The best Chimney starters, compared.
Top pick: Big Smokey BSCH01 Best value: SA Products SA1294 – Best value in the large-review entry band: about £12.65, 4.5 from 985 reviews, with a second handle. The metal lines do not agree. Updated October 2026.
A chimney starter is a metal tube with a grate and a handle. You light plain charcoal underneath, then pour it into the barbecue. Weber UK says about 2 kg of its briquettes, a large chimney, for a 57 cm kettle. A 20.5 × 14.5 × 26.5 cm tube is a different job. Look for a second handle, a named heat shield, and a metal line that agrees with itself. Cool-touch plastic still shows up in UK reviews as melted or too hot to hold. Checks before you buy are in the [chimney starter buying guide](/hub/grill-accessories/chimney-starter/sub/chimney-starter-buying-guide). The buyers are charcoal-kettle and fire-pit cooks who are tired of uneven piles and lighter fluid, and owners of small barbecues who need a compact tube. Wind and the charcoal change the time, so it is not a single ready-time for every garden. Weber’s temperature article treats a full chimney as the high-heat load, half as medium indirect, and a third as low. Kettle manual 69101 gives 30 briquettes or 40 ordinary briquettes for 57 cm direct heat. That is a briquette count, not an automatic full chimney. Reviewers on that listing call it small for a family kettle.
A chimney starter is a metal tube with a grate and a handle. You light plain charcoal underneath, then pour it into the barbecue. Weber UK says about 2 kg of its briquettes, a large chimney, for a 57 cm kettle.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What size is the barbecue?
Big Smokey BSCH01 is about £9.99 and 1.3 kg. The bullets say 0.7 mm galvanised steel and a 3 mm zinc-plated charcoal grate, with a nylon handle and an integrated heat shield. Other fields on the same listing say stainless steel and galvanised steel for the frame. Assembly is required. The size line is 30.5 × 19.5 × 31 cm. Lumpwood and briquettes are named. No kilogram capacity is stated. A second handle is not named. The star line is 5.0 from 3 reviews, so the score is 56 and stars alone do not beat the larger pools. The two reviews do not describe a repeated defect.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An under-£10 galvanised starter with a stated heat shield.
Less suitable: Anyone who will not assemble parts, or who will treat a 5.0 from three ratings as a large sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Can you use lumpwood charcoal?
Yes. The listing says it lights lumpwood and briquettes.
Does the listing name a heat shield?
Yes. The bullets state an integrated heat shield and a nylon handle. Assembly is required.
What do UK reviews warn about?
No defect is described. The review count is 3, so a 5.0 star line is a very small sample.
The onlyfire large stainless chimney is about £34.99, with about 3 kg of briquettes stated and a 34.5 cm height in the title. The package weight line is 2.23 kg. It names an integrated heat shield and a metal side handle, the same pattern as the smaller onlyfire unit. The metal claim is stainless steel. The star line is 4.9 from 17 reviews, so the score of 59 leans on listing features rather than crowd size. The English review text in this set is two short notes and does not repeat a defect. Seventeen ratings are not a reason to treat 4.9 as a settled record.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A stainless chimney with about 3 kg stated and dual handles.
Less suitable: Anyone who will treat a 4.9 star line from seventeen ratings as a large sample.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing name a heat shield?
Yes. The listing names an integrated heat shield and a metal side handle.
What do UK reviews warn about?
No repeated defect in the English review text. The rating count is 17, so the text sample is small.
Weber Rapidfire compact model 7447 is about £19.99 and 680 g, with bullets at 20.5 × 14.5 × 26.5 cm in aluminised steel. The same listing also prints alloy steel, a stainless finish, and an aluminium frame, so the metal line is not a single claim. There is no second handle and no heat shield in the bullets. Assembly is not required. The star line is 4.7 from 25,428 reviews, the deepest pool on this page, and the score is 67. It is not the top pick because the listing is the compact size: UK reviews praise speed on a Go-Anywhere or Smokey Joe and repeatedly say it is too small for a family kettle. Weber UK’s full Rapidfire 7416 is a different product and is not in this set.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A Go-Anywhere, Smokey Joe, or short kettle session.
Less suitable: A 57 cm family kettle that needs a full chimney load.
Specifications
Common questions
Can you use lumpwood charcoal?
The listing and UK reviews include lumpwood or charcoal, and reviews also mention briquettes and wooden firelighters.
Does the listing name a heat shield?
No. A heat shield is not stated in the bullets, and neither is a second handle.
What do UK reviews warn about?
Under-capacity for a large barbecue. Reviewers treat it as the right size for a Go-Anywhere or a short cook.
onlyfire stainless chimney F-BRP4008-SS1-EU is about £32.99, 2.05 kg empty, and 16 × 16 × 28.5 cm, with about 2.8 kg of briquettes stated. It names a heat shield, a main handle, and a metal side handle. The metal claim is stainless steel. The star line is 4.7 from 33 reviews and the score is 57. One review says the plastic handle stayed cool. That is one review, not a finding that stainless keeps every handle cool. UK reviews in this set are a small sample next to the galvanised models, and one reviewer wanted more capacity than their Weber chimney. The minute claims are review wording. Wind and a fan change them.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A shopper who wants stainless steel and about 2.8 kg stated capacity.
Less suitable: A large kettle cook who needs thousands of UK reviews on one ASIN.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing name a heat shield?
Yes. The listing names a heat shield, a main handle, and a metal side handle.
What do UK reviews warn about?
Capacity short of a family kettle versus that reviewer’s Weber. The review count is 33.
GFTIME GF01027416 is about £15.99, 2 kg empty, and 30 × 19 cm on the listing. It is sold as a Rapidfire-style tube for the Weber 7416 shape, with a plastic main handle, a folding second handle, and a heat shield. The listing claims enough briquettes for a 57 cm kettle. The finish is powder coated, and the bullets do not say stainless. The star line is 4.6 from 1,048 reviews, the largest pool among the full-size tubes here, which is why the score is 76 and this is the top pick. UK reviews praise Weber-like lighting and also include a melted plastic handle report. Assembly is not required on the listing.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A 57 cm kettle cook who wants a large review pool and two handles.
Less suitable: Anyone who will not use gloves if the plastic handle runs hot.
Specifications
Common questions
Can you use lumpwood charcoal?
The listing and UK reviews include lumpwood or charcoal and do not restrict the fuel to briquettes only.
Does the listing name a heat shield?
Yes. The listing names a heat shield on the handle, plus a folding second handle.
What do UK reviews warn about?
A plastic main handle melted, and at least one recent review calls that dangerous. Use a mitt for the pour.
LIVIVO Deluxe is about £16.99 and 1.57 kg. The bullets say galvanised iron and galvanised steel, with a thermoplastic handle, a metal grip, and an integrated guard. No kilogram capacity is stated. The size line is 30 × 28 × 17 cm. It shares the 17,402 Best Sellers Rank line with the wood-handle LIVIVO ASIN. That shared rank is not a shared review count. The star line is 4.6 from 214 reviews and the score is 64. UK reviews praise speed and size for a 57 cm Weber, and several say the handle runs hot without gloves.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A LIVIVO Deluxe with two grips for pouring into a large kettle.
Less suitable: Anyone who expects a cool-touch plastic handle without gloves.
Specifications
Common questions
Can you use lumpwood charcoal?
The listing and UK reviews include lumpwood or charcoal and do not restrict the fuel to briquettes only.
Does the listing name a heat shield?
Yes. The bullets name an integrated guard, plus a supportive metal grip beside the plastic handle.
What do UK reviews warn about?
The handle is too hot to hold without sturdy or welding gloves, in several reviews.
SA Products SA1294 is about £12.65 at 1.13 kg. The title says aluminium, the material field says alloy steel, and many UK reviews say galvanised steel. Keep all three lines. It claims enough coal for a 47 cm grill or larger, with a thermoplastic handle, a second handle, and vent holes. A heat shield is not named. The size on the listing is 30.5 × 20 cm. The star line is 4.5 from 985 reviews, a large pool at an entry price, which is why it is the best value even though the score of 63 sits below the GFTIME and the Weber compact. UK reviews praise fast lighting and also report melted plastic handles and thin heat guarding.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A full-size galvanised chimney on a budget with a large review pool.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs a true aluminium body or a cool plastic handle.
Specifications
Common questions
Can you use lumpwood charcoal?
The listing and UK reviews include lumpwood or charcoal and do not restrict the fuel to briquettes only.
Does the listing name a heat shield?
No. It names an insulated thermoplastic handle, not a heat shield.
What do UK reviews warn about?
A melted thermoplastic handle on first or early use. Several reviews call that dangerous, and one reports a burn through heat-resistant gloves.
The LIVIVO wood-handle chimney is about £12.99 and 780 g. The bullets say galvanised steel and galvanised iron sheet, at 30 × 28 × 17 cm, with an internal diameter of 17 × 19.5 cm, a wooden handle, a metal grip, and a guard. No kilogram capacity is stated. The star line is 4.3 from 186 reviews and the score is 61. It shares a Best Sellers Rank line with LIVIVO Deluxe and does not share that review count. UK reviews like easier lighting and the price, and they repeat bottom-tray failures after weeks or months of heat.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A wood-handle galvanised chimney under £13 with side vents.
Less suitable: Large cooks, or buyers who cannot accept bottom-tray failure reports.
Specifications
Common questions
Can you use lumpwood charcoal?
The listing and UK reviews include lumpwood or charcoal and do not restrict the fuel to briquettes only.
Does the listing name a heat shield?
Yes. The bullets name a guard, with a metal grip alongside the wooden handle.
What do UK reviews warn about?
The bottom tray melted or fell out after weeks or months of use. Some reviews also call the tube too small for a large cook.
Amazon Basics JC902 is about £15.35, galvanised steel, and 957.08 g, with up to 3.0 kg of charcoal, briquettes, or smoking hardwoods stated. The bullets give 17.0 × 27.9 × 27.4 cm and a cool-touch plastic handle. A heat shield is not named. A second handle is not in the bullets, though reviews mention a side handle, so that cell stays open. The star line is 4.2 from 333 reviews and the score is 64, level with LIVIVO Deluxe and ahead of it on review count. UK reviews mention assembly and mixed handle-heat reports alongside easy lighting. The 15 to 20 minute line is review wording, not a timed test, and wind changes it.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A mid-price galvanised tube with up to 3.0 kg stated on the listing.
Less suitable: Buyers who will not assemble a handle or tolerate mixed handle-heat reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing name a heat shield?
No. A heat shield is not named. The listing does name a cool-touch plastic handle.
What do UK reviews warn about?
A loose or hot plastic handle. Several reviews also call the tube smaller or slimmer than other chimneys.
Electoys ELECBB-BBQ217 is about £11.99 and 760 g. The bullets say galvanised steel and a heat-shielded ergonomic handle. The material field says metal. A listing question asks if it is stainless. The bullets do not say stainless. No kilogram capacity and no dimensions are stated, and a second handle is not named. The title says kit, and no separate parts list appears in the listing text used here. The star line is 3.4 from 16 reviews and the score is 40. That sample is too thin to treat as a large pool, and the reviews that are there mention melted rivets or bolts, sharp edges, and a return.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A galvanised starter at about £11.99 with a named heat shield.
Less suitable: Anyone who needs more than sixteen UK reviews before buying.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing name a heat shield?
Yes. The bullets name a heat-shielded handle. They do not name a second handle or a kilogram capacity.
What do UK reviews warn about?
Rivets or bolts melted. Other reviews call it thinner than a Weber, with sharp edges, and one buyer returned it as flimsy. The count is 16.
RIMLUFE SK-DHQ-O1 is about £59.99 in heavy plain steel, with a 2 mm shell and a 2.5 mm bottom frame claimed, also stated as 0.08 inches thick. It names a stainless handle and a heat shield. The size line is 7.5 inches wide by 12 inches high, with a handle 6.7 inches high. The product line says 4.15 kg. The bullets also say 8 pounds and 3.65 kg. Those three weights are not one figure. No charcoal capacity in kilograms is stated. A second handle is not named, and a two-handed lift is recommended. There is no customer star line on the listing, so the score is 35 and there is no review count to quote.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A heavy steel chimney buyer who will oil bare metal and lift with two hands.
Less suitable: A first chimney purchase when the listing has no star line.
Specifications
Common questions
Can you use lumpwood charcoal?
The listing allows lumpwood and briquettes and does not restrict the fuel to one type.
Does the listing name a heat shield?
Yes. It also names a stainless handle. A second handle is not named.
What do UK reviews warn about?
Nothing is quoted, because the listing has no star line and no review count. The page also prints three different weights.
Eleven amazon.co.uk chimney listings were scored from 0 to 100. Up to 50 points come from the star average, up to 18 from the review count on that ASIN, and the remaining 32 from listing signals: stated capacity, a second handle, a named heat shield, empty weight, and whether the metal lines agree. The highest score is the top pick. Best value is the price–performance pick among the large review pools. This is not a lab burn or a UK market-share ranking.
Amazon stars
50%Up to 50 points from the star average on the captured amazon.co.uk listing. A 4.7 becomes 47. A listing with no star line scores nothing here.
Review count
18%Up to 18 points from the number of UK ratings on the same ASIN. Very small pools are capped. A 5.0 from three ratings does not outrank a large pool.
Listing signals
32%The remaining 32 points cover stated capacity against kettle size, a second handle, a heat shield named in the bullets, empty weight, and a metal claim that can be quoted as one line.
Choose capacity before the star count. A chimney starter lights plain charcoal in a metal tube, then you pour the coals into the barbecue. On this page the amazon.co.uk prices run from about £9.99 to about £59.99. A stated kilogram load, a second handle, a named heat shield, and a metal line that agrees with itself are the checks. A 4.7 from 25,428 reviews on a compact Weber is a different job from 4.6 from 1,048 reviews on a tube that states a 57 cm kettle.
A chimney starter is a metal tube with an internal grate and a handle. You light plain charcoal from underneath, then pour the coals into a barbecue. The buyers in this set are charcoal-kettle and fire-pit cooks who are tired of uneven piles and lighter fluid, and owners of small Weber barbecues who need a compact tube. Quality here is a stated capacity that matches the barbecue, a second handle, a named heat shield, and a metal description that agrees with itself. Capacity comes first.
The Weber 7447 is 20.5 × 14.5 × 26.5 cm. UK reviews call it right for a Go-Anywhere or Smokey Joe and too small for a family kettle. Weber UK’s figure for a 57 cm kettle is about 2 kg of its briquettes in a large chimney. Manual 69101 lists 30 Weber briquettes or 40 ordinary briquettes for 57 cm direct heat.
SA Products SA1294 is titled aluminium. The material field says alloy steel. UK reviews say galvanised steel. Quote both listing lines. A title metal is not confirmed when another field on the same listing names a different metal.
Weber says light on the charcoal grate, not on concrete, skip self-lighting charcoal, wear a mitt, and do not add petrol or spirits. GOV.UK says never use petrol or paraffin, and never barbecue in a tent, awning, or caravan. Ash goes on bare soil, with water nearby.
Match the tube to the barbecue before you read the stars. Weber UK says about 2 kg of its briquettes, a large chimney, for a 57 cm kettle, and about 20 minutes on that briquette page. Wind and charcoal type change the time. The same maker treats a full chimney as high heat, half as medium indirect, and a third as low. Manual 69101 lists 30 Weber briquettes or 40 ordinary briquettes for 57 cm direct heat, which is a count, not a rule to fill every tube.
A second handle and a named heat shield are the pour checks, and a mitt still belongs in the kit. GFTIME names both. So do both onlyfire models and LIVIVO Deluxe. The Weber compact names neither in the bullets. A cool-touch plastic claim is not a result. UK reviews on SA Products, GFTIME, LIVIVO Deluxe, and Amazon Basics include handles that melted or ran too hot to hold. Metal is a separate line. Aluminised, galvanised, and stainless are different claims.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want a full-size tube for a family kettle, with two handles and a large review pool. GFTIME states enough briquettes for a 57 cm kettle, names a heat shield and a folding second handle, and shows 4.6 from 1,048 reviews at about £15.99. UK reviews also include a melted plastic handle, so pour with a mitt.
You want the compact aluminised tube, not a family load. Weber Rapidfire 7447 is about £19.99 and 680 g, at 20.5 × 14.5 × 26.5 cm, with 4.7 from 25,428 reviews. UK reviews praise it for a small Weber and call it too small for a family kettle.
You want a galvanised chimney in the entry band and a review pool you can read. SA Products SA1294 is about £12.65, at 4.5 from 985 reviews, with a second handle and a claim of enough coal for a grill of 47 cm or more. The title says aluminium. UK reviews say galvanised steel, and several report a melted handle.
The top pick is the GFTIME Rapidfire-style chimney at about £15.99. It has the highest score in this set, 76 out of 100: 4.6 from 1,048 amazon.co.uk reviews, a stated load for a 57 cm kettle, a heat shield, and a folding second handle. UK reviews also include a melted plastic handle, so the pour still needs a mitt. The best value is SA Products SA1294 at about £12.65, with 4.5 from 985 reviews and a claim of enough coal for a grill of 47 cm or more. Its title says aluminium and the material field says alloy steel. UK reviews call the body galvanised and report melted thermoplastic handles. The Weber compact 7447 scores 67 and suits a Go-Anywhere, not a family kettle. None of these scores is a lab burn.
SA Products SA1294
Best value in the large-review entry band: about £12.65, 4.5 from 985 reviews, with a second handle. The metal lines do not agree.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices, stars and review counts are the amazon.co.uk figures for these ASINs. Retrieved 19 October 2026.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the UK listing lines for these ASINs. We did not run a lab test.
