There’s something uniquely satisfying about cooking over real charcoal. The distinct smoky flavor, the primal connection to fire, and the hands-on control it offers are experiences that gas grills simply can’t replicate. Whether you’re searing the perfect steak, slow-smoking a rack of ribs, or just grilling burgers in the backyard, a quality charcoal grill is the key to authentic barbecue.
Choosing the right one, however, can be a challenge. The market is filled with options, from compact portable models for tailgating to large, feature-rich units for the dedicated pitmaster. This roundup is designed to help you cut through the noise and find the ideal charcoal grill to match your cooking style and needs, ensuring your next cookout is a resounding success.
The Best Charcoal Grills for Your Next Cookout
- Weber Jumbo Joe Premium Charcoal Grill for Outdoor Cooking
- Gas One 14-inch Portable Barbecue Grill with Locking Lid
- Royal Gourmet 24-Inch Charcoal Grill and BBQ Smoker
- Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill
- Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill for Outdoor Cooking
- Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill and BBQ
- Kamado Joe Classic Joe Series 18-inch Ceramic Grill
- only fire Stainless Steel Charcoal Ash Basket
- Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker Charcoal Smoker
- Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Kooker Charcoal Grill
Weber Jumbo Joe Premium Charcoal Grill for Outdoor Cooking
Don’t let its portable size fool you; the Weber Jumbo Joe is a powerhouse built with the same quality as its larger siblings. Its 22-inch cooking grate provides a surprisingly spacious surface, making it an excellent choice for small patios, picnics, and camping trips. The durable-plated steel cooking grate is designed to withstand frequent use, providing a resilient surface for all your grilling needs.
This grill is engineered for performance and longevity. The porcelain-enameled lid and bowl are built to resist rust and peeling while effectively retaining heat for consistent cooking temperatures. You also get precise control over your fire with the rust-resistant aluminum dampers, allowing you to expertly regulate airflow for perfect searing or gentle, indirect cooking.
Gas One 14-inch Portable Barbecue Grill with Locking Lid
For those who prioritize portability without sacrificing cooking performance, the Gas One 14-inch grill is a standout option. Its 150-square-inch cooking surface is perfectly sized for preparing a meal for a few people while its compact design promotes even heat distribution. The construction is focused on making on-the-go grilling both simple and effective.
A key feature is the 3-point locking lid, which serves a dual purpose. It securely traps heat inside, functioning almost like a smoker or oven for uniform cooking, and it also locks shut for safe and easy transportation to your favorite outdoor spot. The dual ventilation system ensures a constant airflow, keeping your charcoal burning steadily and maintaining the optimal temperature for your food.
Royal Gourmet 24-Inch Charcoal Grill and BBQ Smoker
When you need to feed a crowd, the Royal Gourmet CD1824M offers substantial capacity without a complex setup. With a total of 490 square inches of cooking space, including a warming rack, this grill can handle meals for up to ten people. The inclusion of a side folding table adds valuable workspace for your tools and ingredients, making the grilling process more organized.
This model provides excellent control for the aspiring pitmaster. The height-adjustable charcoal pan is a significant benefit; by turning a crank handle, you can fine-tune the distance between the coals and your food, giving you direct command over the cooking temperature. The front access door is another thoughtful touch, allowing you to add more charcoal with minimal heat loss.
Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill
Oklahoma Joe’s is a trusted name in barbecue, and the Rambler brings that reputation into a compact, tabletop form. Fueled by lump charcoal or briquettes, this grill is designed for classic cooking over hot coals. Its 218-square-inch grate provides a practical cooking area, suitable for grilling up to six burgers at once, making it ideal for balconies, tailgating, or as a secondary grill.
The heavy-duty cast-iron cooking grates are a premium feature that enhances the cooking experience. They are excellent at retaining and distributing heat evenly, which helps cook food consistently. These grates also create those highly sought-after, professional-looking grill marks, adding visual appeal to everything you cook.
Weber Master-Touch Charcoal Grill for Outdoor Cooking
The Weber Master-Touch is often considered the gold standard for a reason. It refines the classic kettle grill with thoughtful features that improve convenience and versatility. The Tuck-Away lid holder is a simple but brilliant addition, allowing you to secure the lid to the side of the grill instead of placing it on the ground.
This grill is part of Weber’s Gourmet BBQ System, meaning the hinged cooking grate is compatible with a range of inserts like a wok or griddle, vastly expanding your culinary possibilities. Cleanup is also made easy with the integrated One-Touch cleaning system, which efficiently sweeps ash into a removable, high-capacity catcher, keeping your grilling area tidy.
Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill and BBQ
For the grilling enthusiast who wants every possible convenience, the Weber Performer Deluxe is a top-tier choice. It includes all the premium features of the Master-Touch but adds a sturdy cart with a work table and integrated storage. This provides a dedicated, organized station for all your grilling sessions.
Its most notable upgrade is the Touch-N-Go gas ignition system. This feature uses a small gas cylinder to light the charcoal quickly and effortlessly, eliminating the need for chimney starters or lighter fluid. Combined with the easy-ash-cleanup system and the durable Hinged GBS cooking grate, this grill makes the entire process from lighting to cleaning remarkably smooth.
Kamado Joe Classic Joe Series 18-inch Ceramic Grill
The Kamado Joe represents a significant step up into the world of ceramic cookers, renowned for their incredible versatility and efficiency. Its thick ceramic walls provide superior insulation, allowing it to maintain stable temperatures for hours, making it equally capable of low-and-slow smoking and high-heat searing exceeding 700°F.
This grill is a true all-in-one outdoor cooker. You can use it to grill, smoke, bake, and even roast. The included durable polyester cover is a valuable accessory, built from industrial-strength fabric to fully protect your investment from the elements, ensuring its longevity and performance for years to come.
only fire Stainless Steel Charcoal Ash Basket
This accessory is a game-changer for owners of large ceramic grills like the X-Large Big Green Egg. The only fire ash basket is designed to replace the standard cast iron grate, improving airflow and charcoal efficiency. Its round shape and open design allow air to circulate more freely around the charcoal, helping you achieve higher temperatures with less fuel.
A key feature is the included divider, which enables two-zone cooking. This allows you to set up a direct heat zone for searing and an indirect heat zone for slower cooking, all within the same grill. This flexibility is essential for cooking different types of food simultaneously and for advanced barbecue techniques.
Weber 18-inch Smokey Mountain Cooker Charcoal Smoker
If your primary goal is authentic, slow-smoked barbecue, the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker is a purpose-built tool trusted by champions. This vertical water smoker is engineered to make the smoking process accessible and consistent for home users. Its design is focused on one thing: delivering genuine smokehouse flavor.
Despite its manageable footprint, it offers a generous amount of cooking space across two chromed-plated racks. This capacity is sufficient to accommodate large cuts of meat simultaneously, such as a whole turkey and an entire ham. Built from durable steel, it’s a reliable smoker that maintains temperature steadily for those long cooking sessions.
Char-Griller Akorn Kamado Kooker Charcoal Grill
The Char-Griller Akorn offers a more affordable entry into the world of kamado-style cooking. Instead of ceramic, it’s constructed with triple-walled steel, which provides excellent heat retention and efficiency while being lighter and more portable. It delivers the same versatility as a traditional kamado, capable of grilling, smoking, and baking.
This grill is known for its fuel efficiency, requiring less charcoal than a standard kettle grill to achieve and maintain high temperatures for searing or low temperatures for smoking. Its design makes it an excellent value, providing many of the benefits of a high-end ceramic cooker at a more accessible price point for cooks looking to experiment with kamado-style cooking.
Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Charcoal Grills for Barbecue
Choosing the right charcoal grill can feel overwhelming with all the options out there. I’ve been through it, and the key is to focus on what really matters for your specific grilling style. Let’s break down the main things you should consider before you buy one of the best charcoal grills for barbecue.
First, think about size and cooking area. This is the most practical starting point. If you typically cook for just yourself or a small family, a compact kettle grill might be perfect. But if you regularly host big gatherings or want to cook a whole brisket and a few racks of ribs at once, you’ll need a much larger cooking surface. Remember to check the primary grilling area measurement, and also see if it has secondary racks for indirect heat cooking. Portability is another factor here; if you plan on taking your grill to tailgates or campsites, a smaller, lighter model with a secure lid is essential.
The next big decision is the grill’s material, which directly impacts durability and heat retention. The most common material is porcelain-enameled steel, which is affordable, resistant to rust, and does a decent job with heat. Then you have heavy-gauge steel, which is thicker and holds heat better, but it’s heavier and can rust if not cared for. For the ultimate in durability and heat efficiency, look for grills made of cast iron or ceramic (like Kamado styles). Cast iron grates are fantastic for searing marks but require maintenance to prevent rust, while ceramic is a champion of temperature control but is often the most expensive and fragile option.
Temperature control is what separates a good grill from a great one. The primary tools for this are the vents. You should have at least one intake vent at the bottom to control oxygen flow and one exhaust vent at the top to let smoke and heat out. More precise vents give you more control over your fire. Some grills also feature adjustable charcoal grates or baskets, allowing you to raise or lower the coals relative to the food. If you’re interested in low-and-slow smoking, look for models that are known for their airtight seals, as this is crucial for maintaining low temperatures for many hours.
Finally, don’t forget about the extra features that make grilling easier. A built-in thermometer is a must-have for monitoring the ambient temperature inside the grill, though be aware they aren’t always perfectly accurate. Ash collection systems, like a one-touch clean-out, save you a huge mess when it’s time to clean up. Side tables provide valuable space for your tools and plates, and sturdy wheels are a lifesaver for moving a heavy, hot grill. Consider your budget against these features; sometimes, a simpler, well-built grill is a better investment than a feature-packed one with a flimsy construction.
FAQ
What is the easiest charcoal grill for a beginner to use?
For someone just starting out, I always recommend a standard 22-inch kettle grill. They are incredibly straightforward, affordable, and have a massive community of users, so you can find tips and recipes everywhere. The learning curve is all about managing the vents for temperature control, which is a fundamental skill for any charcoal griller. Their simple design makes them very forgiving as you learn.
How long does it take for a charcoal grill to be ready for cooking?
This depends on your lighting method. Using a chimney starter is the most efficient way. With a full chimney of charcoal, it typically takes about 15-20 minutes for the coals to become ash-gray and ready. If you’re using lighter fluid, you might be waiting a bit longer, around 20-30 minutes, for the chemical taste to burn off completely. I always plan for at least 20 minutes of pre-heat time.
What’s the difference between lump charcoal and briquettes?
Lump charcoal is pure, burned wood with no additives. It lights faster, burns hotter, and gives a more natural wood-fire flavor. However, it burns out quicker and can be less consistent in size. Briquettes are compressed sawdust and coal dust with binders. They burn more evenly and for a longer, more consistent time, making them ideal for longer cooking sessions. I use lump for high-heat searing and briquettes for low-and-slow smoking.
Can I use my charcoal grill as a smoker?
Absolutely! Many of the best charcoal grills for barbecue are excellent for smoking. The technique is called indirect cooking. You push all the hot coals to one side of the grill and place your meat on the opposite side, away from the direct heat. You then add wood chunks or chips to the coals for smoke flavor and manage the vents to keep the temperature low, usually between 225°F and 275°F. A water pan placed next to the coals can also help stabilize temperature and keep the meat moist.
How do I clean and maintain my charcoal grill?
Good maintenance is key to a long grill life. After each cook, once the grill has cooled slightly but is still warm, I use a stiff wire brush to clean the cooking grates. For the interior, I empty the ash catcher after every few uses to prevent airflow blockages and corrosion. A deep clean once or twice a year involves scrubbing the inside bowl and lid with a grill cleaner and warm, soapy water. For cast iron grates, a light coating of cooking oil after cleaning will help prevent rust.
Is a more expensive charcoal grill worth the money?
Often, yes. A higher price tag usually gets you better materials, like thicker steel or ceramic, which leads to superior heat retention and a more consistent cooking temperature. You also get better build quality, more precise vents for control, and convenient features like improved ash removal systems. While a budget grill can work fine, investing in a quality model can make the grilling experience easier and more enjoyable, and the grill will likely last you for many more years.