Let us set the scene. You’ve bought your favourite cuts of meat, seasoned them to perfection, and added some delicious veggies to your meal for good measure. You cook them on your gas barbecue, and you’re ready to enjoy. Except you don’t, because the meat is too dry and the flavour just doesn’t hit the way you thought it would. Sound familiar?
Charcoal grills can change all of that. Since they use a combination of direct and indirect heat, they are the best option for locking in moisture. Plus, the constant smoke adds an amazing flavour. Charcoal grills are easy to use once you’ve learned the ropes, and the fuel is also much safer than gas. They can be a lot more portable than standard barbecues, too.
Do you think a charcoal grill is right for your home? Let us help you find the perfect one! Charcoal grills will vary in price, overall size, cooking capacity, and so much more. And all of the features will affect how much you like it and how useful it is to you.
This comprehensive guide will investigate the best charcoal grills in Canada right now and outline the criteria you should consider while making your purchase decision. Let’s dive right into our top five products.
We are big fans of the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22” Charcoal Grill. It has pretty much everything we could ask for. It’s pretty compact and portable, but it’s still large enough to cook food for 3-4 people at a time. And the handle has two hooks to hang your tools. We love the convenience.
You won’t have any trouble slow cooking or searing or anything in between with this grill—it’s great at everything. And speaking of great, the grate has a little hinged section that comes up so you can easily add or shuffle the charcoal without taking the whole thing out. And it has an extra-large removable ash catcher so cleanup is easy, too.
We have nothing bad to say about this grill except that we wish it had shelves. Or a prep station. Basically, somewhere to put a plate. And although the lack of said shelving might be a bit inconvenient, it’s certainly no dealbreaker. Right?
Reviewers have a very high opinion of the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22” Charcoal Grill. They actually have nothing bad to say about it at all. The height is perfect for tall and short people alike, and it does a great job cooking at different temperatures. It was also easy to assemble and it’s pretty portable considering it can serve 3-4 people at a time.
Pros:
Handle has two tool hooks attached
Large ash catcher is removable to make cleanup super easy
Grate has a small hinged section to easily add charcoal
Small frame is on wheels for portability
Cons:
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 4/5
Quality: 5/5
Overall, the Weber Original Kettle Premium 22” Charcoal Grill is a really great option for pretty much anybody. Whether you’re cooking for yourself or a family of four, this grill has the right capacity. It’s really easy to use and clean, and it’s great for both houses and apartments. See? Great for everybody.
The Weber Performer Deluxe 22” Charcoal Grill is a pretty special grill. Its standout feature is the gas ignition. That’s right, all you have to do is push a button to get the charcoal hot—once it’s ready, you can shut the gas off. Efficient, right? We’re also really happy with the extras on this one. It has a removable timer and ash try so you can manage all of the things without any hassle. (Or guesswork.)
The cart that this grill is attached to is also pretty special. It has a ton of useful features. On the bottom, there’s a wire rack for storage of your charcoal, cleaning supplies, and whatever else you want to keep handy. And on the top, there’s a large flat prep station to season your meat and hold the plate once everything’s cooked. There are wheels, too, so you can move the grill around anytime.
There really aren’t many negatives to say about this one, which we’re pretty happy about. Assembly might not be super easy, but you’ll get the job done eventually. Some people also might not love the idea of purchasing small propane cylinders for the gas start, but it’s a super handy feature (in other words, it’s worth it). The price is a bit high, but again, worth it.
Reviewers are really impressed by the Weber Performer Deluxe 22” Charcoal Grill. They love the prep space provided by the cart surface, and the wheels make it really easy to roll the grill around when they need to. The gas ignition system makes things so much easier, and they’re big fans of the ash catcher. Some of them had a bit of trouble getting it assembled, but that’s small potatoes in the grand scheme of things.
Dimensions: 43.5” x 48” x 30”
Weight: 91 lbs
Colour: Copper and stainless steel
Grill Shape: Round
Cooking Area: 363 sq. in
Built-In Thermometer: Yes
Warranty: 2 years
Pros:
Grill is attached to a large frame that has a wire tray at the bottom and a large surface for food prep/holding at the top, plus wheels for easy transport
Electronic Touch-N-Go gas ignition system makes starts easy and reliable
High-capacity ash catcher makes cleanup simple
Has a removable cook timer
Cons:
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 3/5
Quality: 5/5
All in all, the Weber Performer Deluxe 22” Charcoal Grill is an amazing choice, and one that was easy to recommend to all of you. You might need to invest a bit more money in the purchase and time in the assembly, but this grill is well worth it. Trust us.
The Dyna-Glo DGN405DNC-D Heavy Duty Charcoal Grill is our top recommendation if you’re searching for a charcoal grill that’s got a similar capacity to a standard gas barbeque. It’s got a large rectangular cooking surface to take care of your meat, veggies, and other sides. It also has a storage basket underneath and two side shelves to make your life easier.
The thing we like most about this option is the charcoal system. The charcoal is added through a little door at the front, and it’s placed on a tray that can be moved up and down to change the temperature of the grill easily. A steel smoke stack at the top has an adjustable flue to help you control the airflow too. As a result, this grill can be used for any type of cooking. Sweet, right?
This option is pretty solid, but we do have a few things to point out that we aren’t so fond of. Aside from the higher cost of this one, our other minor concern is the size—a large capacity means a large overall grill, and it won’t be a travel-friendly option or suited to apartment balconies. Our main concern is durability. This option is advertised as heavy duty, but that’s a stretch by anyone’s imagination.
Reviewers really like the Dyna-Glo DGN405DNC-D Heavy Duty Charcoal Grill. The main complaint that pops up is with the durability—it’s not as heavy duty as they were led to believe. But it still performs really well. It’s got a decent temperature range and a great capacity so they can cook for their entire family at once. It’s easy to keep clean, too.
Pros:
Has side shelves and a storage basket
Steel smoke stack has an adjustable flue
Has a door for charcoal addition (no grate removal needed) and charcoal height can be adjusted
Has a great capacity
Cons:
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 3/5
Quality: 4/5
All in all, the Dyna-Glo DGN405DNC-D Heavy Duty Charcoal Grill is the best choice if your main ‘must-have’ feature is a large cooking area. This option makes it easy to cook for the entire family, and it’s also versatile enough for every type of meat or side dish you could want to make.
The Kamado Joe KJ23RHC Classic Joe II 18” Charcoal Grill has so much going for it, it’s not even funny. Since it has a thick, heat-resistant ceramic shell and a fibreglass mesh gasket, this thing seals in heat like nothing else. What does that mean for you? Exceptional grilling performance, of course. These features are paired with a top tower vent to give you precise control over the airflow and temperature.
The extras are pretty great too. It comes with a cart that has locking wheels (a major plus for safety!), and it has two collapsible shelves attached to its sides as well. They even have hooks for hanging your grilling tools. The two-tier design is one of the best things about it. You can cook your meat and veggies at different temperatures at the same time. Pretty cool, right?
When it comes to (almost) everything about this grill, we have no critiques to make. At all. It’s basically flawless. It’s exceptionally heavy, though, so you’ll want to find a permanent home for it somewhere on your property. The price tag is also very high, and while this grill is definitely worth that much money, it won’t be a reasonable purchase for everybody, and that disappoints us. Everyone should get to experience the joy of this grill.
Reviewers are thrilled with the Kamado Joe KJ23RHC Classic Joe II 18” Charcoal Grill. They absolutely love the two-tier design since they can cook two different dishes at the same time, and the temperature range is perfect for all of their grilling needs—this thing can slow cook, sear, and everything in between. The shelves and rolling cart are both a big hit.
Pros:
Heat-resistant ceramic shell and fibreglass mesh gasket seals and retains heat better than other grills
Two-tiered grill is great for cooking all foods at once (meat on lower shelf, veggies on higher shelf)
Comes with a cart (with locking wheels) and two collapsible shelves
Has a slide-out ash drawer and a top tower vent for precise temperature/airflow control
Cons:
Incredibly expensive
Very heavy
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 1/5
Quality: 5/5
All in all, the Kamado Joe KJ23RHC Classic Joe II 18” Charcoal Grill is just about the best grill money can buy. And you’ll need to spend a lot of it. If you’re a fan of Kamado-style grills, you won’t find a better option than this one no matter what your priorities are.
The Weber Smokey Joe Premium 14” Portable Grill is an amazing addition to backyards, beach days, camping trips, hotel stays, and so much more. It packs easily into any vehicle and is exceptionally durable, so you won’t have to worry if it gets knocked around a little bit. The bowl and lid are both peel-resistant, so longevity isn’t a concern there either.
One of our favourite features is the Tuck-N-Carry lid lock—it doubles as a lid holder so the lid doesn’t ever need to touch the ground. Dampers allow you to control the temperature of the grill, and it’s got a bottom vent and ash catcher to make clean-up a breeze.
There are a few low points that we want you to know about. Since this is a super portable grill, it’s also pretty small, so you won’t be able to cook food for more than two people at once. The size also limits its maximum temperature to roughly 350ºF, so it won’t be great for all types of cooking. Our final point is to remember that you’ll need a stand or taller surface to get this thing to cooking height—it’s basically on ground level.
Reviewers really like the Weber Smokey Joe Premium 14” Portable Grill. They love how durable it is, and the small size is really convenient for camping trips and beach days. The cooking area is only big enough to serve two people at a time, though, and some people are disappointed that it can’t reach high temperatures like larger charcoal grills can. Most people don’t mind, though.
Pros:
Tuck-N-Carry lid lock doubles as a lid holder
Has an ash catcher for easy management and cleaning
Porcelain-enameled bowl and lid are peel-resistant and very durable
Dampers allow for temperature control
Cons:
Only has a small metal support frame—needs to be placed on top of something to be at cooking height
Fairly small capacity (can fit 5 burgers at a time)
Can’t reach temperatures above 350ºF
Performance: 4.5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Overall, the Weber Smokey Joe Premium 14” Portable Grill is our favourite for travelling. You’ll have to keep in mind that is has a smaller capacity than most charcoal grills, but it’s insanely durable and will never let you down when you need it most. You’ll never have to do without a grill again.
Charcoal grills can range in price from less than $75 to well over $1,500. That’s a large price range, and there’s a lot of variability in quality in there too. In general, more expensive grills will have a larger cooking surface, more durable/heat-retaining housing, and a larger frame/cart setup with shelving and storage.
The cooking area of a charcoal grill is one of the most important features. It’ll determine how many people you can serve at once, so if you’ve got a larger family (or like to host gatherings), you’ll want at least 500 square inches of cooking space. If you’re a couple or an individual, 300 square inches or less should do just fine.
A built-in thermometer is a great addition to a charcoal grill. It lets you keep an eye on the temperature and make adjustments right away—this is super important for getting well-cooked and great-tasting food.
Lots of people choose charcoal grills for their portability, since charcoal is a lot easier to move around than a heavy propane tank. But some grills are more portable than others. You’ll want to look at weight and overall size to make a decision here.
Disclaimer: The prices displayed are accurate at the time of publication. We’ll do our best to keep them as up-to-date as possible, but you may see slight changes. The products in this list are ranked by independent third parties. Rankings are based on both reviews and independent testing.
