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Lighting a Big Green Egg well means getting an even, chemical-free flame started at the bottom of a deep lump-charcoal bed, which is why the most popular options here skip lighter fluid entirely in favor of electric heat, butane torches, propane torches, or all-natural starter cubes. These ten are real, currently sold lighters and starters, from Big Green Egg’s own branded EGGniters to general-purpose torches and starter cubes that work on any charcoal grill.
| # | Product | Price | Where to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Green Egg Electric EGGniter | $40-$60 | Amazon · eBay |
| 2 | Big Green Egg Butane EGGniter | $40-$60 | Amazon · eBay |
| 3 | Looftlighter Electric Fire Starter | $40-$80 | Amazon · eBay |
| 4 | RocketFire Torch | $40-$70 | Amazon · eBay |
| 5 | JJGeorge Grill Torch Charcoal Starter | $30-$50 | Amazon · eBay |
| 6 | Bernzomatic TS8000 Trigger Start Torch | $40-$82 | Amazon · eBay |
| 7 | Zippo Flex Neck Utility Lighter | $17-$31 | Amazon · eBay |
| 8 | BIC Multi-Purpose Classic Edition Lighter | $3-$15 depending on pack size | Amazon · eBay |
| 9 | Big Green Egg SpeediLight All Natural Charcoal Starters (24 cubes) | $10-$12 | Amazon · eBay |
| 10 | Weber Lighter Cubes | ~$3.59/pack of 20 | Amazon · eBay |
The picks, in detail
Big Green Egg Electric EGGniter
Big Green Egg’s own 1,500-watt electric starter, using super-heated air to light lump charcoal in minutes without matches or fluid — the brand’s own recommended tool for its grills.
- 1,500-watt electric heating element
- Robust aluminum heat shield
- Three-setting power system (Off/Fan/Hot)
- Made by Big Green Egg specifically for its own charcoal
- No chemical taste risk since there’s no lighter fluid involved
- Needs a nearby outlet, unlike the torch or cube options
Big Green Egg Butane EGGniter
A refillable butane torch with a built-in air blower, combining a torch flame with airflow to light and boost the fire without the taste of lighter fluid.
- Refillable butane fuel
- Built-in air-blower boost
- Adjustable torch flame
- Cordless — no outlet needed like the electric EGGniter requires
- Refillable, not disposable
- Needs butane refills, an ongoing (if small) cost
Looftlighter Electric Fire Starter
A hot-air electric starter that lights charcoal within seconds rather than the several minutes typical electric starters take, a favorite recommendation on Big Green Egg owner forums.
- Hot-air electric ignition
- Lights charcoal in seconds, not minutes
- No open flame
- Noticeably faster than standard electric charcoal starters
- Frequently the top forum recommendation among Big Green Egg owners
- Priced above the BGE-branded EGGniters
RocketFire Torch
A propane/MAP-Pro torch attachment that connects to a standard cylinder, UL 147-certified for safety, aimed directly at the charcoal for a fast, even light.
- Connects to propane or MAP-Pro cylinders
- UL 147 safety certification
- Direct-aim torch design
- UL 147 certification is a genuine independent safety standard, not just marketing
- Works with fuel you likely already own for other torches
- Requires a separate propane or MAP-Pro cylinder, sold separately
JJGeorge Grill Torch Charcoal Starter
A cord-free torch starter built to avoid the charcoal sparking that some air-blowing starters cause, for a faster light without flying embers.
- Cord-free torch design
- Reduced charcoal sparking versus air-blower starters
- Fast ignition
- Avoids the spark issue some blower-style starters have
- No cord or outlet needed
- Requires its own fuel cylinder, sold separately
Bernzomatic TS8000 Trigger Start Torch
A high-output, trigger-start hand torch designed for soldering and brazing that doubles as a serious charcoal starter, fitting standard propane tanks.
- High-intensity trigger-start ignition
- Fits standard propane tanks
- Heavy-duty torch head
- General-purpose tool that’s useful well beyond grill lighting
- Trigger start is faster and safer than a manual-ignite torch
- Overkill if you only ever use it for lighting charcoal
Zippo Flex Neck Utility Lighter
A long, flexible-neck butane lighter designed to reach deep into a firebox without putting your hand near the flame — a simple, cheap option for lighting starter cubes.
- Flexible long neck
- Butane refillable
- Narrow head reaches tight spots
- Reaches deep into an Egg’s firebox safely
- Much cheaper than any of the torch or electric options
- Best paired with starter cubes rather than lighting bare lump charcoal directly
BIC Multi-Purpose Classic Edition Lighter
A basic long-metal-wand utility lighter, child-resistant and inexpensive, sold in multi-packs for grills, fireplaces and candles alike.
- Long durable metal wand
- Child-resistant safety feature
- Sold in multi-packs
- Lowest cost of entry on this list, especially by the pack
- Widely available at any grocery or hardware store
- Basic flame, best used with starter cubes rather than lighting charcoal directly
Big Green Egg SpeediLight All Natural Charcoal Starters (24 cubes)
Big Green Egg’s own odorless, all-natural starter cubes, made to be lit with any of the lighters above and left to catch the lump charcoal without any chemical taste risk.
- All-natural sawdust-and-paraffin cubes
- Odorless burning
- 24 cubes per box
- Pairs with a cheap lighter (Zippo, BIC) to skip the torch/electric cost entirely
- No lighter-fluid taste risk
- Needs a separate flame source — not a standalone lighter itself
Weber Lighter Cubes
A budget starter-cube alternative from Weber, sold in packs of 20, functionally similar to the BGE SpeediLight cubes for a lower price.
- All-natural starter cubes
- Pack of 20
- No lighter fluid taste
- Cheapest starter-cube option on this list
- Works with any grill, not just a Big Green Egg
- Still needs a separate flame source to light
Buying tips
- Skip lighter fluid entirely on a Big Green Egg — the ceramic retains flavors, and an electric starter, torch, or all-natural cube avoids any risk of a chemical aftertaste in your food.
- Torch-style starters (RocketFire, Bernzomatic, JJGeorge) need a propane or MAP-Pro cylinder bought separately — factor that into the real cost before comparing prices to the all-in-one EGGniters.
- A cheap long-neck lighter (Zippo, BIC) paired with starter cubes (SpeediLight, Weber) is the lowest-total-cost combination on this list if you don’t want to buy a torch or electric starter at all.
- Big Green Egg’s own EGGniters are purpose-built for the brand’s deep firebox and ceramic construction, which is why they’re the company’s own recommended starting point even though third-party options work fine too.
As an Amazon Associate and eBay Partner, toptenpick.com earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are subject to change.