a lot of the time people don't let the lighter fluid soak in very long before lighting it off, then it just burns off the surface and doesn't put much heat into the coals. same with starting a campfire, let the fluid soak in so it puts heat into the wood and not the air.
also a now common theme in grills is charcoal grills with a propane starter.
Things needed:
Place a few brickets of Matchlight in the chimney and light them. When the brickets begin to ash over, add the lump charcoal (remember they burn hotter and longer). Once they begin to turn bright orange and/or have the blue and orange flame emitting from top of the lump, dump it out and close the grill and let it get to temperature. Depending on how much charcoal you need, this can take 15-30 minutes.
Make sure you have good air flow at the bottom of the chimney. If I fill my chimney to the top, I can get my big grill up to 500-550* and keep it there for about 90 minutes (dependent on how much food is crowding the grill).
You can substitute Matchlight for a Map gas torch 
Weber chimney and a couple sheets of newsprint is all I use. I try to avoid fluids due to the odor they leave. I also don't like the Matchlight, because it seems to burn out faster.
For starting large mounts of charcoal I have wrapped the 20lb bag with heavy aluminum foil. Then cut open the top and bottom, shove papers underneath and use a knife to punch air holes from bottom to top as it progresses. Make sure to use newspaper, do not just try to light the bag, most charcoal bags are treated with a flame retardant and won't light with a match.
In reply to Hocrest:
I hated Matchlight for the same reason . . . but it does start the lump really good
I use oak so I'm not a charcoal guy, but sometimes I have to use a few tricks to get the fire started and some of this might apply to charcoal.
I start the fire using wood and newspapers then build up the wood around the paper/kindling. I then pour probably 1-2oz of waste veggie oil on it while the fire is burning(important that the fire is burning), don't use too much or it will smother the fire. Once the oil gets burning nothing can stop it. You can start a fire in the rain with damp wood using this method and veggie oil doesn't stink and is essentially free if you have waste oil. I hate the smell of petroleum starter, I remember going to a bbq and it smelt like a jet was taking off.
Sometimes I get pissed off and pull the old blow torch out, between veg oil and the blow torch the fire will start.
moparman76_69 wrote: I refuse to use gas for grilling.
I recently bought a traditional charcoal grill and use these handy little fire-starting blocks to get it going. They are little cubes that you bury in the pyramid and light. You don't have to mess with paper, fluid or anything else and it does a great job. You also avoid your food tasting like lighter fluid. They sell them at the grocery store next to all the grill stuff.
charcoal > propane
sorry Hank!
Taste the heat... and the meat :) 
Anytime you see these at a yard sale snag em ................ Bullit proof cooking . 1/3 bag charcoal in center peaked ////////// hit the juice to it leave till white ............. put meat around edge cap with cover /................. relax 
A piece of birch bark will light most combustible substances. I cook with split hardwood and use a chimney with some newspaper or birch bark to light it. The chimney lights charcoal easier than wood.
Don't know if it's been mentioned, but yes you should drill holes in the bottom of any charcoal grill. The key is airflow through the grill. More O2 = more fire.
Other thing if you have a tiny charcoal grill is to keep it clean. Ash and other crap will make it hard to light fresh coals.
I was a little butt-hurt spending $12 on the chimney lighter after spending a lifetime with a yuban coffee can with both ends taken off, but damn does that thing work. I use a single sheet of plain newspaper and starts the charcoal every time. berkeley propane, I won't barbeque with it. If you don't have time to do it right, don't do it
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