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Show off your Grill Master skills with the best charcoal grills

A good charcoal grill can make the difference between a flavorful barbeque or a burnt piece of meat and we’re here to help you make the right choice.

Published May 08, 2024
5 min. reading time
Image of people at outdoor barbeque and a charcoal barbeque grill

Compare charcoal grills

Royal Gourmet 30 inch Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker

Royal Gourmet 30 inch Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker

Char-Griller Double Play 3-Burner Gas and Charcoal Grill

Char-Griller Double Play 3-Burner Gas and Charcoal Grill

Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill

Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill

Dyna-Glo Heavy-Duty Large Charcoal Grill

Dyna-Glo Heavy-Duty Large Charcoal Grill

Pit Boss Charcoal/Pellet Combination Grill

Pit Boss Charcoal/Pellet Combination Grill

Masterbuilt 30 in. Gravity Series 1050 Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker Black

Masterbuilt 30 in. Gravity Series 1050 Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker Black
Price
You save $20.99 (14.99%)
$119$139.99
Price
$449
Price
$71
Price
You save $35.50 (12.43%)
$250.09$285.59
Price
$599.99
Price
$899.99
Shopping links
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Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars at Amazon

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars at Home Depot

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.7 out of 5 stars at Weber

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars at Home Depot

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars at Tractor Supply

Consumer ratings

Average star rating: 4.4 out of 5 stars at Ace Hardware

Specifications
Dimensions (in)
48.82 x 45.67 x 27.95 in. (H x W x D)
Dimensions (in)
49.2 x 30.5 x 66 in. (H x W x D)
Dimensions (in)
15 x 19.5 x 11.5 in. (H x W x D)
Dimensions (in)
50.98 x 55.79 x 28.43 in. (H x W x D)
Dimensions (in)
49.7 x 56.6 x 34.5 in. (H x W x D)
Dimensions (in)
61 x 52 x 33 in. (H x W x D)
Warranty
Warranty
Warranty
Warranty
Warranty
Warranty
Special features
Adjustable height for better temperature control
Special features
Gas grill and charcoal grill options
Special features
Lids lock to keep food safe
Special features
Charcoal tray adjustment crank lets you customize cooking temperatures
Special features
Supports eight different cooking methods, can be used with charcoal or wood pellets
Special features
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, dedicated pizza oven
Pros & cons
  • Wheels for easy maneuvering

  • Adjustable height for better temperature control

  • Side door charcoal access

  • Paint may crack from high heat

Pros & cons
  • Non-sticky surface

  • Choose between gas or charcoal grill

  • Comes with a grill cover

  • Reports of grills being more prone to rust

  • Assembly requires a learning curve

Pros & cons
  • Lightweight

  • Lids lock to keep food safe

  • Plated steel grate is easy to clean

  • Sharp edges on aluminum sliders

  • Lid handle can get hot during cookouts

Pros & cons
  • Comes with storage rack and side tables for food prep

  • Adjustable charcoal tray crank

  • Heavy-duty charcoal access door

  • No ignition system

  • Can be hard to assemble

Pros & cons
  • Dial-in digital control board for easy monitoring

  • Supports eight different cooking methods

  • Supports charcoal and wood pellet usage

  • Heavier than other grills

Pros & cons
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity

  • Dedicated pizza oven

  • Large hopper to hold charcoal

  • Reports of issues with digital control button

There’s nothing better than getting your grill going on a bright sunny day with your friends and family. Unlike a gas grill, the charcoal grill gives meat a nice, smokey flavor and a beautiful sear.

If you’re looking for the best-rated charcoal grill to showcase your grilling skills, you’re in luck. We’ve listed our top charcoal outdoor grills to give you the best charcoal BBQ in time for your next cookout.

Ready to cook up a storm?

Read more: Make prepping easy with these knife sets

Royal Gourmet 30 inch Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker
Best value
Royal Gourmet 30 inch Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker
$119 at Amazon
Char-Griller Double Play 3-Burner Gas and Charcoal Grill
For large gatherings
Char-Griller Double Play 3-Burner Gas and Charcoal Grill
$449 at Home Depot
Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill
Top portable option
Go-Anywhere Charcoal Grill
$71 at Weber
Dyna-Glo Heavy-Duty Large Charcoal Grill
Best heavy-duty grill
Dyna-Glo Heavy-Duty Large Charcoal Grill
$250.09 at Home Depot

Best value

Royal Gourmet 30 inch Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker
Photo: Amazon

Specifications:

Cooking space: 811 sq. in.

Dimensions: 48.82 x 45.67 x 27.95 in. (H x W x D)

Weight: 49.8 lbs.

Pros & Cons
  • Wheels for easy maneuvering

  • Adjustable height for better temperature control

  • Side door charcoal access

  • Paint may crack from high heat

For juicier, tender barbequed meat get the Royal Gourmet 30-inch Charcoal Grill with Offset Smoker. With 811 square feet of surface area, you’ll have ample space for all your cooking needs.

The two-level height-adjustable charcoal pan maintains internal temperature to create better heat control while the two-wagon-style wheels make it easy to move it around. You’ll love the temperature gauge that indicates any changes in the temperature that will affect your cooking, too.

Plus, with a side door charcoal access, adding charcoal or removing ash will always be a breeze.

Specifications:

Cooking space: 1260 sq. in.

Dimensions: 49.2 x 30.5 x 66 in. (H x W x D)

Weight: 158 lbs.

Pros & Cons
  • Non-sticky surface

  • Choose between gas or charcoal grill

  • Comes with a grill cover

  • Reports of grills being more prone to rust

  • Assembly requires a learning curve

Looking for a large charcoal grill to cook for a big crowd? The Char-Griller Double Play 3-Burner Gas and Charcoal Grill can accommodate up to 43 burgers in one go. With a grill cover, ash catcher and adjustable fire grate, you have everything you need to make BBQ day easy.

The charcoal grill allows you to manually control the temperature and flavor of your meat while the gas grill lets you whip a quick meal for when you’re in a hurry. 

Worried about cleaning? The porcelain-coated grates make for a non-sticky surface so you don’t have to put in the work when scrubbing your grates clean of grease.

Top portable option

Specifications:

Cooking space: 160 sq. in.

Dimensions: 15 x 19.5 x 11.5 in. (H x W x D)

Weight: 13.4 lbs.

Pros & Cons
  • Lightweight

  • Lids lock to keep food safe

  • Plated steel grate is easy to clean

  • Sharp edges on aluminum sliders

  • Lid handle can get hot during cookouts

This Weber Charcoal Grill makes the perfect companion to test your cooking skills when   on an adventure. Weighing less than 20 pounds, it comes with a locked lid and a convenient rectangular shape and fits in your car.

Its plated steel cooking grate retains heat and is easy to clean so you can cook from anywhere without worrying about cleanups. It also comes with dampers to control the temperature inside your grill.

If you want sizzling hot dogs on your outdoor adventures, this is the charcoal grill for you!

Best heavy-duty grill

Dyna-Glo Heavy-Duty Large Charcoal Grill
Photo: Home Depot

Specifications:

Cooking space: 686 sq. in.

Dimensions: 50.98 x 55.79 x 28.43 in. (H x W x D)

Weight: 88 lbs.

Pros & Cons
  • Comes with storage rack and side tables for food prep

  • Adjustable charcoal tray crank

  • Heavy-duty charcoal access door

  • No ignition system

  • Can be hard to assemble

This heavy-duty charcoal grill from Dyna-Glo leaves plenty of room to explore new recipes for your next barbecue session. With side tables and a storage rack, you’ll have space to prep food and store ingredients.

Designed for better control, this grill is built with a stainless temperature gauge and an adjustable crank to the charcoal tray for better temperature control on searing. The cast iron and steel charcoal access door also provides a convenience for loading charcoal. 

Cleaning is made even easier with the removable ash pan to help with disposing of ash and grease quickly.

Specifications:

Cooking space: 1230 sq. in.

Dimensions: 49.7 x 56.6 x 34.5 in. (H x W x D)

Weight: 203.9 lbs.

Pros & Cons
  • Dial-in digital control board for easy monitoring

  • Supports eight different cooking methods

  • Supports charcoal and wood pellet usage

  • Heavier than other grills

This Pit Boss Charcoal/Pellet Combination Grill is a BBQ charcoal grill and a pellet grill in one. With an 8-in-1 cooking versatility and the option to use real-wood flavor or classic charcoal, there’s no limit to your cooking methods and flavor experiments.

The flame broiler lever lets you achieve instant direct or indirect heat while the dial-in digital control board works seamlessly with Pit Boss meat probes to help adjust cooking temperatures and track fuel without opening the lid. 

Whether you’re smoking jerky, searing your catch of the day or baking muffins, this Pit Boss Grill will help you get it done.

Specifications:

Cooking space: 1050 sq. in.

Dimensions: 61 x 52 x 33 in. (H x W x D)

Weight: 203 lbs.

Pros & Cons
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity

  • Dedicated pizza oven

  • Large hopper to hold charcoal

  • Reports of issues with digital control button

This smart charcoal barbecue grill from Masterbuilt makes cooking a storm more convenient. Thanks to its Masterbuilt App Connectivity and smart device control, you can control everything directly from your mobile phone.

For convenience, this grill is equipped with a fire starter, a digital control panel, a digital fan control and a folding front shelf for extra space. It even has a dedicated pizza oven that can also be used to bake cookies and bread.

Additionally, the GravityFed hopper holds up to 10 pounds of lump charcoal or 16 pounds of briquettes for up to eight hours of use so you won’t have to worry about constantly feeding charcoal to fuel your fire.

FAQs

The best charcoal grills revealed

We’ve reviewed each option on our list carefully to bring you the best grills. If you still need help narrowing it down, here are our top two recommendations:

If you’re a fan of cookouts, this list of the best charcoal grills is everything you need. Start shopping today!


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Prices updated on 05/08/2024. We are not responsible for any changes to the prices mentioned above.

Afina Najib Professional Headshot
Written by
Afina Najib

A journalism graduate from Curtin University, Afina Najib specializes in writing tech, finance, automotive and wellness content. Now residing in Kuala Lumpur, Afina spends her weekends hitting the gym or watching Formula 1 races.

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