As backyard barbecuing continues to grow in popularity, more and more grillers are looking to enhance their grilling experience. An essential part of grilling is having high-quality charcoal that lights quickly, burns evenly and imparts great flavor.
Kingsford, as America’s leading charcoal brand, offers two main options – Match Light and Original charcoal briquets. But what’s the difference between the two and which is better for your barbecue?
Let’s take a detailed look at the pros and cons of Kingsford Match Light vs Original charcoal.
A Brief Comparison Table
Here is a helpful comparison chart summarizing the main differences between Kingsford Match Light and Original charcoal:
| Factor | Match Light Charcoal | Original Charcoal |
| Lighting Time | 10-15 minutes | 30-45 minutes |
| Lighting Method | Requires only a match | Requires starter fluid, chimney starter or electric starter |
| Burn Time | Shorter, irregular burn | Longer, consistent burn |
| Heating Ability | Heats quickly initially, doesn’t maintain heat as uniformly | Heats slowly but maintains steady heat |
| Flavor Imparted | Petroleum taste initially | Pure, undiluted charcoal flavor |
| Odor | Chemical smell when lighting | Natural charcoal aroma |
| Ash Properties | Fine, light ash for easier cleanup | Heavier ash that can be reused for a second burn |
| Price | $5-7 for 15 lb bag | $10-12 for 15 lb bag |
| Best Uses | Quick grilling sessions, weeknight meals | Extensive grilling, smoking, searing, slow-cooking |
Looking at this comparison, you can see how Kingsford Original requires more work on the front end to get lit, but pays off during the actual grilling process. Match Light offers instant gratification but may fall short when it comes to flavor and heat consistency.
Overview of Kingsford Match Light Charcoal
Kingsford Match Light charcoal is designed to light quickly and easily. It contains an additive called dimethylnitrosamine, which acts as an accelerant to help the charcoal light faster without the need for lighter fluid. Here’s an overview of the key features of Match Light:
- Easy lighting: With the accelerant infused directly in the briquet, Match Light only needs a match to ignite and does not require lighter fluid. This makes it super convenient to light.
- Quick heating: Match Light briquets reach grill-ready temperatures faster than regular charcoal. You can expect your grill to be ready for cooking in about 15-20 minutes.
- Easy ash clean up: Match Light ash tends to be lighter and finer than regular charcoal ash. This makes clean up slightly easier.
- Affordable price: Match Light typically costs a little less than regular charcoal, making it budget-friendly. A 15 lb bag retails for $5-7.
The accelerant makes Match Light unbeatable in terms of quick and effortless lighting. However, there are some downsides to consider.
Potential Drawbacks of Match Light Charcoal
While Kingsford Match Light delivers on easy lighting, here are some of the potential cons to weigh:
- Petroleum flavor: The lighting accelerant can impart some petroleum flavors during the initial lighting stages. This tends to produce off-tastes in the first batch of food cooked.
- Chemical odor: When Match Light is first ignited, it releases a distinct chemical smell from the accelerant burning off. This odor may be unpleasant to some grillers.
- Can’t be reused: Once Match Light ash is completely burned through, it cannot be reused for a second grilling session. Fresh charcoal would be required.
- May produce more smoke: The added accelerants in Match Light can sometimes generate more smoke than standard charcoal briquets. This can make it more challenging to control the smoke level.
- Shorter burn time: While Match Light heats up quickly initially, it may not sustain its heat as long and uniformly compared to regular charcoal. You’re likely to need more Match Light bags over a grilling season.
- Not suitable for smoking: Match Light is not the best choice for smoking, where controlling precise low heat over many hours is required. The inconsistent heating makes it harder to keep ideal smoking temperatures.
For grillers wanting a pure, authentic charcoal flavor without chemical accelerants, Kingsford Original may be the better option despite the longer lighting time.
Overview of Kingsford Original Charcoal
Kingsford Original is designed to deliver pure, true charcoal flavor by using all natural ingredients and no chemical additives. Here are the key features of Original charcoal:
- All natural: Contains no lighter fluids or chemical accelerants – just charred wood and starch binders.
- Authentic flavor: Imparts a pure, undiluted charcoal flavor to grilled foods with no petroleum or chemical aftertastes.
- Reusable: Original charcoal ash retains its heating properties so new charcoal can be stacked on top for reuse.
- Long, even burn: Thanks to its all natural composition, Original charcoal burns slowly, evenly and consistently for longer grilling times.
- Lower smoke: Without synthetic accelerants, Original charcoal emits less smoke, making it easier to control the barbecue’s smokiness.
- Great for smoking: The long consistent burn at steady low heat makes Original charcoal an excellent choice for smoking.
Of course, the trade-off for these advantages is that Original charcoal does not light as easily or quickly as Match Light.
Lighting Kingsford Original Charcoal
Getting Kingsford Original charcoal lit requires a bit more time and effort than Match Light:
- Use a chimney starter: Fill a charcoal chimney starter halfway and light crumpled newspaper beneath it. Allow 30-40 minutes for the briquets to become fully ignited and ashed over.
- Utilize lighter fluid: Apply lighter fluid per instructions and allow it to soak in for 30 seconds before lighting with a match. Let the fluid burn off completely before cooking.
- Try an electric starter: Electric charcoal starters can light Original charcoal in 15-20 minutes without the need for lighter fluid.
- Use the minion method: Arrange hot coals in the center of the charcoal grate and unlit coals around the perimeter. The hot center gradually lights the outer layer.
Allow about 30-45 minutes for Original briquets to be ready for grilling once lit. A bit more patience is needed upfront, but you’ll be rewarded with authentic charcoal flavor.
Which One Is Better To Pick?
So when choosing between Kingsford Match Light and Original charcoal, which is better?
- For quick convenience: Match Light can’t be beaten. Its instant lighting shaves off up to 30 minutes of prep time so you can start grilling sooner. Match Light is the better option for fast weeknight grilling.
- For authentic barbecue flavor: Kingsford Original is superior. With no petroleum flavors or chemical odors once lit, Original imparts true rich charcoal flavor perfect for smoking, long cooks and grilling when time is not a factor.
- For heat control and consistency: Kingsford Original maintains temperatures steadily across the entire grill, while Match Light tends to burn off quickly and unevenly. Original works better for larger cooks and times when controlling the heat is important.
- For cost considerations: Match Light is typically a little cheaper than Original, so if budget is a main concern, Match Light may get the edge. But its shorter burn time means you may need to buy more bags per grilling season.
- For quick smoking: Match Light can work “in a pinch” for shorter smoking sessions under 1 hour. For true extended smoking though, Kingsford Original is far superior.
Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference and what you prioritize most – convenience, taste, heat control or cost. Both varieties have their benefits and drawbacks. Hopefully seeing the key differences laid out helps you determine which option best fits your grilling style and needs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Match light charcoal lights faster and easier than regular charcoal, but it may not burn as long, evenly or cleanly. So regular charcoal is often considered better quality and performance. However, match light charcoal is more convenient, so for quick grilling it may be a better choice.
The key difference is that match light charcoal has chemical accelerants infused in it to help it light quickly with just a match, while regular charcoal contains no additives and needs lighter fluid and more effort to light. Match light also burns faster initially but less evenly and consistently in the long run.
Yes, matchlight charcoal can impart some petroleum flavors when first lighting, whereas regular charcoal provides undiluted woody charcoal flavor with no chemical aftertaste once fully lit.
Kingsford matchlight charcoal will typically last for about 60-90 minutes of cook time before burning out. It lights fast but doesn’t sustain its heat quite as long as regular charcoal briquets, which can last for 2-3 hours at consistent temperatures.
Key Takeaways
- Kingsford Match Light charcoal uses accelerants to light quickly within 15 minutes with just a match. Kingsford Original contains no chemicals or additives and requires 30-45 minutes to fully light.
- Match Light provides fast convenience but can impart petroleum flavors initially until the accelerant burns off. Original delivers undiluted, authentic charcoal flavor.
- Original charcoal burns longer, more evenly, consistently and is better for smoking than Match Light.
- Match Light leaves fine, light ash that cannot be reused. Original produces reusable ash that maintains heating ability for a second use.
- For quick grilling convenience opt for Match Light. For the best flavor, heat control and reuse, choose Kingsford Original.
Whichever variety you choose, Kingsford charcoal is sure to enhance your grilling experience this season. Happy barbecuing!