In my first use I used a torn off part of the charcoal bag and a lighter and in 10 min I had a full inferno using basic charcoal. Saves money and time. Win/Win

This chimney works perfectly....lights your briquets in a very short time and you just use some newspaper and a match or lighter....that's all you need. Be sure to wear an oven mitt when it's time to empty them into your charcoal grill because the chimney is very HOT! A great buy at the price. I was so pleased I ordered another for my son-in-law who is quite the grillmaster!! He was very pleased.

This one is sturdy and very big - big enough to hold coals for a smoker, which is why I bought it. Great product!

Now preparing coal for grilling is as easy as 123. Was just wondering why I bought this so late. Anyway better late than never. Happy Grilling.

Gets the coals nice and H-O-T! And while you are cooking over the first batch in the grill you can start a second batch going...great for when you have to keep your grill at a high temp for over an hour (roasting chicken, etc.) We just set this up in our burn pit about 15 minutes before we'll need new coals in the grill. No more half burned coals or crazy coal pyramid stacks!

I used to struggle getting the fire started and resorted to using more than I'd like lighter fluid. Not any more. I am able to get the charcoal going in under 10 minutes with 1 sheet of newspaper and 0 lighter fluid. Great concept and great implementation for not much money! I just wish I knew about this chimney starter earlier; I would have been grilling much more often all that time!

Took it to scout camp last week and was able to get enough coals for two 12" ovens going in about 15 minutes. The coals up to the top of the side vent holes are ready in 10 minutes, the ones above the holes take a few minutes longer. Excellent value for the price.

1. The openings in the vertical grating at the bottom are too narrow to permit insertion of any butane grill lighter I have been able to buy. I have to lift up the canister in order to light the paper in the bottom.

2. After fiddling with newspaper trying to find right amount to use, I have found that using 1/2 of a paper grocery shopping bag (just cut it right up the middle with scissors) is perfect for lighting the chimney without fail.

I don't know what I would do without this! Using a chimney starter makes lighting the charcoal incredibly easy. I use a couple of pieces of newspaper, load it up with charcoal, light and in about 20 minutes it is ready for use. It really is a great help, and at this price a must have.

I BOUGHT THIS PRODUCT FOR ITS PURPOSE AND AFTER READING ALL THE GOOD REVIEWS.GUESS WHAT,,WORKS REALLY WELL AND IM VERY SATISFIED!!!!

This is my second chimney starter and it's so much superior to the last that it's like an entirely different product. I used to struggle to get the newspaper lighted and then it would go out. with this one you just light one little bit and the whole thing begins to smoke--like a chimney. Pretty soon the coals are blazing. It makes grilling so easy and without the smell and taste of charcoal lighter fluid.

This morning (2 days after receiving) I used the Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter for the 1st time. I simply wasn't ready to start the smoking process (yes I have a Smoky Mountain Weber Smoker)when the briquets were ready to cook. The difference in time is hard to measure, but I will guarantee you it was half the time of the old lighting can I bought at the hardware store.

I could light twice the number of briquets in half the time. If that doesn't convince you that $16.00 (or so) is money well spent, I'm sorry. It should. I thank my lucky stars I have discovered Weber products. Somebody who uses those products is in charge of quality control.

My father has spent most of his life using lighter fluid and electric charcoals starters. I didn't know any better and was doing the same thing until a colleage suggested I try a chimney starter. Good-bye lighter fluid! Good-bye funny petrolium enhanced food taste!

A chimnee starter uses two pieces of newspaper to start. When its humid, a little bit of vegitable oil on the paper is helpful.

I also recommend real charcoal - not the pre-formed brickets made out of waste sawdust!

The Weber has held up really well. I'm going on two years of nearly weekly use, plus it sits outside all year long here in Texas.

I never really liked to grill before because I could taste the lighter fluid residue on the meat (o.k, so I'm sensitive). Now, I love grilling with this chimney starter. I put in 2 pieces of newspaper, add charcoal and light it up. In about 15 minutes the coals are glowing, I pour them out and put on the meat. No lighter fluid after taste! I love it

I saw this chimney used on a Boy Scout campout and was pretty impressed with what I saw so I bought one for myself. I must say my expectations were met and exceeded. All it takes to get your coals going are one or two newspaper pages. Even on a very windy day I can get the coals going without using any lighter fluid.

I had to order a new one because my father confiscated mine. It works like a charm (but yes, I agree with the other guy who said pack it good). The problem is, now what am I going to get him for fathers day?