When it comes to grilling, you want to be sure you are using the best fuel source possible. Nothing compares to the rich, bold taste of food grilled over charcoal briquets. Finding the best lump charcoal can be a daunting task, however.
If you have never given much thought to the kind of charcoal you use when you are grilling, there is no better time to start than now.
Lump Charcoal Reviews
There are many brands and different types of lump charcoal available on the market. We have identified some products you may be interested in trying out the next time you grill. We will dive into the pros and cons of each product and will later share some details on other features to consider when looking for a good lump charcoal. Let’s take a look at some specific products first.
1. Kamado Joe KJ-Char Hardwood Lump Charcoal, Extra Large
The Kamado Joe Big Block extra large lump charcoal produces a robust wood fire flavor for your smoker or grill. It burns cleaner and longer than similar products do. The charcoal is an exclusive blend of three Argentinian dense hardwoods.
These dense woods produce a large lump that burns longer, thus producing better flavor and better smoke for your grilling. This lump charcoal comes in a 20-pound box and can even be cooked over two or three times.
You will love the flavor this lump charcoal brings to your foods. It is the perfect product for smoking and the consistency will make you want to come back for more.
Pros:
- Produces a robust wood fire flavor
- Blend of 3 Argentinian dense hardwoods
- 20-pound box
Cons:
- The charcoal pieces are fairly small
2. Jealous Devil Lump Charcoal #8
This is an 8-pound bag of Jealous Devil Lump Charcoal #8. It is made from dense South American hardwood which produces little ash for minimal waste and maintenance.
With this lump charcoal, you can generate a maximum temperature of over 1100-degrees. This charcoal will burn for over 4-hours in the open or 20-hours in low-oxygen environments.
Pros:
- Made from dense South American hardwood
- Produces little ash
- Generates a maximum temperature of over 1100-degrees
- 8-pound bag
Cons:
- Lump sizes are not large
3. Kingsford Easy Light Bag, Pack of 2
This is a 2.8-pound bag of charcoal briquets by Kingsford. The charcoal pieces are easy to light and do not require lighter fluid or any other preparation. They are made with natural ingredients and real wood pieces. It delivers an authentic smoky flavor to enhance the flavor of the food you are grilling.
This is a pack of two single-use bags which will allow you to charcoal grill almost anywhere. Simply turn the bag on its side, pull the bottom flap out and follow the instructions for lighting the bag. You will be delighted with how easy this charcoal is to use!
Pros:
- Two 2.8-pound single-use bags
- No lighter fluid required
- Made with natural ingredients and real wood
- Delivers a smoky flavor
Cons:
- Time-consuming to light all the coals
4. Mangrove Hardwood Lumps BBQ Charcoal
This is artisan quality BBQ charcoal with a long burn time of 4 or more hours! This charcoal does not generate irritating sparks or too much smoke. It is a 100% organic product and will give your food a distinctively earthy, hardwood flavor.
The charcoal pieces are dense and the shape of the charcoal makes ignition faster. This means you can be ready to cook within 20-minutes! This is a 20-pound bag of charcoal and will deliver a hot temperature for your grilling needs.
Pros:
- Artisan quality charcoal
- Long burn time of 4-hours or more
- 100% organic product
- Dense charcoal pieces
Cons:
- Price point is a bit high
5. Bayou Classic Natural Charcoal Briquets
This is a 16-pound bag of natural charcoal briquets from Bayou Classic. This charcoal is made from high density hardwood bound together with cornstarch to deliver superior grilling performance. The briquets are 100% natural and produce less ash since there are no chemical additives or fillers.
These briquets will provide faster lighting, a consistent burn and a long-lasting burn. You will enjoy the flavor these briquets provide for your grilled foods.
Pros:
- 16-pound bag
- Natural charcoal briquets
- Made from high density hardwood
- Bound with cornstarch
- Faster lighting
- Consistent burn
Cons:
- Tends to have a lot of charcoal dust in the bag
6. Rockwood All Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal Wood Mix
This is a 20-pound bag of 100% all natural lump charcoal. It is made of Missouri grown Oak, Hickory, Maple and Pecan. This coal is slow burning and produces minimal ash. The coal lights easily, heats quickly and burns boldly for juicy flavorful food every time.
This charcoal is made from renewable, natural resources. There is not a single tree harvested for this product. It is made exclusively from hardwood left over from timber milling.
For the earth-friendly enthusiast, the paper bag and soy-based inks used for this product are recyclable, landfill-safe and will not produce harmful fumes if burned!
Pros:
- 20-pound bag
- Made of Oak, Hickory, Maple and Pecan
- Slow burning
- Made from renewable, natural resources
Cons:
- Price point is high
7. Cowboy Brand Hardwood Lump Charcoal, 2-Pack
This is a pack of 2 20-pound bags of Cowboy 100% all natural hardwood lump charcoal. The lump charcoal lights faster, burns hotter and will leave less ash behind than charcoal briquets.
This charcoal is great for use in most outdoor cooking appliances and grills. You will not experience any off tastes or flavors from additives. This product is environmentally sustainable and is made from renewable resources. You will be very satisfied with the quality of burn and temperature you are able to achieve with this lump charcoal.
Pros:
- Lights fast and burns hot
- Leaves less ash behind than other products
- 2 20-pound bags
- Made from renewable resources
Cons:
- Many of the pieces in the bags seem small
8. Frontier Jack Daniels Whiskey Barrel Charcoal Briquets and Smoker Blocks
This is a 4-pound bag of charcoal briquets and smoker blocks created from authentic Jack Daniel’s oak whiskey barrels. This is a new product innovation for the charcoal grilling enthusiast!
This product contains charcoal briquets and includes some smoker blocks which are cut from the original oak whiskey barrels. You will love the distinctive smoky wood flavor these briquets will provide to enhance your grilled food.
Pros:
- 4-pound bag
- Created from authentic Jack Daniel’s oak whiskey barrels
- Contains charcoal briquets
- Includes smoker blocks cut from original oak whiskey barrels
Cons:
- Not many smoker blocks included
9. B&B Charcoal Oak Lump Charcoal
This is a 20-pound bag of 100% natural oak lump charcoal. B&B Charcoal has been the leading producer of lump charcoal for over 50 years. Through their unique process, B&B is able to rid their wood of the most unwanted foreign material. This includes resins and acids that are commonly found in other major brands.
This means that what you have left is only the natural fiber of the wood, which accounts for the subtle natural flavor that your grilled foods capture when cooking with B&B Charcoal.
These charcoal pieces burn hotter, longer and cleaner and are environmentally friendly. There are no additives, fillers or lumber scraps included in this oak lump charcoal.
If you are grilling meat, this charcoal will sear meat quicker, locking in the natural flavor so you can savor the taste long after the grilling is complete. Don’t miss out of this flavorful charcoal product. You will love the results you get from B&B charcoal!
Pros:
- 100% natural oak
- No chemical additives or fillers
- No lumber scraps
- Burns hotter, longer and cleaner than other charcoal
Cons:
- Takes awhile for the charcoal to heat up
10. Big Green Egg CP 20-Pound Bag of Natural Lump Charcoal
This is a 20-pound bag of 100% natural oak and hickory lump charcoal from Big Green Egg. They source their natural charcoal to ensure it contains no fillers, nitrates, chemicals or treated woods. All Big Green Egg charcoal is premium carbonized wood without any additives whatsoever.
Big Green Egg 100% natural lump charcoal is easy to light and is usually ready to cook in about 10 minutes. It burns hotter and more efficiently than charcoal briquets. This lump charcoal also produces less ash so there is a minimal amount of waste and clean up after you are finished grilling. You will be pleased with the flavors you produce when grilling with this lump charcoal!
Pros:
- 20-pound bag
- 100% natural oak and hickory lump charcoal
- Easy to light
- Ready to cook in about 10 minutes
- Produces minimal ash
Cons:
- Price point is very high
11. Wicked Good Charcoal Lump Bag
This is a 20-pound bag of lump charcoal by Wicked Good Charcoal. This particular blend is the Weekend Warrior Blend which is an excellent non-sparking charcoal. This blend is meant to be a hot burning charcoal and easier to light than some of Wicked Good Charcoal’s other blends.
Wicked Good Charcoal is known for having no scrap, rocks or other unexpected materials in their product. The amount of dust they ship is exceptionally low compared to other competitors. You will be pleased with the quality of this product and how smoothly it reaches and maintains a heated temperature.
Pros:
- 20-pound bag
- Weekend Warrior Blend of woods from South America
- Low ash production
- Long and hot burning
Cons:
- Takes awhile to heat up
12. COCO-BBQ Eco-Friendly Barbecue Charcoal Made From Coconut Shells
This product is specifically designed to be used for low and slow grilling. These are BBQ briquets made from all natural compressed coconut shells. The organic compounds are eco-friendly and hold in bold flavors. The briquets are GMO-free and burn 3 times longer than regular charcoal. This means you can use less charcoal and burn more.
Coco charcoal aids in cooking your food to perfection. If you want to enjoy the rich refreshing tastes of coco charcoal, then be sure to consider this COCO-BBQ product. Your taste buds will thank you!
Pros:
- 9-pound box
- Charcoal made from coconut shells
- Eco-friendly
- Burns 3 times longer than regular charcoal
- GMO-free
Cons:
- Does not seem to stay consistently hot
Frequently Asked Questions
As you can tell, there are many types of lump charcoal available. It’s difficult to know which product is the best one and will provide the best flavors for the money. Let’s look at some specific questions regarding lump charcoal and we will provide answers to help you determine the best lump charcoal product you should consider.
What Is Lump Charcoal?
Charcoal is made from natural hardwoods and is produced by burning wood in the absence of oxygen. Lump charcoal is the product of this process in its very purest form. In other words, it is pieces of wood that are burned down to be chunks of charcoal.
Pure lump charcoal is made from wood. Charcoal briquettes on the other hand are manufactured wood by-products that are compressed with additives and other binders that help them light and burn consistently. With charcoal briquettes, you never really know or want to know what is in them.
How Do You Identify A Good Quality Lump Charcoal?
If you want to have the best lump charcoal available, you need to look for a product that is 100% natural hardwood. It should not have any chemicals, fillers, binders or other additives.
A good lump charcoal product will have consistent larger sized pieces with very little dust at the bottom of the bag. You will also not see excessive sparking when you finally light your lump charcoal. Excessive sparking may be an indication there are additives or chemicals in the charcoal.
Should I Consider The Source Of Materials?
When you are looking for a lump charcoal product, you should consider a brand that uses sustainable sources of wood. This ensures that you are purchasing a product that is protecting the forests and not cutting down trees for the sole purpose of creating lump charcoal.
Does The Size Of The Lump Charcoal Matter?
With lump charcoal, the larger the pieces of charcoal you have the longer and hotter they will burn. You want to use a lump charcoal that has consistently sized pieces as this will ensure you get more even heating as your charcoal burns.
Conclusion
There are many things to consider when you are looking for the best lump charcoal product. You may want to experiment with different brands and product types until you find the lump charcoal product that gives you the longest burn, least amount of ash, and best food flavors. Regardless of what product you choose, be sure you are picking one that is eco-friendly so we can protect our forests.