Unlike propane grills where the temperature can be easily set, charcoal grills can be a little temperamental. No matter how hard you try, it can be tough trying to get those coals to reach the right temperature to start cooking. So, a UK inventor, Paul Dorracott, has come up with a device to help increase the heat without the wait, reports Daily Post.
The 55-year-old Amlwch native designed the £17.99 blower – which resembles a hairdryer, while living in Spain. It was such a hit with BBC producers when he auditioned for Dragons’ Den they asked him to come on the show immediately, but he turned them down.
He told Business Post: “One day, when we were living in Marbella, I was blowing up an airbed with one of those handheld pumps when I saw my brother fanning the barbecue outside. “I went to garage, stuck a tube in it, taped it up and used it to blow air on the barbecue and it worked. It went from there.â€
“We came up with a design but unfortunately I had a bad toolmaker so there were a lot of problems. It was so frustrating, a real struggle.â€
Paul was forced to scrap the original model – despite it winning a British Inventors Award – and started again with the backing of a Xenos Business Angel, who funded it with £40,000.
“We went in front of an investor and managed to get one on board,†said Paul.
“We made a new tool and changed the design. There is a lot of difference as it goes straight into charcoal, can move it around and takes less than five minutes to get the barbecue ready.â€
Photo from Jundor Barbecue Blower