Charcoal Grill Buying Guide
Probably no topic stirs more debate among backyard chefs than the question of gas grills versus charcoal grills. If you’re here, browsing our Charcoal Grill Buying Guide, you’ve at least decided to explore the notion that charcoal grill benefits outweigh those of gas grills. The central issue is whether charcoal grills impart more smoky flavor to grilled foods than gas grills.
Devotees fall on either side of that question, but in its purest form, charcoal grills produce more smoke and hence, more smoky flavor than do gas grills. Not that you can’t get smoky flavor from a gas grill – you can, thanks to some clever innovations – but the simplest and most direct method of cooking food outdoors is performed on a charcoal grill.
Other considerations are cost, convenience and clean-up. Charcoal must be started prior to cooking. Depending on the bulk, charcoal can take up to 30 minutes before it’s ready for cooking. Clean-up of charcoal ash can be messy, but as with any job, performing it on a regular basis makes it all go much smoother. If you cook with charcoal frequently, the cost will likely exceed that of gas, but it’s not an overwhelming expense, and many charcoal enthusiasts are more than willing to pay extra.
The best charcoal grill is the one that suits your needs and expectations the best. Quality goes a long way toward ensuring that perfect match, but it’s just one of many factors to consider. If all you ever do is an occasional burger cookout, a simple kettle grill would be a better choice than a pro-quality behemoth with features you’ll never use. By the same token, if you’ve become the chef du jour every weekend for your extended family, you need more versatility and durability in a grill.
Things to consider when buying a charcoal grill:
Type. Charcoal grills come in a host of styles and sizes. Understanding the benefits of each will help you make a better choice. Think about your favorite cookout meals. Do you like steaks and chops? Chicken breasts and thighs? Brisket? Ribs? Get a grill whose features work well with your cooking preferences. Among the many styles of charcoal grills are:
Brazier – The simplest and least expensive grill you can get. Essentially, they’re shallow pans (for the charcoal) with a grill on top. Typically, no lid is included. This is your basic burgers-n-dogs grill.
Kettle – A vented cylinder with a deep bowl for charcoal and a lid. The lid can be used or not, giving some control over cooking temperature and smoke accumulation. Some kettle grills are rectangular in shape, but with the same features.
Barrel – Imagine a metal barrel lying on its side and cut in half lengthwise. The main advantage here is a huge cooking area.
Cart – A grill on wheels with shelves underneath.
Ceramic – Examples of ceramic grills include Big Green Egg grills and kamado grills. Ceramic construction allows these grills to maintain optimum cooking temperature for hours.
Smoker – Grills that allow for an offset of the cooking area to the heat source. This allows for longer cooking times and better absorption of smoky flavor.
Built-in – A built-in grill coordinates with your outdoor kitchen and fits in the countertop. These are typically high-end units.
Size. Getting a grill large enough for large family gatherings is great . . . as long as you entertain large family gatherings on a regular basis. But if your most frequent cookouts are for a family of 3-5, getting a jumbo grill creates needless expense on the front end and on charcoal during the season. A grill with 450-500 square inches is plenty for the typical family. Some charcoal grills double the cooking area by offering a second grid level, but the greatest benefit to that might be the ability to provide a little more distance between the food and heat source for a slower, more controllable cooking process.
Construction. If there ever was a perfect example of “you get what you pay for,” it would be a charcoal grill. Grills with thin sheet metal, rickety hinges and flimsy cooking grids are pretty much disposable appliances, rarely lasting more than a few years. What you save on the front end will be gobbled up with repeat purchases, and in this day of rapid inflation, those repeat purchases can get downright painful. Get the heaviest duty grill you can. Look at the specs and pay close attention to the grade of steel used (remember, the lower the number, the stronger the steel).
Brands. We feature the finest brands available, brands that rate very high in consumer satisfaction, durability, ease-of-use and features.
Built-in: Blaze, Bull Outdoor Products, Coyote and Sunstone
Freestanding: Blaze, Broilmaster, Bull Outdoor Products, Coyote, Everdure, Goldens’ Cast Iron and Hancock
Kamado: Coyote, Primo and Icon
The internet has given us a great resource for shopping online, and that is the customer review section on most products. Read the reviews of any product you are considering, and even though you may encounter an impostor or two, most reviews are reliable. Our brands rate near the top in customer reviews.
Best charcoal grill accessories. Charcoal grill accessories tend to be less opulent but more practical than accessories for other types of grills and outdoor kitchen set-ups. Probably the single best accessory you can get is a grill cover. You can get more longevity from a budget grill and a lifetime of use from a more substantial grill if it’s protected from the elements. A popular accessory is a charcoal chimney, a cylinder with a handle that is used to start the charcoal without the use of starter fluid. Beyond that, cooking utensils, a rotisserie (if you grill can accommodate one) and temperature gauges make good choices.
Questions
Is charcoal good for cooking?
Yes. Charcoal is good for cooking. Your granddaddy’s grill was charcoal, in all likelihood. Charcoal is wood, compressed and fired to remove water and volatile by-products. It burns predictably, creates billows of smoke and maintains steady heat during the cooking process.
Which is better, charcoal or gas?
Charcoal is best for smoky flavor, and gas is better for clean-up, convenience and cost. While gas grills can be enhanced with systems that encourage more robust smoke, charcoal is natural and direct. In recent years, different wood types have been incorporated into charcoal products, giving consumers additional choices.
