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Fire Starters & Blowers
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
Daphne Ellsworth
I spent way too many weekends fighting with charcoal before I figured out the right setup. These are the tools that finally made campfire cooking fun instead of frustrating.
Sections
5
 
New Section
 
Crank Fans & Pokers
 
Chimney Starters & Trays 🪵
 
Grates, Tongs & Awls
 
My Go-To Campfire Kit

New Section

Getting charcoal going used to take me forever. These fans and blowers cut my startup time in half and I stop smelling like lighter fluid.

 
Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
hand crank feels old school but it WORKS. coals ready in minutes
Manual Barbecue Blower Hand Crank Air Fan for Charcoal
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
electric version is worth every penny if you hate waiting around 🔥
Electric BBQ Smoker Blower Fast Fire Starter for Charcoal
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
similar to the crank one but lighter. I toss this in my pack for car camping trips
BBQ Fan Air Blower Fast Fire Starter Portable Manual Hand
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
this little awl breaks up stubborn charcoal clumps so air flows through better
Amazon
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
tiny tabletop grill for like four bucks. perfect for solo camp meals
Charcoal Barbecue Grill, Household BBQ Grill,Adjustable
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
cheapest blower I've found and honestly it does the job fine
BBQ Air Blower Portable Handheld Electric BBQ Fan Outdoor
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Crank Fans & Pokers

I keep backups of these because losing a fan mid-cookout is the worst. Also finally got proper tongs and it changed everything.

 
Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
solid build on this one. the crank is smooth and doesn't jam up
Portable Hand Crank BBQ Air Blower, Manual Charcoal Starter
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
lightweight plastic fan. not fancy but reliable for quick trips
BBQ Fire Accelerating Fan Outdoor BBQ Plastic Hand Fan
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
these tongs grip charcoal without crumbling it. finally
Amazon.com
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
got a second pair because my buddy kept borrowing mine lol
Charcoal Grill Poker Fire Tongs Barbecue Charcoal Tong
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
another crank blower. I keep one in my truck and one in the garage
Hand Crank Charcoal Grill Blower Manual Air Bellows Fan for
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Chimney Starters & Trays 🪵

Chimney starters were a revelation for me. No more lighter fluid taste on my burgers.

 
Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
cheapest fan on the list. works for small fires, nothing crazy
Manual BBQ Air Blower, Handheld Charcoal Fire Starter Fan
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
chimney starter with a wood handle so you don't burn yourself. smart design
Outdoor Cooking Charcoal Can Chimney Starter with Wooden
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
the iron tray holds coals perfectly. I use it for hot pot nights at camp too
Charcoal Fire Starter Portable Container Iron Easy to Use
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
crank bellows with a nice long nozzle. keeps your face away from the heat
2026 NEW BBQ Hand Crank Blower Manual Charcoal Fire Fan
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
ok this is a tiny miniature camping set for model cars and it's adorable. had to include it
Alibaba Cloud SSO Portal
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
same iron tray as above but slightly different size. grabbed both to compare
Charcoal Fire Starter Portable Container Iron Easy to Use
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Grates, Tongs & Awls

Good tongs and a solid grate make or break your setup. I went through so many flimsy ones before landing on these.

 
Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
foldable grill grate that actually stays flat. fits right over a campfire ring
Portable Campfire Grate Stainless Steel Firewood Rack
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
stainless tongs with a good grip. I've dropped zero coals since switching to these 💪
1PC Charcoal Grill Poker Fire Tongs Barbecue Charcoal Tong
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
another fire awl. I keep one at every fire pit I use
1Pcs Outdoor Stainless Steel Fire Awl Heavy Duty Barbecue
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
manual crank fan, sturdy build. works great even when it's windy out
BBQ Fan Air Blower Fast Fire Starter Portable Manual Hand
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
concave tips on these tongs grab weird shaped wood chunks easily
BBQ Charcoal Tongs Concave and Convex Chuck Heavy Duty
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
these plier-style tongs feel more natural to me than regular ones. personal preference thing
Grilling Tongs Charcoal Tong Pliers For Carbon Fire
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My Go-To Campfire Kit

If I could only bring one bag of gear to a campsite this would be everything in it.

 
Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
reliable crank blower. this one lives in my camping bin permanently
Manual BBQ Blower Hand Crank Barbecue Fan Fire Starter Air
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
charcoal brazier with a wood handle. looks cool and starts fires fast 🔥
Charcoal Brazier Portable Outdoor Camping Barbecue Brazier
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
two-pack of hand crank fans so you always have a spare. learned that lesson the hard way
2Pcs Hand Crank Manual BBQ Air Blower Portable
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
fire awl for poking coals around. two bucks and it lasts forever
1Pcs Outdoor Stainless Steel Fire Awl Heavy Duty Barbecue
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
solid tongs for moving hot charcoal. nothing fancy, just works
1PC Barbecue Charcoal Tong Charcoal Grill Poker Fire Tongs
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Daphne Ellsworth profile picture
iron fire starter tray. fill it with coals and you're cooking in no time
Charcoal Fire Starter Portable Container Iron Easy to Use
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