While attending a recent Patriots pre-season football game, I tailgated for the first time, bringing along a new small charcoal grill and a free bag of Duraflame Quick Coals Light-A-Bag Charcoal that I got through BzzAgent.  As a grilling and barbecue enthusiast, I was looking forward to trying it, though doubtful because of my loyalty to natural chunk charcoal.

The product does what it promises – lights fast and easily… just put the bag on the grill, light the corners and the coals are ready to go after they ash over.  However, I was dissapointed with the charcoal itself, with it not being enough for even a smal square grill (this bag is enough for only a hibachi-sized grill, really, or as a starter for more charcoal), and never getting as hot as it should be for grilling. I piled them up and let them get ashed over and glowing red, but still no "sizzle" for the meat on the grill.

I quickly rectified this by putting on three pieces of Royal Oak chunk hardwood.  Those three pieces gave off more heat than all the charcoal briquettes that came out of the the Duraflame bag, burned at least as long, had better smelling smoke, less ash, and they lit almost instantly with the measly heat coming from the duraflame briquettes.

As usual, briquettes continue to dissapoint me.  If you like using them, then the Duraflame Light-a-Bag might be of interest to you, but for me, I’ll stick to my charcoal and chimney starter.