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Chimney starter for kettle barbecue

Updated: 22 October 2026

On a 47 cm or 57 cm kettle, diameter decides fill and tube size before brand. The compact Weber 7447 suits a small bowl and is the wrong default for a family direct cook. This page ties Weber’s briquette counts to the rows in the [chimney starter comparison](/hub/grill-accessories/chimney-starter). Lighting stays on [how to use a chimney starter](/hub/grill-accessories/chimney-starter/sub/chimney-starter-how-to-use). Peter F. checked these GBP figures on 19 October 2026. This is not a lab burn. A purchase through our links can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

On a 47 cm or 57 cm kettle, diameter decides fill and tube size before brand. The compact Weber 7447 suits a small bowl and is the wrong default for a family direct cook.

Our top picks

Weber Weber Rapidfire compact 7447

Best overall

Weber Weber Rapidfire compact 7447
6.7/10about £19.99
View offer
GFTIME GFTIME Rapidfire-style

Rank 2

GFTIME GFTIME Rapidfire-style
7.6/10about £15.99
View offer
SA Products SA Products SA1294

Best value

SA Products SA Products SA1294
6.3/10about £12.65
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.47 cm kettle loads and tube choice
  2. 2.57 cm direct heat and a full chimney
  3. 3.Half and a third for indirect cooks
  4. 4.When a compact chimney is enough

47 cm kettle loads and tube choice

Weber kettle manual 69101 gives briquette counts by size and style. For 47 cm direct heat the band is lower than for 57 cm. A brim-full chimney on the smaller bowl can overshoot and leave you chasing the dampers. The Weber Rapidfire compact 7447 (20.5 × 14.5 × 26.5 cm, 680 g) matches the Go-Anywhere and Smokey Joe use reviewers describe. SA Products SA1294 claims enough coal for 47 cm or larger, at about £12.65, if you accept galvanised steel and handle-heat reviews. Amazon Basics JC902 states up to 3.0 kg. Short cooks for two can stay compact. A grate filled for four wants a 30 cm-class tube and a listing that names 47 cm.

57 cm direct heat and a full chimney

For 57 cm direct heat, manual 69101 quotes 30 Weber briquettes or 40 ordinary briquettes. Weber UK’s briquette page also talks about 2 kg and about 20 minutes as marketing context, not a stopwatch. The count is the fire-bowl load. On a full-size tube it lines up with Weber’s high-heat band: a full starter for searing. A compact 7447 will not equal that 40-briquette pour. UK reviewers say you come up short or refuel. GFTIME (B072PT6W6P) is the kept listing that says enough briquettes for a 57 cm kettle, at 30 × 19 cm. LIVIVO Deluxe is the size class reviewers mention for a 57 cm Weber, with hot-handle complaints. The onlyfire units state about 2.8 kg and 3 kg of briquettes, on small samples. Weber’s 7416 on weber.com, about 2.5 kg at £23.99, is not an ASIN here. Who the badges fit is on the best chimney starter page.
Weber Weber Rapidfire compact 7447

Testsieger

Weber Weber Rapidfire compact 7447
6.7/10about £19.99
View offer

Half and a third for indirect cooks

Weber’s temperature article treats half a chimney as medium indirect heat and about a third as low. A Sunday roast on a 57 cm kettle often wants a snake or two zones, so you light a half chimney rather than a full ash-grey dump. Direct burgers usually want the full chimney on a large tube, then a spread. A half fill is the medium band, for less sear on purpose. Snake and minion starts use a half or a third, not a brim-full tube.

When a compact chimney is enough

The Weber 7447 at about £19.99 is 4.7 from 25,428 UK reviews, aluminised in the bullets, with no second handle stated. The same listing also prints alloy steel, a stainless finish, and an aluminium frame. Metal trade-offs are on the stainless or galvanised page. Reviewers praise one or two firelighters on portable kettles. It is the wrong single pour for a 57 cm family direct cook. Use compact for a Go-Anywhere, Smokey Joe, or a short session, or if you will refill. Use full-size for one pour on 57 cm, for two handles and a named shield, or when the listing states kilograms or 57 cm.

Common questions

Full chimney or half for burgers on a 57 cm kettle?
Direct high-heat burgers usually align with a full chimney on a large tube, then a spread as needed. A half fill is closer to Weber’s medium band. Use it if you deliberately want less sear, not as a substitute for a full-size tube.
Is the Weber compact 7447 enough for a family direct cook?
UK reviewers in this capture say no for a full 57 cm load. They say yes for small kettles and quick sessions. One pour from the 7447 is not the manual’s 30 or 40 briquette direct load.
Which kept listing states a 57 cm kettle load?
GFTIME names 57 cm explicitly, at 30 × 19 cm. Other rows imply size through dimensions or reviewer wording, including LIVIVO Deluxe and the larger galvanised tubes.
Do briquette counts change if I do not use Weber briquettes?
Yes. Manual 69101 separates Weber briquettes from ordinary briquettes: 30 versus 40 for 57 cm direct heat. Denser shop-brand pieces can differ in size. Fill by volume and adjust after one cook.
For a 47 cm kettle, compact or a full tube?
Compact works for small sessions. Choose a full-height tube if you want one pour to match the manual’s direct count without topping up. A brim-full chimney on a small bowl can overshoot.
How does this relate to an indirect snake?
Snake and minion methods use fewer lit coals at the start, often a half or a third of a chimney, not a full dump. Match the heat to the layout rather than filling to the rim every time.

Related pages

Charcoal chimney starter buying guide

Chimney starter

Best chimney starter UK: the top pick and best value

How to use a chimney starter safely on a UK kettle

Stainless or galvanised chimney starter: which metal

Sources

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.

  1. Weber UK: lighting your barbecue (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  2. Weber UK: briquettes (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  3. Weber UK: Rapidfire chimney starter 7416 (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  4. Weber UK: how to control charcoal barbecue temperature (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  5. Weber: how to use a chimney starter (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  6. GOV.UK: fire safety outdoors (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  7. GOV.UK: smoke control area rules (retrieved 19 October 2026)
  8. Weber kettle manual 69101 (retrieved 19 October 2026)