Best Charcoal Grill for 2023

Cooking ribs low and slow on the Nexgrill required just 4 hours, 30 minutes. Its rack came out well too, though like the Napoleon, its bark was more pronounced than what the Weber produced. I also consider look, feel, functionality, durability, and price.

weber charcoal grill

A front door allows easy access to the charcoal during cooking and the double-lined hood is a nice feature to help hold in heat. The Professional Cart Grill has an interesting rotisserie design, too, that uses a special charcoal basket across the back for a dedicated rotisserie fire. With charcoal grills, I test for effective air control by smoking low and slow at 225°F, roasting in the mid-range around 350°F, and letting ‘er rip with a blazing, red hot fire.

A culture and product journalist for over nine years, he’s covered everything from men’s fashion and sneakers to e-bikes and video games. He was most recently the style editor for a leading product-recommendation site, and previously covered the music and podcasting industries at Mass Appeal and The A.V. Club. In his spare time, he walks his perfect little dog, Cash, and reads graphic novels. Rachel Klein is a Senior Commerce Editor for Popular Mechanics, where she writes about everything from garden hose reels and patio furniture to mesh wifi systems and robot vacuums. Fast-forward another five years and her area of expertise includes home decor, appliances, tech, and outdoor adventure gear.

The worst was our Tacklife review unit, which didn’t hold much heat and didn’t sear while cooking. The steak on that grill needed an additional five minutes to get to a temperature of 135 F, the minimum for medium rare. We measured charcoal in weber portable grill a chimney by grams, and in a ratio for that grill’s specific surface area. We lit the charcoal inside the chimney, letting it burn until the smoke dissipated and the coals began to turn grayish-white, then put the charcoal into the grill.

In the early 1960s, gas grills entered the market and gained popularity, and gas eventually became the fuel of choice for most residential grillers. However, charcoal still runs a close second, and lately we’ve seen an uptick in weber charcoal grill its popularity. Due to their comparably simple construction, they tend to cost less than a similarly sized gas or pellet grill. Another powerful draw of these grills is the intense smoky flavor they create in the food they cook.