Let me tell a true story, a little while ago I invited the family round for a BBQ. I got in from work about 6pm went straight outside and lit the BBQ, or rather tried too. I threw the charcoal into the grill, poured on a load of lighter fluid, stood back and threw a lit match onto it. After a great pyrotechnic display, lots of smoke and flames, I was left with coals that were a bit white and patchy. I threw the burgers on the grill and banged the lid on. Sat back and opened a beer.

Ten minutes later I looked, the burgers were still cold, the coals had all but gone out. So off come the burgers and on goes more lighter fluid, lots more smoke and flames. Once that dies down a session of frantic wafting follows, fingers crossed. On go the burgers, and the same happens.

Well this continues for about 3 hours, by which time we're all starving. Finally at 9:30 the food is ready.

There must be a better way I thought. What I found was a BBQ starter chimney, this a steel tube with a grill part way up, there is no bottom but holes around the base. Lighting the coals is then easy, crumple a sheet of new paper and stuff it into the bottom section or place some fire lighters underneath the chimney, then fill the top chamber with charcoal. I prefer lump wood charcoal. Set the chimney in the empty BBQ and light the newspaper through the holes in the bottom. The paper burns in the bottom of the chimney and lights the lower coals, as these get hot, air is drawn in fans the flames and within 30 mins all the coals are glowing red. The coals are ready for the BBQ once the coals are covered with a thin layer of ash.

If you use lumpwood charcoal you will have a nice hot bed of coal to work with that is good and even.