The 8 Best Charcoal Grills in 2023 Charcoal Grill Reviews

Grill grates are typically made with stainless steel, cast iron, and enamel, each with their pros and cons. A. Because it offers the easiest operation, a Weber gas grill is usually the best option for beginners. To start the grill, you only have to turn a few dials and press the ignition button, and your grill is ready in minutes. Cleanup is also easy, so you might be inclined to grill more often than if you had a charcoal model. When you’re choosing among the different types of Weber grills, opting for gas, charcoal, or electric is really a matter of personal preference.

In her spare time, you’ll find her planning her next trip, reading historical fiction, and seeing as much art as she can squeeze into a weekend. Ribs cooked on the Nexgrill had lots of bark but were juicy and tender inside. Stack your charcoal briquettes in two rows of two deep along the inner wall of the grill.

A portable grill offers the same benefits and limitations as full-size models. It’s easier to take on a road trip but less convenient to use for a large group. This unique grill offers the best of both worlds, allowing you to cook with either wood or charcoal. It has a considerable cooking surface, with an over-fire suspended tripod and barrel design that lets it grill, cook, smoke, and use over a fire pit. One of its best features is the height-adjustable charcoal tray, which has three fixed settings for different heat levels.

If you’re committed to charcoal, but envious of your neighbor’s shiny gasser, the Napoleon Charcoal Professional Cart Grill may be the answer. Only a few premium and luxury BBQ brands offer stainless steel weber charcoal grill charcoal grills. Napoleon’s Professional is one of the more beautiful models we’ve seen in this price range. This stainless steel charcoal burner feels right at home in a shiny outdoor kitchen ensemble.

weber charcoal grill

So far I’ve grilled salmon, chicken breast, burgers and hot dogs on it and they’ve all cooked evenly and browned very well. Because of its smaller size, charcoal usage is reduced but it still gets plenty hot enough to do an effective job,” noted one buyer. With 360 square inches of primary cooking surface, the grill box is larger than the 300 square-inch Classic model, but retains PK’s characteristic flat bottom and rectangular shape. There’s also a unique configuration of bottom left and right adjustable air intake dampers and corresponding top left and right exhaust dampers. The wide flat bottom makes it easy to push charcoal to one side and create two very distinct direct and indirect zones.

Always preferred charcoal to gas but this grill makes lighting charcoal a breeze. Propane ignition lights charcoal in minutes, I have not had to use a chimney nor lighter fluid once. They utilize charcoal briquettes to fuel the cooking and add flavor to your meats, vegetables, and other foods. While using a charcoal grill tends to take longer, many traditionalists feel that the taste is so superior to other grill options that it’s worth the extra effort.

The Nexgrill definitely gets hot enough to create a nice sear, but you do have to work a little harder than you do with the Weber to avoid overcooking your meat. You can also raise the Nexgrill’s adjustable charcoal tray basket to its highest position. Whatever grill weber charcoal grill you choose, do not rely on the built-in dial thermometers, which can be off by 50°F to 100°F (10-38°C). These dials are usually located in the lid, not down on the grill surface where the food is—and you’re not eating the lid, so its temperature is irrelevant.

Leaky grills are harder to control and get rated accordingly. To dial in my target cooking temperatures accurately, I use multi-channel digital thermometers with temperature probes clipped to the cooking surface. Charcoal grills usually don’t have as many bells and whistles as gassers, but I assess whatever goodies are included, particularly ash removal systems. This multi-level charcoal grill from KamadoJoe features a thick-walled, heat-resistant ceramic shelf that locks in smoke and moisture when cooking.

Although cooking on charcoal requires a little more skill and labor, you don’t need a PhD to start the fire. Yes, you do have to remove ash but, unlike with gas grills, most of the grease that drips off food will burn up on the weber portable grill hot coals, rather than collect at the bottom. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good gas grill—in fact, you can read about my favorite gas grills right here—but I’ll take cleaning a charcoal grill over a gasser any day of the week.