David, this Kingsford change has woken me up. Kingsford, the old, was great. Mostly it was all I knew. Marketing speak like "light's faster and burns longer" kinda rubs me the wrong way. Others don't seem to resond positively to it either. I just thought of a good analogy.
New Exxon Ultra Gas: Gets better gas mileage and gets you there faster! ....and costs 8% more. How hard would that one be to swallow?
I am not saying that it is not posssible to both light faster and burn longer but you only wonder....
So, I have tried Royal Oak briqs, RO lump, and Cowboy lump. Cooking with lump will do one thing. It will make you wonder about the stuff in those briqs you have been burning. Lump does not give off those acrid odors.
I do not profess to be one of the better cooks around here-cause I am just like the blind squirrel who occasionally finds an acorn-but I do try to be observant. This cook with charcoal added mid-cook, produced a real stink. I think I can taste it. Had I not smelled that stink when adding the charcoal mid cook, I probably would Never complain BUT having experienced that smell...I can taste it.
Yea I know what they say about beer, most people can't tell what they are drinking after the first one...all that having been said, in my heart, I think using LUMP is better.
I will continue to use more of it in the future. The dozen bags of new K I bought will probably last longer than I wish. Do not fret over old or new K or any other charcoal. Many have used it for years with fabulous success, winning the biggest and best competitions. I won't argue with their success-something I'll not ever achieve.