How to Start a Charcoal Grill
created: June 12, 2025, 9:27 p.m. | updated: June 18, 2025, 8:57 p.m.
If you’re looking to step up your outdoor cooking game, why not start with a charcoal grill?
Chimney StarterA chimney starter, also referred to as a charcoal chimney, is a metal cylinder that holds your charcoal and helps it to start hot and burn quickly.
Instead, what you’ll want to do, is remove the cooking grate, leave the charcoal grate (the grate in the bottom of the grill) in place, and put the chimney on the charcoal grate.
Our Recommended Charcoal GrillsBest Overall Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch Charcoal Grill $219 at Amazon $299 at Wayfair$278 at Walmart The Weber Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill is our top recommendation for a charcoal grill because it’s well-built from high-quality materials—porcelain-coated steel construction—and boasts a solid reputation that dates back to 1952 (though the design has been updated).
Best Budget Cuisinart 14-Inch Portable Charcoal Grill $29 at Amazon $27 at Wayfair$39 at Walmart Just starting out with charcoal grilling?
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