If you’ve spent any time cooking over charcoal, you’ve probably fallen into one of four camps.
You refuse to use a charcoal chimney starter.
You haven’t discovered how good they are yet.
You’re still using that $10 chimney starter you bought a decade ago.
Or you’re like me, you somehow manage to destroy chimney starters faster than most people go through bags of charcoal.
Hi, I’m Rob from CLD Fabrication, and this is the story behind why we decided to design and manufacture what we believe is one of Australia’s toughest heavy duty charcoal chimney starters.
Why We Decided to Build Our Own Charcoal Chimney
I’ve always cooked a lot.
Whether it was weekend barbecue sessions, testing new products, filming content or firing up the wok burner, my chimney starters took an absolute beating. I was lucky if one lasted ten cooks.
Eventually I became frustrated enough to look for something better.
There were a few heavy duty options available and I was sitting on the checkout page ready to buy one when I stopped and asked myself a simple question.
“If I’m already unhappy with this option, why am I spending my hard-earned money on it?”
That was the moment CLD Fabrication’s charcoal chimney project began.
Four weeks, countless hours in SolidWorks, multiple prototypes and a lot of testing later, our very first chimney starter was born.
It worked well.
But it wasn’t perfect.
So we improved it.
Then improved it again.
And again.
Today we’re up to Version 5, and we’re still finding ways to make it better.
Designed by Someone Who Actually Uses It
Anyone can build a heavy duty charcoal chimney.
Making one that’s enjoyable to use is a completely different challenge.
Every design decision came from real-world cooking experience.
Instead of simply making everything thicker and heavier, we focused on building something that was incredibly durable while still being practical to use every weekend.
That’s why every feature exists for a reason.
Built Tough Where It Matters
One of the biggest mistakes with many heavy duty chimney starters is making every panel excessively thick.
Sure, they’re strong.
They’re also unnecessarily heavy.
Our solution was smarter engineering.
The outer body uses 1.6 mm 304 stainless steel to keep the weight manageable, while additional folded reinforcements provide the strength needed to resist twisting and warping.
Where the real heat lives, the bottom charcoal grate, we’ve stepped up to 2 mm 304 stainless steel.
That’s where the punishment happens, so that’s where the strength belongs.
The grate is fully welded to every support point, giving six separate weld locations to keep everything secure during years of heavy use.
The result is a chimney that’s strong where it counts without becoming a burden every time you light the barbecue.
Premium Materials That Last
We wanted a chimney starter that required virtually no maintenance.
That’s why nearly every component is manufactured from 304 stainless steel.
Unlike mild steel chimneys that eventually rust through, stainless steel won’t rust under normal barbecue use.
Yes, it will develop the golden and blue colouring that stainless steel naturally gets from repeated heating, but that’s completely normal and part of the character. Note: It may become dull under heaver high temperature use.
It’s built to last for years, not seasons.
A Comfortable Handle Makes a Huge Difference
One feature we spent far too much time obsessing over was the handle.
Many chimney starters use a spring handle.
They work.
But after carrying several kilograms of fully lit charcoal, they quickly become uncomfortable.
Instead, we chose a Tasmanian Oak hardwood handle.
It stays comfortable during use, feels solid in your hand and, if it ever needs replacing years down the track, it’s simply a standard hardwood dowel that can be sourced easily from your local hardware store.
Sometimes the simplest solutions really are the best.
Safer to Carry
Once a chimney is loaded with burning charcoal, it’s surprisingly heavy.
That’s why our regular and large chimney starters include a secondary grab ring with a locking position.
It gives you far more control while pouring hot charcoal and makes moving a fully loaded chimney much safer and easier.
Combined with the oversized rear heat shield, your hands stay further away from the intense heat while tipping.
Even during an extended heating process we find the handle is still quite manageable bare hand as well as the grab ring, with that said we always recommend safety first and consider BBQ gloves or some sort of heat proof glove essential when handling hot coals.
More Than Just a Charcoal Starter
Our optional stainless steel top grill transforms the chimney into something completely different.
Once the charcoal is fully lit, simply place the grill on top and you’ve created a compact searing station.
Perfect for:
- Reverse searing steaks
- Cooking sausages
- Searing vegetables
- Toasting bread
- Quick lunches while your smoker comes up to temperature
It’s like carrying a portable barbecue wherever you cook.
Three Sizes for Every Type of BBQ
Our Mini Chimney is ideal for:
- Weber Go Anywhere barbecues
- Snake Method cooks
- Minion Method cooks
- Smaller charcoal barbecues
- Lighting around 1 kg of charcoal or briquettes
It’s compact, efficient and perfect when you don’t need a full chimney.
The Regular is our most popular model.
It’s the perfect all-rounder for:
- Weber Kettle barbecues
- Kamado cookers
- Drum smokers
- Offset smokers
- Everyday charcoal cooking
It also fits perfectly with the Heat Beads Chimney Restart system for even quicker lighting.
When bigger cooks call for more fuel, the Large Chimney delivers.
Holding over 6 kg of charcoal, it’s designed for:
- Large offset smokers
- Catering
- Competition barbecue teams
- Big family cook-ups
- Commercial charcoal cooking
If you regularly cook for crowds, this is the chimney you’ve been waiting for.
Handmade in Melbourne
People often ask why our chimney starters cost more than imported alternatives.
The answer is simple.
They’re not mass-produced in a factory overseas.
Every CLD Fabrication charcoal chimney starter is:
- Precision laser cut
- Hand folded
- Hand assembled
- Manually welded
- Individually finished
- Manufactured right here in Melbourne, Australia
It’s slower.
It’s harder.
But it’s how we maintain the quality we’re proud to put our name on.
Constantly Improving
One thing we’ve learned over the years is that customers always have great ideas.
Many of the improvements in Version 5 came directly from conversations with people who use our products every weekend.
We’re passionate about barbecue and we’re passionate about making products better.
Will Version 5 be the final design?
We’d like to think so.
Although, to be fair, we also said that three versions ago.
Looking for the Best Heavy Duty Charcoal Chimney Starter?
Whether you’re cooking on a Weber Kettle, Kamado, offset smoker, drum smoker or portable charcoal barbecue, investing in a quality chimney starter makes lighting charcoal faster, safer and more reliable.
If you’re tired of replacing cheap chimney starters every season, our Australian-made heavy duty stainless steel chimney was designed to solve exactly that problem.
Built tough.
Engineered properly.
Designed by someone who genuinely loves cooking over charcoal.
Because great barbecue starts long before the food hits the grill.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a charcoal chimney starter?
A charcoal chimney starter is a metal cylinder that uses airflow to quickly light charcoal or briquettes without the need for lighter fluid. It’s one of the fastest, cleanest and most reliable ways to start a charcoal barbecue.
Is a stainless steel chimney starter better?
Yes. A 304 stainless steel charcoal chimney offers significantly better resistance to rust and corrosion than mild steel models. It also stands up better to repeated high-heat cooking.
Which size chimney starter should I buy?
For smaller BBQs and Snake Method cooks, the Mini is ideal. Most backyard barbecue enthusiasts will find the Regular perfect for everyday use. If you regularly cook for large groups or use an offset smoker, the Large chimney provides the capacity you’ll need and easily accommodates smaller amounts.
Can I use lump charcoal and briquettes?
Absolutely. All CLD Fabrication chimney starters are designed to work with lump charcoal, charcoal briquettes and hardwood charcoal.
