The Best Charcoal Grills: 4 Compared (and One to Skip)

RBE top pick

Weber Original Kettle Premium 22"

The Original Kettle Premium nails the fundamentals of a charcoal grill at a fair price, which makes it the pick for most people. Step up to the Master-Touch if you want the modular grate, warming rack, and char-baskets for serious two-zone and indirect cooking.

See why it wins Compare all

Charcoal grilling lives and dies on airflow, heat retention, and how easily you can build a two-zone fire, so build quality matters more than the feature list. We stacked up two Weber kettles, PK Grills' cast-aluminum capsule, and a budget porcelain kettle. Two are easy buys, one is a specialist worth it only for the right cook, and one we'd pass on despite the tempting price.

RBE top pick

Weber

Weber Original Kettle Premium 22"

Buy it

The default charcoal kettle for a reason: heavy porcelain build, a proper ash catcher, and a hinged grate at a sane price.

Best for: Anyone who wants one grill that does burgers, steaks, and the occasional low-and-slow without overthinking it.

$$ · mid-range

Why we like it

• 363 sq in of primary cooking space handles a full cookout
• Thick porcelain-enameled bowl and lid hold heat well and resist rust
• One-Touch cleaning sweep with an enclosed high-capacity ash catcher
• Hinged plated-steel grate flips up on both sides so you can add fuel mid-cook

Know before buying

• No warming rack or Gourmet BBQ System grate like the step-up model
• Single grate height means less fine control than premium kettles

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Weber

Weber Master-Touch 22"

Buy it

The Premium kettle plus the extras that actually matter for versatility: a modular grate, warming rack, char-baskets, and a lid holder.

Best for: The hands-on griller who wants to sear, smoke, bake pizza, and run indirect cooks on one kettle.

$$$ · premium

Why we like it

• 443 sq in total with a 363 sq in primary grate plus a warming rack
• Gourmet BBQ System grate accepts inserts like a sear grate, pizza stone, or dutch oven
• Char-basket fuel holders make setting up a two-zone fire genuinely easy
• Tuck-Away lid holder and One-Touch ash cleanup add day-to-day convenience

Know before buying

• Meaningfully pricier than the Original Kettle for gains some cooks won't use
• The modular grate accessories are extra purchases on top of the grill

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PK Grills

PK Grills PK300 Grill & Smoker

It depends

A rust-proof cast-aluminum capsule with four-point venting and a naturally huge two-zone spread, if you'll pay flagship money for it.

Best for: Two-zone obsessives and tailgaters who want a heirloom-grade grill that won't rust and travels with the cart removed.

$$$$ · flagship

Why we like it

• Rust-proof cast aluminum top and bottom, backed by a 20-year bowl-and-lid warranty
• Four-point venting gives fine, independent airflow control at each end
• Capsule shape creates a long hot end and cool end for easy true two-zone cooking
• Body lifts off the cart, so it's more transportable than a fixed kettle

Know before buying

• Flagship price for around 316 sq in, a smaller footprint than a 22" kettle
• At roughly 60 lbs it's heavier than most kettles, so it's portable only relatively
• Rectangular grate and premium cost are overkill for casual weeknight grilling

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We'd skip it

Char-Griller

Char-Griller 22" Kettle Charcoal Grill & Smoker

Skip it

A cheap porcelain kettle that looks the part, but thinner steel and looser fit-and-finish undercut the small savings.

Best for: A stopgap or seldom-used second grill where the lowest possible price outweighs longevity.

$ · budget

Why we like it

• Low entry price with a familiar 363 sq in kettle layout
• EasyDump ash bucket makes cleanup simple
• Adjustable top and bottom dampers cover basic heat control

Know before buying

• Thinner porcelain-coated steel holds heat less steadily and owners report earlier chipping and rust
• Shorter 5-year warranty versus the decade of coverage on comparable kettles
• Damper and lid fit are less precise, which makes low-and-slow temps harder to hold

Check current price on Amazon Read our detailed assessment ↓

How we judged the field

We don’t run our own test kitchen. Instead we synthesize independent testing, long-term owner reports, and manufacturer specs, then weight the factors that separate a good charcoal grill from a frustrating one. For charcoal specifically, that means heat retention and build (thick porcelain enamel or cast aluminum beats thin steel), airflow and temperature control (precise dampers make or break low-and-slow), how easily you can set up a two-zone fire, ash management, grate versatility, portability, and warranty. Price matters too, but only in context: a cheap grill that rusts out or won’t hold a steady temperature isn’t a bargain. We deliberately spanned the range from a budget kettle to a flagship cast-aluminum cooker so the trade-offs are clear.

Weber Original Kettle Premium 22” — buy

This is the grill most people should buy, and it earns that status by getting the fundamentals right. The 363-square-inch porcelain-enameled bowl and lid are thick enough to hold heat steadily, which is what lets you sear hot and then settle into a lower indirect cook. The One-Touch cleaning system sweeps ash down into an enclosed, high-capacity catcher, so cleanup is a minute’s work rather than a mess. The hinged plated-steel grate flips up on both sides so you can top up charcoal mid-cook without moving your food. Adjustable lid and bowl dampers plus a built-in lid thermometer give you enough control for two-zone grilling and basic smoking. Owners consistently report years of reliable service, and the 10-year bowl-and-lid warranty backs that up. It lacks the warming rack and modular grate of the step-up model, but for straightforward, durable charcoal grilling it’s hard to beat.

Weber Master-Touch 22” — buy

The Master-Touch is the Original Kettle with the upgrades that actually change how you cook. You get the same 363-square-inch primary grate plus an 80-square-inch warming rack (443 total), and the standout is the Gourmet BBQ System grate: its center section lifts out to accept a sear grate, pizza stone, dutch oven, or griddle, turning one kettle into several tools. Included char-basket fuel holders make building a clean two-zone fire genuinely easy, which pays off for indirect cooking and smoking. Practical touches like the Tuck-Away lid holder and the same One-Touch ash cleanup round it out. It costs meaningfully more than the Original Kettle, and the modular inserts are extra purchases, so it only makes sense if you’ll use the versatility. For the hands-on cook who wants to sear, smoke, and bake on one grill, it’s worth the step up.

PK Grills PK300 Grill & Smoker — it depends

The PK300 is a different animal from a kettle, and whether it’s right for you hinges entirely on how you cook. Its capsule-shaped body is cast from rust-proof aluminum top and bottom, backed by a 20-year warranty on the bowl and lid, so corrosion is essentially off the table. The four-point venting system puts an intake and exhaust at each end, giving you fine, independent airflow control, and the long capsule shape naturally creates a hot end and a cool end for effortless two-zone cooking and low-and-slow. The body also lifts off its cart, making it more transportable than a fixed kettle for tailgating. The catch is value: it’s flagship-priced for roughly 316 square inches, a smaller footprint than a 22-inch kettle, and at about 60 pounds it’s only relatively portable. For a casual weeknight griller it’s overkill, but for two-zone devotees who want an heirloom-grade cooker, it delivers.

Char-Griller 22” Kettle Charcoal Grill & Smoker — skip

On paper the Char-Griller kettle mirrors the Weber: a 363-square-inch porcelain-coated body, adjustable top and bottom dampers, and an EasyDump ash bucket that makes cleanup simple. The problem is what you don’t see on the spec sheet. The steel is thinner and the porcelain coating is more prone to chipping, and owners report earlier rust and less steady heat retention as a result. The damper and lid fit are looser, which makes holding a low, stable temperature for smoking harder than it should be. And the warranty is five years against the decade of coverage on comparable kettles. The upfront savings are real but modest, and they tend to evaporate over a few seasons of use. Unless you need a bare-bones stopgap, the small premium for a better-built kettle is money well spent.

Weber Original Kettle Premium vs Weber Master-Touch: which should you buy?

These two share the same excellent bones: thick porcelain bowls, One-Touch ash cleanup, and Weber’s reliability record. The decision comes down to how much you’ll cook and how far you’ll push it. The Original Kettle Premium covers the essentials, burgers, steaks, chicken, and the occasional indirect cook, and does it at a friendlier price, which is why it’s our overall pick. The Master-Touch adds a warming rack, the Gourmet BBQ System modular grate, char-baskets, and a lid holder. If you see yourself running two-zone fires often, baking pizza, or swapping in a sear grate, those extras justify the upgrade. If you mostly want to fire it up on weekends and grill dinner, the Premium is all the grill you need and you won’t feel shortchanged.

What to look for

• Build and heat retention: thick porcelain-enameled steel or cast aluminum holds temperature and resists rust; thin steel does neither for long.
• Airflow control: precise, tight-fitting dampers (bonus for independent intake and exhaust) are what let you dial in low-and-slow, not just sear.
• Two-zone setup: char-baskets or a capsule shape make banking coals for indirect cooking easy.
• Ash management: an enclosed catcher or dump bucket turns cleanup into a quick chore.
• Grate features: a hinged grate lets you add fuel mid-cook; a modular grate expands what one grill can do.
• Warranty: a 10-year-plus body warranty signals confidence in the build; a short warranty is a tell.
• Size and portability: match cooking area to your typical crowd, and consider weight if you’ll move it.

Our final take

Buy the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22” first: it nails every fundamental of charcoal grilling, lasts, and costs a fair price. Step up to the Weber Master-Touch only if you’ll genuinely use its modular grate, warming rack, and char-baskets for searing, smoking, and pizza. The PK Grills PK300 is a superb, rust-proof, two-zone specialist worth its flagship price for the right cook, but it’s a considered purchase rather than a default. And skip the budget Char-Griller kettle, the thinner steel, looser fit, and shorter warranty give back the savings within a few seasons. Get the build right and the airflow tight, and a charcoal grill will outcook and outlast almost anything else on the patio.

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