Max BBQ Eco Charcoal Chimney Starter With Gas Burner(a name a mother could love
http://www.amazon.com/Max-Charcoal-Chimney-Starter-Burner/dp/B003GW9ZPUI just got my MaxBBQ propane charcoal starter
a simple LP propane burner with a stand designed to support a charcoal chimney starter
it is very well made
the charcoal chimney is galvanized 20 gauge steel and should last a long time, but...
(but there is no replacement chimney listed online or with the included literature)
the Max chimney is just a tiny bit smaller than the big Weber
and probably 30% more volume than one of the $8 cheapys
when I saw the unit online I was curious how to adapt other chimneys to work over the burner
the Weber chimney is the same diameter as the burner base so it wont rest stable without a grill to act as a spacer
with the smaller, little $8cheapy I had to add two screws at the same height as the burner housing
so it could rest level inside the burner base
another thing I wanted to do was to pick up a converter hose - bottle to tank
(OUCH/GAG!! $30 @Academy)
the tank I use for my CB SRG
the main issue they have in the instructions is
that it is a charcoal IGNITOR unit
you don't leave the chimney over the burner unit once the lower charcoal gets lit
I normally only light a 1/2 chimney in my small $8cheapy to start an indirect cook
so my first test was to see how fast I could get lit coals in the OldSmokey
the bottom layer of briquettes were WELL lit at 3'mins with the burner on HIGH
after 3'mins on the burner I moved the chimney over to my old charcoal pan and let it sit for just 4'mins
at a total of 7'mins I dumped them in the OldSmokey
I'm cookin'
I'm pleased
