Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter vs Looftlighter Pro

The chimney is the only method here that needs nothing plugged in or refilled, publishes its capacity properly, and has no component that can fail. The Looftlighter is the one to buy if speed is the point and there is a socket within reach.

Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter

Buy it

1.6 gallons of aluminized steel that needs nothing but a match and ten minutes.

• A large 1.6 gallon capacity holding approximately 5.7 pounds of standard charcoal briquettes, which is the only capacity figure published by any maker here.
• Durable aluminized steel construction, a sturdy side handle shaped for a secure grip, and a heat shield that reduces heat transfer to that handle.
• A flip-up helper handle so you can use two hands to pour lit coals, which is the moment this job is most likely to go wrong.

• It needs a separate ignition source, whether newspaper, a lighter cube or a torch.
• Weber recommends wearing gloves when the chimney is hot, and it stays hot for a long time after the coals are poured.
• No time-to-light figure is published, and the whole thing has to go somewhere fireproof afterwards.

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Looftlighter Pro

Buy it

Superheated air at 1400 degrees, no flame, no gas, no fluid, and a socket.

• Starts a fire with superheated air alone, reaching 1400 degrees Fahrenheit, with no gas, no flame and no need for lighter fluid.
• Lights all fuels including charcoal, briquettes and logs, so the same tool handles a grill, a fire pit and an indoor fireplace.
• The Pro adds 30 percent more airflow than the model before it and an auto ignition program, so it manages the sequence rather than relying on you holding a trigger.

• It needs mains power, which rules out grilling anywhere without a socket or an extension lead.
• No wattage and no time-to-light figure are published.
• No cable length is given, which is the practical constraint on where you can use it.

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Side by side

The bottom line

Our overall pick is the Weber Rapidfire Chimney Starter - 1.6 gallons of aluminized steel that needs nothing but a match and ten minutes. Choose the Looftlighter Pro instead if patio and garden grilling near a socket, where lighting in a couple of minutes is worth the outlay.

Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Charcoal Starters: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).