Best charcoal BBQs, tried and tested

The best charcoal BBQs make outdoor cooking a joy. Whether you're searching for a large charcoal BBQ to set up in your garden or a portable charcoal BBQ to take on a sunny day trip, we've tried and tested a variety of models. 

Featuring brands such as Argos, Tower and Weber, our testing goes further thanks to the expert chefs who cook on and rate each grill. We also assess ease of assembly, build quality, stability and portability.

We've found several Best Buy BBQs, as well as some cheaper Great Value picks for less than £100.

The best charcoal BBQs

Only logged-in Which? members can view the charcoal BBQ test results below. 

Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.

The charcoal BBQs we tested 

All the charcoal BBQs we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.

Only logged-in Which? members can view the best charcoal BBQs from our tests.

Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.

Argos Habitat Mini Tabletop Kamado BBQ

Available from Argos (£120)

Weight 22.3kg

Dimensions 69 x 43 x 44cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 27cm

Need to know Recommended fuel type: charcoal, comes with hood, temperature gauge, air vents

Argos Home American Style Charcoal BBQ

Available from Argos (£120)

Weight 22.6kg

Dimensions 138 x 103 x 99cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 58 x 42cm (WxD)

Need to know Recommended fuel type: charcoal briquettes, adjustable grill height, comes with hood, warming rack, ash collector, storage shelves, tool hooks, temperature gauge, air vents

Argos Home Charcoal Portable Round BBQ

Available from Argos (£15)

Weight 2.1kg

Dimensions 29 x 37 x 37cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 34cm

Need to know Recommended fuel type: charcoal lump wood or briquettes, comes with hood, air vents

Argos Home Table Top Oil Drum Charcoal BBQ

Available from Argos (£45)

Weight 7.1kg

Dimensions 76 x 51 x 55cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 36 x 34cm (WxD)

Need to know Recommended fuel type: charcoal briquettes, comes with hood, warming rack, ash collector, air vents

B&Q Pondera Black Charcoal BBQ

Weight 19.2kg

Dimensions 98 x 119 x 72cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 74 x 40cm (WxD)

Need to know Recommended fuel type: charcoal briquettes, adjustable grill height, comes with storage shelves, tool hooks

Big Green Egg MiniMax BBQ

Available from Big Green Egg (£850), John Lewis (£850)

Weight 33.7kg

Dimensions 59 x 54 x 56cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 33cm

Need to know Recommended fuel: Big Green Egg natural lump charcoal, comes with hood, temperature gauge, air vents

Heston Blumenthal Everdure Cube BBQ

Weight 5kg

Dimensions 18 x 69 x 36cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 27 x 26cm (WxD)

Need to know Recommended fuel type: lump charcoal, charcoal briquettes, comes with hood

Looking for a gas BBQ instead? See our round up of the best gas BBQs

Kamado Joe Jr BBQ

Weight 33kg

Dimensions 87 x 51 x 60cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 33.5cm

Need to know Recommended fuel type: charcoal briquettes, comes with hood, ash collector, temperature gauge, air vents

Napoleon PRO22K-LEG-2 BBQ

Available from BBQ World (£247)

Weight 25.5kg

Dimensions 140 x 90 x 87cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 54cm

Need to know Recommended fuel type: charcoal briquettes, adjustable grill height, comes with hood, ash collector, temperature gauge, air vents

Tower Kamado Maxi BBQ

Weight 33.5kg

Dimensions 71 x 55 x 51cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 34cm 

Need to know Recommended fuel: charcoal, comes with hood, temperature gauge, air vents

Weber Master-Touch 57cm BBQ

Weight 17.6kg

Dimensions 119 x 64 x 78cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 54cm

Need to know Recommended fuel: charcoal briquettes, comes with hood, ash collector, storage shelves, tool hooks, temperature gauge, air vents

Weber Master-Touch GBS Premium 57cm BBQ

Weight 16kg

Dimensions 99 x 73 x 76cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 54.5cm

Need to know Recommended fuel type: charcoal briquettes, comes with hood, fat drip tray, ash collector, storage shelves, tool hooks, temperature gauge, air vents

Weber Performer Deluxe GBS Charcoal BBQ

Weight 35.3kg

Dimensions 121 x 126 x 76cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 55cm

Need to know Recommended fuel: charcoal, comes with hood, ash collector, storage shelves, tool hooks, temperature gauge, air vents 

Weber Smokey Joe Premium 37cm BBQ

Weight 2kg

Dimensions 53 x 42 x 43cm (HxWxD)

Grill diameter 35cm

Need to know Recommended fuel: charcoal briquettes, comes with hood, air vents

Eat well, live better, stay healthy – sign up for our free monthly Food & Health newsletter for the latest insights delivered straight to your inbox

Which? Don't Buy charcoal BBQs

Our tests uncover the best and the worst. If a product performs so poorly that we think you should avoid it, we call it a Don't Buy. 

We've tested a charcoal BBQ that we've named a Don't Buy as it doesn't maintain an adequate temperature, which can lead to undercooked food.

To find out which it is, and which charcoal BBQs earned our Best Buy and Great Value recommendations, log in or join Which?.

How we test charcoal BBQs

We test charcoal BBQs from brands including Argos, B&Q, Homebase, Napoleon, Tower, Weber and more. 

Brands can't buy their way onto our tests. We pay for all the charcoal BBQs we test and regularly revisit the charcoal BBQs on sale to see if there are new and popular models that need testing. When we find them, we do.

Cooking performance

• Each BBQ is cooked on by two independent professional chefs.
• They try all the features on the barbecue, and cook steak, sausages, chicken thighs, vegetable skewers and veggie burgers.
• We rate the appearance, taste and how evenly cooked and succulent every piece is.
• The best charcoal BBQs sear and char meat and vegetables alike, giving a distinct smoky BBQ flavour, while cooking through and not drying meat out. 

Ease of use and cleaning

• The chef assesses how easy each BBQ is to light and control, identifying any unintended hot or cold spots and flare ups. 
• We see how long each BBQ takes to reach a perfect cooking temperature. The best charcoal BBQs are ready in a few minutes, while some take over half an hour.
• We also deep-clean every BBQ. We rate how easy the components are to remove and wash in the sink, and how easy it is to get rid of fat and food debris from the bottom of the barbecue.

Portability, manoeuvrability and build quality

• We assemble every barbecue, assessing how quick and easy they are to build and how informative and clear the instruction booklets are.
• We inspect the quality of finish of the barbecue, looking for parts that are constructed of durable materials and are well finished.
• We also rate how well it's made, downgrading those with sharp edges that may cut fingers, or flimsy materials that will make it wobbly or difficult to cook on. After our cooking tests we check to see whether any parts of the barbecue have been damaged through use.
• Finally, we rate each BBQ on how heavy each is to move, how stable it is when you’re wheeling or carrying it, and how easy it is to manoeuvre.
• We look for wheels and dedicated handles to help with lifting and wheeling, and check whether any shelves are likely to bang against legs.

How to light a charcoal BBQ

1. Pile the charcoal into a mound under the centre of the grill, placing a few firelighters at easy-to-reach points.
2. Light the charcoal and open the vents in the basin to allow air to circulate and the fire to burn hotter.
3. Leave the charcoal to burn for around 20-30 minutes, or until the flame has died and the charcoal is glowing and covered in a layer of white ash.
4. Use a metal rake or pair of tongs to spread the coals evenly across the charcoal grate to deliver an even heat across the grill.
5. Close the vents and place food at the centre of the grill. Start with items that will take the longest to cook, such as chicken.

How to use a charcoal BBQ

• Use the vents to control the heat levels while you’re cooking. Close the vents to reduce the heat and open them to make coals burn hotter.
• Wait for the flames to die down before you start cooking. Flames will singe food, causing it to burn at the edges before it’s cooked through.
• Set up your barbecue in a spot that’s shielded from wind – this will make it easier to light and moderate heat levels. Some hooded models let you hang the hood from the side of the basin while you’re grilling – where it doubles-up as a handy windshield.
• Add wood chips, such as oak or hickory, to smouldering charcoal – this will subtly flavour food. Fruit-wood chips, such as apple wood, can also add a delicious flavou