Is it the latent hunter gatherer in our men that drives them want to cook out on a charcoal grill or something more? Why else would the lure of literally flame grilled food (with a possibility of food poisoning) drive so many to opt to break out their best charcoal BBQ at the glimmer of a sunny day?
Personally I am a huge fan of the easy peasy, won’t burn your food but cook it to perfection in a decent time gas BBQ. However my husband is one of those BBQ Kings who can be found sweating over a portable charcoal bbq with beer in hand and looking like he won the lottery!
So for all those Kings of the BBQ out there here is my review (thanks to my husband and his pals who was more than happy to road test these wood smoked bbqs) of the best charcoal bbqs for your delectation.
- Holds up to 13 burgers made with a Weber burger press; Built-in lid thermometer
- One-Touch cleaning system with high-capacity ash catcher provides hassle-free ash cleanup
- Premium 13.5" Ceramic Grill with Cast Iron StandThick-walled, heat-resistant shell that locks in smoke and moisture at any temperatureCast-iron air vent for temperature control304 Stainless Steel Cooking GrateBuilt-In Temp GaugeCeramic Heat Deflector Grill Gripper Ash Tool
- Thick-walled, heat-resistant shell that locks in smoke and moisture at any temperature
- Holds up to 13 burgers made with a Weber burger press
- Slide the lid into the Tuck-Away lid holder on the side of the grill to avoid placing it on the ground
- Introducing the CosmoGrill XL Smoker - With ample cooking space and a built-in thermometer you can now grill, smoke, and roast your favourite meats or vegetables. Made with premium materials and a user-friendly design, this is the perfect, built to last, American-style outdoor companion.
- Tempreure Control: The CosmoGrill temperature gauge enables you to cook to perfection. The chimney and adjustable air vents facilitate better flow of heat and smoke for that optimum flame grilled flavour. Height adjustable coal tray featuring a stainless steel handle to accommodate the right amount of heat required.
- Grab the handle of your Smokey Joe Premium portable charcoal grill and throw a BBQ, tailgate, or grill lunch anywhere you go. Its lightweight design and carry handle make it easy to pack up your charcoal and grill wherever the day takes you.
- Holds up to five burgers made with a Weber burger press
- WEBER GO-ANYWHERE BBQ: Premium travel-size charcoal barbeque grill. Stylish original black/silver design with heat-resistant bowl and lid, triple plated cooking grate plus handle with heat shield
- LIGHTWEIGHT, FOLDABLE, PORTABLE BBQ GRILL: Outdoor cooking stove, BBQ oven and smoker features folding legs which pivot around the compact barbecue, locking the lid in place for easy carrying
- TEMPERATURE CONTROL: The CosmoGrill temperature gauge enables you to cook to perfection. The chimney and adjustable air vents facilitate a better flow of heat and smoke for the optimum flame grilled flavour. Height adjustable coal tray featuring a stainless-steel handle with four settings to accommodate the right amount of heat required.
- MORE GRILLING CONTROL: Variable heat distribution around the grill enables you to cook different meats or vegetables with different requirements at the same time. Cast iron grill provides better flavour, durability, and versatility. A stainless-steel warming rack keeps the food warm once it’s cooked and a door at the front of the barbecue allows the easy movement of coal without having to touch the grill.
- Lightweight (3.3kg) portable charcoal barbecue set
- Compact foldaway briefcase design for easy transportation
- CHARCOAL BBQ - This charcoal powered model provides the authentic BBQ experience at home, making it perfect for a family feast.
- 5 PORTIONS - Whether you BBQ for family or friends, in a garden or on a terrace, this George Foreman Kettle BBQ has a 47.5cm diameter grill area and can cook up to 5 portions at a time; enough for any hungry bunch!
- MADE IN GERMANY ✓ NEW FROM 2020 This robust camping barbecue is made of high-quality stainless steel and therefore guarantees the best barbecue taste every time and everywhere, even after many years of use.
- PORTABLE ✓ The compact dimensions of the barbecue make it ideal for mobile use. Whether it be while fishing, hiking, camping, at festivals or even in your own garden.
Looking for the best Charcoal BBQ then you need to consider a few key points.
- What type of Charcoal BBQ suits your needs?
- How many are you cooking for?
- Where are you going to be using your BBQ?
- Whats your budget for a charcoal BBQ
Types of Charocal BBQ
There are 3 types of Charcoal BBQ to choose from – kettle charcoal, ceramic grills, and barrel grills
Kettle BBQ – Kettle grills are the most simple and versatile bbqs and very affordable. A good budget priced charcoal kettle bbq will cost £50 – £100. For the best charcoal kettle BBQ (think WEBER) you can pay anything upto £500.
Kettle BBQs normally have a bbq grill of about 22 Inches (thats cooking space of 360 inches) however there are xl kettle bbqs that go up to 26 or even 36 inches.
Kettle grills look like a globe with their lids. The lid allows indirect cooking where the heat is reflected to cook food like an oven making it tender (so it doesn’t have to be charred or watched all the time!). A quality Kettle BBQ have removable ash bins making it easy to clean.
Barrel BBQ Grill – Barrel grills are designed particularly for barbecuing, grilling, and smoking. Size wise they are normally 36 inches or larger too. This type of BBQ Grill looks like a big steel drum. You place the charcoal is placed in the bottom half and there’s a lid on the top half. To get the charcoals hot they a quality Barrel BBQ will have a chimney and air vents.
Other things to look for in Barrel BBQs are wheeled stands (make moving them easy) and warming racks. As the cooking area is bigger you might want to keep what’s cooked warm before eating! Barrel grills are more expensive as compared to the kettle BBQ grills. You can get a good one for around £200 – £400.
Ceramic BBQ Grill – These are for the true BBQ enthusiasts as they are heavy and expensive but amazing. A mid-range Ceramic Grill will start off at £700 and the high-end ones are more expensive.
The solid ceramic construction of these Ceramic BBQs allow amazing heat control. The amazing heat control feature means you can BBQ whatever the weather!.
Ceramic BBQs cook at 200F to about 500F and come in a variety of sizes. The larger ceramic grills can weight over 100KG!
Size of Charcoal BBQ
Consider the amount of space you have to put a BBQ in and how many people you are grilling for.
Grills can range from 18in to 36in (a few ceramic BBQs are even bigger)
A 22 inch grill can do 13 burgers no worries at all to give you an idea.
Review of the 10 Best Charcoal BBQs
Pros
- In lid temp gauge & lid hook so you don't need to take lid off if not using
- 5 year WEBER Warranty
- Fast grilling & easy to use
- Easy to clean (ash bin under BBQ)
- Moveable on wheeled stand
Cons
- Some reviewers felt stand a little unstable
Pros
- Versatile Ceramic Barrel BBQ can grill, roast & smoke
- Precise temp control with cast iron vent & in lid temp gauge
- Strong lid clip holds lid open without needing to be held
- Limited lifetime warranty