New Toy : Looftlighter

Howdy folks...

Heres a new toy that i brought home from the SPOGA trade show last week.

Its an electric charcoal lighter from sweden.

So far, all the electric devices didnt convince me but his one was love at first sight.






I used it a couple of times so far with different types of lump and a small woodfire. You can also use it to light charcoal briquettes or your oven/fireplace.
Its very convenient, works fast, doesnt blow up the ashes and also has an integrated bottle opener, so what more can you ask for ?

Should come really handy especiall for lighting lump in a ceramic cooker or the minon method in a water smoker.

I have no idea if those are available in the US, though.


Heres a small video i made today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plYHPHSIBT4


Afaik Mack also got one, i´d like to hear his opinion.

Cheers,

DM

DM tried it this weekend, got to say I love it!
In fact there was a fight about who was going to use it between AWG (Adie) JPF (the chef we were cooking with) and me.

It does exactly what it says in the box... great product!

hair curler?

wont do much with the minion method

Ordered mine last night!

http://www.evesorchard.co.uk/shop/barbeques/tools/looftlighter.php?gclid=CIiF7OPwzpUCFQ6S1Qod-UHdhg

I love it but I'm trying to save for a Kip Grill.

Al, you could cook your chickens on a spit with this faster than the dusty old kip grill

Could you make a Kip Grill?

It's here

I've just ordered me one of those!

Nice one! They are so Coool

Hey Novice,

What do you think to your Looftlighter?

It's fantastic, I hadn't realized I was putting way too many lit coals in the basket from my chimney starter. This way you only light what you need & you don't send burnt pieces of newspaper all over your neighbors gardens.

I'm glad you recommended it, I wouldn't be without it now!

All Weather Griller wrote:Al, you could cook your chickens on a spit with this faster than the dusty old kip grill

Could you make a Kip Grill?

With the weather the way it is I'm going to skip the Kip unless thay have a serious price drop and go with that bad azz lighter.

Does anyone know if this thing comes in 110 for the states?

Just mailed the manufacturer. Watch this space!

Response from Richard Looft:

Hi Adie!

First of all, thanks for your interest and for contacting us with questions about the Looftlighter! Yes, we produce a UL approved 115V version of the Looftlighter for the North American market. At the moment it can only be bought in the states through Hammacher-Schlemmer: http://www.hammacher.com/publish/75081.asp?promo=QSearch but we are negotiating with quite a few companies and chains over there.

I got the idea of the Looftlighter many years ago when I got angry that the food tasted lighter fluid. I put charcoal in a bread toaster, changed the air stream of an old vacuum cleaner, and put it into the toaster. I was amazed how fast the charcoal was lit, and how the charcoal got ready to use in just a couple of minutes. I used the prototype myself, but friends started wanting to have one as well. So three years ago I started our company.

I got the first delivery two years ago, called the high end shops in Stockholm where I live, and said I was a theatre director who had invented a BBQ lighter: Nobody wanted to meet me. So I took my old Weber with wooden handles, put it on the street outside the shops, called again and told them to give me 60 seconds of their time. They laughed, came out and everyone bought it directly on the street. Now we are selling in all 10 major chains in Scandinavia and beginning to expand abroad.

Below I attach an article from a Swedish magazine with the complete background story of the Looftlighter (front cover + from page 24) and also an English translation (but it´s very, very long....)