The best charcoal BBQs for every type of outdoor cook, from beginners to enthusiasts
From table-top grills to state-of-the-art ceramic ovens, these charcoal BBQs will cover every and all barbecuing style
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I don’t know what it is about the British psyche, but cooking on a BBQ in your garden is a sure-fire sign that summer has officially started - but how do you find the best charcoal BBQs for you?
Given the unreliability of the British weather, it’s well worth giving yourself the best chance of success, so I’ve done the hard work for you and sifted through the best BBQs on offer to find the top of the charcoal options.
There is something particularly primal about cooking on coals, and it gives whatever you’re cooking that delicious smoky flavour that only really comes from charcoal BBQs. Tom Kerridge’s The BBQ Book, which is available on Amazon, is going to be a companion this summer for all my outdoor cooking inspiration.
Choosing a charcoal BBQ can be a minefield of different specs, functions and extra added bits that you’re not even sure what they even do, so here I’ve tried to help the best I can by picking out the best charcoal BBQs this year, which all have different things they are brilliant at, whether that’s controlling the heat, saving space in a small garden, a BBQ perfect for cooking for big family gatherings, or even being just slightly on the more affordable side.
The best charcoal BBQs to buy now
The Big Green Egg is iconic and highly rated for a reason, and it’s worth every penny. It’ll last you a lifetime and spare parts are readily available for long-term care, should you need it.
This Kamado Joe smoker charcoal BBQ bears a striking resemblance to another, more expensive, egg-shaped BBQ brand, except this one has over £100 off in the sale right now. You can cook different foods in different styles and at different temperatures, and I love the bright red cast-iron shell.
This Char-Broil BBQ will have you feeling like you’re in a cookout in Texas, and it even has its own smoke stack, a vertical pipe with an adjustable damper so you can bring the taste of Texas to your English garden. It’s also £200 off in the Prime Day sale right now which is pretty amazing considering how highly rated it is.
My fiancé got this BBQ for his birthday earlier this year and has been obsessed with it ever since. It’s perfect for our small garden and easily just tucks into the corner, it even comes with its own waterproof cover for when the British summer rain inevitably comes.
This ingenious little charcoal BBQ actually heats up in just five minutes and is perfect for impromptu summer garden parties and beach barbeques - perfect if you’re the kind of person who finds the whole barbequing thing a bit of a faff.
Another for the fans of the ceramic egg BBQs, this Maze charcoal BBQ is inspired by traditional Japanese ceramic ovens and is an attractive, modern addition to a garden. It’s also £100 off in the Maze sale right now, so I’d grab it while you can.
I love this latte-coloured Maze Ember charcoal BBQ, and although it’s not the most subtle, would look ever-so-stylish in your garden. You can adjust the cooking height, which is handy, and it is especially designed to withstand any temperature and weather condition, so you could use it all year round if you wanted to.
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This stylish little BBQ from kasai grills is another great one if you’d rather invest in something efficient and easy to use, and easy to put away when summer is over. You can use it literally table-top so it also adds a bit of theatre to your BBQing, which I rather like.
If you’re looking to spend a little less on your charcoal BBQ, this VonHaus one is perfect and pretty compact. Its a 2-in-1 smoker and BBQ grill, and you can just add woodchips for that lovely smoky flavour.
This sleep Masterbuilt charcoal BBQ is the only one I’ve included that can be digitally controlled, and if you like that kind of thing (I’m thinking BBQ dads), then it’s pretty cool. The digital control panel also has an app so you can set and monitor the temperature, check the meat and control the grill itself from anywhere.
This PK Grills charcoal BBQ is unique thanks to its aluminium shell, which, apparently, distributes heat four times faster than steel. The grill itself detaches from its stand so you can cook tabletop, on the beach, by the car, by the river...wherever you like really.
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Another all-in-one grill and smoker, this SNS Kettle charcoal BBQ is perfect for beginner barbequers, and is a very reasonable price. It also has those handy side trays for keeping everything you need with you while you’re cooking (which lots of them don’t have), and it has a built-in temperature gauge, which is extremely useful.
When it comes to the kind of charcoal you need for your charcoal BBQ, lump charcoal (i.e., pieces of carbonised wood) burns hotter and faster than briquettes, which, although they are cheaper, also contain coal dust, other biomass and binding agents, which may taint your food.
Charcoal from traditionally coppiced woods is incredibly sustainable, is growing in popularity and avoids imports, but not all charcoal is created equal. If buying from bigger brands, look out for the FSC logo to ensure it comes from well-managed forests. This Logpile lumpwood charcoal for BBQs is available on Amazon in 20kg bags that should last you all summer.
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