Lokkii BBQ Bricks – the convenience of gas with the flavor of charcoal – sort of, but not really

Consisting of individually wrapped bricks that are perfectly sized, Lokkii is a new kind of bbq fuel that looks like it has been custom designed for the Cobb.

Copied from the manufacturers website is the following list of claims:

Fast, Clean, Green.100% Organic.Ignites instantly.Burns for a minimum of 2 hours at 11,500 BTUs.Ready to cook in 12-15 minutes.Same original BBQ flavor without the chemical after taste.Easy to pack and carry.ndividually vacuum sealed for organics preservation.No ignition fuels needed.

I decided to test the product in the Cobb and purchased a pack from Canadian Tire.

The product is nicely packaged and I particularly like the fact that each brick is individually vacuum sealed.

Probably the greatest downside of this product is the fact that it is not at all as easy to light as the manufacturer claims – as a matter of fact I found it impossible to light without using Strike-a-Fire or Zip starter matches!

I have heard from people who had the same difficulties lighting the brick and I have also heard others say that it lid very easily, so maybe the quality varies from one batch to the other?

When it ligths, the built-in “fire starter” burns very intensively for a minute or two, but the fuel still takes about 15 minutes to get ready, which is not much different from regular charcoal.

The manufacturer claims same original bbq flavor withoug the chemical after taste. In my opinion this fuel does not impart much flavor at all, so if you like the flavor of bbq – you will have to add it by using wood chips or pellets with it. The smell is not offensive, but not what I would call typical smell of bbq.

The claimed cooking time of 2 hours is fairly accurate. I found the Lokkii fuel to be not quite hot enough for searing of steaks, but suitable for roasting and cooking that requires less intensive heat.

Price is also an issue – $4.99 for 2 bricks, which works out to about $2.50 per meal – compared to the cost of regular charcoal which is probably closer to 50 cents when used in a Cobb grill.

I guess that you have already come to the conclusion that I am no great fan of this product – and that would be true. However, it is not all bad, there are obvious advantages that should be mentioned.

Air and waterproof packaging makes it well suited for use on boats or as a part of the emergency preparedness  kit that we are all supposed to have.

The packaging also makes the product much cleaner to handle than regular charcoal.

For those who are like me, enjoying the flavor of real bbq, stick with real charcoal.

Lokkii bbq fuel