The Bottom Line
Pros
- Easy lighting without lighter fluid
- Quick, safe and easy clean up
- Small grill with large cooking area
Cons
- Slight top heavy design
- More expensive than most charcoal grills
Description
- 310 square inches of cooking area - 20 inch diameter
- Built in newspaper fired charcoal chimney for easy lighting
- Removable ash catcher
- Compartmentalized charcoal trays for direct and indirect grilling
- Roll top lid like those on gas grills
- Lid mounted thermometer
Guide Review - Napoleon Apollo Charcoal Pedestal Grill
This Grill has been discontinued. There is not similar replacement by Napoleon.Napoleon is well known for their excellent gas grills. This is their equivalent charcoal grill that is nearly as easy to use as a gas grill. A piece of newspaper and a match are all you need to light your charcoal and the ashes collect in a tray in the base making it easy to clean out. For years people have tried to make a charcoal grill as convenient as a gas grill, this one is nearly that. Add in the superior flavor of charcoal and you have a great charcoal grill.
With good solid construction this is a well built grill that will last you for many years. This is an excellent grill for small spaces. The 20 inch diameter cooking area gives you plenty of space to cook for many people while keeping the foot print very small.
The biggest disadvantage of this unit is the price. At around $200USD it is much more expensive than similar units. However if you consider the features and capabilities of this grill it is comparable to more expensive units. The Weber Performer Charcoal grill lights its own charcoal and costs around $300. The Napoleon Apollo is available in a similar cart mounted unit with lots of workspace for around $300. If you have the space I would recommend the cart mounted unit.
