The 5 Best Charcoal Grills for Every Budget and Grilling Style, According to Our Extensive Tests

Despite being touted as a simpler alternative to gas and pellet grills, charcoal grills can be pretty flashy. The bells and whistles, like push-start buttons and double-decker cooking grates, are enticing. But are they worth it? We compiled 11 wildly different charcoal grills—representing price points and designs across the spectrum—and put them to the test. Many tests! 

Alas, after hours of assembling, searing, smoking, and cleaning there was no clear answer as to whether simpler was better, or flashy features were worth the cash. It's all about personal grilling style, and what you value in a grill. That said: After cooking steaks and ribs, we found five truly standout grills. The best charcoal grill for you depends on your skill level, how often you want to use it, and the type of grilling or smoking you like best.

The Winners, at a Glance

The Best Charcoal Grill

Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch Charcoal Grill

$233 $219 at Amazon $219 at Home Depot $219 at Ace Hardware

This grill is a classic for a reason. You probably know someone who has one: “This is the grill your parents or grandparents used,” says Steven Schrimpf, our procurement and inventory manager and resident grilling expert/aficionado/superfan. He's used many of the grills on this list and stands by this pick as the best. The Original Kettle is easy to use but still beloved by skilled grillers. It has just enough helpful features (like hinged grates) without being overwhelming, and it scored stunningly well in terms of heating speed and distribution.

The Best Charcoal Grill for Beginners

Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill 22-Inch

$549 at Amazon $549 at Home Depot $580 at Crate & Barrel

There’s no need to master a chimney when lighting this charcoal grill: It comes with a propane-fueled start knob. It also features a cart, a charcoal storage bin, tool hooks, and a storage shelf. In our tests, steak developed beautiful browning and chicken was delightfully smoky. We liked the built-in, semi-circular metal ring lid holder and that a portion of the grill grates was removable for easily adding charcoal. It comes with two perforated baskets for holding charcoal, too, which we found helpful for indirect cooking. Cleaning was fairly straightforward: a fan-style, lever-operated system pushed the ash into the catch bin below. It wasn’t able to displace all of the ash, but it did an admirable job.

The Best Splurge Charcoal Grill

PK Grills Original PK300 Grill and Smoker

$600 $525 at Amazon $600 at Home Depot View on Pkgrills.com

The PK300 presents the best of both worlds for serious grillers who want the option to smoke large cuts of meat. There are four dampers to control the heat, a hinged lid that can be removed entirely, and a 20-year warranty which is, frankly, outstanding. Schrimpf admits he originally dismissed the damper design as a marketing gimmick, but after testing he considers the PK300 to be “unprecedented” in terms of temperature control. 

The Best Entry-Level Charcoal Grill/Smoker Hybrid

SNS Grills Slow 'N Sear Original 22-Inch Kettle Grill

$350 at Amazon View on Snsgrills.com

Although lacking the pizazz of other grill-smoker hybrids, this is a solid option for the hybrid griller who wants versatility at an affordable price. It excels at two-zone cooking, giving it added value in the grilling department. We had complaints about the cumbersome assembly and cleaning processes, but we sure did like the steak and ribs. 

The Best Affordable Charcoal Grill with a Cart

Char-Griller Classic Charcoal Grill

$319 at Home Depot

This enormous grill is optimized for low-and-slow cooking, and we swooned over its front-loading door for adding fuel mid-smoke. There’s 550 square inches of cooking space—enough for three-zone cooking—and a secondary grate for vegetables and buns. We liked the two prep tables, a feature more commonly seen on gas grills. Beginner grillers may find it hard to maintain a consistent temperature, but practice makes perfect, and this is a very pleasurable grill to improve your skills with.

The Tests

• Assembly Test: After reading the manufacturer’s instructions, we assembled each grill, docking points for complications and frustrations. We noted instances where a grill was challenging to assemble without a helper.
• Temperature Control Test: We used a grill thermometer to monitor the grill's temperature as we fired it up, tracking how quickly it reached our desired temperature and whether there were any hot spots. 
• Steak Test: We cooked steaks on each grill to evaluate their performance in searing and grilling. Here, we noted the grill’s ability to cook in zones and whether it had features that enhanced quick cooking, like adjustable grates or dampers.
• Ribs Test: We smoked baby back ribs on each grill to see how they did with low and slow heat. In addition to monitoring the temperature over time and the ribs’ taste and appearance, we tracked how efficiently—or not—the grill burned through fuel.
• Chicken Test: To see how the grills did with indirect cooking and smoking, we cooked chicken quarters on each grill, placing the chicken on the cool side of the grill and adding more charcoal and wood as needed to maintain a 250ºF temperature for a couple of hours.
• Usability and Cleanup Tests: Throughout testing, we evaluated how easy the grills were to use, move, and clean. Grills with wheels were great, so long as they felt stable when not on the move. Cleanup was enhanced by features like easily accessible grates and well-placed ash catches.

What We Learned

Grill Shape Mattered When It Came to Smoking

Circular grills, like the Weber Original, might first come to mind if you hear the phrase “charcoal grill.” But some of the models we tested, like the PK300, had oblong cooking areas, which were preferable for smoking and accommodating large cuts of meat. When indirect cooking, this allowed us to easily place the meat away from the heat source.

The Best Charcoal Grills Had Adjustable Grates

Having a few height options for the charcoal and cooking grates was a true pleasure, especially when cooking things like steaks and fish. This allowed us to get the flames close enough for a great sear. (However, we could work around stationary grates with extra charcoal.) We loved cooking on grills that had hinged cooking grates, which allowed us to scoot the food over and add more charcoal in the middle of a grilling session.

Dampers vs. Vented Lids Were a Matter of Preference

Dampers allow for greater control over a grill’s temperature. The more dampers there are, the more options you’ll have. (The PK300 wins with four.) Seasoned grillers and anyone who wants to use their grill as a smoker should look for charcoal grills with dampers. However, multiple dampers might provide too much control for a beginner. In that case, we recommend grills with vented lids that allow you to close off a little or a lot of air with just a quick slide. 

Lids Mattered More Than You Might Assume

Not all grill lids could be fully removed, which we found mildly annoying during use and cleanup. Being able to grill without worrying about a lid slamming shut was obviously enjoyable. But there were pros to hinged lids, too, as in the case of the Char-Griller, which had a secondary grate for veggies and buns. The most important element of a quality lid is construction.

Heavy multi-clad metals kept in the heat during testing. Watch out for plastic accessories: The hook on the inside of the Weber Original Kettle’s lid got so hot, it melted the plastic handle it’s meant to hang from.

What Kind of Charcoal Should You Buy for a Charcoal Grill?

Charcoal briquettes are the most common type of fuel for a charcoal grill. There are different kinds of briquettes to choose from, including instant light, which are treated with lighter fluid and ignite at the touch of a match. (We don't recommend instant briquettes for most circumstances, although we'll admit they can certainly come in handy.)

You can also use lump coal on a charcoal grill. In our review of lump charcoal, we noted that this style is often thought of as a more "premium" charcoal offering because of its clean, efficient burn and the fact that it can burn quite hot or nice and low and slow. Lump charcoal is less processed than briquettes, so its sizes and shapes vary. It's fantastic for smoking. That said, it usually is on the pricier side. Check out this story for an in-depth look at the different types of charcoal for grilling.

How to Use a Chimney Starter with a Charcoal Grill

Lighting charcoal briquettes or lump charcoal can be tricky if you don't have a chimney starter. Chimneys are helpful because they keep the heat contained and control airflow. To use one, place a couple pieces of crumpled newspaper in the bottom, then fill with charcoal. Set the chimney on top of the fuel grate and use a lighter to ignite the newspaper. The flame will rise, catching the charcoal. Once the coals at the top of the chimney are glowing and powdery white-gray, dump them out onto the grate and set up the cooking grate.

The Criteria: What to Look for in a Charcoal Grill

The best charcoal grills can maintain consistent temperatures without excessive monitoring or adjustments. Vented lids and dampers help get the job done, so your grill should have at least one of those features. Look for grills large enough to accommodate zoned cooking and large cuts of meat, should you choose to use your grill as a smoker. We preferred grills with height-adjustable or hinged grates. All that said, more user-controlled features aren’t always better, especially when they come at a prohibitive cost, or if you’re a beginning griller.

Our Favorite Charcoal Grills

The Best Charcoal Grill

Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch Charcoal Grill

$233 $219 at Amazon $219 at Home Depot $219 at Ace Hardware

What we liked: Weber’s Original 22-inch grill has name recognition going for it, and it certainly delivered on the high standards. During testing, it was equally adept at grilling and smoking, thanks to a highly adjustable damper and rotational lid. The Original Kettle has just enough upgrade features without being showy, like hinged grates that allow for additional fuel while grilling. Although its simple design makes the Original Weber beginner-friendly, we’re confident seasoned grillers will find plenty to like here, too. The charcoal and cooking grate are the ideal distance for grilling; you can further customize it by using zoned cooking. It earned perfect scores in our heating speed and distribution tests (meaning: it gets hot fast, and doesn’t have rogue hot spots). It also aced the following tests: ease of assembly (we put it together in under 15 minutes with just two basic tools), depth, venting, and sticking/flare-ups. 

What we didn’t like: The ash catch was difficult to clean, and we thought the construction could have been more stable—but those are minor quibbles, considering it’s priced at less than $250 and often on sale.

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 127 square inches
• Dimensions: 22.5 x 22.5 x 27 inches
• Weight: 32.3 pounds
• Special features: Hinged grates
• Warranty: 10 years

The Best Charcoal Grill for Beginners

Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill 22-Inch

$549 at Amazon $549 at Home Depot $580 at Crate & Barrel

What we liked: This Performer Deluxe simplifies one of the most intimidating parts about charcoal grills: lighting the charcoal. With a built-in, propane-fueled start knob, it’ll set the charcoal ablaze for you. That said, this is optional: You can still reap many benefits of this model without the propane start, including the built-in cart you can place sheet pans of food on, a digital timer, charcoal storage bin, tool hooks, and a storage shelf. In our tests, we found its performance was solid for both short and long cooks: steaks were well-browned and chicken quarters nicely smoky, with golden skin. The removable portion of its grill grate and its charcoal baskets were especially helpful during our indirect heat cooking test, allowing us to easily add charcoal and wood when needed. We also appreciate the semi-circular, built-in lid holder and lever-operated, fan-style ash cleaning system that pushed the ash into the catch bin below. 

What we didn’t like: Of course, this grill is expensive. Its ash catcher was fiddly to put on and it took us several tries to seat it. 

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 363 square inches
• Dimensions: 43.5 x 48 x 30 inches 
• Weight: 91 pounds
• Special features: Automatic propane starter; attached work table; tool hooks; charcoal baskets; charcoal storage; 4 wheels
• Warranty: 10 years
  

The Best Splurge Charcoal Grill

PK Grills Original PK300 Grill and Smoker

$600 $525 at Amazon $600 at Home Depot View on Pkgrills.com

What we liked: This model is marketed as a grill and smoker, so we had high expectations for it in both categories. It did not disappoint. The PK300 is thoughtfully designed, with a lid that hinges open but can also be removed entirely. When closed, it creates a strong seal imperative for smoking success. With a hinged charcoal grate, adding coals during the cooking process was simple and safe. The shape and size of the kettle were ideal for smoking larger cuts of meat, making this a hybrid model that truly excelled in all arenas (smoking and searing, but also roasting and steaming, too). With four dampers to control the heat, this is a luxe option for those looking to boost their grilling skills. The PK300 comes with a very generous 20-year warranty, making the higher price tag more palatable.

What we didn’t like: This isn’t a good buy for beginners, because the proximity of the charcoal grate to the cooking grate makes searing tricky without a strong knowledge of zone cooking.

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 320 square inches
• Dimensions: 42.79 x 16.21 x 37.35 inches (with lid closed)
• Weight: 60 pounds
• Special features: Cooking chamber is constructed from aluminum; surface area designed specifically for two-zone cooking
• Warranty: 20 years

The Best Entry-Level Charcoal Grill/Smoker Hybrid

SNS Grills Slow 'N Sear Original 22-Inch Kettle Grill

$350 at Amazon View on Snsgrills.com

What we liked: Smaller than most of the other models we tested, the SNS Original Charcoal Grill is a solid performer that can hold its own in grilling and smoking. The circular cooking surface is 22 inches in diameter, but when set up as a smoker, it could still handle three racks of ribs. And about those ribs! They had a quarter-inch pale pink smoke ring and a nicely glossy, caramelized exterior. The SNS also produced a very nicely cooked steak without sticking or flare-ups. SNS is one of Schrimpf’s favorite brands, and he notes that the Slow ‘N Sear is constructed with two-zone cooking in mind. “The SNS Deluxe insert separates lit coals to one area of the firebox to allow for this more advanced technique, and the Easy Spin grill grate simplifies moving your food between cooking zones,” he explains.

What we didn’t like: This grill struggled to keep up with some of the flashier features of our other models. It’s cumbersome to set up, and removing the grates for cleaning took some finagling. The ash removal mechanism was similarly fussy. But we’re still pleased with the general ease of use with this affordable grill.

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 121 square inches
• Dimensions: 41.75 x 41.75 x 41.67 inches
• Weight: 38 pounds
• Special features: Hinged workbench attached; smoking made possible with a specific insert (can be sold separately) 
• Warranty: 10 years

The Best Affordable Charcoal Grill with a Cart

Char-Griller Classic Charcoal Grill

$319 at Home Depot

What we liked: You’d be forgiven for thinking the Char-Griller was just a smoker thanks to its design. True, it does optimize low-and-slow smoking, but this handsome grill does it all and provides a spacious workspace. The cost is justified with thoughtful design features, like a hinged lid with a large handle. We liked the front-loading fuel door when it came time to add charcoal or wood. It’s also super sturdy, with four wheels and an under-grill storage rack. It’s a great size for large families or gatherings. At 550 square inches, it’s big enough to create a three-zone cooking area. There’s also a secondary grate (270 square inches) for vegetables and buns. The smoked ribs were nearly perfect with a glossy, deep red exterior and juicy texture. It can grill like a boss, too: We’re still thinking about its perfect steak with defined grill marks. 

What we didn’t like: The damper on the door was poorly placed; we wished it were smaller and located on the bottom right side of the grill. Brand-new grillers may struggle with maintaining an ideal temperature, but the ability to smoke and grill will please experts and those looking to make the switch from gas grilling. 

Key Specs

• Cooking area: 820 square inches (distributed over two-tiered cooking spaces)
• Dimensions: 27 x 57.35 x 51.70 inches
• Weight: 88 pounds
• Special features: Charcoal access door; stainless steel smokestack for better temperature control
• Warranty: 5 years

The Competition

• Char-Griller Deluxe Griller Charcoal Grill (E2828): This hefty, barrel-style grill has a hinged lid and four separate, removable, adjustable grates, but its lackluster venting and propensity for flare-ups weren’t enough to make it stand out from the crowd. It appears to no longer be available, too.
• Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared 22.5” Charcoal Grill: This tripod-style grill has an attractive price tag, but it’s lightweight and slightly unstable, and we struggled to get the hang of its damper heat adjustment system. The grill grates must be removed entirely to add fuel midway through.
• Oklahoma Joe’s Judge Charcoal Grill: This snazzy-looking grill excels as a smoker (unsurprisingly, as Oklahoma Joe’s primarily makes smokers). It’s heavy and not cheap, but experts or smoking fanatics may want to take a second look.
• Char-Broil Performance 580 Charcoal Grill: In this grill, coals sit on a barely perforated tray, rather than a grate, which doesn’t allow for adequate airflow. The steaks lacked that signature charcoal flavor. However, its spacious, rectangular design excelled in the smoking test.
• Dyna-Glo X-Large Heavy Duty 32-Inch Charcoal Grill: Damper design issues caused excessive temperature fluctuations with this smoker-style grill, but we appreciated how easy it was to clean. Just use the insulated handle to slide the ash catch tray right out. It's currently unav
• Expert Grill Charcoal Kettle Grill: This was one of our top picks, but it appears to have been discontinued.

FAQs

What's the best time to buy a grill?

The cheapest time to buy a grill is typically later summer and fall, when retailers are eager to clear out inventory. But there are always sales to be had, especially online, where sale events can offer steep discounts.

What’s the difference between a gas and charcoal grill?

Charcoal grills are powered by, uh, charcoal—either briquettes or lump, whereas gas grills rely on propane. Charcoal grilling purists tend to praise the smokier flavor that comes from this style of grilling, but gas grills offer plenty to boast about (namely, quicker cooking and easy cleanup). You can read more about the differences between gas and charcoal grills here.

How do you use a charcoal grill? 

What a question! We’ve got answers: First, check out this comprehensive guide to charcoal grilling. Or this one, on smoking on a charcoal kettle grill. Or this one, about baking on a grill! Finally, might we suggest bookmarking this page, which houses all of our grilling how-tos, recipes, and equipment reviews?

What's the best way to clean a charcoal grill? 

The grill grates should be scrubbed clean with a durable grill brush when the grill is screaming hot. The best time to do this is at the beginning of a grilling session before you add any food. Oiling your grill brush with a cloth (held with tongs) will minimize sticking and crusted-on food. Remove ash once it’s cooled and store it in a fireproof bucket, like a metal trash can. Once your bucket is full, the ash should be thrown away. Never put hot ashes or coals in a trash can! (Please!) Although it may be hard for some to hear, leaving a grill dirty is the best way to protect it between cookouts. 

Why We’re the Experts

• Rochelle Bilow is an editor at Serious Eats. She has been writing about food professionally for over a decade and has written extensively about grilling for Serious Eats, including articles on lump charcoal and gas smokers.
• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the associate editorial director for Serious Eats. She's been with the site since 2021. She owns far more grills than her backyard space allows.
• For this article, we tested 11 charcoal grills according to a rigorous methodology that included temperature monitoring, fuel burn, and user experience.