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I’ve been using the FireStarters lighter cubes from Weber for years. They’re fantastic for getting a chimney or Vortex full of charcoal going in no time. At less than $0.15 a piece they’re an inexpensive way to get a fire going. But, I decided to see if I could make homemade fire starter cubes. What I ended up with light very, very well and burn for a good amount of time. The final cost was less than $0.10 for each cube, not exactly a huge savings, but that was only part of my reason for the pursuit.

Quick-Lighting, Long-Lasting

You need just 4 things to make homemade fire starter cubes. It really doesn’t get much easier. And really doesn’t take long to make a whole bunch of cubes. They store forever. And they light easily. They’re the perfect thing to get your next charcoal or wood fire going fast without expensive propane torches or fire starter logs!

The cubes don’t have to be perfect. Just fill the cartons with wood, add the wax, and let cool. They burn for about 7 minutes, more than enough to light charcoal.

Ouch

Keep in mind that you are dealing with hot, melted wax. So be careful pouring it. I can speak from experience that though it’s not excruciatingly hot, it’s not pleasant either. If you want, wear plastic gloves to help make cleanup (mostly of your hands) easier. If you do happen to spill any way just let it cool completely then scrape it up with a butter knife. You can re-melt and used wax the next time you make fire starter cubes.

My most common use for starter cubes is getting my Vortex BBQ going. The cubes make the process easier and faster!

Weber® Charcoal Lighter Cubes, 96 Count

Designed to catch fire even if wet
Made of odorless and non-toxic wax

These are also great for starting a chimney full of charcoal.

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5 from 1 vote

Homemade Fire Starter Cubes

Author Mike

Equipment

Small Crock Pot or double boiler

Ingredients

Wood chips I found a big bag of alder wood chips on the clearance rack for $1. You can also substitute hamster cage liner from what I’ve heard
1 pound household paraffin wax
4 cardboard egg cartons do NOT use Styrofoam cartons

Instructions

Place the wax in the crock pot or double boiler over slowly boiling water until melted.
Separate the bottom of the egg cartons and discard the tops.
Fill each egg cavity with the wood chips. I started by only filling them 1/4th of the way through but later found that you can fill them completely.
Add the wax until the cavity is full.
Let cool overnight before cutting into individual cubes.
To light, place under a chimney full of charcoal, open-side up (so that the melting wax doesn’t drip down) and light with a match or lighter.