Top 10 Charcoal Grills

Best Charcoal Grills

This is the grill that launched Weber. While there are lots of imitators this grill is built to last and has superior cooking abilities. The round design focuses heat and the multiple vents allow you to control it. This one charcoal grill can do most everything including smoking on a limited basis. The large grilling area gives you plenty of space for direct and indirect grilling. You can even get an optional rotisserie kit.

Okay, this is marketed as a charcoal grill, but its ability to hold low temperatures for an incredible amount of time has made it and other Kamado cookers very popular amongst smokers. Giving you the best of both worlds, the Big Green Egg may just be the only piece of outdoor cooking equipment you'll ever need (because it will probably last longer then you will).

The Char-Griller Outlaw gives you over 1,000 square inches of cooking space in a charcoal grill that cooks hot and fast or low and slow (get the add-on offset firebox for serious barbecue). This is a traditional style barrel grill that gives you the best of both worlds. Heavy steel construction and durable grates will keep this grill running for many years and look like a serious grill while doing it. At around $150USD you won't break the bank with this unit.

This is probably the best charcoal grill under $50. While it might look primitive it is very versatile. Small enough to take it almost anywhere, yet large enough to grill a lot of food. This charcoal grill was designed about 75 years ago and hasn't changed much since. The basic design makes it simple to use but it also has great grilling abilities.

This is about as close as you can get to the convenience of gas grilling in a charcoal grill. The performer uses a 5 gallon propane tank and burner unit to light the charcoal for you. All you have to do is pour in the charcoal, push a button and wait for about ten minutes. Then you can turn off the gas and start grilling. The performer is designed to be a complete cooking unit with large storage area, easy clean up ash catcher and working table space.

The Bubba Keg Convection Grill is so closely modeled on the size and shape of the Big Green Egg that grates and accessories are interchangeable, yet this metal version has some truly impressive innovative features and design. Capable of hitting very high temperatures while staying cool on the outside with great temperature control, this grill really is an amazing unit. You can even mount it onto your trailer hitch and take it tailgating, something you would have trouble doing with similar ceramic kamado cookers. While a great grilling grill there are some problems with the design that might give you issues.

This is another grill that takes its design from long ago. This is a solid cast aluminum charcoal grill like the ones popular in the 1950's. The simple design, great grilling abilities and durable parts make this a popular grill. It will probably last longer than you will and will keep grilling great no matter how long you have it.

This uniquely designed charcoal grill is one of the easiest to light. You place a couple of sheets of newspaper in the base and light the paper. Charcoal above will be lit quickly. The base holds a small water basin. Hot ashes from the grill fall through and are extinguished in the water. When you're done grilling you can simply pull out the coal grate and drop the hot coals into the water. This makes this charcoal grill one of the more convenient to use. Designed as an open grill there is no lid and no vents. You adjust the cooking temperature by moving the cooking grate up or down.

First of all this is an expensive grill. At about $2,500 it is one of the more expensive charcoal grills on the market. It is also a very basic grill. Though it comes with a rotisserie kit is doesn't come with a lid. This is pure grilling. Heat can be adjusted by a rotary crank that changes the cooking grate height. It is completely stainless steels and a great grill for grilling, if you want to spend the money.

The Napoleon M605RBCSS Charcoal Grill looks like a standard gas grill. Built into a gas grill looking cabinet, this charcoal grill boasts many of the features of a gas grill, but is completely fueled by charcoal. Take for instance the rear mounted rotisserie burner. A cleverly designed charcoal basket holds a vertical column of charcoal so you can cook indirectly on your rotisserie kit just like you would on a gas grill. On addition to the features you would find on any Napoleon grill, this unit has a well engineered airflow control system, heavy porcelain coated cast iron cooking grates, and a dual layer roll top lid. This is the charcoal grill for the person who wants a full sized grill with charcoal flavor.