Weber 87886 Chimney Starter

by Weber

Product Features

• Chimney starter system lights charcoal faster and easier
• Durable aluminized steel construction
• Stay cool thermoplastic handle adds safety
• Extra large capacity--holds enough briquettes for a 22-1/2-inch kettle grill
• Greatly reduces the amount of time it takes for coals to get ready

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 8.2 x 12.7 inches ; 3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B00004U9VV
• Item model number: 87886
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (497 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,480 in Patio, Lawn & Garden (See Top 100 in Patio, Lawn & Garden)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Chefs, start your grills. You can have red-hot coals in a matter of minutes by following three steps: load your coals into this aluminized steel chimney starter, light a fire, and place the starter over the fire. The Weber chimney starter is extra large, holding enough briquettes for indirect or direct fire on a 22-1/2-inch kettle grill. A stay-cool thermoplastic handle and a wire foldout handle let you move the starter safely. --Rhonda Langdon

Product Description

Weber's chimney starter makes starting your charcoal a snap. It also cuts down the amount of time it takes for the coals to get ready. Just load up our extra large cannister full of coals, light up a fire starter or crinkled up newspaper, and set the cannister over the flame. In a matter of minutes the coals will be red hot. Who ever thought it could be so easy?

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

368 of 380 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You don't HAVE to buy this...., July 16, 2004

By 

John H. Henderson (Las Cruces, NM, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Weber 87886 Chimney Starter (Lawn & Patio)

Get a coffee can, and cut off the bottom with a can opener. With a bottle opener, use the pointy end for opening juice cans to make openings all around the bottom on the side. Get a double-sheet piece of newspaper and roll from the edges toward the center to make sort of a doughnut, and place in the bottom of the can. Do the same with another sheet of paper, but roll it smaller and place it inside the other doughnut. Poke holes through the center of the doughnuts for air flow. Place your charcoal briquettes on top of the paper. Push the whole stack up so the paper doesn't block the holes (the friction of the paper against the can will hold up the stack). Set the can on your grill or cooking spot, and light the paper through the holes in bottom. It may be beneficial to stack another can with the bottom cut out on top to improve the chimney effect. Now let it sit for 10-20 minutes while the briquettes light up. Come back and find out it blew out. Light it again. Watch it longer this time. When the briquettes in the bottom and sides are gray with ash, use tongs to move them around so the unburned ones can light. When ready, use your Vise-Grips to remove the can. Do not leave the can out in the rain, or it will rust (more easily).

...OR...

Just spend the very reasonable about of money and buy this product! No rolling the paper JUST right - just wad it up and stick it in the bottom. No concern with keeping the air holes uncovered - a grill inside holds the charcoal. Put the Vise-Grips back in the tool box - this has nice handles. And don't worry about mixing the charcoal - it all lights up evenly.

When I first opened the box, I thought, "Wow! This thing is huge!" Made my two coffee cans seem small, but it is supposed to light a grill-full of charcoal at once. I got the Weber because with all of my research on grills and accessories, Weber products are always recommended above all others. This item seems well-built, and I expect it to last a very long time. After using my homemade charcoal chimneys, which I got pretty good at, I was ASTOUNDED at how quickly this lighted, how quickly it got the charcoal up to temperature, and amazed at the orange inferno it created!

I've been around charcoal grills my whole life (but don't have one myself. Yet. I got this for Dutch oven cooking.) and have never seen a charcoal chimney! I've seen people nearly kill themselves with charcoal starter and ate plenty of charcoal-starter burgers. I don't know why everyone with a charcoal grill doesn't use one of these.

Get rid of storing the starter in your home and transporting it in your car. Get rid of the explosion when you light your grill. Get rid of the starter by-products in your food. Do get this charcoal chimney and get the most easily-lit, most consistently-burning charcoal you can.

158 of 160 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Top of the line, practically starts the fire by itself, November 11, 2000

By 

A. Neilll (Goochland, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Weber 87886 Chimney Starter (Lawn & Patio)

I have used other chimney starters, and in fact have even written favorable reviews for another model on this site. Well that was before I broke down and bought the Weber model.

I love this chimney starter, it really is better than the others.

- charcoal capacity seems greater than other brands

- The coals get going an glowing faster than with the other model

- Fire has not yet "gone out" (sometimes with other brands I have had to put in more newspaper and start over, or relight the newspaper.)

- the extra handle that swings up to make it more stable when you are dumping the hot coals is a nice feature.

All in all I wish I had gotten this model of the starter much sooner, it would have saved me a few headaches. Add in the fact that it is actually cheaper (at least on amazon.com) than the other brand of chimney starter, and I think you have to admit it is a win-win.

70 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfection found, February 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Weber 87886 Chimney Starter (Lawn & Patio)

I've been using this style of starter for 14 years now going through 6 including many "Brand Names". I grill or BBQ on a weekly basis. Recently I stepped up to the Weber 87886 Chimney Starter. This is the best I've ever used. It has a heavy duty convex wire cone in the bottom that makes for an easy start with two sheets of newspaper no need to add paper as I used to do with the brand names. Capacity is there is you need it more than with the competitors but it will also do a great job with a small amount of charcoal. The Plastic handle is bonus and stands up to the weather better than wood. The only way I can see melting the handle is using lighter fluid or self starting charcoal or having it too close to flammable material. The barrel is made of a heavier gauge of metal than the competition and others thinner metal gets weak with repeated heating and cooling. The lifting handle is a nice to have feature with a full load of briquettes. Although do yourself a big flavor treat and try Lump Charcoal, also if using briquettes adding unlit ones to a grill in use gives a flavor to the food I don't care for.