The improved charcoal starter design has several improvements, one being that it utilizes either; readily combustible materials like wadded up paper or a removable or replaceable common electric heating element to heat charcoal to incandescent and safely deposit hot embers into the grill. The common electric heating element is held in place through a clip fixedly attached to the inside of the charcoal starter housing walls and opposite of the opening for the electric heating element. Yet another improvement to this unique charcoal starter designed is the perforated grate having at least one hinge on one side and at least one notch on the opposite side, a release mechanism consisting of a thermally insulated release handle and a release bar with at least one protrusion such that when the release mechanism is activated by pulling the release handle, the protrusion of the release bar aligns with the notch of the perforated hinged grate and the perforated hinged grate will then rotate about the hinge in a downward direction creating an opening and thus allowing the incandescent embers to be deposited safely into the grill where needed and without danger of hot embers and ash being splashed about and possibly injuring the user.