Best Charcoal Grills for 2023

BBQs are one of the most exciting ways to spend quality time with your friends and family while replenishing your hunger most deliciously. And when it comes to BBQs, grills are a must. Charcoal grills provide you with complete control over your drooling recipes by giving your food an even temperature and a smoky taste. Not just this, it makes your cooking easy and allows you to carry them wherever you want. To make your BBQ sessions ever more entertaining and tastier, we tried and tested plenty of charcoal grills to bring you the best choices. 

Top Charcoal Grills Reviewed

Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill

Enjoy a smooth grilling system with this fantastic Weber charcoal grill that can make 13 burgers at one time. The lid is made up of porcelain-enameled and has a bowl that retains heat and doesn’t rust or peel. The charcoal bbq grill is equipped with a built-in lid thermometer to control the temperature of your grill. The dampers are rust-resistant that can be closed completely to extinguish the coals. It is designed to have a one-touch hassle-free cleaning system, making the cleanup of ashes and debris twice as easier. The plated-steel, hinged cooking grate also supports easy handling and cleaning and is hinged to add coals feasibly. The Weber charcoal grill is also equipped with hooks to hang your grilling tools to make your grilling haggle-free. It covers an area of 363 square inches with a lid of 7.5 inches in height. The rolling wheels make it move smoothly. 

WHAT WE LIKE

• Lid thermometer: The built-in temperature makes the gauging of heat very easy.
• Easy cleaning: The grill is super-easy to clean up.

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE

• No instructions: The box has no instructions printed on it, making it difficult for users. 
• Large for trips: It is portable to move around within the house, but isn’t portable enough for camping. 

Royal Gourmet 30” BBQ Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker

Relish the smokey flavour with this stylish stainless steel charcoal bbq grill in your patios. The versatile product comes as a grill smoker combo with a side firebox for whichever of the two you choose. The adjustable cooking grates are coated with porcelain to ensure even heating of your food. To enhance the flavour of your food, don’t only fuel it with charcoal, but also wood chips, and this grill smoker combo is guaranteed to get you highly impressed. It covers a cooking area of 800 square inches, which is large enough to accommodate all of your guests. It has a  charcoal vertical smoker, which provides an extra 183 sq. inches to your cooking area. The grill smoker combo includes other accessories of the smokestack, temperature gauge, seamless connection, scald-proof handle, side air vent, and wheels for easy transportation.

WHAT WE LIKE

• Large area: The combo encompasses large enough space for use. 
• Easy heat monitoring: The temperature gauge makes it easy to monitor heat.
• Scald-proof handle: The handle always remains cool no matter what.

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE

• Difficult cleaning: The charcoal vertical smoker is challenging to clean. 
• Small smoker: Smoker is too small to create sufficient smoke for larger pieces of meat. 

Weber 15301001 Performer Charcoal Grill 

Weber presents one of the best charcoal grills that synchronizes performance with quality and enables you to savour every bite of your meal. The charcoal outdoor grill can hold up to 13 burgers. It comes with a built-in lid thermometer which displays the temperature inside the grill. It features superior heat retention with the porcelain-enameled lid and bowl retain heat systems. It is designed to stand up to the highest of temperatures without subduing to peeling, cracking, or rusting. The heat shield prevents the handle from getting too hot. It clocks a total cooking area of 363 sq. inches, and the dimensions with the lid closed measure 43.5” H x 42” W x 29” D. The one-touch cleaning system makes the removal of ashes and debris super easy. It is sturdy, healthy, and high quality, which makes it one of the best charcoal outdoor grills, especially if budget is not your concern.  

WHAT WE LIKE

• Thermometer: The built-in lid thermometer is excellent in monitoring the temperature inside. 
• Easy cleaning: One-touch cleaning system makes the wiping convenient and fast. 
• Easy assembling: It’s super convenient to assemble. 

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE

• Bulky: It’s heavy to move around comfortably. 
• Expensive: The grill is more costly than the rest. 
• No built-in ignition: It misses the gas ignition feature. 

Char-Griller E06614 Charcoal Grill 

Enjoy the Kamado style cooking with this kamado grill. The ceramic charcoal grill encompasses 153 square inches of cooking area, which feeds a decent amount of people for a feast. It is a distinctive style of cooking which enhances the taste and promotes even heating. The ceramic charcoal grill is super lightweight, making it perfect for camping, hiking, or other expeditions. It has an ash pan, which makes the cleanup very manageable. You can easily regulate the temperature with the top and bottom air dampers. The portable charcoal grill features dual air-flow dampers, which are excellent in gauging heat. The triple wall steel provides insulation for a premium grilling experience. It is affordable, durable, and portable, which lists it in the best ceramic charcoal grills.  

WHAT WE LIKE

• Portability: The comfortable handles on the side and lightweight makes it easy to carry it around.
• Dual air-flow dampers: Dampers support in precise temperature control. 
• Fuel efficient: You can use less charcoal to get the same superior taste. 
• Easy cleanup: It is effortless to clean. 

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE

• No ignition system: It misses the ignition to ignite the grill.
• No non-stick coating: The grill grates aren’t non-stick.

Weber 121020 Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill

It is one of the most portable charcoal grills that provide a taste like home, no matter where you are. It has a compact rectangular shape that makes it easy to fit it in your trunk and carry it on your road-trips. The portable charcoal grill consists of the capacity of making six burgers at once, which is quite generous for a grilling area. The Weber charcoal grill features a porcelain-enameled lid and base retain heat provides superior heat experience and prevents it from rusting or peeling. The dampers support precise and easy control of the temperature for even cooking. The cooking grate is made up of long-lasting plated steel, which is super easy to clean. The charcoal outdoor grill circumscribes a cooking area of 160 square inches. The robust body of porcelain-coated cast iron is built to last.

WHAT WE LIKE

• Portable: It is super compact and lightweight to carry it anywhere.
• Rust and peel proof: The porcelain-enameled lid keeps it from rusting and peeling. 

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE

• Non-adjustable cooking grate: The grates cannot be adjusted. 
• Handles get hot: Handles get too hot to handle. 

Dyna-Glo DGSS730CBO-D-KIT Signature SeriesBarrel Charcoal Grill

The Dyna Glo charcoal grill is one of the ideal charcoal grills for BBQ made up of heavy gauge steel. Whether you’re cooking steaks, burgers, or simple vegetables, the Dyna Glo charcoal grill has a large enough capacity that covers 730 square inches to feed many people, making it fair enough to be called a large charcoal grill. It surrounds a cooking area is 443 square inches, while the offset cooking area measures to be 287 square inches. Lighting a charcoal grill and removing ashes is designed to be made easier through the removable offset charcoal grate and ash pan. Moreover, the analogue temperature gauge makes the monitoring of the temperature way easier. Dyna Glo charcoal grill is one of the best grills for your bbq plans. 

WHAT WE LIKE

• Large charcoal grill: Covers a large cooking area. 
• Temperature sensor: It has an exact temperature monitoring. 

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE

• Hefty: The grill is too heavy to move or carry. 
• Non-adjustable chimney: The chimney cannot be adjusted. 

Char-Griller 2137 Outlaw Charcoal Grill

The heavy-duty stainless steel charcoal grill is powder-coated to ensure durability and reliability for years ahead. The large charcoal grill covers a massive cooking area of 1063 square inches, which is perfect to have a party in your backyard. The char griller grill features a warmer rack, double bottom, large legs that help it make it sturdy. The best trait about it is that you can easily add coal without having to remove the entire grate. The char griller grill features adjustable fire grates, which allow you to set the temperatures to hot, medium, and warm as per your requirement. It is also equipped with a heat gauge and easy dump ash pan, all in all; it is one of the best charcoal grills that you can purchase. 

WHAT WE LIKE

• Adjustable temperature: The temperature can be adjusted as per your preference. 
• Large cooking area: It coves a large cooking area. 

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE

• Complicated assembling: Assembling the grill is quite a challenge. 
• Adjustment of grates: The grates are difficult to adjust. 

Char-griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill

 

The char griller grill is one of the most versatile grills and smokers built for easy handling of the food. The triple walled 22-gauge stainless steel charcoal grill is long-lasting and multi-featured. It has a powder-coated exterior and porcelain-coated interior finish, which makes it durable. The top and bottom dampers are adjustable, which allows the even flow of air and accurate temperature control that can range from 200-700 degrees Fahrenheit. The charcoal bbq grill is fuel-efficient as well, which saves extra charcoal. It includes a removable warming rack, a heat gauge, an easy dump ash pan, a locking lid, folding metal shelves, and 8-inch large front wheels. The stainless steel charcoal grill covers a total cooking area of 447 sp. Inches. The charcoal vertical smoker is definite to produce the most tender and succulent meat you have ever had. 

WHAT WE LIKE

• Durable construction: It is made up of robust steel.
• Removable warming rack: The warming rack can be easily removed.
• Folding shelves: Easy folding of shelves when not in use. 

WHAT WE DON’T LIKE

• Difficult temperature adjustment: Understanding the adjustment of temperature is tricky.
• Isn’t rust-proof: It misses the feature of being rust-resistant.

Factors to consider before buying a charcoal grill

Before investing in a charcoal grill, here are a few factors that you must bring under your consideration to receive value for your money: 

• Size: Size is a major influential factor when it comes to purchasing a charcoal bbq grill. If you want to feed a large audience in your backyard, you will need a large charcoal grill, and you need to carry it around for camping. A portable charcoal grill will suit your needs.
• Versatility: charcoal grills have multiple functions, from grates to temperature monitoring, to charcoal vertical charcoal smokers, to foldable shelves, and many more. You need to ensure you’re getting value for your money. Another thing you need to ensure is that whether it will work in multiple places or not. If it is tough to move around from anywhere other than your backyard, then it’ll limit the versatility. 
• Easy to clean: The charcoal grills must be easy to clean, or else they will become a large hassle. Some grills come with a one-touch cleanup feature which makes it super easy for you to clean up. It makes this process time and energy-efficient, which is one of the most desirable features when looking for a charcoal outdoor grill. 
• Cooking surface: The cooking surface is the area available on the grill that you cook on. For more family members or if you often have a large number of guests over, you’ll need a large charcoal grill. Alternatively, if you have to cook for a tiny audience, then a small cooking surface would also work well enough. 
• Material: The grills can be made up of stainless steel, cast iron, or aluminum. Stainless steel charcoal grills are rust-proof and easy to clean. Cast iron grills are economical but prone to rusting. If you have a tight budget, aluminum grills will work the best for you as they are reliable, easy to clean, and are available in an affordable price range. 

Conclusion 

There are a plethora of charcoal grills available for you to choose from, and making a perfect choice can become quite a pesky task. Every grill has its unique features, advantages, and disadvantages and performs in its capacity. We have listed a vast number of grills together with all the pros and cons to make your choice easier. However, while you’re choosing the best charcoal grill, make sure to thoroughly research them and consider all the necessary factors that act as a hallmark of optimal performance. We have stated all the critical factors to make your choice completely hassle-free.