Hot Devil Weed Killer - AKA butane gas charcoal/wood starter

  • Thanks Emberpak and Narm for alerting me to this. Something to add to my Christmas list.

    I copied from the Gasmate Butane BBQ lighter thread so people can find it easier.

    "Emberpak
    I prefer the Hot Devil from Mitre 10. Nice long wand so don't need to be sticking the butane cannister into your bbq. Bought it for about $50 a few years ago, so not sure how much they are now."

    +1 for the hot devil. I use mine to light my wood fired pizza oven. Works a treat!
    Cheers,
    Narm Naleg
    Maximus Wood Fired Oven | GMG Daniel Boone | Big Steel Keg | Weber Genesis E320 | Weber Kettle | Weber Go Anywhere |

    The Hot Devil can be as expensive at $71.50 but is on sale now at Autobarn for $37.49 which is nearly 50% cheaper.

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    I thought the Gasmate Butane Fire Lighter got hot but this baby can go up to a smoking 1,300C. Can't wait to fire one up and try it out. I'm thinking that with the long neck it will be good at starting up the heat beads in my chimney, plus easier to start up the Kamado, especially with the charcoal that likes to spark.

    I guess in between cooking I can kill a few weeds.

    Edited 3 times, last by 12x7 (November 4, 2016 at 11:07 PM).

  • The only issue I had with my Hot Devil was the auto ignition switch broke but it can still be lit manually.

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • tbh my preferred way of starting coal for the kamado or something similar is still the chimney starter.. simply because i can light the thing, walk away to do other stuff and can come back later to a fully lit chimney

  • tbh my preferred way of starting coal for the kamado or something similar is still the chimney starter.. simply because i can light the thing, walk away to do other stuff and can come back later to a fully lit chimney

    I have been using the Devil to start up the heat beads in the chimney and then putting them in the kettle when they are ready.

    I'm a bit curious how you are using the chimney to start the charcoal in the kamado as most people start the charcoal in the kamado and use lighters like the looftlighter/devil to start area/s of charcoal to control the burn for low & slow or searing and use the dampers to control the temp/airflow. Just wondering if the way you are doing it is easier to start the kamado.

  • tbh my preferred way of starting coal for the kamado or something similar is still the chimney starter.. simply because i can light the thing, walk away to do other stuff and can come back later to a fully lit chimney

    I light mine in the kamado with a looft so the temperature builds up slowly. I don't like the thought of a full can of lit charcoal going in to a cold ceramic kamado. The other reason is that the kamado has charcoal in it from the previous burn so it's just easier to push it in to new pile and light it up. You can still walk away and do the food prep while it gets going.

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • I light mine in the kamado with a looft so the temperature builds up slowly. I don't like the thought of a full can of lit charcoal going in to a cold ceramic kamado. The other reason is that the kamado has charcoal in it from the previous burn so it's just easier to push it in to new pile and light it up. You can still walk away and do the food prep while it gets going.

    Gumb - does this mean u leave the looft lighter operating in the kamado, walk away then come back? or light the coals with the looft lighter enough so its partially lit.. then let the thing come up real slowly.. ?


    I have been using the Devil to start up the heat beads in the chimney and then putting them in the kettle when they are ready.
    I'm a bit curious how you are using the chimney to start the charcoal in the kamado as most people start the charcoal in the kamado and use lighters like the looftlighter/devil to start area/s of charcoal to control the burn for low & slow or searing and use the dampers to control the temp/airflow. Just wondering if the way you are doing it is easier to start the kamado.


    tbh - my way could be seen as the "wrong way" to start the kamado ....

    the way i do it is load up the chimney with lump coal (i use large emberpak so in reality your talking about 3-4 pieces)... either do this in the kamado or outside ... if your doing this in the kamado you had better keep a close eye on this otherwise you will be mucking around with the thing to bring temps down if it get way too hot from all the lit coal..

    otherwise outside of the kamado.. i just chuck the lit coals into the kamado give it 5 mins before closing the lid .. personally i dont have a problem doing this way .. i dont feel there is enough heat generated with enough contact to cause rapid change in temperature for the pit to crack... if it will crack.. it will crack

    after the coals are lit, i use the dampers to control air flow to let the bbq settle to cooking temp im looking for ..

  • light the coals with the looft lighter enough so its partially lit.. then let the thing come up real slowly.. ?

    Yep, that's it in a nutshell. Depending on the fire I want I light different amounts so if I want a hotter fire I'll get a lot more going then if I want a low fire.
    I then adjust the vents depending on how much time I need to get the food ready. If I leave them open, it gets up to speed faster than if i shut them, down by half for example.

    I'm not saying your method is wrong and as long as it's not a heat shock to the ceramic it's fine. But the one big advantage I found when i got my kamado, as opposed to the using Weber kettle, was the ability to cook with the same load of charcoal several times by lighting it inside the pit, without having to use the chimney each time.

    Big Green Egg - Asmoke Pellet Grill - Weber Kettle - Maximus Pizza Oven - Dragon Hibachi - Ziggy Portable - baby kamado - Grillz 2 burner - Cobb BBQ - Converted Gas Bottle Spit - Charbroil Grill2go - Anova sous vide - Digi Q controller - plus Tip Top Temp - Smokeware cap - Grill Grates

  • Gumb I use the same method for the Dragon, use the same charcoal just move it around to get the ash out of the box.
    Put some fresh charcoal on the top (if needed) and lite up again. Normally have vents fully open until the temp reaches 85 then shut to about a third and at 95 shut to the vent opening i want to get the temp roughly. which is for 105-110, 1mm open at the bottom vent and position 1 on the top vent keep an eye on it and stabilize as it goes.
    I also normally put any smoking medium in at about 85 with the deflector and the meat with or without the drip pan/water bath then as well.
    I use the water bath drip pan for collecting the liquids and turn this into a Gravy/sauce/jus

    Gasser Webber Q, Kamado Joe clasic, Dragon & Acorn, Webber Kettle, Fire Pit, Beer Keg smoker/cooker.

  • tbh - my way could be seen as the "wrong way" to start the kamado ....

    the way i do it is load up the chimney with lump coal (i use large emberpak so in reality your talking about 3-4 pieces)... either do this in the kamado or outside ... if your doing this in the kamado you had better keep a close eye on this otherwise you will be mucking around with the thing to bring temps down if it get way too hot from all the lit coal..

    otherwise outside of the kamado.. i just chuck the lit coals into the kamado give it 5 mins before closing the lid .. personally i dont have a problem doing this way .. i dont feel there is enough heat generated with enough contact to cause rapid change in temperature for the pit to crack... if it will crack.. it will crack

    after the coals are lit, i use the dampers to control air flow to let the bbq settle to cooking temp im looking for ..

    Thanks for clarifying.

    I was thinking about different ways to start-up the Akorn for a fast sear steak. eg like yourself I found the Emberpak charcoal good to start. Since the Akorn is metal I can bring up the temp fast. The problem with this is that you have to watch it as the Kamado temp can quickly get up to 700F limit on the Akorn. You have got me wondering for the days I may get side tracked is it better to start a chimney of charcoal and then once lit to put it into the Akorn using Weber charcoal baskets. Using one Weber charcoal basket allows one side of the grill direct cook and the other for indirect.

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