Best Charcoal BBQ

Our List of Best UK Charcoal BBQs

Here are our top picks of the ten best charcoal BBQs in 2024. Learn more about their pros, cons, specs, and our reviews.

The Big Green Egg Large Ceramic Grill is inspired by the Asian kamado. It’s an Insta-famous charcoal BBQ, and we know exactly why.

Serving as both a charcoal grill and oven, it’s one of the best charcoal BQQs for smoking, roasting, and baking. You can even put a pizza stone in it!

The best part is the shuttle-quality ceramic build, with a protective green glaze for maximum durability. Since every part of the Big Green Egg comes with a lifetime warranty, you don’t have to worry about getting your money’s worth.

The grill pan may have some hot spots, but the heat intensity is still fairly controlled. It’s also pretty expensive, but the cooking space, smoking efficiency, and ease of use make up for it.

Why do we recommend Big Green Egg Large Ceramic Grill?

The Big Green Egg BBQ doubles as a pizza oven, too, so you can make the most of your grill space. We especially love the self-cleaning feature, making it the perfect barbecue for anyone who loves cooking outdoors without the post-BBQ hassle.

The Vonhaus Compact Charcoal Barbecue is one of the best charcoal BBQs for anyone on a budget. Don’t worry; you won’t have to compromise quality and performance.

It’s excellent at creating direct and indirect heat zones to go beyond just basic barbecuing. Despite its excellent performance, it doesn’t have enough grilling space to serve an entire family. Instead, it may be better for a party of two or three.

Still, that’s exactly what makes it a portable charcoal BBQ. Weighing only 15 kg, it’s easy to carry around for camping and picnic trips.

We’ll admit that the grill lines aren’t ideal either, but the Vonhaus Compact Charcoal Barbecue has an impressive set of features. A height-adjustable charcoal grill tray, side tables, a lid thermometer, an adjustable firebox – the list goes on. The temperature control is also quite impressive.

There’s one major aspect we had concerns about: “the structural integrity.” It wobbles quite a bit, so it’s not to be overloaded during your grilling session. The porcelain-enamelled bowl may be the reason behind the wobbly legs.

Why do we recommend Vonhaus Compact Charcoal Barbecue?

The Vonhaus Compact Portable Charcoal BBQ offers a wide set of features, a small grill area, and maximum adjustability without breaking the bank. It’s one of the best charcoal BBQs if you plan on using it on a picnic or camping trip.

The Lotus Grill Charcoal Barbecue is the most portable grill you can get, weighing only 4 kg. Carrying it around is a breeze, making it one of the best charcoal BBQs for an outdoor cooking trip. Made from powder-coated steel, this BBQ is built to last.

The best part is that a fan powers it, so it only takes a few minutes to reach the ideal cooking temperature. It also comes with its own nylon carry bag, which we didn’t see in other charcoal BBQs.

If that’s not enough to impress you, this charcoal BBQ also guarantees a smoke-free operation and a huge cooking area to accommodate a pizza stone and tons of food simultaneously. Since it has heat deflectors, this grill can cook food over indirect heat without losing space.

The barbecue’s heat-resistant sides make it safer to use and clean up, while the dishwasher-safe parts add to its appeal. We’d say it’s the perfect investment for anyone with less cooking time for bigger parties.

Why do we recommend Lotus Grill Charcoal Barbecue?

There’s a lot to love about the Lotus Grill, but we especially appreciate its portability and smoke-free operation. Even though it’s expensive, the lightweight body, built-in fan, and ease of use make up for the price.

The Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Cube Portable Charcoal BBQ gets a 5 out of 5 for camping use.

Despite its compact size and weight, the Everdure has a smooth and robust main body. The cool-touch handles allow you to move the BBQ around while cooking food. The exterior has a built-in heat protection shield, so you don’t have to worry about burning your hands.

The assembly is hassle-free and tool-free, while the charcoal BBQ takes only six minutes to reach the ideal temperature. The only issue is that you may need to buy a separate lid for the cooking process; the one included is only for storage.

Why do we recommend Everdure by Heston Blumenthal Cube Portable Charcoal BBQ?

Out of all tested charcoal barbecues, the Everdure served the best for camping. It perfects slow-cook sessions (you may need to buy a separate lid) and even comes with its own chopping board.

The Web Classic Kettle Charcoal Grill caught our eye with its durable build, made from rust-resistant aluminium and plated steel. Its simple design makes it one of the best charcoal BBQs for beginners.

The grill is big enough to cook enough burgers, sausages, and vegetable skewers for a family of six. Once you’re done cooking, the ash collection, lid hook, and easy cleaning features will help you wrap up quickly.

The best part is the 10-year warranty, making one thing clear: the brand is super confident about the durability of the Weber Classic Kettle Charcoal Grill. That was enough to make us excited about using this grill.

Why do we recommend Weber Classic Kettle Barbecue?

The Weber Classic is the best charcoal kettle grill barbecue to get behind. With its hinged grates, impeccable venting, and ability to maintain low and slow heat, there’s nothing you won’t love about this grill. It’s among the best charcoal BBQs for beginners.

The best charcoal barbecues often come in barrel form, which is why the Argos Home Charcoal Oil Drum is one of our favourites.

Not only does it offer incredible value for money, but it also has plenty of space to cook for two to four people. We’d be willing to pay more than the retail price for this heavy-duty BBQ.

It has multiple vents at the bottom, allowing the grill to get hotter quickly and evenly. The shape of this oil drum makes it even better to maintain the right temperature while cooking so you can get the tastiest results every time.

Overall, we’d say you can’t get a better charcoal barbecue than this for the same price.

Why do we recommend Argos Home Charcoal Oil Drum Barbecue?

The Argos Home Charcoal Oil Drum is an impeccable option if you need a generously sized barbecue. Even though the charcoal grilling area is big, the BBQ itself isn’t. Plus, it’s affordable!

If you’re a pro BBQer who only works with the best charcoal barbecues, the Napoleon NK22 CHARCOAL is all you need. Let’s talk about some of its features.

The 73 cm cooking space is enough to accommodate food for a large party while also allowing you to create zones. You can grill, bake, broil, and smoke on this grill, while the three height adjustments let you even fit a whole turkey in. Features like the hinged grill and bottle opener really took the cooking experience to another level.

Our only problem was that the BBQ didn’t come assembled, and the assembly was nowhere near quick.

Why do we recommend Napoleon NK22 CHARCOAL?

From a hinged grill to a generous shelf, the Napoleon NK22 CHARCOAL is packed with advanced features for pro-BBQers. The assembly takes half an hour, but the 10-year warranty and impressive performance make it all worth it.

If you have the space to accommodate it, don’t miss out on the Kamado Joe Kettle Joe Charcoal BBQ. It’s big, it’s efficient, and it’s durable. What more could a BBQer ask for?

Surprisingly, the bright red exterior was a crowd-pleaser, as coloured kitchen appliances are becoming more vogue. Beyond the looks, you’ll be shocked at how much you can really smoke in this BBQ. It’s enough for a big family and more.

Even though the build is durable, the BBQ is somewhat short. You’ll be stooping over it throughout the cooking session, which can get a bit tiring.

Why do we recommend Kamado Joe Kettle Joe Charcoal BBQ?

The Kamado Joe Kettle Joe tops our choices of the best charcoal BBQs for those who entertain large parties. The charcoal grills and warming rack have plenty of space, but the cast-iron build and slow-cooking results impress even more.

The Boss Grill The Egg XS fits on a countertop, but don’t underestimate its power. Beyond just grilling and roasting, you can even use this BBQ to make your own pizza.

The assembly is simple and quick, allowing you to start on a good note. When lowering the dome onto the low stand, you’ll see that it’s padded to prevent scratching. The lid is also spring-loaded to prevent slamming it shut.

What’s really impressive is that it can hold 3 kgs of charcoal at a time. But since it’s a small grill, it’ll heat up too quickly and burn through the ingredients before the food is fully cooked. After some trial and error, you can turn it into the perfect grilling companion for family meals.

During testing, we loved using this grill to toast marshmallows.

Why do we recommend Boss Grill The Egg XS?

We love that the Boss Grill The Egg XS is essentially a ceramic version of the Big Green Egg. With a temperature gauge and ceramic interior panels, this grill has unique features you won’t mind in most other charcoal barbecues.