Have you ever had the dilemma of inadequate heat source available, to light that CocoNara or Al Fakher coconut cube? Well, there are some really creative tools that can do the job.
Using a lighter to ignite a coconut charcoal is like dragging a whale with a riding lawn mower (...possibly a stretch). It's difficult, time consuming, and wasteful. You'd go through 2 lighters before getting one side lit. Below is a list of cost effective ways to light those damn inconvenient, however lovable, coals. I mean, how could you not love the long burn, absence of odor, and intense heat? They may not be as reliable as instant lights, but they sure are worth the tender care of a hookah enthusiast!
Portable Butane Stove:
A portable gas
stove has been my number one mobile heat source. The initial investment is pretty low cost and the gas canisters last quite a while. Each canister lasts about 2 hours straight! Considering you only really need it on for 5 to 10 minutes, it can be seen why this is a great choice. Cans of butane gas (the fuel) can be purchased for about $2-$4 a can. The stove itself is between $20-$50... Not bad at all.
Heat Gun:
You thought a heat gun was just for drying paint or making toast when the oven breaks (... why not). Well you clearly underestimated the greatness and profoundness of this nifty hand gadget. Please don't confuse heat gun with blow dryer, they are very different =P. They come with multiple power settings. Make sure your model is at least 1500w, as this is enough to get those little bricks going in no time flat! If you take it somewhere, also get an extension cord - the cords on these units are never very long.
Electric stove:
I never though
t they got hot enough, however I was wrong. An electric stove works pretty good. It's certainly not portable, unless you bring an arsenal of car batteries and a hell of an AC/DC transformer. But the consistency of lighting is phenomenal! From one corner to the next, the light is perfect. This is not so with the open flame style lighting techniques, which can very greatly due to the "wandering flame".
NOTE: Glass top, though it works, can be damaged from the intense heat of the coconut charcoals. As long as you don't mind some finely singed outlines on your (or someone else's ;D) glass top, you'll be fine. Coiled stoves work flawlessly.
If anyone has any other ideas for lighting charcoal, please post them! Also, I guess I should tell you to keep safe and not burn your house down while testing these great methods.
Methods yet untested:
Microwave (doubt it would work)
Laser (Not sure where to get a laser big enough)
Focused Sunlight (I'd like to see this gigantic freaking magnifying glass!)
Arc Welder (Possibly dangerous, I don't recommend, also might be a bit of an overkill)
Toaster?
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stove has been my number one mobile heat source. The initial investment is pretty low cost and the gas canisters last quite a while. Each canister lasts about 2 hours straight! Considering you only really need it on for 5 to 10 minutes, it can be seen why this is a great choice. Cans of butane gas (the fuel) can be purchased for about $2-$4 a can. The stove itself is between $20-$50... Not bad at all.
t they got hot enough, however I was wrong. An electric stove works pretty good. It's certainly not portable, unless you bring an arsenal of car batteries and a hell of an AC/DC transformer. But the consistency of lighting is phenomenal! From one corner to the next, the light is perfect. This is not so with the open flame style lighting techniques, which can very greatly due to the "wandering flame".
