If you’re still waiting for all your charcoal to turn completely gray before dumping it, you’re not just wasting fuel—you’re losing valuable cooking time.
This one mistake is more common than you think. And if you’ve ever fired up your chimney starter, let it burn for 30 minutes, and then dumped the fully ashed-over coals—you’re not alone.
But here’s the problem: by the time your charcoal looks “ready,” you’ve already burned off a good chunk of usable heat.
🔥 The Truth About Chimney Starters
Chimney starters are a great tool, but you don’t need to wait for all the charcoal to be 100% ashed over. In fact, doing so leads to wasted fuel and inconsistent grill temps.
Here’s what to look for instead:
1. Flames rising from the top of the chimney
2. Ash starting to form on the edges—but not completely gray
3. A warm orange glow visible from above or through the side vents
If you’ve got these three signs, you’re good to go.
Here’s a chimney starter we recommend. if you’re looking to upgrade or finally grab one for your grilling setup.
⏱️ Why This Mistake Matters
Grilling is all about controlling your heat zones—and if you start your cook after 15 minutes of burnoff time, you’ve already lost a bunch of that fire’s usable heat.
That means longer cook times, cooler grill grates, and food that never quite hits the mark.
🎥Watch the Video
“STOP Waiting! You’re Wasting Charcoal”
👉 Click Here to Watch
In this video, I break it all down with visuals—showing the difference between when to dump vs. when to wait.
If you’ve ever been confused about timing your fire or you’ve dealt with uneven heat, this one will clear it all up.
✅Free Guide: The 5 Most Common Grilling Mistakes
Want to avoid other common mistakes like this one?
Grab my free guide: “5 Common Grilling Mistakes and How to Fix Them.”
You’ll get simple, actionable fixes that’ll immediately improve your grilling game.
