I think the choice of charcoal depends on your use. I never had any luck with matchlight, and felt it retained a petrol aroma which was passed on to the meat.
I prefer real charcoal made from wood that you can get at Trader Joe's or at a roofing supplier [it's used by the guys that solder copper gutters together] for foods that cook quickly, like steaks and hamburgers. It's also great, no matter what you cooking, if you're at a windy place such as the beach. Given care, you can control the heat of the natural wood charcoal and slow cook with it.
However, for slower cooking foods such as roasts, chicken, and pork, I definetely prefer Kingsford charcoal, and as Big Dog says, there isn't much better than Kingsford, the rest can't compare. Kingsford charcoal is also best for cooking on a dutch oven.
I don't use a chiminey, and just use a little lighter fluid. You don't really need that much, as the charcoal wants to burn. If you add too much, then you have to wait longer to cook, to make sure the fluid has time to burn off.