rusty charcoal chimney starter, safe to use?

Question

My charcoal chimney starter is covered in rust inside and out, is it still safe to use? The grill and grill grate are still rust free and new.

Answer 1

Yes, it's perfectly safe to use basically until it falls apart. It gets very hot in use, which prevents any sort of rust-proof coating from sticking, but the rust is harmless. You could try oiling it after use if you wanted to reduce further rust - that oil will burn off every time it's used, but will help to slow rusting when not in use - however, it's not really needed (could be regarded as a waste of oil.)