Looking for the best charcoal grill? I’ve been using charcoal grill for the best couple of years and find that there’s no better flavour than enjoying food that’s been cooked on charcoal. Both the wood chips and charcoal help to create this incredible delicious and unique smoky flavor that you just can’t get from a regular gas grill.
In my own experience in using charcoal grills, I also find them to be easy to use and are also versatile. They’re also generally inexpensive, and also come in various shapes and sizes along with multiple options and features.
To help you in your search for a charcoal grill, I’ll be running through some points to take note of when buying a charcoal grill, and providing you with more information on 9 of the best charcoal grills there are in the market.
- 9 Best Charcoal Grills Review
- 1. Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill, 22-Inch
- 2. Royal Gourmet CC1830F Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker
- 3. Weber 15501001 Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill, 22-Inch
- 4. Cuisinart CCG-100 Portable GrateLifter Charcoal Grill
- 5. Dyna-Glo DGN576SNC-D Dual Zone Premium Charcoal Grill
- 6. Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill, Graphite
- 7. Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 Charcoal Grill + Smoker
- 8. Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Kettleman Charcoal Grill, 22.5 Inch
- 9. Lodge Hibachi-Style Grill
- What to Look for When Buying a Charcoal Grill?
- Conclusion
9 Best Charcoal Grills Review
1. Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill, 22-Inch
This Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill is by far the best charcoal grill there is on the market. I personally feel that it’s great because it comes with a one-touch cleaning system which means that cleaning up charcoal ash and debris is a breeze.
On top of that, the charcoal grill also comes with precision heat control so I was able to easily monitor the temperature of my grill. It’s also able to withstand high temperatures and I could conveniently hang my lid on the side.
If you’re like me and like having easy access to your grilling tools, this grill also comes with hooks for you to hang your spatulas and tongs along with durable wheels so you can easily move your grill around the yard.
This particular grill also comes with a built-in lid thermometer along with a cooking grate made with plated steel and can fit about 13 hamburgers – a relatively decent size. It’s also 363 inches and has about a 7.5-inch lid height. It’s truly one of the best grills there are out there, and will make for a fantastic grilling experience from beginning to end.
2. Royal Gourmet CC1830F Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker
If you’re like me and prefer charcoal grills that are easy to assemble, this Royal Gourmet Charcoal Grill is incredibly easy to put together and comes with a combination offset smoker that’s great for both smoke and heating.
It comes with porcelain wire cooking grates that retains heat, is rust-resistant, and helps with locking in the juices. Charcoal pans are also adjustable so I was able to conveniently adjust the height to a level that suited me best.
I love that it also has an easy-to-read thermometer built on the main lid design as well as an adjustable vent that helps with better air flow and heat control. Since I’ve got a tendency to like to store my utensils on the grill, it’s great that this particular grill comes with both a front and underneath rack for storage.
The charcoal also comes with wheels for easy portability and had everything I needed to grill and smoke meats with no hassle. This is great for cooking for families or friends as it comes with over 800sq inches of cooking surface and has a large charcoal pan that can hold over 5 pounds of charcoal at once.
3. Weber 15501001 Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill, 22-Inch
Here’s another Weber charcoal grill on the list. This particular model is a Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill and just as the name suggests, it’s a high-performing and incredible charcoal grill. There’s a handy built-in lid thermometer that’ll help in displaying the grill temperature.
Similar to the previous Weber charcoal grill, this one is also easy to clean and comes with an electronic ignition system that meant that I was able to easily ignite the charcoal with only a touch of a button – I found this to be really convenient when starting up my charcoal grill.
This particular charcoal grill also comes with a removable backlit LCD timer that I easily mounted on the work table of the grill to monitor preheating as well as grilling sessions. Just by adjusting the dampers, I was also able to easily control the temperature of my grill. The grill also has a weather-protected container which is a fantastic way to store charcoal for when I may need it next. Since I usually like to prep food near my charcoal grill, it’s also helpful that this grill comes with an extra work space for me to keep all my ingredients within reach.
4. Cuisinart CCG-100 Portable GrateLifter Charcoal Grill
Whenever I go camping or hiking, I sometimes like to bring a portable charcoal grill with me because it’s both easy to carry and convenient to use. This Cuisinart GrateLifter Charcoal Grill is the best portable charcoal grill there is out there for a number of reasons.
It comes with a 240 square-inch porcelain-coated grill grate and has plenty of space to cook up hamburgers, hot dogs and whatever else you’d like. Heat is also distributed both evenly and efficiently. At the same time, it’s light and easy to carry around so I was able to pack it up and carry it to one of my social events.
The heat-resistant steel lid handle means that closing and opening the grill to check my food whenever I wanted didn’t cause any problems. I also really appreciated the dual venting system which helped in maintaining the overall temperature.
Even though it’s portable, the charcoal grill still has 240 sq inches of grilling surface and is incredibly compact. The GrateLifter mechanism is also a fantastic feature of this grill as there’s no need to remove the cooking grate to add charcoal – this is truly a great portable charcoal grill that I highly recommend.
5. Dyna-Glo DGN576SNC-D Dual Zone Premium Charcoal Grill
This premium charcoal grill is a great option if you’re cooking for more individuals. I personally could use it to cook for a sizable amount of people since it has a primary cooking area that’s 576 square inches along with a secondary cooking area that’s 240 square inches. With this grill, I was able to remove the firebox divider to convert it into a single or dual cooking zone.
There’s also two separate charcoal trays which means that you’re able to cook separately – this was handy for me when I had to cook different foods that require different temperatures at the same time. Both the lid and the front of the grill are also double-walled to help in minimizing heat loss while improving the efficiency of charcoal.
The charcoal grill also came with a removable ash pan which meant that clean-up was both quick and easy. It also helped that there were dual vents on the side, and that the grill cooking surfaces and coal trays are both made of sturdy material. The best part? It’s super easy to assemble, all I had to do was follow the instructions and I was able to assemble it in no time at all.
6. Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill, Graphite
If you’re not sure what a Kamado-style grill is, it’s essentially a charcoal grill that has more of an oval-shape in comparison to the regular rounded charcoal grill that you’re used to. I personally think that this Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill is the best kamado charcoal grill on the market.
With 314 square inches of primary cooking space, it also comes with a warming rack that I greatly appreciated. It has a sturdy construction of tripled walled gauge steel and because of that I was able to maintain cooking temperatures that reached over 600 degrees Fahrenheit.
Adjustable dampers helped with air flow and also meant that it was easy for me to control the temperature of the grill. There’s also a side shelf that I could fold open and close to place my utensil hooks on.
There were large locking wheels for me to easily move around my grill, and I could tell that the steel construction meant that my grill was sturdy enough to last me for a considerable amount of time – a great investment indeed.
7. Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 Charcoal Grill + Smoker
If you’ve never had a digital charcoal grill before, it’s time to invest in one. This Masterbuilt Gravity Series Charcoal Grill is by far the best charcoal grill with a smoker. I love how it comes with a digital control panel so I’m able to easily control the temperature and cook time – I’m even able to do this through my smart phone using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
The charcoal grill also comes with a built-in temperature gauge and meat probe thermometer that’s perfect in helping me know when my food’s ready. There’s also over 560 inches of square space, and the racks are coated with porcelain.
The charcoal hopper within this grill is also great as it meant that I didn’t need to remove charcoal after I was done since it holds over 12 hours of fuel. Smoking and searing was also a breeze and the grill’s temperature was able to hit over 700 degrees Fahrenheit in just a little over 10 minutes – which was incredibly quick and great if you’re starving.
8. Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Kettleman Charcoal Grill, 22.5 Inch
Charcoal grills that have infrared technology are able to help in cooking food evenly and with greater temperature control. In my opinion, the Char-Broil Infrared Kettleman Charcoal Grill is the best charcoal grill out there with infrared technology.
The grill itself has a 360-square inch cooking surface, and also has a porcelain-coated cooking grate. I find that the infrared system within this grill really helps in facilitating faster cooking and preventing any hot or cold spots on the surface of the grill for more even cooking.
The hinged lid on the grill also meant that I was able to tend to the charcoal and the food with both my hands and didn’t have to worry about placing the lid on the floor or somewhere else. The temperature gauge also helped me monitor the temperature of the grill while the air-inlet helped with increased airflow.
The grill is also pretty stable as it has two wheels that offer easy mobility and the bottom shelf meant that I was able to store a few things on there while I was cooking my food.
9. Lodge Hibachi-Style Grill
A hibachi-style grill is essentially a small and portable barbecue grill that’s usually made from cast iron. In my personal experience, I find the Lodge L410 Grill to be the best hibachi-style charcoal grill there is in the market.
I appreciated how it was already seasoned and ready-to-use when it arrived, and the cast iron construction meant that I was able to get the perfect sear. Either than being a great hibachi-style it’s also the best small charcoal as it’s versatile size meant that I could easily bring it with me anywhere I wanted.
While it doesn’t come with any fancy features, this charcoal grill does the job and I liked how it was durable and seemed to have really great heat retention. On top of that, there’s doors to add the charcoal and is just a great charcoal grill to bring with you if you’re looking to cook some hamburger patties or hot dogs.
What to Look for When Buying a Charcoal Grill?
Size:
One of the first things that you should look for when buying a charcoal grill is whether or not it’s adequately sized. I’ve got a larger charcoal grill because I tend to use it for family gatherings, and also to smoke ribs, roast chicken and more.
If you’re only cooking for a party of two, you might want to invest in a smaller charcoal grill. Another thing to consider is how much space you’d need for side items, and whether not you’ve got enough space to cook all your ingredients.
Being able to regulate temperature
The last thing you’d want is to buy a charcoal grill that’s not great at helping to control and maintain temperature. When I purchased my charcoal grill, I looked for one that has top and bottom vents as well as an option to adjust the placement of charcoal for more even cooking.
Durability
If you’re investing in a charcoal grill, you’d want it to last you for an extended period of time. I personally recommend purchasing charcoal grills that are made of materials such as ceramics and stainless steel. The rule of thumb is that thicker materials will hold heat much better than flimsy materials.
Conclusion
Out of all the charcoal grills, I find the Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal grill to be the best charcoal grill there is on the market. While it isn’t of a size that’s small enough to be portable, it comes with a great range of features.
From a one-touch cleaning system to precision heat control and hooks to hang all my utensils, this charcoal grill encompassed everything that I needed. Since it has a built-in thermometer, monitoring the temperature isn’t hard, and the cooking grate can also fit a decent amount of food.
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