Nearly every grilling recipe starts with “light your charcoal and wait until it’s white hot”. While generally a fairly straightforward proposition, this key step adds extra time to the cooking process and can often provide some challenges to even experienced outdoor cooks. What if there was a simple, safe, and fast way to get your coals going without having to ever strike a match? The folks at Looftlighter have made that possible with their convenient and dead-simple electric fire starter. For a look at just how simple it is to start your coals with Looftlighter, check out my instructional video!
Item Specs
Dimensions: 17.8″L x 2.6″W x 2.6″D
Cord length: 9.8″
Weight: 1.9lbs
Power: 1500 Watt, 120 V, 13 Amp, 60 Hz, 1100°F
What I Loved
First and foremost, I love the dependability with this unit. I have tried other “knock offs” (Looftlighter is actually the patient holder on this design) and those stopped working after only a few uses. I’ve used this lighter well over 100 times and it works as well today as it did on day one.
A few other great features:
- It’s cool to the touch within minutes of use.
- It lights old charcoal as well as it lights new charcoal. If you’ve ever tried to use left over coals from a previous cook, you know that they are a little more challenging to light that new lumps.
- The fan spreads the flame around the charcoal as quickly as you’d like it to. Unlike chemical-filled starter cubes where the fire is slow to build.
None of the chemical taste on my food that is often associated with lighter fluid and starter cubes. - Never have to search for a lighter which seems to have always walked off.
- It has a built-in bottle opener, come on – who doesn’t always need a bottle opener?
What Could Be Improved
The biggest area for improvement is the cord length. Some will find the nearly 10” cord to not be long enough. It works for me based on where my grill sits, but others may need an extension cord.
I would also love a waterproof case for it, so I didn’t have to bring it inside after use.
Who It’s For
This lighter is for anyone who owns a charcoal grill or wood burning fireplace. It operates simply by touching one button and even those who are intellectually challenged like myself can use this without issue.
Final Thoughts
This is a winner. While the cord length may be an issue if you don’t own an extension cord, there is really no downside to this. It works safe and fast, every time. I had previously been a chimney user for many years, and I still use the chimney but I am sold on this technology from Looftlighter. If you’re new to lighting a charcoal grill, this is a great product to have. You won’t run into the foul taste associated with lighter fluid or need a place to set a hot chimney after use. There are other electric fire starters on the market that are knock offs and don’t work as well. Still other versions exist that don’t have a cord but require refueling with butane which, to me, seems to be a bit inconvenient, though I have not personally tested those models. I hope to in the future.
