A solid-fuel cooker, such as a barbecue, oven, or smoker for outdoor use, comprising a body enclosing a fuel chamber configured to act as a firebox for combustion of solid fuel, such as wood, charcoal or briquettes. The fuel is supported within the chamber on a fuel support and a cooking zone is spaced above the fuel chamber for receiving food items to be cooked. The body comprises an outer shell forming an exterior housing of the cooker, and an inner shell encompassing the fuel chamber, wherein the inner shell is housed within the outer shell and is spaced from the outer shell to thermally isolate or insulate the fuel chamber from the exterior housing of the cooker.

A firelighter cage (10) comprising a first side member (12) including a first wall portion (18) formed from a rigid mesh defining a first cavity (22) and a second side member (14) including a second wall portion (19) formed from a rigid mesh defining a second cavity (23). Connectors (24) are provided on a first edge portion (20) of the first side members (12). When the first and second edge portions (20, 21) are aligned and engaged against each other, relative rotation of the first and second side members (12, 14) causes the connectors (24) to engage with a second edge portion (21) of the second side member (14) such that the first and second wall portions (18, 19) define a chamber (16) for receiving firelighters (11).

A chimney starter (1) including a hollow element (2), for receiving a solid fuel product to be ignited, an upper-end (3), a lower-end (4) and a grate (5), the grate (5) is placed across the hollow element (2) in the lower-end (4) of the chimney starter (1), wherein the lower-end (4) of chimney starter (1) rests on a chimney starter base (6) and the chimney starter base (6) comprising a gas burner (7) and one or more means (9) for increasing the air flow through the hollow element (2).

Disclosed is a resistive charcoal igniter device for containing and igniting charcoal, lump charcoal, or charcoal briquets. The device has a cylindrical container with a wire base or grates in the bottom for containing the charcoal. An electrically operated heating element is located within the wire base. When charcoal is placed in the container, and the heating element is energized, the charcoal, lump charcoal, or charcoal briquets can be ignited after a sufficient time. The device also includes a handle affixed to the container and a heatshield placed between the handle and the container to protect a user's hand from heat generated within the container while holding the handle. The resistive heater is powered externally and may be electrically connected to a power source by an extension cord integrated into the device.

A device utilizes charcoal for cooking food, and is adapted for lighting the charcoal by placement on a conventional gas grill. The device includes a food-receiving plate/grill, a charcoal platform, and an ash platform/tray. The device is adapted so that, with the ash tray removed and the device resting on the gas grill, heat from the gas flames ignites the charcoal resting on the charcoal platform. Upon the ignition of the charcoal, the gas grill may be turned off, the ash tray may be inserted into the device underneath the charcoal platform to catch the charcoal ash, and the device may remain on the gas grill or be moved to another table/surface as the charcoal-only cooking proceeds. The charcoal platform may be stationary in one location, or movable to multiple locations, between the bottom extremity of the device and the food-receiving grill member(s) at the top of the device.

Various charcoal cartridges are provided herein, including a charcoal cartridge having a unitary charcoal slab and a combustible igniter layer extending across the unitary charcoal slab. In some instances, the charcoal cartridge may have a plurality of holes extending through the unitary charcoal slab and/or a flavor layer that includes wood chips.

A system includes a cooking chamber defining a space for food to be cooked, a firepot inside the cooking chamber that is configured to utilize pelletized fuel to provide heat or smoke within the cooking chamber for cooking the food, and a fuel hopper defining a storage space for the pelletized fuel before delivery to the firepot. A battery powered auger interposes the fuel hopper and the firepot and is configured to selectively convey the pelletized fuel from the fuel hopper to the firepot for combustion. A rechargeable battery selectively provides power to the auger.

A charcoal grill apparatus comprising: a cart; an upper surface located on the cart; an ash can opening located on the upper surface; a burner located on the upper surface; a grill kettle, the grill kettle comprising a kettle lid that sits on a lower base section, the lower base section configured to sit on the ash can opening and to sit on the burner; an ash can removably attachable at the underside of the upper surface and aligned with the ash can opening; and an electric blower configured to circulate air from the burner to fuel in the lower base section when the lower base section is sitting on the burner. A method of grilling food, the method comprises: placing charcoal on lower grate in grill kettle; moving lower base section to burner on cart; lighting burner and turning on blower to quickly ignite and prepare charcoal for cooking; moving lower base section to ash can opening on cart, after about 7 minutes; turning off burner and blower; grilling food; emptying coals from lower base section into ash can after allowing to cool; and removing ash can from cart and disposing of coals. A method of grilling food, the method comprises: removing ash can from cart; attaching lower base section to top of ash can; lighting charcoal in lower base section by using the ash can and combustible material to light the charcoal; and grilling food.

A barbecue smoker device for cooking food includes a container, a heat source disposed in the container, and a fuel chute coupled to the container. The fuel chute includes a door panel, a hinge mechanism, and a back panel coupled to the door panel. The fuel chute is rotatable between an open position and a closed position. In the open position the fuel chute receives a supply of fuel, and in the closed position the fuel chute directs the supply of fuel to a fuel basket.

A method for managing temperature within a charcoal grill system includes: receiving a target grill temperature for a cooking chamber within the charcoal grill system; in response to receiving an ignition trigger, entering an ignition mode; during the ignition mode, activating an igniter within the charcoal grill system to ignite a charcoal cartridge arranged in a cartridge chamber within the charcoal grill system and activating a stoke fan coupled to the cartridge chamber to accelerate combustion of the charcoal cartridge; monitoring a temperature inside the charcoal grill system; in response to the temperature inside the charcoal grill system exceeding an ignition temperature, entering a temperature management mode; and during the temperature management mode, selectively activating the stoke fan and the cooling fan to maintain the cooking chamber at approximately the target grill temperature.