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For a long time, charcoal fires were the main thing people used to cook outside. Hasty-Bake made a great cooker with a crank that moves the charcoal rack up and down in 1948. It is still one of our favorite brands today. When Weber-Stephen released its now-iconic charcoal kettles in 1952, they lit fires in backyards from coast to coast, and barbecue became a national sport. Early in the 1960s, gas grills came out and quickly became popular. Gas finally became the fuel of choice for most people who grill at home. But charcoal is still a close second, and its popularity has been growing lately. In the realm of outdoor cooking, the Best Charcoal Grills have been an enduring source of delight and continue to stoke the fires of culinary passion, kindling a timeless tradition of flavor and flair.
There’s no doubt that portable grills are easy to use. They are easy to start up, and you can start cooking on them in minutes with little work. You need a little more skill and work to cook with charcoal, but you don’t need a PhD to start a fire. Yes, you have to clean out the ash, but unlike with gas grills, most of the grease that drips off the food will burn on the hot coals instead of collecting at the bottom. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good gas grill. In fact, you can read about my best gas grills right here. However, I’d rather clean a charcoal grill than a gas grill any day of the week.
A lot of people are sure that charcoal makes better flavors than gas. Let’s just say that different fuels have different qualities, and we won’t even talk about the many different kinds of charcoal that are available today. Is there a difference between the fuels? That is a very long argument. Each to his or her own. Charcoal does have a few clear benefits, though. Charcoal grills are usually cheaper, have less moving parts that can break, and can reach a much wider range of temperatures.
Best Charcoal Grills Comparison Table
| Product Name | Type of Grill | Cooking Area | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weber Original Kettle Premium | Traditional Charcoal Grill | 363 sq in | One-Touch cleaning system, built-in thermometer, hinged cooking grate, ash catcher |
| PK Grills PK360 | Combination Charcoal Grill & Smoker | 360 sq in | Four-way venting system, 2-zone cooking capability, removable shelves, easy to clean |
| Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 | Combination Charcoal Grill & Smoker | 560 sq in | Digital control panel, automatic feed system, reversible smoking grates, temperature range of 225°F to 700°F |
| Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop | Tabletop Charcoal Grill | 218 sq in | Heavy-duty construction, adjustable air damper, removable ash pan, temperature gauge |
| Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado | Kamado Charcoal Grill | 314 sq in | Triple-walled insulation, easy dump ash pan, top and bottom adjustable dampers, locking caster wheels |
| Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal Grill | Portable Charcoal Grill & Smoker | 325 sq in | Removable ash pan, foldable legs and side handles for easy transport, adjustable damper for heat control |
Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cooking Area | 363 square inches |
| Dimensions | 39.5 x 22.5 x 27 inches |
| Weight | 32.3 pounds |
| Material | Porcelain-Enameled bowl and lid |
The Weber Original 22-Inch Kettle Grill is a Best Charcoal Grills for a family that costs about $200, can cook anything, and will last forever. When George Stephen, Sr. came out with the Weber Kettle in 1952, he set (good) fire to America’s backyards. The design of the most famous backyard grill in the world today isn’t too different from the first one.
Most backyard gas grills can’t compare to Weber kettles when it comes to cooking. With a cheap Slow ‘n Sear smoker conversion kit, you can turn your grill into a pretty good smoker for ribs, pork, brisket, and fish. (The next thing on our list is Slow ‘N Sear. Scroll down to find out more.) The big, curved lid is big enough for roasts and birds. There are also several upgrades to the base kettle, such as tables, gas ignition, and more. It’s made in the United States!
The Good
- Iconic style and quality of construction
- Easy to put together and use.
- Affordable price point
- able to be grilled both directly and indirectly
The Bad
- There isn’t enough room for bigger cuts of meat.
- No way to catch ashes.
PK Grills PK360 Outdoor Charcoal Grill and Smoker Combination
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cooking Area | 360 square inches |
| Dimensions | 54 x 29 x 47.5 inches |
| Weight | 97.0 pounds |
| Material | Aluminum capsule, porcelain-coated steel grates |
The Portable Kitchen PK360 Grill and Smoker is one of the Best Charcoal Grills and most aesthetically pleasing charcoal grills that we have seen. It incorporates all of the outstanding features of the original 1952 PK Grill, but the design has been tweaked and improved, and the structure has been beefed up. The primary cooking surface of the grill box measures 360 square inches, making it significantly larger than the 300 square-inch Classic model while still maintaining the grill box’s trademark flat bottom and rectangular shape.
Additionally, there is a one-of-a-kind arrangement of adjustable air intake dampers on the bottom left and right, as well as comparable exhaust dampers on the top left and right. Because the bottom is so large and flat, it is simple to move the charcoal to one side, which results in the formation of two extremely distinct direct and indirect zones.
The Good
- Heavy-duty construction makes it last a long time.
- Excellent control of temperature and keeping of heat
- Large cooking area with height that can be changed
- You can smoke, roast, and sear with it.
The Bad
- Expensive compared to similar models
- Some people may find it hard to put together.
Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 Digital Charcoal Grill + Smoker
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cooking Area | 560 square inches |
| Dimensions | 51.26 x 30.91 x 54.13 inches |
| Weight | 146.2 pounds |
| Material | Stainless steel construction |
Masterbuilt is known for making electric and gas smokers in a wide range of styles and the Best Charcoal Grills. With the Gravity Series 560 Digital Charcoal cook + Smoker, you can now cook and smoke at the same time. Fill the bin with charcoal to cook for 12 hours while a fan moves hot air into the grill. You can also smoke with wood chips.
Using a programmable temperature panel, you can keep the grill at any temperature between 225°F for low-and-slow smoking and 700°F for searing. The grill has cast iron grates on both sides that can be used to cook or smoke food. It also comes with a temperature probe for meat and can be linked to an app that lets you check the temperature from a distance and make changes as needed.
The Good
- Temperature control that is fully automaticLarge cooking area with side shelves for extra space. Can be used for smoking, grilling, and roasting.Charcoal can be used well with an ash removal system
The Bad
- Compared to other charcoal grills, it’s pricey.
- It is heavy and hard to move around.
Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Tabletop Charcoal Grill
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cooking Area | 218 square inches |
| Dimensions | 26.5 x 18 x 17.5 inches |
| Weight | 50.2 pounds |
| Material | Heavy-gauge steel construction |
This grill is perfect for you if you currently own a gas grill but occasionally crave the flavor that you get from cooking with charcoal. In addition to that, it works well for confined areas or the sporadic griller. Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler has two large handles, which make it easy to move around. Additionally, Joe’s Rambler has a compact footprint, but it is still very strong.
It comes with a tool that may be used to lift the hot grates while you are cooking, allowing you to add additional coal as required. In addition to it, there is a charcoal tray that can be adjusted and is easily accessed during cooking. During our evaluations, this grill was successful in producing good grill marks on chicken and in keeping the temperature stable. After cooking, the mess was simple to wipe up as well.
The Good
- Small and easy to move around
- Fits small outdoor spaces and can be used on a tabletop
- Built to last, with strong materials
- Adjustable cooking grates give you more ways to cook.
The Bad
- Fewer kitchen spaces for bigger groups
- Difficult to control temperature
Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cooking Area | 314 square inches |
| Dimensions | 26.6 x 24.8 x 21.65 inches |
| Weight | 90.4 pounds |
| Material | Insulated steel construction |
Kamado-style grills came from Asia more than 3,000 years ago. These oval-shaped cooking pots are becoming more famous in the U.S. because they can be used for so many different things. Kamado grills, like the Char-Griller AKORN Kamado Charcoal Grill, are used to smoke and bake food. They heat up fast and make food taste better.
This particular kamado grill is made of steel and has three layers. It has 314 square inches of cast-iron grill room and a warming rack that can be taken off. It has a built-in timer and can cook at temperatures between 200 and 700 degrees Fahrenheit. The grill has two foldable side shelves and hooks for cooking tools.
The Good
- Excellent temperature control and retention
- Different ways to cook, like smoking, baking, and searing
- Easy to put together and use.
- Built to last, with strong materials
The Bad
- Compared to similar models, this one has a smaller cooking surface.
- It is heavy and hard to move around.
Masterbuilt Portable Charcoal Grill and Smoker with Cart
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cooking Area | 190 square inches |
| Dimensions | 18.3 x 16.1 x 13.8 inches |
| Weight | 15.4 pounds |
| Material | Stainless steel construction |
Stoking and adding fuel to a charcoal fire in order to keep the temperature stable is likely the most challenging aspect of the charcoal grilling process. That issue is remedied by the portable grill produced by Masterbuilt; it merely requires turning a dial to set the desired temperature, and it is functional. It is designed a little bit differently than the majority of charcoal grills, with a hopper for fuel at one side, and a built-in fan that can use AA batteries or connect into an outlet to adjust the temperature by blowing at different rates.
This allows for more precise temperature regulation. The dial can be set to any temperature between 250 and 500 degrees, and for the entirety of our series of testing, the grill maintained an accuracy of within 10 degrees of the preset. When heated to its maximum level, it was able to impart a pleasing sear to both the hamburgers and the corn.
The Good
- For easy transport, the design is light and portable.
- Affordable price point
- Suitable for camping and activities outside
- Easy to put together and use.
The Bad
- Fewer kitchen spaces for bigger groups
- No temperature control mechanism
FAQs
A charcoal grill is a type of outdoor cooking device that uses lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes as fuel. Charcoal grills come in many shapes and sizes, from small movable ones to big ones that stay in one place.
Charcoal grills work by burning lump charcoal or charcoal briquettes until they are red hot, which makes heat and smoke. The food is then put on the cooking grate right above the hot coals, and the lid is closed to keep the heat and smoke inside the grill.
Food cooked on a charcoal grill has a taste that can’t be matched by other ways of cooking. They are also cheaper than gas grills and can get hotter, which is good for cooking meat.