5 Best Charcoal Grills for More Smoky BBQ and Steaks

Royal Gourmet CC1830SC comes with an offset smoker which makes it extra special compared to others. This won’t only allow you to assign the large section as the cooking chamber for grilling big batches of food, but it will also let you cook using the authentic style of smoking. This also results in great control over the speed cooking process and the distinct smoky flavor in the meat. The entire time it was working on our test, it burned nothing. All it produced were savory briskets, chicken, and burgers. Further, we had great control over the temperature, thanks to the air vent and side access door located in the offset smoker chamber. 

Royal Gourmet CC1830SC comes with a smoker and a primary cooking area measuring 14.57” x 12.99” and 26.77” x 16.54”, respectively. It is incredibly wide, so expect big overall body dimensions that will need a considerable space in your yard. Nonetheless, each inch it will consume in your area will be worth it as it promises a complete grill station experience.

Its ability to smoke meats isn’t the only thing to love about it. Even its build and quality are as pleasing as the experience itself. The body of CC1830SC sports a coat with heat resistance. Another nice touch is the addition of porcelain coating on its 443 sq. in. steel wiring grates, making the cleanup and removal of food items painless. We also praise the design of the charcoal pan that can be adjusted in 2 levels which is not something available in all models. It also sports a double-split layout so adding coals without lifting the whole grate is possible.

Most charcoal grills are either too big or too small for your needs. Char-Griller E1515 Patio Pro, on the other hand, sits between the two extremes which will let you enjoy grilling a considerably big batch of food without taking up too much space in your home. It comes with a generous 250 sq. in. grilling area, so you can grill a good number of steaks and a half dozen burger patties at once.

E1515 Patio Pro also boasts excellent engineering. It has heavy-duty steel construction and a powder coating finish. The cooking grates are made of cast iron and are thick. Under it, there is a second section where you can place the charcoal. The distance between the charcoal pan and the grill is just right to deliver indirect yet powerful heat to the food, allowing better control over your grilling process. It is also removable, which means fast and easy disposal of ash once you are done grilling.

Further, compared to others, its handle and side resting/work area are made of wood. In terms of durability, the material is probably not the best. Yet, among all the models we tested, it is the only one that didn’t generate heat and this means 100% safety on the user’s end.

Weber Original Kettle Premium is a medium-sized charcoal grill that won’t consume too much space on your patio. Yet, it can handle a pleasing number of food items simultaneously. It comes with a sturdy tripod stand with 2 wheels for mobility. Nonetheless, the true star of this model is its huge porcelain-enameled lid and bowl. It has a total of 363 sq. in. of grilling space while the lid measures 7.5 inches in height. With this, you can rely on it not just for preparing steaks and burgers, but you can also use it for whole turkeys and chickens. We were able to cook 12 burgers at once in our test without feeling constrained by the space. 

Under the plated steel cooking grate is the bottom grate. The upper grate has a big hinged opening that you can lift to easily add charcoal for indirect heat. Removing the ash is just as easy as filling the grill with charcoal. Attached at the bottom of the bowl is the One-Touch removable high-capacity ash catcher that allows fast removal of debris. With this, you can simply sweep everything to the bottom and remove the ashtray to dispose of the ash.

We also love its temperature control system through its bottom vents and rust-resistant adjustable aluminum dampers. We found it very effective in reducing and increasing the temperature according to our liking during the test. There’s also a built-in thermometer in its lid, which can aid you in the precise grilling of meat.

Being able to grill outdoors is purely satisfying. However, besides the typical yard-grill setup, having a grill you can bring to a tailgate party, camping trip, beach, and park is more enticing. Weber Go-Anywhere grill is tailored for that purpose.

Compared to the small body of Cuisinart CCG190RB that is also portable, Weber Go-Anywhere has a rectangular build. It makes it easier to fit cars and RVs with ease. With a body like a toolbox measuring 15" x 19.5" x 11.5", it can also store grilling accessories together with some amount of coal inside. We particularly love how secure it locks using its two plated steel legs that fold up to secure the lid. Genius.

Its quality is also unrivaled. Despite its size, its lid and base are thick and porcelain-enameled, giving its entirety a glossy look. Its interior also has a smooth coat which explains the fast cleanup of ash.

Cooking in the Weber Go-Anywhere grill is also a great experience. Despite its size, its 160 sq. in. cooking area is enough to hold 6 burgers or 4 average-size streaks. The plated steel cooking grate has a solid feel to it and is easy to clean. The second grate under it for the coal is rather close to it which might result in the fast grilling of some thinner slices of food. Nonetheless, it can be remedied by directly using the bottom surface of the base. It worked great for our briskets, giving us a slightly pinkish center and well-grilled exterior. However, it is important to note that it should be placed on surfaces that can handle high temperatures if the above suggestion is used.

If the Weber Go-Anywhere is built for convenient outdoor picnic scenarios, Cuisinart CCG190RB is for those who are in the cities with nothing but small balconies. It is also a handy option if you just want to have a casual grilling experience on the table or don’t want to fire up that big grill in the corner for just two slices of steak. 

It is a portable outdoor grill with an overall grilling surface of 150 sq. in. It only weighs 2 pounds and measures 14" x 15" x 14". It is small, indeed, and can handle no more than 3 burgers, but this is the reason why many grill fans love it. It is perfect for a single serving of grilled dishes and the grill itself can be placed anywhere from tables to patios.

Further, despite its size, it can hold a substantial amount of charcoal and heats up pretty well. It has a dual venting system, giving you power over charcoal management and temperature control. You can fully open both the top and bottom vents to achieve the highest temperature and grill in the fastest way possible. Once you’re done, you can simply close the intake and exhaust and it will extinguish the heat to save the remaining coals for your next use.