Salaam Vs. Diamante Natural Lump Coals

[nicko]

I've tried four coals so far and two are bulk; Saalaam natural orange wood in irregular chunks and the Diamante finger-type (made in China).

I found the Saalaam to be very hard to break or cut into consistent sizes, almost impossible to light (I use a propane torch as standard procedure), and wouldn't hold a light once lit. After one session, I threw it all out and wrote a letter of concern to the seller.

In contrast, the Diamante is fabulous - easy to cut into one-inch lengths (just score it with a hacksaw or jigsaw, and it snaps cleanly and easily apart). It burns cleanly and is odorless, with no tastes added, and no sparking or crumbling. It's cheap stuff and I highy recommend it. Spend a few minutes cutting up a batch, then wash your hands (which will definitely be black as... well, coal).

As for non-bulks, I've used the Coco nara and threw it out, too (crumbles, hard to light, hard to keep lit). I also used the Easy-Lite (Chinese), which works very well - I just prefer the all-natural.