I have another starter that works good and cost half what this ones does, but the differances between the two is very extreme. This starter is larger in diameter and get the charcoal burning hotter faster. The two handles work great and does not get hot to the touch. If you don't mind the price then buy it. I did add another piece of metal to the bottom to keep it from burning out, other than that this is a great product.

The design of this starter is very effective and gets charcoal going quickly. There are some construction problems, however, that should be addressed:
1- The aluminum pop rivets that hold the grid and handles on are inadequate to stand up to the extreme heat. I had to replace the ones holding the grid and will have to do the same for the handle, which is now very loose.
2 - The plastic handle cannot tolerate the heat and melts. I use welders gloves to handle the unit and the melted plastic sticks to the gloves.
3 - The grid is rusting and I'm doubtful it will last very long.

Summary: Great design but you cut corners on materials. Needs stainless steel fasteners and grid Dude!

This is great if you use a lot of briquettes or use the lump style coal. It's easy to use and lights up fast. You don't be disappointed with this product at all.

This starter lives up to its claims. All starters like the Weber Chimney and the others work very well. I've had one for years that I wouldn't grill without. There are tons of reviews for those other products explaining the benefit of using a starter.
In this case, though, the large diameter separates it from other starters. Different is definitely better.
It does light faster when you use the same amount of charcoal as you would in a typical starter. It also lets you use a lot more charcoal when you want to make a bigger fire. That's a very nice feature.
But the reason I really like the larger diameter is because I can use this starter as a mini-grill. I light it like normal with it sitting in my kettle grill. When the coals are ready, I don't dump them out. I have a small grate that sits on top of the starter. I can quickly cook a couple of steaks right over the screaming hot fire. Then I close the grill, the fire goes out, and I save the coals for next time.
This method sears the meat as well as a restaurant, and better than I've ever seen on a home gas or charcoal grill. I don't need no stinking grill marks when the whole steak has a nice brown crust. I can do this on my old starter, but it's so small I can only do one at a time.
It also works quite well for fish, pork chops, and burgers, and it's great for finishing if you use a sous-vide cooker. You can also cook flank steak right on the coals if you want.
My trusty old Weber Chimney has been replaced.