The Best Charcoal Grills

Buying Guide

Propane gas may have become popular for its convenience, but true grill masters will tell you that nothing beats the taste you get from cooking on a charcoal grill. With charcoal, you’ll get a smokier taste similar to what you’d find by cooking with wood chips.

There’s a reason for this smoky taste. As your food cooks on a charcoal grill, meat drippings drop onto the flame, creating smoke. As part of this smoke vapor reaches your food, some of it infuses with the meat, giving you that much-desired traditional barbecue taste.

It’s important to note, though, that gas grills have their benefits, as well. As those drippings drop down, the moisture lands on the ceramic or metal slabs that protect the meat from the flame. The result is moister meat.

If you’re buying a charcoal grill, you need to know right away they can be a little messier than gas. The good news is, today’s charcoal grills are built to make up for that. You’ll often get easily removable trays that collect ash, letting you easily discard it after you’re finished cooking.

It’s also important to look at surface area. Gas grills come in a variety of sizes, some more portable than others. If you’ll be moving the gas grill around or taking it on the go, you might want a more portable option. Same if you’re dealing with limited space, such as a small patio behind a condo. What’s most important, no matter what size you buy, is the cooking area. Pay close attention to the dimensions. If you regularly cook for large groups, you might want a grill that gives you enough room to pile in a large number of burgers, hot dogs or chicken legs.

Lastly, there’s the issue of temperature control. You’ll need to be able to easily adjust the heat settings, but it’s equally important that your grill evenly distributes heat across the grill top surface. Otherwise, you’ll find you’re shifting items around to ensure everything is evenly cooked, which could delay mealtime.

• You’ll need to be extra alert when you’re using a charcoal grill. The wind can exacerbate charcoal fires, causing fires. You also can easily burn your hand on charcoal, which gets extremely hot. Gas grills are safer, especially in windy conditions, but as long as you know the dangers, you can get the benefits of a charcoal grill without the safety concerns.
• For best results, use a charcoal chimney to light your charcoal grill. Stuff newspaper in the bottom of the chimney before filling it with charcoal. You’ll then put the charcoal chimney inside the grill and light the newspaper.
• A charcoal grill needs to be preheated, so be sure you allow extra time. Unlike gas grills, which can take just a few minutes, you’ll need to light it and wait about 5 to 10 minutes for the charcoal to be covered in gray ash. Dense vegetables, steaks and burgers can handle high heat, which means you can set them on the grill once it reaches full temperature. This gives you that sear on the outside that makes some grilled foods so desirable. However, if you’re cooking items like chicken and pork chops, you’ll need to wait for the grill to settle down after you’ve initially lit the charcoal. This can take 25 to 30 minutes.
• There are three major types of charcoal grills: kettle, barrel and ceramic. A kettle grill tends to be smaller, with a kettle-like shape, while barrel grills are larger. With a barrel grill, the coals go in the bottom part and the top part forms the grill top and lid. A ceramic charcoal grill is pricier, but it has better heat control than the two other types.
• If your recipe calls for marinating your meat before grilling, put the meat and marinade in a bag and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. This lets the marinade fully soak into the meat. If you can’t marinate overnight, simply increase the amount you use.
• It may take you a while to get to know the temperature of your grill. Use it several times with your own household before relying on it for a cookout involving guests. Over time, you’ll start to learn exactly what temperature does best for different types of food.
• Although gas grills are easier to use, if you’ve never grilled before, charcoal can be a great way to learn the ropes. Once you’ve cooked on a charcoal grill, which is typically less expensive, you can easily switch to a gas grill. It’s much more difficult to move from a gas to a charcoal grill.
• Traditional charcoal grills required you to stoke the coals or add more fuel to keep the fire going and control the temperature. But newer grills are available that use air dampers to control the temperature.
• In addition to your grill, you’ll also need a good set of tools and a barbecue thermometer that will monitor your grill’s internal temperature.
• It’s important to remove the ash after your grill has cooled. Not only can wet ashes damage the surface of your grill, but they can become a fire hazard if food drippings are mixed in.
• Avoid dumping your grill’s ashes in the yard, especially if you have pets. Wet ashes tend to take on the same properties found in lye and can be dangerous for pet paws.
• If you’ll be moving your grill, either by carrying it or rolling it around, look for one that has a lid that locks. This will make it easier and safer to maneuver.
• Some grills have extra baskets or table surfaces that come in handy for storing your cooking utensils and seasonings.