Kingsford Matchlight charcoal is a popular brand of charcoal that has combustion aids infused into the briquettes to help them light faster and burn hotter. This eliminates the need for lighter fluid when starting a charcoal grill. A common question consumers have is whether Matchlight charcoal expires and loses its ability to light easily over time.
Quick answer
Yes, Kingsford Matchlight charcoal does have an expiration date and will eventually lose its ability to light quickly and easily. The shelf life is estimated to be around 2-3 years from the manufacturing date if stored properly.
What gives Matchlight charcoal its lighting ability?
Standard charcoal briquettes are made from wood, charcoal fines, mineral carbon, starch, and other additives that are compressed into their familiar pillow shape. Matchlight charcoal has additional combustion aids added during manufacturing.
These aids are proprietary to each brand but usually contain some combination of the following:
- Paraffin wax
- Wood chips and sawdust
- Mineral spirits
- Starch
- Lighter fluid
These highly flammable aids help the briquettes ignite faster at lower temperatures. The wax melts quickly when exposed to heat while the wood particles provide kindling. This gives Matchlight briquettes their signature easy lighting ability.
Do the combustion aids wear off over time?
Yes, the added combustion aids in Matchlight charcoal can dissipate or evaporate during prolonged storage. Over months and years on the shelf, the following happens:
- The paraffin wax component melts and leaches out of the briquettes
- Any mineral spirits evaporates
- Lighter fluid additives degrade and volatilize
- The overall moisture content drops as the briquettes dry out
This causes the Matchlight briquettes to become harder to light. Even though charcoal itself does not really expire, the proprietary lighting aids do wear off over time.
How long does Kingsford Matchlight charcoal last?
If stored properly, Kingsford estimates their Matchlight briquettes have a shelf life of around 2-3 years from the manufacturing date. However, the following factors can shorten or extend the expiration window:
- Storage conditions – Humidity, temperature fluctuations, exposure to air and sunlight
- Package date – Newer packages have more lighting capability left
- Bag quality – Holes or tears allow combustion aids to escape
- Improper storage – Stacking bags can crush and damage briquettes
Kingsford Matchlight charcoal will generally maintain its easy lighting ability for about 2-3 years after production if the storage guidelines are followed. But older bags that were poorly stored may lose their lighting power sooner.
Kingsford Matchlight charcoal storage guidelines
To maximize the shelf life of Matchlight charcoal bags, Kingsford provides these recommended storage instructions:
- Store in a cool, dry place protected from sunlight and moisture
- Avoid storage temperatures over 90°F as heat accelerates deterioration
- Store bags flat and not stacked to prevent crushing
- Keep bags sealed when not in use to retain combustion aids
- Use oldest bags first and do not stockpile charcoal from season to season
Signs your Matchlight charcoal has expired
It will take longer to light expired Matchlight briquettes. But here are some signs your charcoal has degradation of combustion aids:
- Takes longer than 15 minutes to ignite
- Only partially lights and leaves unburned briquettes
- Requires excessive starter fluid even when dry
- Emits more smoke but weaker flames
- Feels lighter in weight than a fresh bag
Kingsford Matchlight briquettes are designed to fully ignite within about 15 minutes after applying a starter or match. If your charcoal takes significantly longer to light or fails to light completely, the combustion aids likely have expired.
Does expired Matchlight charcoal still work?
Yes, even with degraded lighting aids, the charcoal itself can still provide fuel for grilling. However, expired Matchlight briquettes revert back to behaving like regular charcoal, requiring more effort to get lit.
You have a few options to light expired Matchlight charcoal:
- Use heavier amounts of starter fluid
- Mix in newer Matchlight briquettes
- Arrange briquettes in a chimney starter
- Use an electric starter like a Firestarter
While expired Matchlight won’t have the easy lighting experience, the charcoal itself still has utility for grilling even if it requires some coaxing. Using extra starter fluid or a chimney provides the heat needed to compensate for degraded combustion aids.
Is it safe to use expired Matchlight charcoal?
Safety-wise, expired Matchlight charcoal is still safe to use for grilling and provides the same food-grade fuel as standard charcoal. However, take these precautions:
- Use extra ventilation when lighting to dissipate excess smoke
- Let coals burn until covered with white ash before grilling
- Clean the grill more frequently to prevent rancid combustion residues
- Avoid inhaling smoke from extended lighting efforts
The smoke produced when coaxing old Matchlight briquettes to light can be unpleasant. Make sure to give the fire plenty of time to burn hot and stabilize before cooking. Other than lighting challenges, the charcoal itself remains safe to cook with.
Improving the burn of expired Matchlight charcoal
Here are some tips to improve the performance of Matchlight briquettes that have lost their quick-lighting ability:
- Use more starter fluid – Don’t be shy applying liberally until the briquettes take flame
- Mix in fresh Matchlight – Adding unexpired briquettes helps ignite old ones
- Try a charcoal chimney – The confined space helps light even stubborn briquettes
- Use an electric starter – Starters provide consistent heat for ignition
- Grill smaller batches – Less charcoal requires less effort to light fully
While not as convenient as fresh Matchlight, a little finessing allows you to restore some easy lighting capability and put those aging briquettes to use.
Maximizing Matchlight charcoal lifespan
Follow these tips to extend the shelf life of your Matchlight charcoal investment:
- Buy only what you need each grilling season
- Store bags properly between uses
- Keep bags sealed tight when not in use
- Use oldest charcoal first before newer bags
- Avoid stacking or crushing bags
- Keep storage areas cool and dry
- Limit exposure to air, sun, and humidity
With appropriate storage conditions, Kingsford Matchlight can maintain its prime lighting performance for around 2-3 years. Buying in smaller quantities more frequently yields the freshest bags with the most robust combustion aids.
Signs you need to replace your Matchlight charcoal
Here are signs it’s time to refresh your charcoal supply:
- Bags are older than 3 grilling seasons
- Takes more than 15 minutes to light completely
- Requires heavy use of lighter fluid to ignite
- Emits foul smoke or rancid odors
- Briquettes feel lighter and more brittle
- Difficult to light even in a chimney starter
Matchlight briquettes older than 2-3 years are past their prime. If your charcoal suffers from slow, incomplete lighting along with increased smoke and odors, the combustion aids have likely expired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does heat affect Matchlight charcoal’s shelf life?
Yes, heat accelerates the deterioration of the combustion aids in Matchlight charcoal. Storage temperatures above 90°F can significantly shorten the shelf life. Storing bags in hot garages or near furnaces is not recommended.
Can you re-light Matchlight charcoal that has already been used?
It is not recommended to re-light Matchlight charcoal that has already burned and cooled off. The combustion aids will be spent after the first use, so the charcoal would need to be relit like regular briquettes. It’s best to start a fresh batch for each grill session.
Do other brands of quick-light charcoal expire too?
Yes, any charcoal enhanced with combustion aids will degrade over time on the shelf. Other brands like Royal Oak EZ Light or Stubbs Quicklight will also eventually expire and lose their easy lighting capability just like Kingsford Matchlight.
Should you break up expired Matchlight charcoal before using?
Yes, breaking up the briquettes allows more surface area exposure for lighting. Crumbling the charcoal helps fire spread quicker through the pile when ignition aids have weakened. Just take care to avoid creating charcoal dust.
Can you recondition stale Matchlight charcoal in any way?
Unfortunately, there is no reliable way to restore the combustion aids once they degrade. The evaporated lighter fluid and melted paraffin wax cannot be replenished at home. The best option is to mix in some fresh Matchlight briquettes to help ignite old ones.
Conclusion
Kingsford Matchlight charcoal provides a major grilling convenience by lighting quickly without lighter fluid. However, the proprietary combustion aids added during manufacturing do gradually expire after about 2-3 years. Proper storage is key to maximizing the usable shelf life. Once expired, Matchlight briquettes will still provide fuel but need coaxing to light fully. Refreshing your charcoal supply every few seasons ensures you get the best easy lighting experience from start to finish.
