While most gas barbeque grills for your hamburgers only use gas, there are some models that offer the option of either gas or charcoal.

Using an electric charcoal starter is probably one of the best and easiest ways of lighting up your charcoal grill. The advantages of using such a tool are quite obvious:

• It is inexpensive. Electric charcoal starters are usually in the range of $20.

• You can use it over and over again, while the charcoal lighter bottle will run dry at some point. You will only pay once and, thus, save money in the long run, as you won’t need to be buying fuel.

• Using an electric charcoal starter is better for your health. Chemicals or gasoline on your charcoal is unhealthy, besides making your grill smell bad.

• No more accidents. Using the old fashioned lighter fluid can be dangerous, as it’s highly flammable.

• Your grill is lit quickly; usually within ten minutes. No need to go looking for lighter fluid and matches.

The main, and probably the only disadvantage of electric charcoal starters is that you always depend on a power outlet; so, if you plan on having a barbecue out in the forest and using it, you should build some sort of AC adapter built on your car’s battery. Consult with your car retailer or your favorite car service shop and explain to them your needs. However, keep in mind that most family camp sites come with running water and electricity, so you will only need an extension cord.

Electric Charcoal Starters – Simple Instructions

Starting your charcoal with this tool is simple and perfectly explained in the user manual. You build a small pile of charcoal on the grill, put the electric charcoal starter on top of the pile and pile more charcoal above. Afterwards, simply plug the tool in and wait for the charcoal to ignite.

Depending on your specific model of electrical charcoal starter, and the type of charcoal, ten to fifteen minutes later you will notice the iron went hot and the center of the coal pile is glowing red. Now you can safely unplug the iron, making sure only to grab the plastic handle.

The iron part will be so hot that it can inflict some damage on your skin. Hang it somewhere so that the iron doesn’t touch the walls (or it could spoil the paint) and, most important, don’t place it next to any flammable materials. Do not use water to cool down the electric charcoal starter, since it is an electrical device, and could break it.

At this point, you can wait for another few minutes, for the charcoal to light evenly, and afterwards you can spread the charcoal across the whole grill and start using it. If you haven’t got enough charcoal, you can add some more unlit pieces on the glowing pile and wait for them to ignite.

That’s it! The electric charcoal starter would be a great addition to your grilling experience.