GirlyEgg, i ended up with my briquets because i'm stupid!! i went to HD eariler this summer and bought one of those bags of briquets for $2.99 and did not know they were briquetts until i got home. and i'm sorry i cannot answer any of your other questions. i smoked a block of cheese last night and my egg never got over 80 degrees.it was not very hard but i would recomend looking over This Method that the naked whiz has on his site it may help you a little more i also got a email that i will forward to you about smoking cheese. happy eggin tb