What would I consider to be the best-rated lump charcoal?
For one, I’d want lump charcoal that’s going to heat up quickly and consistently, will burn hot and will burn for as long as I need it to.
Not all lump charcoals are created equal.
Royal Oak makes good charcoal briquettes and they’ve been around forever. However, I recently tried their lump charcoal and I wouldn’t try it again. It did not burn hot enough for my liking. It burned so badly, in fact, the grease from my burgers actually cooled the charcoal down to the point where it looked unburned!
No good!
I’m going to go over the top five brands of lump charcoal, based on Amazon reviews. Based on people who have tried this lump charcoal and have had good results.
1.) Jealous Devil All Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal
Made by the folks at Jealous Devil, this lump charcoal is made of dense South American hardwood. It can burn for four hours in the open or up to 20 hours in a closed environment and can go up to 1,100 degrees.
Where to buy: Amazon (click for price and availability)
What buyers like about it:
- Size of coals.
- Longevity of burn.
- Heat.
What buyers don’t like about it:
- The smell of the charcoal was reported to be tar-like.
- Inconsistent coal sizes in some of the bags and not enough larger chunks. Too many pieces that fall through the grate.
- Quality control in the shipping process. Bags come ripped in a lot of cases. The packaging is reported as not durable.
2.) Kamado Joe KJ-Char Big Block XL Lump Charcoal
Some lump charcoal is made of scrap furniture or processed wood. Kamado Joe‘s lump charcoal is made from real trees, which allows this charcoal to burn hotter and longer.
Also, partially-burned pieces can be reused!
Where to buy: Amazon (click for price and availability)
What buyers like about it:
- Lights easily and timely.
- Great for grilling, stays hot long enough to grill any food you need.
- Plenty of big pieces for longer sessions.
What buyers don’t like about it:
- Quite a few buyers have reported a lot of small chunks of wood that fall through the grates.
- The smell of the charcoal can smell chemical-ish.
- Some had said the quality for smoking isn’t great because it doesn’t burn hot enough and long enough.
3.) Fogo Premium Oak Restaurant All-Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal for Grilling and Smoking
This Fogo brand of lump charcoal comes in a 35-pound bag and prides itself on burning hotter and longer than other brands.
Where to buy: Amazon (click for price and availability)
What buyers like about it:
- Consistently raved about over its long burn times.
- Lots of larger pieces, which are good for longer cooks.
- Good taste.
What buyers don’t like about it:
- Not much. Just make sure you get the “Premium” for grilling and not the “Super Premium” which is for longer cooks and takes longer to like.
4.) Cowboy 24220 Lump Charcoal
The Cowboy brand hardwood lump charcoal comes in a 20-pound bag and can be lit without fluid if you’d rather not deal with a firestarter or newspaper.
Where to buy: Amazon (click for price and availability)
What buyers like about it:
- Amount of large pieces.
- Burn time is long.
- Leaves no adverse taste, like some other brands of charcoal.
What buyers don’t like about it:
- While some raved over the smell, others did not like it.
- A lot of sparks during the heating process, which can create embers.
- While there are large pieces, there are complaints about smaller pieces which impede airflow in a chimney and takes longer to get to temperature.
5.) B&B Charcoal Oak Lump Charcoal, Flavor Oak
This is specifically an oak lump charcoal, made by B&B Charcoal. 100% natural means no processed wood, no used furniture, or other second-rate materials.
Where to buy: Amazon (click for price and availability)
What buyers like about it:
- Lots of good-sized pieces, good for smoking or can be broken up for grilling.
- Natural material with no additives makes it very clean-burning charcoal.
- Some people reported smoking times of up to 18 hours without having to re-up the coals.
What buyers don’t like about it:
- The presence of foreign materials in the bag, such as rocks, gravel, plastic, and even glass.
- Produces lots of embers.
- Lot of ash in the bottom of the bag, which is just material that can’t really be used.
Which would I suggest?
They’re all highly rated on Amazon with way more good reviews than bad.
A common problem with all of these brands is inconsistent sizing. Some lumps are fist-sized, others are smaller than brick charcoal.
To me, this is probably just something you should expect in a bag of charcoal.
Overall, Fogo had the fewest bad reviews. I would try them out first out of the others. They had no deal-breaking weaknesses.
In dealing with those smaller pieces, burn the larger pieces and get them hot in your chimney, then add smaller pieces as the pieces contract and shrink down in the chimney. Those small pieces, in the beginning, will restrict airflow but will burn quickly if added to the chimney 25-30 minutes in.
Just stay away from Royal Oak!
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