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I have incredible memories of my dad standing over our old charcoal grill, flipping burgers, and charring hot dogs. Everything seemed to taste better, coming off the grill. Now that I’m older, I like inviting him over to continue the tradition.
Learning to grill on a charcoal grill wasn’t easy, but I figured out quickly that the type of charcoal you use makes the difference. Lump charcoal is easy to use, slow to burn and creates some of the best-tasting food anyone can imagine. The best lump charcoal is diverse enough to use in any cooking method, regardless if it’s grilling, smoking, or barbecuing.
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- Environmentally friendly product is free of unnecessary chemicals
- Burns up to 36 hours
- Combine with wood chips for an even smokier flavor
Using charcoal to cook your favorite meals in the summertime sears your food to create the grill marks that every pitmaster loves to see. It works well with thicker cuts of beef or chicken breasts that can be tough to cook thoroughly without high heat levels.
Primo Natural Lump Charcoal is excellent because it’s free of binders, making it healthier to use than other options. One pile or stack can be reused multiple times. Primo Natural Lump Charcoal can enhance the smoky flavors of your food to create grilled meals your family and neighbors will talk about for years.
Top 11 Best Lump Charcoal Reviews
Primo Natural Lump Charcoal is the perfect option for people who might be used to grilling with grocery-store bought briquettes and want to try something new. These reliable chunks weigh less than other options on the market, and they burn longer. Professional grillers love it because they know they can grill and smoke for hours without worrying about their fire going out.
Your food can retain its moisture better with natural flavors and juices being locked in since this charcoal burns so hot. It will sear at its highest temperatures and smoke perfectly for delicious briskets and ribs for hours. The natural odor of charcoal is reduced because this brand uses fewer binders and chemicals, limiting your impact on the environment.
Who Should Get This?
This charcoal is a great all-around fuel that can become your new go-to. It’s easy to ignite without lighter fluid, making your food taste better while being more healthy.
Pros
- A premium choice of professional and competitive grillers
- A special blend created with sustainability and health in mind
- Weighs less than other charcoal, lights faster
- Multiple uses out of 1 load of charcoal
- Burns hotter and longer than the competition
Cons
- Some users find smaller pieces undesirable
- Can be challenging to use for smoking
When you’re looking for the best fuel for your money, look no further than Jealous Devil All Natural Premium Hardwood XL Lump Charcoal. The heat you get from one load of this charcoal has been measured up to 1,000°F, which makes it easy for searing and charbroiling over your small stainless steel or ceramic grill.
Once this charcoal is lit, it burns well and can be reused. In an open grill you’ll have about three hours worth of burning time before needing to refuel. If you’re smoking, you can get 12 hours of heat before it goes out.
Once the fire is extinguished, you’ll find very little ash, making clean-up easy.
Who Should Get This?
This is an excellent charcoal for anyone to use, even on a limited budget. It’s easy to light and gives off high heat that’s great for searing and smoking.
Pros
- Produces little ash for fast, easy cleanup
- Can reach temperatures of over 1,000°F
- 100% all-natural hardwood lump charcoal
- Experience fewer flare-ups, pops, and sparks
- The packaging features an easy-to-carry handle, resealability, water resistance
Cons
- Users find smaller sizes and pieces unusable
- Can sometimes have a strange odor
FOGO Super Premium Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal offers a restaurant-quality flavor and burn profile at a terrific price point. This charcoal is 100% manufactured from Central American oak trees. The pieces are inspected for quality and then hand-selected, so you are sure each bag is full of lump charcoal that will bring your grilled foods to the next level.
With no binder, fillers, or added chemicals, you can burn this fuel in your ceramic and Kamado grills without worrying about chemical tastes or smells adhering to the porous surface of your grates. It’s excellent for long smoking because many larger pieces can keep a fire burning for hours. Smoking ribs, brisket, and chicken has rarely tasted so good.
Who Should Get This?
This charcoal is excellent for those looking to make the jump from charcoal briquettes to a new form of fuel. It will burn for hours without needing to be monitored.
Pros
- Larger pieces guarantee long burns for smoking meats
- Heats your grill to temperature in 15 minutes
- Manufactured using hardwood oak trimmings
- 100% all-natural hardwood lump charcoal
- Quality assured since all pieces are hand-selected
Cons
- Can be difficult to ignite
- Doesn’t always protect against pops or sparks
Coyote Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal is a great fuel for more sustainable grilling since it features no additives, chemicals, or fillers. It burns cleaner than other types of charcoal, which means there’s less ash to clean up when you’re done cooking.
This charcoal burns blazing hot, so it’s great for searing steaks and burgers, or you can lower the temperature to grill and smoke. Don’t worry about going through bags of charcoal quickly because you can reuse a load over and over for low-and-slow smoking of ribs and brisket.
You don’t need lighter fluid or cubes for help lighting Coyote Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal; just a great electric lighter or chimney starter will do the trick.
Who Should Get This?
Ceramic and Kamado grillers and smokers will love this charcoal because it’s easy to ignite without starters. It’s great for smoking because of the long, slow burn it offers.
Pros
- Get multiple uses out of 1 load of charcoal
- Lights easily, creates high heat, burns longer
- Does not create as much ash as briquettes
- The natural product has no additives, fillers, or chemicals
- Lump charcoal is 100% all-natural hardwood
Cons
- Some users don’t care for smaller pieces
Kamado Joe Big Block XL Natural Lump Charcoal is hands down, the best lump charcoal you can use in a Kamado-style grill. It’s easy to ignite with a match or long-stem lighter. Once lit, this lump charcoal burns hot. You can sear and smoke for hours and still have some leftover to burn next time.
The unique blend of hardwood trees used to manufacture this lump charcoal creates specialized flavors you won’t find in other charcoal fuel. It produces thick smokiness for brisket, ribs, ribeyes, and pork loins. With all the flavor this charcoal locks in, you can skip the sauces and marinades.
Who Should Get This?
Kamado grillers love using this all-natural hardwood lump charcoal for cooking their food. It sears for restaurant-quality marks in your protein and veggies without sacrificing flavor.
Read Also: Correct Way to Use a Kamado Grill.
Pros
- Burns longer and slower than other lump charcoal
- Manufactured from a blend of hardwood trees
- Burns blazing hot for restaurant-quality searing
- 100% natural hardwood lump charcoal
- Has been measured to temperatures of 750°F
Cons
- Controlling the temperature can be difficult
- Carbon monoxide can be harmful to environment, health
Enjoy the bold flavors created by Rockwood All-Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal on your ceramic grill. This charcoal doesn’t need any help from lighter fluid, making it the perfect fuel for ceramic lined grills. You’ll never have to worry about bad odors or tastes infiltrating your grilling surface because you’ll never need to use them again.
The high heat generated by this charcoal seals in juices, retaining the meat’s natural flavors then compounding it with the fuel’s smokiness. This unique blend of hickory, pecan, maple, and oak woods offers unique flavors in each grilling session. Add your favorite marinades or sauces, and you’ve got a combination that will impress every time.
Who Should Get This?
Anyone with a ceramic grill will appreciate the high heat and efficiency of Rockwood All-Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal. It has diverse uses, from searing to smoking.
Pros
- Exclusively harvested from renewable Missouri-grown timber milling
- Ignites quickly, burns hot, creates little ash
- Bold flavor locks in moisture and natural juices
- Once empty, charcoal bag is safe to burn
- Comes highly recommended by professional users and reviewers
Cons
- Some users can’t build heat with lump charcoal
- Lots of small pieces and debris in bags
From the salt you use to tenderize your meat to the charcoal you use to cook it, grilling steaks and burgers is an artform you can taste. Josper Lump Hardwood Charcoal for Grilling is a natural fuel you’ll love to infuse into your food without the use of lighter fluid or other starters.
This charcoal takes your grilling experience from good to great. The manufacturer is a noted industry leader that professional pitmasters and competitive smokers respect and trust. It layers delicious flavors over your meat, adding depth and smokiness.
Clean up is always easy, thanks to clean-burning charcoal with no additives, fillers, or chemicals. It is all 100% natural hardwood lump charcoal delivering delicious flavors.
Who Should Get This?
This charcoal is for people who grill a lot and want to get the most out of each bag. It burns slow and provides a thick, smoky flavor professionals love.
Pros
- The manufacturer is recognized as an industry leader
- Burns longer, stronger, harder, slower than traditional charcoal
- Doesn’t spark or pop, burns clean, low smoke
- The all-natural product is sustainable and environmentally smart
- Good for use in Kamado or other ceramic grills
Cons
- Cannot be used inside due to carbon monoxide
- Ash clean up can be messy
Use the mild flavors of oak wood to your advantage with B & B Charcoal Oak Charcoal. This lump charcoal is derived from 100% all-natural hardwood with no scrap ever used. There are no added chemicals or artificial flavors, so you can expect your food to taste great without worrying about unhealthy additives.
It can be used with great success to grill or smoke beef, pork, poultry, fish, venison, veal, veggies, and cheese. No matter what kind of meal you’re trying to create or diet you want to follow, using this mild oak charcoal will help your food taste great while cooking it to perfection.
Who Should Get This?
B & B Charcoal Oak Charcoal is for pitmasters who dedicate themselves to smoking. It provides a long burn time with enough smoke to match. It layers flavors over your meat.
Pros
- Ideal for larger grills and smokers
- Adds real, natural wood flavors to grilled food
- Each piece cut 10-12” in length
- No scrap wood, artificial flavors, additives, or fillers
- No dust and few small pieces in bags
Cons
- Packaging is excessive to protect pieces from breaking
- Sizes available are too much or not enough
For the most socially conscious grillers, ECONEW EcoCharcoal 100% Natural Hardwood Briquettes presents a great way to reduce your carbon footprint while continuing to barbecue, smoke, and grill the foods you love.
Certification by the Rainforest Alliance guarantees that ECONEW’s manufacturing process is sustainable, so you can rest assured that you’re choosing an eco-friendly product.
Even with the environment in mind, you can still create the delicious charbroiled flavors on your grill. This clean-burning fuel provides hardy smoke to circulate around your grill or smoker. There’s little ash to clean up and no billowing clouds of smoke hanging over your backyard or patio.
Who Should Get This?
These lump charcoal briquettes are a unique answer for the most environmentally minded grillers and smokers. They are more sustainable than other options on the market.
Pros
- Available in 2 sizes: 6.61 lbs. and 17.63 lbs.
- EcoCharcoal is certified by the FSC & Rainforest Alliance
- Sustainable briquettes help you control temperatures
- Add fewer for lower temperatures, more for higher
- Get the perfect smoky flavor every use
Cons
- Charcoal can be difficult to ignite with matches
- Price point might be steep for some buyers
Blazing Coco Premium 20 Pound Coconut Shell Charcoal Logs are manufactured using leftover coconut shells. This organic product is dense for longer, more controlled burns. It’s perfect for smoking porkbutts, roasts, chicken, sausage, shrimp, and even lobster.
Since this product is denser and has no additives, it can be difficult to ignite. Using natural starters and a chimney igniter can help you get your grill going. Once started, you’ll find your flames to offer even heat that has no billowing smoke clouds or offensive odors. Your food’s natural flavor is enhanced, not overwhelmed, by this cooking fuel.
Your dedication to sustainability will delight your socially conscious guests while making sure their bellies stay full.
Who Should Get This?
This eco-friendly charcoal is manufactured from coconut shells, so it’s a great product for anyone looking to minimize their carbon footprint while enjoying their favorite barbecue.
Pros
- Eco-Friendly product is 100% organic, reduces waste
- Manufactured from all-natural coconut shells, no wood
- No fillers or chemicals reduces smoke and ash
- Easy cleanup, use ash as a fertilizer
- Burns 3 times longer as store-bought charcoal
Cons
- Food has a different taste than other charcoal
- Can be difficult to light, not for searing
The Bincho Grill Binchotan Charcoal for Japanese BBQ is a great lump charcoal specially manufactured in Laos to mirror Japan’s traditional robata yakitori cooking style. These logs are kiln-dried until carbonized, then sand and ash is thrown on top of the flames, giving the logs their familiar grayish-white appearance.
If two pieces are struck together, you’ll hear a metallic sound, showing that this lump charcoal is strong and reusable. It offers only a small amount of smoke, so neither you nor your food will be overwhelmed by clouds or carbon monoxide.
Your food’s natural flavors are locked in with their heat, not hidden under a layer of char. It offers a gentle, even heat and burns for a long time.
Who Should Get This?
The Bincho Grill Binchotan Charcoal for Japanese BBQ charcoal is for anyone who wants to grill in traditional robata yakitori style for a fraction of binchotan wood price.
Pros
- Get multiple uses from one pile or load
- The all-natural wood product burns for 5 hours
- Get restaurant-quality results in your backyard
- Smokeless, odorless fuel promotes your food’s natural flavor
- 11 lbs. product is manufactured in Southeast Asia
Cons
- Higher price point
- Can cook for only 4 people at most
Final Verdict: Best Lump Charcoal For Your Money
Finding good lump charcoal is essential to your barbecue’s success. When you’ve got lousy charcoal, it can be hard to light. Alternatively, great charcoal is easy to ignite and burns for a long time. You can sear at high heat or smoke low-and-slow for hours.
Using Primo Natural Lump Charcoal enables multiple cooking methods on your grill grates while infusing delicious smoky flavors into your favorite foods. Cleaning up is easy because of reduced ash.
