The Best Charcoal Grills for Delicious Outdoor Cooking

Best Overall: Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch Charcoal Grill

4.8

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Whether you’re replacing a well-loved grill or buying your very first one, you can’t go wrong with the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22-Inch Charcoal Grill. While widely viewed as the best charcoal grill you can buy, this thoughtfully-designed grill is also quite affordable, costing hundreds less than high-end models. Plus, our reviewer said it took him less than 15 minutes to put it together.

This Weber grill features a porcelain-enameled lid and bowl for optimal heat retention, and the cooking grate can hold up to 13 burgers at once. Our reviewer tested this model by cooking everything from pork to pineapple and found that it's consistently a great choice for beginners and seasoned pros.

There’s a built-in lid thermometer and dampers on the lid that allow you to monitor and adjust the inner temperature. The plated steel cooking grate includes a hinge that allows you to add charcoal while you’re cooking, and the angled lid hook lets you hang the top of the grill on the side of the unit, keeping it off the ground.

When you’re done cooking, the Weber grill has a one-touch cleaning system that lets you sweep ash and debris into the removable ash catcher for disposal.

Dimensions: 39.5 x 22.5 x 27 inches | Total Cooking Area: 363 square inches

Best Budget: Weber Original Kettle 18-Inch Charcoal Grill

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If you’re not looking to spend as much on a grill, you might consider a pared-down version of our top pick: the Weber Original Kettle 18-Inch Charcoal Grill. It’s smaller and lacks some of the features of the Premium model, but this affordable Weber Kettle Grill still delivers delicious grilled foods infused with the smoky flavor of charcoal. 

This grill can hold up to nine burgers on its plated steel cooking grate, and it features an enameled porcelain lid and bowl, lid hook, and easy-to-adjust dampers. It has durable wheels for easy transport, and you can clean up quickly using the one-touch cleaning system, which sweeps ash and debris into the rust-resistant ash catcher.

Dimensions: 36 x 18.5 x 23 inches | Total Cooking Area: 240 square inches

Best with Smoker: PK Grills Original PK Grill & Smoker

4.7

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Grilling cooks food quickly using high heat, while smoking uses indirect heat and lower temperatures to cook food slowly. If you like to switch up your cooking style once in a while, you’ll love The Original PK Grill & Smoker. This model delivers the best of both worlds, and it’s perfect for both casual grillers and professional chefs. 

This grill is made from cast aluminum for superior heat conduction, and its unique shape and four-point venting system make it ideal for both grilling and smoking foods. It has over 305 square inches of cooking surface—that’s big enough for a whole turkey!—and two work shelves where you can prep food. Plus, it's lightweight and easy to set up if you need a portable option for outdoor parties or tailgating.

After a few weeks of cooking on it, our home tester said the grill "blew [them] away." The coals got hot quickly with the tight-sealing lid keeping the heat inside, and the built-in vents were simple to adjust during cooking. The oval shape of the grill made it easy to cook multiple types of food, from skewers to roasted corn. After she was done testing, cleanup was a breeze, whether using a grill brush or removing the grate to clean in the kitchen sink. A couple of downsides discovered during testing were that the lid can detach while cooking and the lack of a built-in thermometer means you'll need to have your own.

Dimensions: 34.75 x 36.38 x 19.5 inches | Total Cooking Area: 310 square inches

Best Kamado: Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill

4.5

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Kamado-style grills originated in Asia more than 3,000 years ago, and these oval-shaped cooking vessels have become increasingly popular in the U.S. thanks to their superior versatility. Kamado grills, like the Char-Griller AKORN Kamado Charcoal Grill, are used for smoking and baking. They heat up quickly and impart more flavor to food. 

This particular kamado grill has triple-walled steel construction and features 314 square inches of cast-iron grill space, as well as a removable warming rack. It includes a built-in thermometer and can be used to cook at temperatures ranging from 200 to 700 degrees. The grill has two convenient folding side shelves and utensil hooks.

Our home tester used this to cook up barbecue classics like chicken wings and ribs, and she was highly pleased with its performance. Once she learned how to get the grill to the right temperature, the temperature inside the grill remained constant no matter what was happening outside, It is important to get the initial temperature right since this takes a while to cool down. Other aspects she liked were that the grates became more nonstick as the testing went on and the warming rack proved itself to be the perfect bun warmer.

Dimensions: 45 x 31 x 47 inches | Total Cooking Area: 447 square inches

Best Portable: Weber 10020 Smokey Joe 14-Inch Portable Charcoal Grill

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Looking for a charcoal grill that you can bring to the big game or on your next outdoor adventure? Then you should consider the Weber Smokey Joe portable charcoal grill. Just like full-size models from the brand, this 14-inch grill has a porcelain-enameled lid and bowl, as well as steel grates and an ash catcher down below. 

This portable charcoal grill can hold up to five hamburgers at a time, and the lid’s glass-reinforced nylon handle stays cool during use. Reviewers say this product is an unbeatable value, as it’s easy to tote around to various events and delivers the same caliber of high-quality food as full-size Weber grills. 

Dimensions: 17 x 14.2 x 14.5 inches | Total Cooking Area: 147 square inches

Best Splurge: Weber Performer Deluxe 22-Inch Charcoal Grill

4.5

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If you haven’t noticed by now, Weber is one of the top charcoal grill brands today, and it also makes the splurge-worthy Performer Deluxe 22-Inch Charcoal Grill. This model has a wide variety of useful features that any grill master would love, including things like a Touch-N-Go gas ignition system and work table for food prep.

This charcoal grill can hold up to 13 burgers at a time, and you can monitor the internal temperature using the built-in lid thermometer. This Performer Deluxe grill has an electronic charcoal ignition system and a removable timer that mounts to the side work table. Additionally, there’s a convenient charcoal storage bin integrated into the design, as well as the brand’s one-touch cleaning system. Reviewers say the quality of this product is great and that the grill will undoubtedly serve you well for years to come. 

Dimensions: 43.5 x 48 x 30 inches | Total Cooking Area: 363 square inches

Best Cart-Style: Char-Griller E1515 Patio Pro Grill

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Cart-style grills have a handle and wheels that make them easy to move around, and the Char-Griller Patio Pro BBQ Grill is a compact and budget-friendly option for your deck or patio. It features a modest 250 square inches of cooking space, but it has all the features you need to whip up a delicious meal.

For instance, the grill is equipped with cast iron cooking grates, as well as a convenient side drawer for adding charcoal. It even has a built-in wooden side shelf where you can keep tools and serving dishes. The handle on the lid stays cool to the touch, and there's an adjustable air vent on the side of the unit to help you regulate temperature. The whole grill is powder-coated for durability, and when it's time to clean up, simply remove and dump the ash pan.

Dimensions: 31 x 21 x 44 inches | Total Cooking Area: 250 square inches