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Chimney starters

Weber 7.5 in dia × 13 in, cone grate

The tallest chimney here at thirteen inches, with a cone-shaped grate Weber puts on no other model.

Weber Rapidfire chimney starter standard in silver

Weber 7.5 in dia × 13 in, cone grate

The tallest chimney here at thirteen inches, with a cone-shaped grate Weber puts on no other model.

Diameter
7.5 in
Height
13 in — the tallest body on this shelf
Grate
Specialized cone-shaped — the only grate geometry published here
Handle
Ergonomic
Purpose
Designed to quickly produce hot coals for cooking
Construction
Stated durable, for longevity
Published bullets
Five, each one line
Capacity
Not published by the maker
Material
Not published by the maker
Lighting time
Not published — Weber’s own Compact says under 15 minutes
Heat shield
Not stated, where seven starters here have one
Weight
Not published by the maker
Amazon reference
B07B5BHKDZ
EAN
0077924077388
  • Thirteen inches tall, the tallest here, and height is what makes a chimney draw
  • The only starter on this shelf with a published grate geometry — a cone, to focus the starter flame
  • Five one-line bullets, with no capacity, no material and no lighting time

Best for: A 22-inch Weber kettle — the tallest draw here, from the people who designed the kettle

≈ $25
Check price on Amazon

Specifications

Diameter
7.5 in
Height
13 in — the tallest body on this shelf
Grate
Specialized cone-shaped — the only grate geometry published here
Handle
Ergonomic
Purpose
Designed to quickly produce hot coals for cooking
Construction
Stated durable, for longevity
Published bullets
Five, each one line
Capacity
Not published by the maker
Material
Not published by the maker
Lighting time
Not published — Weber’s own Compact says under 15 minutes
Heat shield
Not stated, where seven starters here have one
Weight
Not published by the maker
Amazon reference
B07B5BHKDZ
EAN
0077924077388

What you are getting

A chimney starter 7.5 inches in diameter and 13 inches high with a specialized cone-shaped grate and an ergonomic handle.

The cone is the point

Every chimney starter has a grate at the bottom to hold the charcoal above the fire. Weber’s is a cone, and only on this model — its own Compact at $12.98 does not have one.

What a cone does is concentrate the starter flame into a narrow column directly under the charcoal, instead of spreading it across a flat disc. More of the heat goes up through the coals and less sideways into the steel.

It is the only grate geometry published anywhere on this shelf.

Thirteen inches is the tallest here

And height is what makes a chimney draw at all. Air enters the base, is heated, rises, and in rising pulls more air behind it — a taller column means a stronger pull.

Published heights: this at 13 in, The Bincho Grill 11¾, Char-Griller 12, homenote and Eau 11, Amazon Basics 10.8, CADARA 10.7, the two compact models 10 to 10.4.

And the only one that goes the other way

Oklahoma Joe’s is 15.4 inches wide and 7.8 high — short and fat rather than tall and narrow — and claims half the time of a standard chimney for it.

What is not published

No capacity. No material — seven starters here state galvanized or zinc-coated steel and three state stainless; Weber says “durable construction”. No lighting time, where its own Compact says under 15 minutes. No heat shield stated. No weight. No warranty.

Availability

On sale at around $25 on the American Amazon store at the time of checking.

Prices and availability are what Keepa reported on the date this page was updated; both move.

Prices quoted in this text were read on 4 October 2026. The live price is at the top of the page.

The questions that come in

What does the cone-shaped grate actually do?

It focuses the fire. Every chimney has a grate at the bottom to hold the charcoal clear of the burning paper; on most of them it is a flat perforated disc. Weber’s is a cone, which narrows the flame into a column directly beneath the charcoal rather than letting it spread across the full diameter — so more of the heat goes up through the coals and less sideways into the steel wall. It is the only grate geometry described anywhere on this shelf, and Weber publishes it on this model and not on its own Compact at $12.98. Whether it is worth twelve dollars by itself is debatable; combined with the extra three inches of height, this is the stronger-drawing of the two.

Why does height matter?

Because the chimney effect is driven by the height of the heated column. Air enters at the base, the fire heats it, hot air rises, and as it rises it pulls more air in behind it — so a taller cylinder generates a stronger draft, which is what lights the charcoal from the bottom up in ten or fifteen minutes instead of forty. At 13 inches this is the tallest body here: The Bincho Grill is 11¾, Char-Griller 12, homenote and Eau 11, Amazon Basics 10.8, CADARA 10.7, and the two compact models 10 to 10.4. The exception that proves the principle is Oklahoma Joe’s, which is 15.4 inches wide and only 7.8 high — a deliberately different geometry, claiming half the time.

What is it made of?

The listing does not say, which on this shelf is the notable omission. Seven starters here publish galvanized or zinc-coated steel — both Kingsfords, CADARA, Amazon Basics, BEAU JARDIN, homenote, Eau — and three publish stainless: The Bincho Grill, Oklahoma Joe’s, KU-koruo. Weber’s five bullets say only "durable construction for longevity", on both its models. It matters because of the one explicit argument on this shelf: The Bincho Grill claims its uncoated stainless has "no paint or zinc finish to peel, flake, or burn off over time". A chimney starter is the only barbecue tool that routinely runs at coal temperature, and a coated interior does degrade. At $24.99, expect coated steel.

Pans this fits

More chimney starters

  • BEAU JARDIN charcoal chimney starter large capacity in galvanized steel

    BEAU JARDIN Cubes work in the rain

    A galvanized starter with abundant side vents, and the only listing here that mentions lighting in the rain.

    Dimensions
    11 × 6.8 in
    Material
    High-quality zinc-coated galvanized steel
    Vents
    Large bottom holes and abundant side vents, for air circulation
    Lighting time
    10 to 15 minutes in most weather conditions
    Handle
    Non-slip, heat-resistant, with a heat shield
    Lit with
    Crumpled newspaper or fire starter cubes
    In the rain
    The fire cubes are stated to work normally on rainy days
    Taste
    Stated to keep the original food flavor, with no odd taste
    Portability
    Lightweight integrated structure, stated not easy to deform
    Weight
    980 g (34.6 oz)
    Capacity
    Not published, despite "large capacity" in the title
    Steel thickness
    Not published
    Warranty
    Not published by the maker
    Amazon reference
    B074QLZXPT
    EAN
    4502155479640
    • The only starter on this shelf that mentions lighting in the rain, and names the method that works
    • Describes both the base holes and the side vents, which is the fullest airflow description bar one
    • Says "large capacity" in the title with no figure anywhere on the page

    Best for: A grill that lives outdoors in a wet climate — the listing that thought about the weather

    ≈ $24
    Check price on Amazon
  • CADARA charcoal chimney starter BBQ grill lighter in galvanized steel

    CADARA 0.6 mm (0.02 in) steel, 30-day warranty

    The only starter here to publish a steel thickness, a lighting time and a warranty all three.

    Dimensions
    10.7 × 6.5 × 6.5 in
    Steel thickness
    0.6 mm (0.02 in) — the only figure published on this shelf
    Material
    Zinc-coated galvanized steel
    Vents
    Up the side, with large-diameter holes at the base for lighting
    Lighting time
    About 10 to 15 minutes, depending on weather
    Handle
    Nylon, plus a heat shield against heat transfer
    Lit with
    Newspaper or light cubes — three crumpled sheets, per the maker
    Warranty
    30 days — the only warranty on this shelf
    Weight
    798 g (28.1 oz)
    Capacity
    Not published by the maker
    Coating
    Zinc, which burns off a chimney interior over time
    Amazon reference
    B07R17NMY5
    EAN
    0740385139857
    • Publishes a steel thickness, a lighting time and a warranty — the only starter here to do all three
    • The only listing on this shelf that says how much newspaper to use: three crumpled sheets
    • Nought point six millimeters is thin for a body that runs at coal temperature

    Best for: A buyer who wants the figures — thickness, time and warranty, all published

    ≈ $20
    Check price on Amazon
  • Char-Griller charcoal chimney starter with quick release trigger

    Char-Griller 12 × 7.75 in, trigger release

    The only starter here with a trigger release, so the lit coals drop rather than being tipped.

    Release
    A quick-release trigger that drops the coals into the grill
    Why that matters
    It is the only mechanism here that avoids tipping a cylinder of lit coals
    Dimensions
    12 in H × 7.75 in D
    Handle
    ABS, with a heat shield
    Compatibility
    Any BBQ charcoal grill
    Loading
    Load the charcoal, light a fire starter, dump the fuel into the grill
    Weight
    1329 g (46.9 oz)
    Capacity
    Described as "the perfect amount of fuel", with no figure
    Material
    Not published by the maker
    Lighting time
    Not published by the maker
    Vents
    Not described
    Warranty
    Not published by the maker
    Amazon reference
    B0H42R4CGZ
    EAN
    0789792009469
    • The only starter on this shelf with a trigger release, which handles the one genuinely risky moment
    • Twelve inches tall, which is at the upper end here and is what drives the draw
    • Publishes no material, where ten starters on this shelf state galvanized, zinc-coated or stainless

    Best for: Anyone who dislikes tipping a cylinder of burning charcoal — the trigger is the reason to buy it

    ≈ $22
    Check price on Amazon

Other things that earn their drawer space

  • Zulay Kitchen 12 piece plastic mixing bowls with lids set stackable

    Zulay Kitchen 6 bowls, 6 lids, lifetime

    Six plastic bowls with transparent leak-proof lids, stackable, with a lifetime guarantee.

    Pieces
    12 — SIX bowls and six transparent lids
    Lids
    Transparent, tight-fit and stated leak-proof for transport
    Material
    Thicker food-grade plastic, stated not to bend under a hand mixer
    Microwave
    Safe
    Freezer
    Safe
    Dishwasher
    Top-rack friendly; hand washing also stated
    Storage
    Stackable and nesting
    Guarantee
    Lifetime
    Cost per bowl
    $5.00
    Capacities
    Not published for any bowl
    Material name
    Not published — only "food-grade"
    Non-slip base
    None, where six sets here have one
    Pour spout
    None
    Weight
    Not published by the maker
    Amazon reference
    B0D4SPDSBL
    EAN
    0195702022884
    • A stated lifetime guarantee, which only two other sets on this shelf offer in any form
    • Transparent leak-proof lids on all six bowls, so a mixing bowl becomes a fridge box
    • Publishes no capacities at all, so you cannot tell whether the biggest bowl takes a batter

    Best for: Mixing and storing in the same bowl — six lidded bowls with a lifetime behind them

    ≈ $30
    Check price on Amazon
  • AOTHOD silicone cooking utensils set heat resistant kitchen utensils

    AOTHOD 446 °F, steel-reinforced

    A steel-reinforced set rated to 446 °F, seamless so no food lodges, and dishwasher safe.

    Heat rating
    446 °F — the consensus figure on this shelf
    Reinforcement
    Stainless steel, stated to hold shape and never warp
    Head
    Thickened silicone, soft and elastic, for close contact with a non-stick pan
    Construction
    Seamless one-piece, so no food residue lodges
    Dishwasher
    Safe
    Named pieces
    Large and small slotted spoon, turner, deep soup ladle, spatula, solid spoon, basting brush, flexible spatula, slotted turner, pasta server, egg whisk, kitchen tongs
    Material
    Food-grade silicone, BPA-free
    Packaging
    Elegant, stated suitable as a gift
    Weight
    1250 g (44.1 oz) — see the FAQ on the oannao comparison
    Piece count
    Not totalled by the maker
    Steel grade
    Not published — only BESTZMWK publishes 304
    Handle material
    Not stated
    Warranty
    Not published by the maker
    Amazon reference
    B088DGBRMC
    EAN
    0643934552452
    • Stainless steel reinforcement with the reason given — it holds its shape and will not warp
    • A seamless one-piece body, which is where a two-part silicone tool starts to smell
    • Never totals its piece count, where five sets on this shelf state one

    Best for: Non-stick pans — a cored, seamless set at the shelf’s consensus heat rating

    ≈ $20
    Check price on Amazon
  • BESTZMWK 33 piece silicone and stainless steel kitchen utensil set

    BESTZMWK 33 pieces, 304 steel, no plastic

    Thirty-three pieces on 304 stainless handles, with no plastic anywhere and a dishwasher clearance.

    Pieces
    33 — slotted spatula, slotted spoon, flexible spatula, slotted turner, solid turner, pasta server, solid spoon, kitchen tongs, draining spoon and more
    Cost per piece
    $1.21
    Handles
    Thick, in top-grade 304 stainless steel — the only grade published on this shelf
    Heads
    Durable silicone, non-scratch for non-stick pans and bakeware
    Plastic
    None anywhere in the construction, stated
    BPA
    Completely free
    Dishwasher
    Safe — simply toss them in
    Storage
    Small holes in the handles, for hanging
    Durability
    Stated designed not to bend with daily use
    Weight
    2200 g (77.6 oz) — the heaviest set on this shelf
    Heat rating
    Not published, where all six other sets here publish one
    Holder
    Not mentioned, where Umite Chef includes one
    Warranty
    Not published by the maker
    Amazon reference
    B089FBYT3W
    EAN
    0193499751666
    • The only set on this shelf to publish a steel grade — 304, which is the right one for a dishwasher
    • The only one to claim no plastic anywhere, which a silicone-and-steel set can honestly make
    • Publishes no heat rating at all, where the other six sets here all do

    Best for: A dishwasher household — 304 steel handles, no plastic, and thirty-three tools

    ≈ $40
    Check price on Amazon

All chimney starters

Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.