Nothing beats the flavour of food grilled over charcoal. If you’re after an authentic smoky flavour and a proper outdoor cooking experience, a charcoal BBQ is hard to beat.
When we’re searching for the best BBQ for our gardens, it comes down to two choices: the best gas BBQs offer speedy and convenient grilling, while charcoal BBQs are well-loved for the unbeatable smoked taste and their incredible versatility.
We’ve put six of the leading charcoal BBQs through their paces, with testing carried out by me and our expert reviewer and home economist, Helen McCue. Between us, we’ve cooked on everything from compact budget models to premium kamado grills from brands like Weber, Kamado Joe and Char-Broil, assessing each one for cooking performance, ease of use, temperature control and overall value to help you find the best model for your garden.
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The quick list
Best charcoal BBQ overall
The original, classic kettle BBQ offers simple but effective grilling, and setup couldn’t be easier. It might be a tad too small for larger families, but it’s available in a larger size, too.
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2. Weber Smokey Joe Premium Portable Barbecue
Best charcoal BBQ under £100
This portable BBQ provides unbeatable quality, and it’s available in a range of colours. It’s a little on the larger side for a portable model, but we love the spacious cooking grate.
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3. Kamado Joe Konnected Joe Digital charcoal grill and smoker
Best smart charcoal BBQ
Testing the Kamado Joe Konnected Joe was a real revelation. It combines Kamado Joe’s iconic ceramic design with smart technology that gives you exceptional control, making it easy to smoke, sear, roast and slow-cook with impressive precision.
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4. Char-Broil Charcoal L BBQ
Best large charcoal BBQ
We love the roomy cooking grate on this grill, not to mention the built-in lid thermometer and side and front shelves. It’s pricier, but there’s also the option to add a smoker accessory.
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Best tabletop charcoal BBQ
We love this stylish portable tabletop BBQ – it’s easy to transport and use, and it comes with a handy storage lid and chopping board. The only downside is that there’s no lid when cooking.
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Best charcoal BBQ & fire pit
If you’re looking for a hard-working portable BBQ that doubles up as a fire pit, take a look at this grill. It takes a while to cool down, but we love the large cooking grate design.
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Best charcoal BBQ overall
(Image credit: Future PLC / Weber)
When we think of charcoal BBQs here at Ideal Home, our minds go straight to the Weber Original Kettle, which is as much an affordable product as it is a quality one. The type of kettle grill style was made popular by Weber way back in 1952, and quickly became a staple in the US.
But this classic grill would be equally at home here in a UK garden, with a practical design that has a space to store everything neatly onboard, as well as a big enough grate to cater to a family. And if the Original Kettle E4710 isn’t big enough, you can always size up in the range.
Our expert tester, Helen, thinks that this is simply the ideal choice for 2 to 4 people, and an elite entry-level option if you’re new to charcoal grilling outside of disposable BBQs. The set-up couldn’t be easier, and our reviewer had great success cooking vegetable skewers, halloumi, sausages, veg, and roasting an entire chicken with plenty of room to spare. The process for removing ash is also made easy thanks to the design, and if you’ve ever encountered someone who owns a Weber Kettle, you’ll know they last in a garden for an absolute age.
Our Weber Original Kettle review has the full details.
Best charcoal bbq under £100
(Image credit: Future PLC / Weber)
A BBQ under £100 can save you from the perils (and the environmental impacts) of disposable BBQs for good, and we can’t think of a better one than the Weber Smokey Joe. It’s a more compact version of the Original Kettle, and certain models come equipped with carry handles too, to allow you to take this grill to the beach or the park on a day trip.
Even though it’s super compact, the size of the cooking grate with this BBQ might surprise you, with enough space for Helen to grill up plenty of sausages on it, as well as ample skewers and chicken thighs. As with the Original Kettle, the cooking capability of this BBQ is excellent, and you can cook with direct and indirect heat easily.
Our Weber Smokey Joe BBQ review has the full details.
Best smart charcoal BBQ
The Kamado Joe Konnected Joe is undeniably a premium investment, but it’s one of the most impressive smart charcoal BBQs you can buy. Building on everything we love about the Classic Joe Series II, it adds clever features like a digital Kontrol Board and automatic temperature regulation, making it far easier to achieve perfect low-and-slow cooks or high-heat grilling without constantly adjusting the vents.
It can grill, smoke, roast and even bake like an outdoor oven, delivering smoky flavour that’s impossible to replicate on any gas BBQ. The iconic red ceramic body offers exceptional heat retention, while thoughtful features like the Air Lift hinge make it easier to use despite its substantial size. It’s a serious piece of kit, but one that’s beautifully built and feels like it will last a lifetime.
Best large charcoal BBQ
(Image credit: Future PLC / Char-Broil)
This BBQ is not only a great large charcoal grill choice, but can also double up as the best charcoal BBQ and smoker if that’s what you’re looking for, with the option to add an attachment.
Helen thinks this is the charcoal BBQ to get your hands on if you want to host big outdoor soirees this summer, thanks to the huge grill size and the extra space for food prep, as well as storage. Though it’s a little unwieldy, Helen found it was actually pretty straightforward to fit together, and she completed the assembly by herself in 50 minutes.
The small features, such as the built-in thermometer and the adjustable chimney go a long way into making this feel like a quality BBQ, and the charcoal grate itself can be adjusted for precise cooking. During one test, Helen cooked four corn on the cobs, four vegetable skewers, four chicken breasts and a whole block of halloumi at once, and found there was still plenty of space left over. It’s also an easy BBQ to clean, and therefore will do just the trick if you want to entertain a crowd this summer.
Our Char-Broil Charcoal L BBQ review has the full details.
Best portable charcoal BBQ
(Image credit: Future PLC / Everdure)
The Everdure Cube, much like its sister BBQ, the Everdure Force, has a design which will wow you, with every tiny detail thought out wonderfully. This compact tabletop portable BBQ is an all-in-one delight, with a bamboo prep board, a food storage tray and a grate that can fit up to 6 small burgers at a time.
During testing, we found that the Cube retained heat exceptionally well and could be used for quite a few hours at a time, meaning that even though it’s a tabletop design, it can cater to a fair few people. Every time Helen used it, she found that it was still hot three hours after lighting it. If you’re sitting outside for the evening, that makes it a great ad-hoc heat source!
You can’t smoke with the Cube, and there isn’t a lid that you can pop on the BBQ while it’s hot, which some might find limiting. You also can’t store it outside, and in the rainy British weather, this did pose some problems for Helen. On the whole, though, this is a solidly stylish, reliable little BBQ that will make tabletop grilling easy.
Our Everdure Cube review has the full details.
Best charcoal BBQ and fire pit
(Image credit: Future PLC / Wave Hex)
Those who love camping and caravanning, or are simply looking to double up on a BBQ and fire pit combo, will love the functionality of the Wave, which has a slim design to make it easy to travel with and space for two people to enjoy an outdoor meal. It features a large cooking grate and is the perfect height for those who want to warm themselves in their camping chairs around a fire pit.
Helen found it could fit four burgers comfortably and tried lamb chops, halloumi and a range of chargrilled veg on the surface too. She thought the results were great and loved the added extra of the built-in bottle opener.
On the whole, this is a space-saving wonder if you usually spend your summers on the go. It’s a great extra to cram into your car or caravan, and the fire pit element makes it a worthwhile buy, too. Though it’s not ideal for the park or the beach, you’ll definitely be grateful for giving it a spot in your car when you pack for your holidays.
Our Wave Hex BBQ review has the full details.
How we tested these charcoal BBQs
We tested all of these charcoal BBQs following our in-house testing protocol to make sure we’re giving you the most reliable notes on each grill.
We follow guidelines for testing BBQs and standardise the foods we use, applying the same methodology across tests. For example, we’ve cooked sausages, skewers and chicken on the grills we’ve tested.
Plus, each of the above grills was tested by our expert freelancer and home economist, Helen McCue, except for the Kamado Joe Konnected Joe, which was tested by Senior Digital Editor Jenny McFarlane, to ensure that they’ve been tried out fairly and in comparison to each other.
How to choose the best charcoal BBQ for you
There are a few things you need to know before you buy a charcoal BBQ, and part of the process is finding the best charcoal BBQ for your space and grilling requirements.
Here are the key considerations you’ll need to keep in mind.
- Size and capacity: Charcoal BBQs vary in size and capacity, so before you buy one, you’ll need to work out how many people you’ll be cooking for. A kettle grill is suitable for smaller families and spaces, for example, whereas a barrel or cart charcoal BBQ is usually larger, perfect for catering to bigger groups. A portable tabletop model, on the other hand, is ideal for balconies, smaller courtyards or even a camping trip.
- Features: Some charcoal BBQs come with a lid or hood with air vents, which allow you to control the temperature of the food you’re cooking. Better still, many models include a built-in temperature gauge, which allows you to monitor your cooking with precision. A lot of grills come with cooking grates, too, and an ash collection system, which makes the unit easier to clean after cooking.
- Material and durability: Charcoal BBQs are made from a range of materials, but among the most common are steel, vitreous enamel, cast iron, ceramic and porcelain. The best combination of materials tends to be stainless steel cooking grates for durability and rust resistance, and a ceramic bowl for heat retention, longevity and ease of cleaning. A lot of the best pizza ovens are designed that way, too.
Types of charcoal BBQ
- Kettle grills: The classic charcoal grill shape, rounded and great at direct and indirect cooking. Kettle grills are usually portable and easy to clean, too.
- Barrel/cart grills: Larger and often rectangular, perfect for families, thanks to a larger cooking area. A lot of models come with shelves to aid food preparation.
- Kamado grills (ceramic smokers): Egg-shaped with a thick ceramic construction for top-notch heat retention and precise temperature control. These grills are usually more expensive, but they’re really versatile; they’re perfect for smoking, baking and high-heat searing.
- Portable/tabletop grills: Ideal if you’ll be cooking on the go or on a balcony, owing to their compact and lightweight design.
Charcoal BBQ fuel types
There are a few different types of charcoal BBQ fuel, and knowing when your charcoal is ready to cook on will depend on the one you’re using. Lump charcoal and briquettes are the two top contenders.
‘Lump charcoal is a solid choice for those in the pursuit of flavour,’ says Liam Glennon, senior buyer at Vonhaus. ‘It imparts a distinct, smoky flavour to your food when cooking on a charcoal grill, which enhances the natural taste of your grilled goods.’
It can be more expensive, though, and more difficult to control the temperature and cook food through consistently. If you’ll be cooking for longer periods of time, briquettes are a great alternative.
‘Briquettes burn far more consistently than lump charcoal and for a longer duration, making them ideal for slow cooking and smoking,’ says Liam. ‘While they may not offer the same smoky depth of flavour as lump charcoal, their ease-of-use makes them a summer-long staple for casual grillers and BBQ aficionados alike.’
Of course, you’ll need to know how to light a charcoal BBQ properly for the best results.
Charcoal BBQ sorted? If you’ll be eating outdoors on chillier evenings, it’s worth investing in one of the best patio heaters on the market, too.
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