My man points recently took a hit when I was unable to start a charcoal barbecue. What is the recommended method of getting these damn lumps to burn?
Charcoal lighter fluid. They sell it right next to charcoal. Use liberally. I had to find this lesson out myself when nothing, not even kerosene from a lantern failed to ignite it.
A metal chimney, designed for that purpose. No lighter fluid necessary. They cost about
$9, and you never need lighter fluid again. Faster, too.
I second the recommendation for chimney starters. Works perfectly every time, and the grill won’t smell like lighter fluid.
I used to use lighter fluid and was skeptical of using a chimney starter. However, once I used one properly, I have never looked back at using lighter fluid. It just requires following the directions and having a little patience. To me, when first lit, it doesn’t seem like much is happening in the chimney starter, but once it gets going…
With the chimney, use crumpled newspaper sheets (one at a time, two or three sheets) to get a flame on the charcoal. An advantage of the chimney over other methods is it not only facilitates lighting, it also speeds up the burning for a shorter warm-up time.
Alternatively, build a little fire of twigs and start piling charcoal around and atop it.
Lighter fluid works well, and is rather easy, but adds an extra dimension of mess to the process.
Kerosene probably doesn’t make a good fire extinguisher. 
Thanks for the tips, guys! I can’t order the chimney from that link due to my location, but hopefully I can find something similar in a store in the area.
chimneys are great, but only at home where you have yours. If you are asked for help starting a barbeque at a friend’s, here is how to assert your virility:
Scatter coal flat on the bottom of the barbeque (don’t pile it). Roll 2 or 3 sheets of paper towels. Dunk them in cooking oil, leaving at least a couple inches of dry paper. Place this wet wick over the coals. Light it. Start piling the bigger chunks in a little temple of fire over the burning towel. Go have a beer.
I never use more than one match. Ever. The paper will work as a wick. The oil will keep a flame for a very long time. Enough to get the charcoal going. And you are not addind some crazy petroleum poisons to your food. And there is cooking oil and paper towels in every house.
Grill away, my friends. 'tis the season to be jolly
I liked my chimney, though it walked off years ago when I lived in a small apartment building and I never replaced it.
My dad drank lots of coffee. There were always three-pound MJB coffee cans around, which he saved for putting things in. When I was very little I remember he made a chimney charcoal starter out of one. He cut the bottom off and pierced the bottom circumference with a church key. He made a bale from a clothes hanger that he attached to the top of the can through a couple of holes. It worked very well.
My never-fail all-weather method: roll up a few bits of newspaper and tie them into knots. Put them in the grill and pour kerosene/other flammable liquid on them. Pile the charcoal on top of them and pour more kerosene over the top. Drop in a match. Woof.
Now THAT’S, sexy, lads!
Lighter fluid is for boy scouts, and commercial chimneys are for stuffed shirt yuppie boys who buy the solutions other manly men have devised. MacGuyvering your own chimney out of household parts and the knowledge of your own head tells me you’re a resourceful chap who will always know what to do in any situation, and I’m ready to have crotch-spawn with you.
Sapo, you’re damn sexy, too. But unfortuately, the product of your manly labors is burned with the fire, so there’s no evidence left for me to sigh over.
I’m all a-quiver! 
Seriously, the other tip used by many a wet and weary camper is air. The pump for your air mattress makes a wonderful non-chemical accelerant, and helps you burn even wood wet from the pile that someone forgot to put the tarp over last night even though you reminded him before you went to bed that while it’s not supposed to rain, the dew falls heavy around here and the wood’ll be wet in the morning when you’re trying to cook breakfast for HIS children, thankyouverymuch.
Ahem. Yeah. The sound of the wilderness on damp mornings is the WHEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! of air mattress pumps ringing out across the campground by grumpy campers who need their caffeine fix. I’m sure it would help a charcoal fire as well.
That’s surprising, because I’ve had pretty good results with kerosene. Charcoal lighter fluid in my experience burns off too quickly, before the coals really get hot enough. Kerosene doesn’t “flash” like lighter fluid, but burns a good long time, long enough for get the coals good and hot.
Chimney is good, but the “pretzel” method is better if you can get some sticks:
- Take a sheet of newspaper. Roll it from the corner into a tube. Tie the tube into an overhand knot. Get 2-3 of these.
- Put these on the grill. Get sticks and put them on top. Different sizes are good.
- Place the coals on the sticks.
- Light the newspaper pretzels at the ends.
I’ve been using this technique for years and it has never failed.
I vote for lighter fluid. I use a lot.
The whole point is for it to be dangerous, right? 
I happened to have had an empty 3lb coffee can lying about, so I’ve just made one. Too bad I only have Match Light charcoals right now, else I’d try it out.
I prefer an electric charcoal starter. Plug it in ( I use an extension cord), wait five/ten minutes, unplug, and the coals should be glowing. About a half-hour later they’re ready to cook on. I use an electric starter year-round in northern Wisconsin. No nasty fluid after taste, and it is fast, easy and clean. I really hate lighter fluid; it seems I can always taste an after taste no matter how long I let it burn off. This way I can cook even if the coals aren’t all totally grey.
If you have a Home Depot, Menards, or Lowe’s near you, they should stock chimney starters. Buy the biggest one you could find. The Weber one is particularly nice. Ever since I discovered chimney starters a couple of years ago, I’ve never used lighter fluid since. They’re pretty awesome…although I’d like to try RealityChuck’s method, too.
I always lay a paper towel at the bottom of the grill, charcoal on top, and then soak it with lighter fluid. The towel will catch the fluid that falls between the charcoal, and also helps start the fire using just one match