Barbienado Electric Charcoal Starter Review

Lighting charcoal on a weeknight may not be so out of reach after all. We've found an electric charcoal starter that could be a game-changer.

In this video, we take a deep dive into the Barbienado charcoal firestarter system. It consists of the Barbienado wand and the Barbienado Boost Charcoal Chimney.

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If you have a charcoal grill, kamado grill, Pit Barrel Cooker, or offset smoker you've no doubt spent countless hours waiting for your charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal to light and burn hot enough to begin grilling. In fact, this is the very reason why many charcoal grills only get called into action on the weekends.

How Does the Barbienado Work?

The Barbienado offers a faster and cleaner way to start your charcoal chimney. So fast in fact, that you may even feel lead to light up your charcoal grill on a weeknight! (gasp!)

The Barbienado consists of two pieces, each sold separately.

The Barbienado wand (similar to the Looftlighter) is almost like a curling-iron-looking-hair-dryer hybrid that gets inserted into a feed tube angled down toward the base of the chimney. When turned on, the heating element directs superheated air toward the base of the chimney, igniting the pile of charcoal inside.

In less than 10 minutes of use, the chimney of charcoal will be lit and ready for cooking. The heat resistant handle makes transferring the hot coals into your grill simple.

Do Electric Charcoal Starters Work?

While I can't speak to every electric charcoal starter on the market, the several that I have owned have been easy to use and truly changed the game when it comes to starting charcoal.

In the past, I've used other fire starter options like Weber Lighter Cubes, Tumbleweeds, newspapers soaked in cooking oil, blow-torches, weed burners, and more to light our charcoal briquettes.

Honestly, none of them gave me hot coals as quickly and cleanly as an electric charcoal starter like the Barbienado.

While the Barbienado wand was designed to be used in cooperation with the Barbienado Boost Charcoal chimney, it can also be used by itself to light a pile of charcoal directly inside your grill; though that may take a little longer than when using the chimney. The vortex of hot air that forms inside the Barbienado chimney certainly accelerates the process.

Are Charcoal Starters Worth It?

In my opinion, if you have an extension cord long enough to plug the power cord into an outlet, using an electric charcoal starter is the way to go.

No one likes food that tastes like lighter fluid, so if there's a way to get your charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal lit without nasty chemicals, isn't that a simple choice to make?

Electric charcoal starters lead to better tasting food, are better for the environment, and can save money over time.

Do Charcoal Chimneys Need a Starter?

Without the use of an electric charcoal starter, a chimney of charcoal briquettes will take an average of 20 minutes to be ready for grilling.

The advantage of an electric charcoal starter is that it can dramatically reduce the time it takes to get your charcoal hot without the use of nasty lighter fluid.

In fact, the Barbienado works 3 times faster than a traditional chimney not using an electric starter.

Where Can I Purchase an Electric Charcoal Starter?

The Barbienado electric charcoal starter and chimney can be purchased on Amazon. As Amazon affiliates, we will earn a small commission on any sales using the links in this post. Using our link doesn't cost you any more and it just keeps our website and YouTube channel running and the new content coming your way for the best in outdoor cooking and outdoor living. We appreciate your support!