Light It Up

Jon Reid advises against using lighter fluid or even newspaper to light charcoal, as it may transfer harmful chemicals to your food.

Chimney

“Using a chimney is simple, easy and my favourite way to light charcoal. Load a chimney with charcoal and place it on your grill over your ignition source, either lighter cubes (see below) or scrunched up paper towel doused with olive oil. After about 15 minutes, your coals will be white hot and ready to use.”

Torch

“If you’re looking for a new gadget in your arsenal, a charcoal torch is a fast, safe and clean method. Hold the torch an inch away from the charcoal and light two to three hot spots, then use the built-in fan to propel the fire. Some torches can have your charcoal lit in as little as one minute!”