When it comes to achieving that all-important chargrilled, smoky flavour when cooking on an outdoor grill, charcoal barbecues reign supreme. While gas BBQs offer speed, convenience and cleaner hands, a charcoal BBQ rewards patience with rich, flavourful depth and greater versatility – perfect for everything from low-and-slow smoking to high-heat searing.
Our experts have put the latest models through their paces, to bring you our definitive list of the best charcoal barbecues to buy ahead of summer 2026.
Whether you’re searching for something portable enough to take to the beach, big enough to feed a hungry crowd, or pretty enough to make a style statement in your garden, these are the tried-and-tested options worth your money.
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Best charcoal BBQs at a glance
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5/5 stars:
- Best charcoal BBQ: Kamado Joe Konnected Joe, £1,999
- Best portable charcoal BBQ: Somerset Grill Co Asado Go! Portable Grill, £895
- Best Weber charcoal BBQ: Weber Master-Touch 57cm charcoal barbecue, £338.88
- Best charcoal smoker BBQ: Big Green Egg large ceramic grill, £1,900
- Best charcoal BBQ for camping: Napoleon Premium 14 Charcoal Portable, £79.99
Best of the rest:
- Best charcoal BBQ for families: Char-Broil Kettleman, £257.99
- Best for social barbecuers: Char-Broil Charcoal L barbecue, £372.99
- Best charcoal BBQ for small gardens: Big Green Egg MiniMax, £850
- Best charcoal BBQ for taking on trips: Everdure Cube portable charcoal BBQ, £99.99
- Best kettle BBQ for user-friendly features: Napoleon 22″ charcoal kettle grill barbecue, £245.95
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How we tested charcoal barbecues
We tested each model’s every function (including smoker, pizza oven, tandoori, fire pit) under control-conditions in order to find the best of the bunch. Coals were stacked and lit in order to achieve direct heat and left until they were white hot with glowing red centres.
Then, it was time to start cooking. We started with the veggie dishes: un-oiled courgette slices, potato slices, veggie kebabs and a whole aubergine, looking for defined grill lines, blistered skins and even cooking.
Credit: Lydia Anderson / Good Food
Next up was the meat – steak first, which is an excellent indicator of heat intensity. For lidded BBQs, we also cooked a spatchcock chicken and tested each model’s ability to keep the coals going with the lid shut. We toasted white burger buns, too.
What we looked for when testing charcoal barbecues
Each model was scored against the same core criteria:
- Ease of use: We asked whether each model is intuitive to use and suitable for beginners. We also measured how long each BBQ took to assemble and whether it was straightforward. Some also required tools for assembly, so we awarded extra points to those that came with tools provided.
- Ease of cleaning: Is the model easy to clean? Are there manufacturer’s guidelines provided to help with cleaning?
- Cooking results: We considered evenness, taste, texture and succulence of the cooked food during testing.
- Value for money: We thought about whether the charcoal BBQ was worth its price tag.
- Quality of materials: Does the barbecue have a robust exterior and feel like it’s built to last? Does it use quality, well made materials that look attractive?
Best charcoal BBQs to buy in 2025
Kamado Joe Konnected Joe
Available from BBQ World (£1,999)
Best charcoal BBQ
Pros:
- Perfect grilling
- Easy to maintain
Cons:
- Expensive outlay
- Heavy to get in place
Star rating: 5/5
First of all, when it comes to looks, the Konnected Joe puts every other barbecue in the shade. With its distinctive dark red ceramic casing, it looks as good as it grills and will be a real talking point at your garden get-togethers.
You choose how you want to cook – from monitoring the coals the old-fashioned way to letting it do everything bar turn the burgers, it’s a flexible, fully-controllable dream.
Use the Kamado Joe app to adjust temperatures, get alerts when your food is ready, and remind you to clean up afterwards.
The only thing we didn’t love about this model was the gargantuan task of getting it into the garden. With kerbside delivery, this could be a problem for those with hard-to-access spaces, but once in place, it’s well worth the effort for the simplicity of cooking.
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Somerset Grill Co Asado Go! Portable Grill
Available from Amazon (£895)
Best portable charcoal BBQ
Pros:
- Authentic Argentinian parrilla in portable form
- Can use wood or charcoal
- Height adjustable grill for precise temperature control
- Arrives assembled
Cons:
- Expensive
- Quite cumbersome
- Not for beginners
Star rating: 5/5
Asado is a social event in Argentina – friends and family gather around a huge grill, known as a parrilla, and watch the host cook up a wood-fired feast. This portable version from Somerset Grill gives you the Asado experience in scaled-down form, although it’s still a very robust bit of kit that needs two people to carry it.
The very ethos of Asado is all about cooking low and slow, so this is not a barbecue you can fire up in 15 minutes when you fancy a sausage.
You’ll need about an hour to build up some embers by adding wood to the ember maker at the top. When they’re ready, the embers drop down into the main grilling area, and you adjust the height of the grill above them to control the cooking temperature.
You can speed things up by using lumpwood charcoal, although that feels a lot like cheating. And for best results you’ll want to buy the chapa (£75) to cook vegetables on, and the ember grill (£85), which creates a whole new cooking area and works brilliantly for searing and frying on.
It’s a bit more complicated than cooking on your average barbecue, but the smoky, succulent results are anything but average – so it’s worth it.
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Weber Master-Touch 57cm charcoal barbecue
Available from Amazon (£324.99)
Best Weber charcoal BBQ
Pros:
- Great for smaller gardens
- Good looks
Cons:
- Takes practice to learn how to adjust cooking temperatures
- No keep-warm tray
Star rating: 5/5
With its iconic looks and easy handling, the Weber kettle-style Master Touch is a great option. It’s easy to light, comes to temperature quickly with a reliable thermometer on the porcelain enamelled lid and gives even cooking results across its diameter, with the space to build coal strategically to create different temperature zones.
That may have been the only downside, but there are plenty of online tutorials from Weber devotees or you can even sign up to one of the company’s classes to get the best out of your new purchase. It was easy to clean up afterwards thanks to the quality of the grill itself and the one-touch cleaning system, which used a lever to sweep ash into the pan below.
Weber is a name to be trusted and the quality of build means that, although this is a relatively basic model, we’d recommended this as a choice for those who want to be able to store and use their barbecue year after year.
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Big Green Egg large ceramic grill
Available from John Lewis & Partners (£1,900)
Best charcoal smoker BBQ
Pros:
- Superb cooking
- Easy to use
Cons:
Star rating: 5/5
This hefty piece of kit takes some getting used to, but once you’re familiar with the temperature control and various mechanisms, you’re away. The Big Green Egg can hit searing temperatures or retain a gentle heat with finite precision for very long periods.
It multitasks as a smoker and oven for baking and roasting, with lots of extras available for purchase, including extra racks, baking stones and grills (but be warned, the prices can increase steeply once you start adding accessories). The barbecue function is excellent – it comes up to temperature in 20 minutes and produced some of the best food of all we tasted.
Read our full Big Green Egg ceramic grill review.
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Napoleon Premium 14 Charcoal Portable
Available from BBQ Shop (£79.99)
Best charcoal BBQ for camping
Pros:
- Compact
- Easy to transport
- Sturdy design
Cons:
- Assembly is a little fiddly
Star rating: 4.5/5
We love Napoleon’s Premium 14 charcoal barbecue as a more sustainable alternative to using a disposable barbecue when you’re out and about.
For starters, you can use proper lumpwood charcoal with it – a bag fits neatly into the barbecue’s cavity, so you can lock the lid and use the carry handle to cart it all down to the beach, campsite or just the bottom of the garden.
Plus, because it has a lid – unlike a disposable barbecue – you can effectively control the temperature and use both indirect and direct grilling to get the best results from your food. It’s fitted with a dual-zone charcoal basket for exactly that, with comprehensive instructions on how to use it.
While this isn’t a barbecue for hosting big garden gatherings, we found the 14-inch grill plenty big enough to feed a family of four.
Fill it with a bag of charcoal, pop it in the boot along with all your essential barbecue accessories, and enjoy an al fresco meal somewhere new.
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Char-Broil Kettleman
Available from Amazon (£210.99)
Best charcoal BBQ for families
Pros:
- Attractive
- Some storage
- Latch to lock lid
- Vents offer good temperature control
- Easy to move
Cons:
- Lots of assembly needed
- Tools needed for assembly
- Instructions a little unclear
- Not a lot of space between grill and coals
Star rating: 4.5/5
This generously sized barbecue is sturdy and robust, and it offers enough grilling space for two to four people, ideal if you’re a family looking to make the most of the good weather.
Assembly was a frustrating endeavour and we were slowed down by diagram-only instructions. The Kettleman comes packed with lots of polystyrene and plastic, and there are many parts to this build.
You’ll need a spanner, which is not provided. It also wasn’t overly clear where the coals should be placed; the coal rack has large gaps between the grates and sits very close to the grilling rack.
Once assembled and lit, this barbecue was a joy to cook on, and everything was imparted with a classic barbecued flavour.
There are many features we loved on this barbecue: the responsive temperature gauge, easy-to-use vents and sturdy wheels. If you’re looking to cook for a small crowd, this spacious model offers consistent cooking every time.
Read our full Char-Broil Kettleman charcoal BBQ review.
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Char-Broil Charcoal L barbecue
Available from Robert Dyas (£372.99), Amazon (£372.99)
Best for social barbecuers
Pros:
- Heats quickly
- Good value for money
Cons:
- A faff to put together
- Tricky to adjust coal shelf height for temperature regulation
Star rating: 4/5
This is a solid barbecue with good build quality, although our main gripe was that it took a bit of time and patience to get it together – there seemed to be lots of fiddly screws and caps that had to be fitted at awkward angles.
Serving up to lots of guests can be a hassle, but with this model you can cater for larger garden get-togethers easily.
Inside the barbecue you’ll find a generous amount of cooking space and a handy keep-warm rack, which can be loaded with the items you want to keep just-so before serving.
The adjustable chimney meant that smoke could be redirected back into the unit to up that gorgeous barbecue flavour your guests will appreciate – it helps with temperature regulation, too.
Storage on this model was excellent with collapsible side trays, six hooks for accessories and an inbuilt bottle opener that’s ideal for thirsty cooks.
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Big Green Egg MiniMax
Available from John Lewis & Partners (£850)
Best charcoal BBQ for small gardens
Pros
- Attractive
- Versatile
- Easy to assemble
- Good safety features
- Exceptional fuel efficiency
Cons:
- Too ferocious for gentle cooking
- Heavy
- Temperature monitor may be confusing
Star rating: 4/5
For those looking for something simple, compact and efficient, the Big Green Egg Minimax is an excellent choice. The smallest of the Big Green Eggs, this BBQ is a luxury pick that excels at cooking for smaller groups, and would be ideal for a couple, family, or small gathering.
Sturdily constructed and easy to assemble, our initial concerns about this barbecue’s steep price tag were offset by its impressive build quality. Despite being able to reach temperatures of 370°C internally, the heatproof handles stayed cool and the exterior never became dangerously hot. The cast iron vent at the top of the BBQ does get hot, however.
Though only offering a 13-inch diameter grilling area, the Big Green Egg Minimax cooked spatchcock chicken, vegetable skewers, potatoes and lamb cutlets very quickly. The heat generated from this BBQ was too ferocious for gentle cooking, and vigilance will be needed to keep delicate foods from burning.
Read our full Big Green Egg MiniMax charcoal BBQ review.
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Everdure by Heston Blumental Cube portable charcoal BBQ
Available from Amazon (£99.99)
Best charcoal BBQ for taking on trips
Pros:
- Attractive
- Compact
- Easy to pick up and move around
- Cool-touch handles
- Deceptively large surface area for cooking
Cons:
- Limited space for coal
- No temperature gauge
- No lid
- Exposed to the elements during cooking
Star rating: 4/5
This robust yet lightweight barbecue is an ideal companion for camping trips or beach days. It comes in three colours – stone, graphite and orange – and includes an integrated food storage tray, preparation board, and cool-touch handles on either side.
We found the set-up was simple, but getting the BBQ to light and retain heat was tricky as it doesn’t have a lid. Unlike larger models, there’s no temperature gauge either, but the exterior stays impressively cool during cooking.
Despite its compact size, we were able to cook decent-sized portions on this model – and our vegetable skewers were nicely charred but unevenly cooked. We also grilled a whole aubergine, which was well blistered and soft, although it took a long time to cook.
Its hefty price tag will be a turn-off for some, but if you have the money to spend, it’s a stylish portable barbecue that will serve you well on your travels.
Read our full Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Cube portable charcoal BBQ review.
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Napoleon 22″ charcoal kettle grill barbecue
Available from BBQ World (£218.49)
Best kettle BBQ for user-friendly features
Pros:
- 10-year warranty
- Nifty hook to hang lid on
- Hinged grill
Cons:
Star rating: 4/5
This is a simple but well-made BBQ that has an impressively user-friendly design, but is also a reliable all-rounder for anyone wanting to cook outdoors often.
A screwdriver and spanner are included with the nuts and bolts, which we appreciated, along with clear instructions and diagrams in the manuals for its construction.
Once fully heated, cooking was a faff-free affair that yielded nicely cooked-through courgettes and potatoes marked with defined grill lines, and evenly charred kebabs packed with flavour.
It’s easy to use the direct and indirect heat zones with this model. We were able to keep cooked ingredients warm around the edges of the grill whilst others cooked in the centre, without them becoming overdone.
For lid-down cooking or smoking, the temperature dial on the lid is reactive and clear to use. We particularly appreciated the lock-and-release ash collector which means you don’t have to fish around to dispose of old coals.
Read our full Napoleon 22″ charcoal kettle grill barbecue review.
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Other charcoal BBQs tried and tested
Can you use a charcoal BBQ in winter?
If you’re keen on getting more from your charcoal BBQ year-round (and you don’t mind cooking outdoors in the cold), you don’t necessarily need to wait until the summer months to fire up your grill. There are, however, are few things to be mindful of:
- Allow for extra heating time: A barbecue will need more time to reach temperature during the colder months, so be prepared to wait a bit longer than you might during hotter weather.
- Use a meat thermometer: Cooking times will probably vary more when cooking outdoors in the winter, so to make sure your meat is properly cooked through, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat to ensure your food is safe to eat.
- Keep the lid closed as much as you can: This will allow you to better retain the heat during cooking.
What to look for when buying a charcoal BBQ
- Size: Depending on the style, some barbecues can cater for large gatherings and others are best suited to two people. Coal distribution will also affect cooking capacity. For example, sometimes it’s easier to distribute your coals and achieve even direct heat in barrel barbecues than in dome-bottomed kettle models
- Number of cooking grills: Using inserts or shelves to move food away from the main heat (known as indirect cooking) is for more delicate dishes. The closing of the hood helps the food to cook evenly without too much fuss so lessens all the turning and moving, and means you are free to socialise
- Adjustable air vents: These will feed your coals with air and allow you to change the cooking temperature beneath a cooking hood.
- Heat thermometers: Not a standard feature on many models, but particularly handy if you’re cooking meat joints and wanting to reliably achieve the same cooking results over and over.
- Portability: If you’re hoping to take your grill on the go, look for a model that’s lightweight and easy to transport.
How to choose the best BBQ
Once you’ve decided which barbecue to buy, the style will depend on how many people you want to cook for, what you want to do with it, the space you have, budget and how often you will use it.
- Basic grill BBQ: For simple straightforward cooking, this style of barbecue – which comes without a hood or air vents – will do a good job. However, you have to stay by it, learn how to use barbecue coals to create various heat zones around the grill, and regularly turn and move the food for even and safe cooking
- American-style grills or domed kettles: These barbecues are more versatile. By using the hood and air vents, heat can go from hot and fast for cooking over the coals (known as direct cooking), to long and slow for smoking or cooking large joints of meat or whole fish. Some barbecues have vents that can be adjusted to feed the coals with air
- Kamado grill: ‘Kamado’ comes from the Japanese for the wood or charcoal-fired earthen vessels used as an oven but now is a general term for ceramic grills. The distinctive egg shape and thick, heavy ceramic lining make these incredibly versatile and precise for grilling, roasting, baking and smoking using both direct and indirect heat. They could be a little advanced for the beginner but for the serious grill chef they are a wonderful and exciting piece of equipment.
Credit: Lydia Anderson / Good Food
How to choose the right size charcoal BBQ
Consider how many people you typically cook for and the space available in your garden or outdoor area. For small gatherings or couples, a compact kettle or portable barbecue is sufficient and easy to store.
Medium-sized models are ideal for families or groups of four to six, offering enough grill space for a variety of foods without taking up excessive room. Larger barbecues, such as barrel or drum styles, are suitable for entertaining bigger groups and work well for those who enjoy hosting parties.
However, larger models require more fuel and storage space. Also, consider extra features like warming racks, side tables and adjustable vents, which can enhance usability. Ultimately, the best size is one that fits your cooking needs, available space and storage options, ensuring you can barbecue comfortably and efficiently.
Charcoal barbecue fuel and lighting
Our burning desire for eating outdoors is raising questions around deforestation and where the charcoal is from. Look for the FSC logo of the Forest Stewardship Council, the world certification scheme of wood products on the pack to ensuring properly managed forests for your charcoal.
- Choose your charcoal carefully. It is possible to buy sustainable charcoal which generally will be more expensive. However, you should need less of it because it burns more slowly, and gives out better heat, which will offset some of that cost
- Briquettes and self-lighting charcoal contain chemicals and give off strong odours that will impact on the flavour of your food
- Never use petrol, chemicals or firelighters intended for coal fires to light your barbecue and never ever use in a ceramic grill. Look for natural firelighters now widely available.
Which charcoal is best for barbecuing?
There are two main types of charcoal used for barbecuing: lumpwood charcoal and briquettes. Lumpwood charcoal is made from carbonised wood, and it burns very hot and imparts a woody, smoky flavour. It’s available in different wood types, allowing for subtle variations in flavour.
However, lumpwood burns quickly and may require topping up during longer cooks. Briquettes are compressed blocks made from materials like sawdust and coaldust. They burn at a consistent temperature for a longer period, making them ideal for extended grilling sessions.
But, some briquettes contain additives or chemicals that can affect the taste of food. Sustainable and additive-free options are available and are preferable for flavour and environmental reasons. For most barbecuing, high-quality lumpwood charcoal is recommended for its clean burn and flavour, while briquettes are useful for longer, steady cooks.
Read our review of the best charcoal for barbecues.
How to clean a charcoal BBQ
You can usually expect some mess when cooking on charcoal, but keeping your barbecue clean after use will help it stay in good condition – and potentially lengthen its lifespan.
After the coals have cooled completely, try to do the following:
- Scrape the grates clean with a wire brush and remove any ash from the bottom of the grill
- Clean the inside of the grill and the lid with warm, soapy water and a sponge. If the grates are particularly dirty, soak them for a few hours before scrubbing clean
- Check the vents and remove any debris that may have built up over time
- Store your charcoal BBQ in a dry place, protected from the elements – many brands sell a cover
How to extinguish a charcoal BBQ
- If the barbecue has vents, close them: This will cut off the oxygen supply to the coals, so they start to cool down. You’ll want to let the coals cool for several hours before attempting to take them out.
- Dispose of the ashes: Once the coals have cooled completely, use a shovel (ideally a metal one) – to scoop them into a container. Never dispose of hot ashes in a plastic or paper container, as they can easily ignite.
- Soak the coals: To make sure the coals are extinguished, you can also pour water over them – be sure to use lots of water so you’ve completely saturated them.
- Check for remaining embers: If you see any glowing embers, repeat the soaking process until they’re fully extinguished.
How do I maintain a consistent temperature on a charcoal BBQ?
To maintain a consistent temperature on a charcoal BBQ, start by arranging the coals to create heat zones – pile more coals on one side for a hot zone and leave the other side with fewer or no coals for a cooler, indirect cooking zone.
Adjust the air vents at the base and on the lid to control airflow: opening them increases oxygen and raises the temperature, while partly closing them slows the burn for lower heat. Use the BBQ lid to trap heat and cook food evenly, checking the built-in thermometer, if available. Avoid lifting the lid frequently, as this causes temperature fluctuations.
For longer cooks, add more charcoal as needed and choose natural firelighters rather than chemical ones for a cleaner flavour. With practice, you’ll learn how much fuel and vent adjustment is needed to keep your BBQ at the desired temperature.
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From chicken and fish to vegetarian ideas, side dishes and healthy BBQ feasts, visit our barbecue recipe hub.
If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.
Do you have a favourite charcoal barbecue? We’d love to hear your product suggestions…
