Charcoal grills are durable and portable grills that considered as the best option for outdoor cooking. Compared to gas or electric grills, they will let you create multiple cooking zones and also provide higher cooking temperatures. Before making the purchase, you have to keep these points in mind to grab the best and most-suited charcoal grill.
Cooking Space: It is based on the size of your grill, how often you grill, what type of food you grill, and how many people you expect to serve, etc. So, choose based on your requirements.
Grill Material: The charcoal grills are made with a variety of materials that include stainless steel, cast iron, and aluminium. Each type has its own set of pros and cons. But stainless steel is considered the most durable as it is rust-resistant.
Apart from these two key factors, there are various things you have to check before purchasing the charcoal grill, which we have mentioned in the below “Buying Guide”. We have also shortlisted Best Charcoal Grills based on the same information. Check out the detail reviews below.
7 Best Charcoal Grills Table
7 Best Charcoal Grills Reviews
1. Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill
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Having called as synonymous of barbecuing innovation WEBER has its foothold in over 40countries over all the continents. They are one of the oldest, most famous and leading provider of BBQ products all over the world. There 22” Kettle Charcoal Grill gives you an impressive cooking area of 363 sq.in. that can cook up to 13 burgers in one go for your backyard party gathering. It has cooking grates which retain heat for a long time. Further, its hinged shape lets you easily add coal while grilling. Special Features
Rust-resistant and Adjustable Aluminium dampers allow you comfort to easily control the temperature of your grill. You can also extinguish the coal by completely closing the dampers. The built-in thermometer gives you easy to read, the real-time temperature of your cooking grill. This way you can efficiently control the heat of your grill. The high capacity removable Ash Catcher takes all the charcoal debris into it by simple sweeping. This gives you hassle-free one-touch cleaning system of your grill. The angled hook on side of your grill lets you hang lid of your grill, spatula and tangs for easy and quick access. The Porcelain Enamelled bowl and lid sustain heat for a longer time and hence they don’t rust or peel quickly. The lid handle has a heatshield which prevents your lid from getting too hot. You can thus easily hold your lid without any burn fear. Durable wheels on its base lets you take your grill anywhere you want easily. BILT APP provided by WEBER gives you free 3D view interaction to easily assemble your Weber Char Grill.
Pros
Real-time temperature is known with help of in-built temp. gauge. Wheels add to its portability. Hooks to accommodate lid and grilling tools on side of the grill. Ash Catcher helps in easy cleaning of your grill.
Cons
Angled hook doesn’t have much space to hang items. It is difficult to move ash can.
2. Kamado Joe KJ23RH Classic I Charcoal Grill
Producing durable and efficient grills is the specialization of KAMADO brand. Their new innovation KJ23RH Charcoal grill comes with a cooking area of 245sq.in. It also has 2tier divide and conquer flexible cooking system to give you hassle-free cooking experience. Special Features
Cast Iron air vent on top of your grill lets you easily control the airflow inside your grill. You can regulate the temp. from 225F to 750F. Thus, any type of food can be cooked that distinct different temp. to sear or grill. By easily sliding the Slide-Out Ash Tray you can easily clean and dump ash debris of coals to start the grilling again. The cooking grate provides you with multiple cooking options like grilling, baking or smoking of food. It can also be turned into a pizza oven.
Its powerful motor gives your food 360° spin so that it is completely cooked and tastes delicious. The max. weight it can spin is 20pounds. You can cook multiple flavoured foods on one grill thanks to its multiple cooking surfaces like cast iron, griddles and soapstones.
Due to the presence of advanced multi-piece firebox (AMP), it retains heat for a long time allowing you to grill quickly.
Felt Gasket inhibits any vibration or movement of your grill by providing it with an airtight seal. This makes you feel cooking much easier. Connecting it to any smart device you can check and control temp. your grill from wherever you are. It also has an in-built easy to read thermometer for providing temp. of your grill.
Last but not the least, the grill cover you get with your purchase protects your charcoal grill from any kind of stains.
Pros
The gasket provides stability to your grill.
Motor cooks your food evenly from all sides. Ash cleaning is easy. Grill cover keeps your grill clean.
Cons
Absence of side hook to place grilling tools.
3. Char-Griller E36714 AKORN Jr. Kamado, Orange Portable Charcoal Grill
Being 2nd product by KAMADO in our list of best charcoal grills. This grill has a very small cooking area of 153.sq.in with cast iron grates. Thus, it is the perfect option for people seeking small size charcoal grills. Moreover, with triple wall design it maintains temp. ranging from 200F-700F for a long time, thus you can roast, grill or sear your food as per your wish. Special Features
Due to Insulated design, it retains more heat, uses less coal and gives you higher temperatures. Presence of dual dampers at top and bottom helps you to control the airflow and gives you the temp. you want. Its Inbuilt temp. gauge provides you instant temp. of your grill. By sliding out its ASH DUMP PAN, you can easily dump coal ashes out of your grill. Its two durable handles help you easily take your grill with you to enjoy backyard grilling or grilling on picnics with friends. The short sturdy legs of your grill provide you comfortable cooking experience as they keep your grill steady. Your charcoal grill is built with 22gauge steel, that provides your grill with a very long life.
Having powder-coated exterior and porcelain-coated interior steel finish, your grill is designed to withstand high temperatures.
Pros
Retains high temperatures. Easy to handle, control and move. Dual Dampers help in better temp. control. Long-lasting grill.
Cons
Small cooking area. Absence of wheels.
4. Royal Gourmet 30″ BBQ Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker
Selling its customers one of the best BBQ products of the world, Royal GOURMET has proved the meaning of their name right that means the quality of food and enjoyment of eating. You get the biggest cooking area of 800 sq.in. greater than any other product we have mentioned in this list. Further, its offset smoker gives you an additional cooking area of 183 sq.in. Special Features
The side firebox having gate into it, allows you to easily add charcoal to your grill. By taking ash panel out of your grill you can take dispose of your coal ash easily.
Its two adjustable dampers control the amount of airflow into your grill and help you to regulate the temp. of your grill easily. Lifting handles help you in adjusting the distance between food grill and charcoal for better grilling of your food. The temperature gauge mounted on lid tells you the temp. inside your grill. With its scald proof handle, you can easily control your grill as the handle remains cool. The provision of Front side rack and underneath rack helps in proper storage of food and other cooking tools, you use while grilling.
Its hanging hooks allow you to easily hang and quickly use your cooking accessories while grilling. Porcelain made Cooking grates retains and distribute heat evenly. This makes your meat internally juicy and tender. Two wheels on the base allow easy movement of your grill around your backyard and other patios.
Pros
Large cooking area. Grilling machine along with offset smoker. Scald Proof Handle always remains cool. Lifting handles help to control heat better.
Cons
Temp. above 400F may harm the grill.
5. Char-Broil American Gourmet Offset Smoker
Char-Broil is America’s favorite grill brand that believes in innovation to make your cooking a hassle-free process. This 3-in-1 smoker, BBQ, and charcoal grill is the best appliance to buy if you want no smoke leakage while cooking. But, how does it do it? Let’s see. It comes with a firebox to the side that has multiple dampers, which can be opened or closed at your convenience. So, you can control the heat, temperature, and smoke easily in the main cooking chamber. Meanwhile, the main chamber, which has a lid, can also prevent the smoke from escaping. This lid has a temperature gauge, which can be used to monitor the internal temperature. Coming to the cooking surface, the main chamber features a 290 sq-inch broad surface to make almost 18 burgers at once. Moreover, this surface has porcelain-coated wire grates, making it easy to clean. Special Features:
Cool-to-touch handles to the main chamber and the firebox. The firebox has a separate clean-out door to wipe out ashes after cooking. This firebox also has a 140 sq inch cooking surface, where you can also grill. The main chamber has a side shelf to keep your utensils or sauces. Has 2 large wheels to easily move this smoker to your backyard.
Pros:
Easy to assemble the grill. Easy to clean. Minimum smoke leakage. Perfect size for even a small balcony. 1-year warranty.
Cons:
Some users have complained of rusting issues.
6. Cuisinart CCG190RB Portable Charcoal Grill
CUISINART is Working since 1983 with a mission to help you “Savor the Good Life”. Their 150sq.in. and 2pounds CCG190 cooking grill fulfils your grilling on go demands. Special Features
Its dual air venting system gives you better heat and temp. control. The mess-free ash catcher allows you to dump your coal ash easily and quickly. Presence of 3 secure lid locks on it allows you to move your grill easily with safety.
The firebox is enamel coated that makes your grill more durable and retains heat for a longer time.
Pros
Dual air vents give better heat control. 3lid locks give safety. Durable due to enamel coating. Easily portable due to lightweight.
Cons
Thermometer is absent. Smallest Cooking area.
7. Masterbuilt MB20040220 Gravity Series 560 Digital Charcoal Grill + Smoker
With 45+ years of experience in the grilling industry, MASTERBUILT has won the trust of its customers by providing them innovative and durable products. Their MASTERBUILT 560 series provides you modern, interactive and user-friendly charcoal grill. Its digital control panel allows you to set the required temp. and maintain it using digital fan of your grill. Special Features
It comes with a large cooking area of 560 sq.in. that can cook food equivalent to 21burgers for the gathering of your friends or family.
You can instantly cook your food as your grill reaches to 225F in 7minutes and 700F in only 13minutes. Due to Built-in temp. gauge, you always remain aware of the real-time temperature of your grill. Thanks to its Gravity-fed hopper that allows you to add 10pounds of coal to it. You can power your grill for12-15hrs. Enabled with wi-fi and Bluetooth technology, it lets you monitor and control the temperature of your grill directly from your smartphone with the help of MASTERBUILT APP. Presence of wheels on its base helps you to move it from one place to another easily.
Pros
Very interactive.
Quickly heats. Large cooking area. Retains heat for long time.
Cons
Customer support is not efficient. Poor material found by some customers.
Buying Guide For Charcoal Grills
A right charcoal grill will allow you to have control over temperature and its cooking process and thereby gives a perfectly grilled and tasty food. For this, you have to know what factors to consider while selecting the charcoal grill. Have a look at the complete checklist of all the features and other considerations, one has to keep in mind when they are purchasing the charcoal grill.
1. Types of Charcoal Grills:
In general, there are 4 main types of charcoal grills, which we observe in the market. They are kettle, barrel, ceramic or kamado and portable. Let’s know about them in detail. Kettle Charcoal Grills – A classic, rounded grill with a steel chamber on legs to hold the cooking grate and charcoal grate. It consists of a lid and chamber with vents to control the airflow into the grill while cooking. Even though, they lack whistles & bells but suits perfectly for an entry-level option (a basic) of grilling. Barrel Charcoal Grills – They looks like a half slice of a steel barrel and it has a lid and grate in the bottom of the chamber. It comes with both top & bottom vents along with a chimney (in some models). They provide an adequate amount of cooking space and the best option to smoke meat. This type of grill is rough, sturdy and well-built and also comes with generous warranties. Ceramic/Kamado Charcoal Grills – These egg-shaped, narrow grills will reduce the airflow on the food while cooking and thus prevent your steaks or meat from getting dry. Though this type of grill takes a longer time to heat up but holds and discharge the heat for a longer time when compared with a standard steel grill. Portable Charcoal Grill – This type of grills is lightweight, compact (size) with a small cooking surface, carrying handle, folding legs and has a built-in tabletop stand. When compared with cart grills, these are portable, small, and suits perfectly to use in camping or tailgating. Also, for off-grid grilling, these grills provide all the basic essentials.
2. Cooking Space:
The available space (inches) on the grates/grill will let you know its cooking capacity. One may find small, medium and large-sized grills in the market.
Small grills with a cooking capacity of 16 – 20 inches is suitable for a small family, up to 4 members. They are perfectly for occasional grillers. Medium-sized grills with a cooking capacity of 22 – 25 inches are best suited for a family with 5 – 7 members, who grill often. Large-sized grills with a capacity of above 25-inches are ideal for cooking food in large quantities at once for a large group of people (like 10+ members). They are especially useful in small get-togethers, and family parties to enjoy grilled food.
A few manufactures will specify the number of steaks or burgers their product can grill. Also, a grill with a larger cooking space will enhance its versatility and thereby comes with a dual-zone cooking environment. We observe most grills have flat cooking surface while others have multiple tiers, which let you grill different types of food simultaneously at low and high heat, as per the food heating requirements. The other tier is used to keep food warm, whereas the remaining food cooks properly.
3. Grill Material:
The charcoal grills are made with a variety of materials, from stainless steel/enameled steel to ceramic. Each type has its own set of pros and cons. While choosing the material of grill grates, nothing is wrong, as it completely depends on what type of food and how you want to cook. Even though, they are made with various materials listing from stainless steel/enameled steel to cast iron or aluminum. If not concentrating on its construction, then it results in having rust spots, won’t retain heat and doesn’t last long.
4. Heat Control and Airflow:
For proper cooking of food on a charcoal grill, you have to control its heat and temperature level. To do this, simply adjust the amount of oxygen the flames use to ignite. Whereas the chamber and vents in the hood are used for controlling the airflow. Here one will let oxygen reach inside the grill and another one to let fumes out for proper heating and cooking. Also, raise or lower the charcoal and cooking grates on the grill, as it will let you control the distance between flames and food. Thus, you can easily control the heat. A grill having a lid (closed air-tight) will help to block its inside warmth and let you cook food at the right temperature with less use of charcoal.
5. Ventilation:
Air vents are used to control the temperature and airflow on a charcoal grill while cooking (on both food and flames). One can find these vents either on the top or bottom of the grill. For instance, less air means low heat, and more air will let the fire burn hotter. So, you can adjust them as per your cooking requirement. Grills having ventilation in the bottom will pull-in oxygen to maintain the charcoal hot and aids in perfect cooking. Whereas grills with top vents will pull out heated air away from the food. So, it suggested closing the top vents, as it traps the smoke inside the grill and thereby provides food with an amazing smoky flavor. While preparing a single meal, the airflow will determine quality other than grill construction, quality of coal, and great grates. Thus, it let you feed a fire to flame as per your cooking item, for instance, set a medium heat to smoke ribs or roast a chicken slowly. So, the more vents for a grill, the better will be cooking.
6. Shape:
We observe round-shaped classic charcoal grills will let keep the coal in the center of the bottom, especially below the cooking grate. This will produce indirect cooking surfaces around the outer edge. Now we notice rectangular-shaped charcoal grills, but with different capacities (small or larger) and creates more clear cooking zones, which resembles a gas grill.
7. Performance:
Versatility is a key factor to consider while purchasing charcoal grills. The reasonable temperature of a charcoal grill can range from 225° – 250°F (smoke sweet spot) to 600°F (perfect sear). The airflow provides you with the reins to this steed and thus you can control the grill effortlessly.
8. Adjustable/Customized Grates:
A net-like cooking surface on the grill is termed as cooking grates. These should be durable and retain heat uniformly in all directions to grill/cook food properly. Stainless steel or cast-iron are common types of grill grates. A lever or wheel on the grill will allow you to move the grates (or) bed up and down the coal (or) both. Also, it lets you have more cooking methods. A few manufacturers provide upgraded grates or you can purchase aftermarket grates.
9. Ease of Use:
Always look for a charcoal grill that has overall ease of use and a thoughtful design like the easy opening of vents, steady sitting of grill racks, convenient hanging of hoods on its side. With these small things, you can easily turn a frustration or burnt fingers experience into a smooth, and pleasant one. Also, having ease of adding or removing charcoal to the grill will help you to cook food tasty. Different models provide different types of access to charcoal. Also, a charcoal grill with easy access will let you control the temperature of the grill while operating.
10. Ease of Cleaning:
Almost like after each cooking session, we notice charred pieces of food/grease stick to grill, ash basket, chamber or drawer fills up with ashes. A few charcoal grill grates are dishwasher-safe but it’s always best to do hand wash and dry them properly along with its chamber. In case, if your grill model allows you to pull out the drawer or basket, then it is easy to take out the ashes. Ash is the main drawback of charcoal grills and to get rid of this problem, you can use ashtrays under the grill (or) ash pans on the side of the grill, in which you can remove and throw the ash out of the grill easily. A few models of grill come with additional doors, which allows you to throw out the ash quickly without removing the food or grates on the grill. In case, if your charcoal grill is not having any ash removal feature, then it would be a problem to clean the grill.
11. Build Quality:
The quality of your charcoal grill will let you know about the materials used, how they withstand intense heat and suits for heavy use. In general, the grills made with thick materials like cast iron, cast aluminum or heavy ceramic are considered the best choice and top-rated grills. Also, grills made with thinner materials like chrome-plated or porcelain-coated grills can be used to perform the task but they won’t withstand high heat and not suitable for intensive usage.
12. Mobility:
Charcoal grills come with varying degrees of mobility (with its wheels). Like you may notice from models, which can be moved a few feet around your courtyard, to units that are designed and engineered to take it on the road.
13. Design & Appearance:
In the olden days, the space of charcoal grilling is limited to the simple barrel and kettle-style grills. But now you can find a wide array of grills differing in their aesthetic and industrial design. So, with this increase in the diverse nature of the grilling space from traditional to contemporary models, you can easily select the one designed to blend into your home décor. So, you have to take this aesthetic factor into your account before makes its purchase.
14. Weight:
Before making its purchase, one should consider this feature to know where to place and how often you use the grill. For example, choose a small, lightweight, and portable charcoal grill to take on camping trips or store them indoors (while not using) in the winter/cold season.
15. Price:
The price of charcoal grills will range from $50 – $2000 (or above). Its price is decided by its quality, brand, and features, like from low-end to high-end models. Before you prefer to buy the grill, you have to stick to your budget, which you set (afford) to spend on it. Take a look at the overall models within your price range and check & compare the features like cooking surface, built-in construction, design, etc. Finally, select the one that suits perfectly for your requirement.
16. Warranty:
Another essential factor to take into consideration. Since we spend a few hundred dollars on this grill and for most people, it is like a one-time investment. So, you should be careful and check the products warranty provided by the manufacturer. In general, there should be at least a 3 – 5 years warranty on the product and a few brands provide a 10-year (or lifetime warranty) on their product and thus has easy replacement parts (when wear-out). Also, check whether the manufacturer providing proper customer service or not by seeing the product reviews.
17. Special Features:
Here are some special features that let you have easy, effortless and effective grilling. Have a look at them to know what are those.
A rack on the bottom of the grill for easy storage of charcoal Removable ash bin for easy clean-up. Smoker trays Attached shelf to hold the food Thermometer near grate level to check temperature level while cooking. Hooks on the sides for hanging utensils. Some adjustable racks.
18. Lump Vs Briquettes
The charcoal is available in two main varieties – lump and briquettes. Both of these types are made by burning wood in an oxygen-controlled environment and the left-over carbon turns into charcoal. As per grilling experts, the lump is the purest form of charcoal, whereas briquettes are processed into uniform shape and may contain additives or lighter fluid. One can easily differentiate them by their shape and the way they generate heat (heat-generating process) However, lumps burn hotter than briquettes but their irregular shape makes them unpredictable. Like no two pieces of the lump will burn in the same way and produce heat similarly. While coming to briquettes, which are uniform in shape and offers reliable heat output and suits perfectly for slow and long cooking. Note: You can choose the charcoal depending on what type of food you’re grilling on it. For instance, use lump charcoal to enjoy an earthy smoke flavour.
Tips to Maintain the Charcoal Grill:
Besides buying and using the charcoal grill, you have to know how to maintain it properly to enhance its working lifespan. Take a look at some essential tips used to maintain the charcoal grill.
Cooking grates have to be cleaned before and after every use. This brushing will make them free of cooked-on gunk and wipe off with a wet rag. To prevent food from sticking to the grate, you have to oil them after heating and before placing/cooking anything on it. Though it is necessary to empty the ash box after every use, but you should not do it immediately. It’s better to let ash cool down completely, which may take at least 12 hours after cooking. Also, check the ash before dumping it into a trash can or garbage bag, why because if the ash catcher is warm then the ash inside it becomes a fire hazard. Never use water to quickly extinguish the ashes. As water when mixed with ash, it turns to sodium and potassium hydroxide, which collectively called lye – caustic alkalines that burns flesh. Also, you should never let the charcoal grill damp in the rain. The same lye will corrode the metal faster. So, let the ash cool down completely and prefer to place the grill in a garage with a cover on its top. Avoid using charcoal grills in a closed space, as charcoal burning will release carbon monoxide (odorless, deadly gas). In case, if you use the grill outside, then it diffuses into the air, whereas used indoors, it overwhelms and kills you within minutes. Protect your charcoal grill from harsh weather by using a grill cover while storing or not using it. The larger the grilling area, the better you create a 2-zone cooking setup. This lets you move the food from the hot flame area (hot charcoals) to a cool flame area (low heat charcoals) for proper cooking. The left-over ash on the grill will act as an insulator and increases the grill heat-up time and food cooking time. So, choose the one that has an easy to remove ashtray for disposing of ash quickly from the grill.
Grilling Tools and Accessories Required for Charcoal Grills:
You will need to have some tools and accessories while cooking in charcoal grills, to make your cooking experience safe, easy and effective. Check out what are that equipment.
Grilling Accessories:
Have a look at some essential accessories for perfect cooking in charcoal grills.
To Ignite the Charcoal:
There is no instant push-button starter for a charcoal grill and its lighting is not as easy as gas or electric grills. Since you have to lit coals initially and for this, a charcoal chimney starter is a perfect tool to get charcoal (lump or briquettes) to catch fire easily and quickly. You can also place a firelighter or two (or) ball up some newspaper under a full chimney of coal to light it. You will observe glowing red coals within 15 minutes, which are ready to pour into the grill for cooking food. So, in this way, you can ignite the charcoal grill in a simple, and effective by saving huge time.
Heat Resistant Gloves:
While dealing with any type of grill, one should be conscious of their hot surfaces/handling of hot stuff. The risk is even more while using charcoal grills. As one has to handle the chimney, which is full of hot coals to start the process. Also, you have to move the cooking grates around to re-fill with more charcoal in the middle of the cooking process (if needed). This makes the fire chamber and lid get hot and while turning, adding or removing food, your hands will be close to the flames and they may get burnt easily (if you’re not conscious). So, we recommend you wear a pair of heat-resistant grilling gloves while cooking on any type of grill.
Dampers:
To control the temperature of the grill, you can use these adjustable dampers, which help in the intake and exhaust of gases from the grill. A minimum of 2 dampers is essential for the grilling process – simply ignite the coals from the intake damper (or) extinguish the coals from the exhaust damper.
Grilling Tools:
The cooking process on a grill involves adding, turn over and remove the item. For this, one should need at least a spatula and BBQ tongs. To make cooking easier, you have to invest in some grilling tools. Take a look at them.
Thermometers:
The inside temperature of a charcoal grill can range from 200°F – 750°F. So, to make your dish cook perfectly, you need to know the temperature level and also the ability to control the temperature in the grill. For this, you should choose a grill with thermometers. It is not good to rely on a built-in lid thermometer. So, go for a dual probe smoker and grill thermometer to monitor the temperature of your grill and the internal temperature of food. It is one of the best indispensable tools to have while grilling.
Grill Brush:
Irrespective of the type of grill you’re using, you have to clean the grates every time after cooking. To complete this task, you need a good grill brush but choose the one free from bristles. The reason is that they might be a chance of consuming a wire bristle unexpectedly if you didn’t clean the cooking grates properly. So, avoid a grill brush with bristles. Comment * Name * Email * Website
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