We are one of the few people that still own one - in fact, we just bought a new one this year and it was hard to find a really good one becuase there isn't as much of a market for one. But you are right, every time we have company, everyone gets excited when they see a charcoal grill - I know food cooks faster on it. We use an electric element to get it started - this way there is no lighter fluid smell on the coal.