Best Charcoal Grills

Big Green Egg Classic sits at #1 in the S tier of our consolidated board, ranked across independent research runs over current expert reviews. Recognized for its unique design and capabilities, it remains a respected option within the community.

Weber Original Kettle Premium 22" Charcoal Grill ranks #2 (S tier). The community consistently praises its iconic status and versatility, making it the undisputed champion in charcoal grilling.

Our research places Char-Griller Classic Kettle, Nexgrill Cart-Style Charcoal Grill, Char-Griller Econo-Kettle, Weber Original Kettle Premium 20" Charcoal Grill, Char-Griller Deluxe, Cuisinart CGS-4 in the bottom tiers (D/F). A viable option, benefiting from mentions alongside the 22" model.

Buy a kamado if you want the tightest temperature control and long low-and-slow cooks, and a kettle if you want the simplest, most widely understood grill. On our board the Big Green Egg Classic and the Kamado Joe Classic III are the kamados, praised for versatile cooking methods and superior temperature control. The Weber Original Kettle Premium 22" Charcoal Grill is the top kettle, praised for its iconic design, the snake method for long cooks and reliable warranty coverage. A kamado is far heavier and costs several times more than a kettle, so the kettle is the better first grill for most people.

Light the charcoal in a chimney starter, pour it into the grill once the coals are ashed over, set the grate on top and let it heat for about ten minutes before cooking. Use the bottom vent to control airflow and the lid vent to fine tune temperature: more open runs hotter, more closed runs cooler. Bank the coals to one side for a two-zone fire so you can sear over the coals and finish on the cool side. For long cooks on a kettle, reviewers of the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22" Charcoal Grill point to the snake method, a ring of unlit briquettes that burns slowly around the edge.

Big Green Egg, Weber and Kamado Joe are the brands the research runs rate most consistently. The Big Green Egg Classic is noted for proven durability and long-term performance, the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22" Charcoal Grill for robust build quality and reliable warranty coverage, and the Kamado Joe Classic III for durable construction. Char-Griller is the weakest brand on our board: the Char-Griller Econo-Kettle is faulted for thin walls and limited durability and the Char-Griller Deluxe for early failures and a higher failure rate.

A well-made kettle or kamado lasts ten years or more with basic care, while a thin-walled budget grill often rusts through in two or three seasons. On our board the Big Green Egg Classic is praised for long-term performance in several reviews and the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22" Charcoal Grill for robust build and warranty coverage. The Weber Original Kettle Premium 20" Charcoal Grill is faulted for a shorter lifespan and weaker warranty than its larger sibling. Keep the grill dry and covered and empty the ash after each cook to extend its life.

Thin walls, poor heat retention and flimsy construction are the recurring faults. On our board the Char-Griller Econo-Kettle is faulted for thin walls, poor heat retention and limited durability, the Nexgrill Cart-Style Charcoal Grill for poor heat retention and flimsy construction, and the Cuisinart CGS-4 for flimsy construction and limited heat control. Thin metal loses heat fast, so the fire is hard to hold steady and the body rusts sooner. The Char-Griller Deluxe shows the other failure mode: it costs close to a Big Green Egg Classic yet reviewers report early failures.

Yes. Any lidded charcoal grill can smoke with a small, indirect fire, wood chunks and the vents mostly closed. On our board the VonHaus XL American BBQ Grill with Smoker has a built-in offset smoker box for Texas-style barbecue, and the Big Green Egg Classic and Kamado Joe Classic III hold low temperatures for hours thanks to their thick ceramic walls. The Weber Original Kettle Premium 22" Charcoal Grill smokes well with the snake method. Thin-walled grills like the Char-Griller Econo-Kettle struggle because they cannot hold a low, steady heat.

A 22 inch kettle feeds a family of four with room for a two-zone fire, and it is the size most people should buy. Go larger only if you regularly cook for a crowd: the VonHaus XL American BBQ Grill with Smoker is the large-capacity pick on our board. Go smaller only if space forces it, and note that the Weber Original Kettle Premium 20" Charcoal Grill is faulted for a limited cooking area and less heat stability than the 22 inch model. A bigger grill uses more charcoal per cook, so do not buy more surface than you will use.

Only as a second grill for camping or a balcony. A small grill holds less charcoal, so it runs hotter and burns out faster, and a two-zone fire is hard to set up. On our board the portable options rank poorly: the Nexgrill Cart-Style Charcoal Grill is praised for its portable design but faulted for poor heat retention, and the compact Cuisinart CGS-4 has no community interest and mediocre heat consistency. If you have the space, the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22" Charcoal Grill is the better buy.

Brush the grate while it is still hot after each cook, and empty the ash once it is cold, because damp ash eats through steel. Wipe the outside, keep the vents clear and store the grill under a cover or in a dry spot. Oil a cast-iron grate lightly after cleaning to stop rust. Kamados like the Big Green Egg Classic need less scrubbing but should be run hot occasionally to burn off residue, and their gasket should be checked for a tight lid seal.

Anyone who wants to cook within five minutes of deciding to, or who grills on a balcony where open fire is banned, should pick a different fuel. Charcoal takes fifteen to twenty minutes to light and ash over, needs a dry place to store the fuel, and leaves ash to dispose of every cook. If you want set-and-forget temperature control, a pellet grill is the closer fit and it sits on a separate board. If you do want charcoal, start with the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22" Charcoal Grill and move to a kamado like the Big Green Egg Classic once you know you use it.