I hate handling matches, so an electric charcoal starter is my preferred way of lighting a charcoal grill. It's so easy for me to just plunk the wand in the middle of the charcoal and wait a few minutes. Then use those coals to ignite the rest of the charcoal in the grill. But you do have to have an electrical outlet on your deck or patio. Of course you can always use a long, heavy-duty power cord (the ones Leo uses for power tools, work fine for me.)

Just remember to take out the wand and take the whole electric charcoal starter away from the grill. I've had parts slightly meltdown when I forgot to. And remeber the wand is hot. So don't burn yourself with it or let children near it. But that can be said for the whole grilling thing anyways.

The Char-Broil 2984810 Electric Charcoal Starter Wand is a fast and safe way to get your charcoal fire started and going within minutes. The electrical wand ignites charcoal with no lighter fluid or matches. Sturdy and heat resistant handle. It uses a 120-volt, 500 watt heating element.

How to use it. Place the heating element on the grate. Let the plastic handle resting on the BBQ's edge. Cover the heating element with charcoal. Plug it in and wait about 12 minutes and then remove it. By that time any pieces of charcoal that had been touching the element will have started burning. Mound up the rest of the charcoal around these. In a few more minutes all the charcoal will be glowing nicely.

Don't forget to take the heating element out. You could ruin it, if you don't because some of the parts could melt.

The Charcoal Companion Electric Charcoal Starter will get your charcoal briquettes glowing in about 10 minutes. Just slide the element into a stack of charcoal and wait about 10 minutes. Don't forget to take it out. For more mobility, you might want to use a heavy-duty extension cord.

Probably the fastest of all the electric charcoal starters, the Big Green Egg Electric Starter can get your charcoal lit in about 8 minutes. There's also a whole range of sizes of the Big Green Egg available from mini to extra-large. It will work year-round in every climate. So those of you who like to tailgate at late-season football games or who like to grill on skiing parties, take heart.

Grillfinity 530103 Electric Charcoal Starter will start your charcoal fire evenly and efficiently without the use of matches or vile-smelling starter fluid. So your guests won't be wondering when you'll get your charcoal lit. Nor will they be tasting the lighter fluid in their meal. this electric charcoal starter has a 6-foot long cord, so there's a good deal of mobility, as you insert it to your charcoal briquettes.