Best charcoal briquettes for grilling and smoking

The best charcoal briquettes are not simply the ones that burn the longest. For low-and-slow barbecue, you want steady heat, a predictable shape and ash that does not choke the fire. For direct grilling, quick ignition and strong heat may matter more. This guide helps you choose the right briquette for a kettle grill, charcoal smoker or compact grill, and explains when lump charcoal is still the better fuel.

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I use briquettes less often than I once did because most of my cooking now happens over live fire, on a pellet grill or in a kamado. When I fire up my Barbecook Magnus kettle, however, I still use the remains of a supply of Flamy coconut briquettes that I bought when I learned they were going off the market. Their compact shape, controlled burn and low ash became my reference point. This guide starts with that real experience, then looks at the products an American griller can actually buy today.

Best charcoal briquettes at a glance

• Best widely available starting point: Kingsford Original. It lights quickly, is easy to replace almost anywhere in the U.S. and gives you a consistent baseline. Expect more ash than with some premium hardwood briquettes.
• Best research-based choice for long cooks: B&B Competition Oak. A controlled comparison by The Virtual Weber Bullet found that B&B burned longer than Kingsford Original and Franklin briquettes, although Kingsford lit faster and appeared to burn hotter.
• Most relevant coconut option in the U.S.: FOGO Coconut Briquets. They are much closer to the coconut fuel I know from Europe than a standard American pillow briquette, but an independent test also found that their burn time and ash production did not fully match every marketing promise.
• Simple hardwood formulation: Royal Oak 100% All Natural Hardwood Briquets, made from hardwood charcoal and vegetable starch according to the manufacturer.
• Premium large-format option: Jealous Devil Max XL. Its oversized shape may suit long, steady cooks, but larger is not automatically better for a tight snake or a fast sear.

What are charcoal briquettes?

Charcoal briquettes are compressed pieces of fuel with a consistent shape and weight. That uniformity is their main advantage. Instead of sorting irregular pieces of lump charcoal, you can count, stack and arrange briquettes in repeatable patterns. This makes them especially useful for the snake method, charcoal baskets and the Minion method.

Not every briquette has the same composition. Traditional American pillow briquettes may combine wood char with other carbon-rich and mineral ingredients plus a binder. All-natural hardwood briquettes are generally made from hardwood charcoal held together with a plant-based starch. Coconut briquettes use carbonized coconut shells and usually a food-grade starch binder. Extruded rods or hexagonal pieces can be made from compressed hardwood charcoal and may have a hole through the center.

A binder is not automatically a defect. Charcoal powder does not hold a briquette shape by itself, so starch is common even in products marketed as natural. Transparency matters more than a vague “chemical-free” slogan. Look for a product that identifies its fuel source, is sold for cooking and provides clear use and storage instructions.

Charcoal briquettes vs. lump charcoal

Choose briquettes when predictable heat and an orderly fire layout matter most. They are ideal for a kettle grill or bullet smoker running at roughly 225–275°F / 107–135°C for several hours. Their uniform size helps one piece ignite the next at a controlled pace.

Choose lump charcoal when fast response, high heat or low ash matter more. I normally use lump in a kamado because it reacts well to fine vent adjustments and does not usually build the same dense bed of ash. Briquettes can work in some kamados, but always follow the cooker manufacturer’s fuel guidance and make sure ash cannot block the air path.

Neither fuel is universally better. The useful question is what you need the fire to do. For a broader look at fuel, airflow, smoke and cooker setup, see my complete low-and-slow BBQ guide.

Coconut briquettes vs. hardwood briquettes

Are coconut briquettes automatically better?

No. Good coconut briquettes can be dense, uniform and mild in aroma, but the category is not a guarantee of low ash or an exceptionally long burn. The Naked Whiz tested FOGO Coconut Briquets and found very high maximum heat, mild smoke and good reusability. The same test rated their burn time lower than expected and measured more ash than lump charcoal, although less than many other coconut products they had tested.

That is a useful reminder: compare products, not just raw materials. A well-made hardwood briquette can outperform a mediocre coconut briquette in the cooker that matters to you.

Are coconut briquettes more sustainable?

Coconut shells are a by-product of the coconut industry, so turning them into fuel can make useful use of a residual material. That alone does not prove that every coconut briquette has the lowest environmental impact. Carbonization, binder, packaging and long-distance transport also matter. A clear origin and composition are more meaningful than a large green claim on the bag.

How to choose good charcoal briquettes

1. Read the composition

Look for a bag that identifies the main charcoal source and any binder. “Natural” is a broad label, not a performance measurement. Hardwood plus vegetable starch is simple and easy to understand, but a more complex traditional briquette can still be safe and useful when it is manufactured specifically as cooking fuel. Avoid mystery fuel with no meaningful product information.

2. Pay attention to ash

Ash is not only a cleanup issue. During a long cook it can collect around the fire and beneath the charcoal grate, reducing the oxygen supply. A grill that starts well and slowly loses temperature may not need more fuel; it may need better airflow. This matters most in compact kettles, bullet smokers and cookers with a small ash area.

3. Match the shape to the fire

Standard pillows and compact cubes are easy to arrange in a snake. Oversized briquettes may burn longer, but fewer pieces fit in the same basket and their large contact surfaces do not always suit a narrow fuse. Rods or hexagonal briquettes with a center channel allow air to move through and around the fuel. In theory, that extra surface and airflow can help ignition and high-heat performance, but density and composition still matter.

Novelty briquettes: shape is not performance

You can even find briquettes pressed into decorative shapes such as skulls. They look great while the charcoal is still visible, but the shape alone tells you very little about burn time, temperature or ash. Unless a direct comparison proves otherwise, treat novelty charcoal as a visual extra. For a controlled snake, a regular pillow or cube is usually easier to stack and dose.

4. Observe smoke and smell during ignition

Charcoal produces smoke while it is lighting. A sharp or unpleasant odor that lingers is a warning sign. Let the fuel establish a clean burn before food goes on the grill. Briquettes are the heat source; if you want a particular smoke profile, add a suitable chunk of smoking wood rather than relying on an unclear aroma from the fuel itself.

5. Compare cost per cook, not only cost per bag

A cheap 16 lb / 7.3 kg bag is not a bargain if much of it becomes dust, produces excessive ash or needs frequent refueling. A premium briquette is not automatically economical either. Note how much fuel you use, how long it holds your target temperature and how much solid charcoal remains. That gives you a much better comparison than price per pound alone.

Best charcoal briquette type for each cooking style

Fire layout matters just as much as the brand. My guide to direct and indirect grilling explains where to place the fuel for each method. If you use a water pan during a long cook, the separate guide on water pans in grills and smokers explains what the pan can—and cannot—do.

The charcoal briquettes I would shortlist in the U.S.

This is not a personal head-to-head ranking. I have not cooked the same meat in the same American grill with all five products. It is a shortlist based on current product information, controlled comparisons where available and recurring recommendations among experienced grillers. I would still test a new bag in my own cooker before trusting it with an overnight brisket.

Kingsford Original: the widely available baseline

Kingsford Original is the practical American reference because it is easy to find, usually competitively priced and designed to light quickly. Kingsford states that the current briquettes use natural ingredients sourced in North America and are ready in about 15 minutes. In the 2022 Virtual Weber Bullet comparison, Kingsford lit faster and appeared to burn hotter than the tested B&B and Franklin briquettes.

The tradeoff is ash and duration. In that same comparison, B&B burned longer. Kingsford is therefore a sensible all-round and budget baseline, especially for burgers, chicken, sausages and shorter kettle cooks. It would not be my automatic first pick when maximum burn time and minimal ash are the priorities.

B&B Competition Oak: the long-cook candidate

B&B says its Competition Oak briquettes are made from charred oak held together with vegetable starch. The larger, dense briquette is frequently recommended for smokers and longer kettle sessions. The most useful independent evidence I found is the 2022 burn comparison: B&B took longer to light than Kingsford but burned the longest of the three products tested.

That makes B&B the first American bag I would try for a long snake or Minion setup. It is still not a universal winner. Weather, cooker geometry, vent position and the number of lit starter coals can reverse an apparent advantage in a real cook.

FOGO Coconut Briquets: the closest U.S. match to my coconut reference

FOGO’s current briquettes are made with coconut shells and plant-derived binders. Their square, dense format is closer to the European coconut cubes I know than a standard pillow briquette. The independent Naked Whiz review found mild smoke, little breakage, excellent maximum heat and good reusability.

The same review gives the product a necessary dose of realism: burn time was only average within the coconut category and ash was still high compared with lump charcoal. FOGO is therefore the American coconut briquette I find most interesting to explore, not a proven replacement for my old Flamy stock.

Royal Oak All Natural: a straightforward hardwood alternative

Royal Oak describes its 100% All Natural Hardwood Briquets as American hardwood charcoal bound with vegetable starch. That simple formulation makes it an interesting alternative for grillers who want the convenience of a pillow briquette without a long list of additional materials.

I would consider it an all-round option for grilling and smoking rather than declare it better than B&B or Kingsford without a current side-by-side test. Regional stock can also change, so local availability may decide whether it is genuinely practical.

Jealous Devil Max XL: premium size, different fire geometry

Jealous Devil says Max XL briquettes are made from South American hardwood without borax, limestone or coal dust. They are roughly twice the size of a standard briquette. A larger piece can be useful when you want a substantial, long-lasting coal bed, but it changes the way the fire fits in a basket or snake.

I would test Max XL for indirect cooking or a broader charcoal basket before using it for a narrow snake. For searing, total lit surface area can matter more than the size of each piece. A premium bag is only worthwhile if its shape matches the way you build your fire.

European briquettes and my Flamy reference

If you are cooking in Europe, or looking to understand the benchmark behind this guide, the briquette landscape looks quite different. Popular European options like EcoBrasa, KOKOKO CUBES, TOM COCOCHA, and Greek Fire focus heavily on dense coconut blocks or extruded logs. While these specialized fuels can be hard to import or find in North America, understanding how they perform provides the baseline for how I evaluate heat stability, burn duration, and ash volume in any bag of charcoal.

Flamy coconut briquettes: the fuel I actually know

Flamy briquettes were dense, square coconut blocks that burned hot and steadily while leaving relatively little ash in my setup. When I learned they would disappear from the market, I deliberately bought extra boxes. I still use the remaining pieces in my Barbecook Magnus. That is the personal experience behind this guide; it is not a current product recommendation because the briquettes are normally no longer available.

TOM COCOCHA: the closest match to Flamy I have used

I have also cooked with TOM COCOCHA coconut briquettes, sometimes listed online as Tom Coco. Of the coconut briquettes I have personally used, these came closest to my old Flamy cubes. They were compact, burned hot and steadily, and left a similarly manageable amount of ash in my setup. This is based on my own cooks rather than a controlled side-by-side test, so I would not claim that both products performed identically.

EcoBrasa Cubes: the most familiar European successor

EcoBrasa coconut briquettes use a compact, solid cube that looks closest to my old Flamy blocks. European grillers regularly praise their steady burn and manageable ash, although community reports suggest that experience can vary between batches. Once my Flamy supply is gone, EcoBrasa is the first European product I want to compare with that old reference. I will judge ignition time, usable duration, temperature stability, odor and remaining ash rather than simply asking which one gets hottest.

KOKOKO CUBES: coconut fuel with an air channel

KOKOKO CUBES are also made from coconut-shell charcoal, but they have a hole through the middle. McBrikett states that the briquettes use tapioca starch as a binder. The center channel exposes more surface to oxygen and lets air pass through a stack. In theory, that may help them ignite more readily or react more strongly with the vents open.

That does not prove they burn hotter or better than a solid cube. Density, composition and fire layout still influence the result. I have not yet tested KOKOKO directly against Flamy or EcoBrasa, so it remains my second European test candidate rather than my winner.

Greek Fire: a hardwood rod, not coconut charcoal

Despite the name, Greek Fire is not a coconut briquette. It is a long extruded hardwood-charcoal rod with a center channel. European retailers and experienced grillers generally describe it as a high-heat, long-burning fuel that needs patience during ignition. Its shape is interesting for a deep charcoal bed or high-heat cooking, but less convenient when you want to build a neat snake from small pieces.

A published European Greek Fire test describes removing individual leftover rods with long tongs and briefly quenching them in water outside the grill. Treat that as a product-specific practice, not a general charcoal method. Hot charcoal, water and steam are a dangerous combination. Never pour water into a hot grill or kamado. For a grill designed to close down, shutting the lid and all vents is the calmer general method.

Why my old Weber experience is not a U.S. verdict

I tried Weber briquettes in Europe several years ago and did not enjoy them. A thick ash shell stayed around the pieces, restricted airflow and allowed part of the fire to fade. Other European grillers reported similar issues, although later tests and product updates have not produced one consistent verdict. Because the current American market and formulations are different, I do not use that experience to judge this or another U.S. product.

How to light charcoal briquettes cleanly

A chimney starter is the simplest way to light an even batch without lighter fluid. Place a suitable fire starter beneath the chimney, add only the amount of charcoal the cook needs and give it enough airflow. Dense coconut cubes and hardwood rods can need more time than standard American pillow briquettes.

• For direct grilling: pour out the chimney when the upper briquettes are beginning to ash over and the heavy startup smoke has cleared.
• For the snake method: arrange unlit briquettes in a consistent row and use only a small group of fully lit briquettes to start one end.
• For the Minion method: place a controlled amount of lit charcoal on or beside the unlit fuel and use the vents to manage how quickly the fire spreads.
• For oversized or extruded fuel: allow more time and open airflow. Break rods only when the manufacturer says that is suitable for the product and your setup.

Do not light a full chimney by habit. For low and slow, a smaller number of lit briquettes gives you time to approach the target instead of fighting an overheated cooker. Once the grill is stable, adjust one vent at a time and wait for the fire to respond.

How to extinguish, store and reuse briquettes

When the cook is over, close the lid and vents on a grill designed for that method. Starving the fire of oxygen lets it go out gradually. Do not touch, move or store the fuel until the grill and charcoal are completely cold. Solid pieces with enough mass left can be mixed with fresh charcoal during a later cook, although reused briquettes may light more slowly and produce less heat.

Never pour water into a hot charcoal grill or kamado. Sudden steam can burn you and thermal shock can damage parts of the cooker. If the grill cannot be closed down safely, follow its manufacturer instructions and keep hot fuel on a stable, fireproof surface away from people, pets and anything combustible.

Store unused briquettes in a sealed, dry container and keep them off a damp floor. Moisture makes charcoal harder to light and can create more startup smoke. Empty old ash before the next cook so the vents and charcoal grate can supply oxygen freely.

Common charcoal briquette mistakes

Frequently asked questions about charcoal briquettes

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For more than 15 years, Simon has been the driving force behind The BBQ Bastard. He is the author of the book 'Wood Pellets Taste Better' and founder of the Belgian BBQ Group, Belgium's largest community with over 65,000 members. In addition, he builds a tight-knit community of passionate firemasters with the Smoke Squad. Simon was crowned Heinz Foodie of the Year and, alongside Kamado and Traeger, specializes intensively in live-fire cooking. His mission: to make artisanal techniques and deep flavors accessible to everyone.

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