Hosting a backyard cookout is always a treat! To get your charcoal grill going, you’ll need to choose between briquette and lump charcoal as your fuel source.
Although briquette charcoal is widely available in retail stores, many barbecue aficionados favor lump charcoal. It’s created by carbonizing hardwood in an oxygen-deprived environment to eliminate moisture, sap, and impurities, resulting in a manageable and consistent burn.
We evaluated various lump charcoals based on criteria such as quality, flavor, size, and burn temperature to assist you in selecting the perfect charcoal for your grilling adventures.
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
The Good Charcoal Company Lump Charcoal
Pros
- Eco-friendly sourcing
- Minimal ash production
- Uniform sizes
Cons
- Limited to smaller bag options
The Good Charcoal Company, a newcomer in the charcoal industry, has quickly earned its place at the top. This charcoal, made from sustainably harvested acacia wood, is the first in the U.S. to receive approval from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
Our tests revealed that the charcoal pieces in the bags were mostly uniform in size, with mid-sized pieces dominating—ideal for consistent grilling. While some smaller pieces were present, this is normal due to shipping. The charcoal fit well into our chimney starter, ignited quickly, and provided a steady heat for over two hours with minimal ash.
Ideal for Kamado Grills
Jealous Devil Hardwood Lump Charcoal
Pros
- Mild, smooth flavor
- Moisture-resistant packaging
- Quick ignition and consistent heating
Cons
- Higher price point
Jealous Devil’s charcoal comes in redesigned packaging that better protects the product during transit, resulting in fewer small pieces and dust. Made from South American hardwood, it imparts a mild, smooth flavor without overpowering your food, even with prolonged cooking. Each piece is hand-selected and fired in on-site brick kilns, ensuring consistent quality.
During our tests, the charcoal lit easily, maintained a consistent temperature, and did not pop, making it safer and easier to use. While it’s more expensive, the quality justifies the cost.
Best for Novices
Royal Oak Hardwood Lump Charcoal
Pros
- Easy ignition
- High heat output
- Affordable price
Cons
- Variable quality
Royal Oak’s Hardwood Lump Charcoal is budget-friendly and suitable for beginners and seasoned grillers alike. Made from American oak and hickory, it lights quickly and burns hot, performing well during both quick grilling and longer smoking sessions. It produced minimal ash and a subtle smoky flavor in our tests.
However, some users have reported inconsistent quality, with occasional debris like rocks or metal found in the bags. While we didn’t encounter this issue, the sizes of the pieces did vary.
Best Value
Masterbuilt 16-Pound Lump Charcoal
Pros
- Quick ignition
- Pleasant smoky flavor
- Slow, steady burn
Cons
- Produces more ash
- Uneven piece sizes
Masterbuilt’s lump charcoal offers good quality at an affordable price. It ignites quickly and burns slowly, making it suitable for low-and-slow cooking. The charcoal provided a mild smoky flavor, but the pieces were not uniform in size, and it produced a fair amount of ash, making cleanup more laborious.
Best Premium Option
Big Green Egg Oak and Hickory Lump Charcoal
Pros
- Clean burn with minimal ash
- Classic smoky BBQ aroma
- Low dust in bag
Cons
- Burns quickly
For those seeking premium lump charcoal, Big Green Egg’s oak and hickory blend is a top choice. It burns cleanly and provides a distinctive smoky barbecue aroma without overpowering the food. The charcoal lit easily and produced very little ash, though it did burn quickly, requiring frequent refills for extended cooking sessions.
Best Flavor
Cowboy Hardwood Lump Charcoal
Pros
- High heat and long burn time
- Excellent smoky flavor
- Easy to ignite
Cons
- Non-uniform sizes
- Tends to pop and spark
Cowboy Hardwood Lump Charcoal, made from a mix of hardwoods, is ideal for those exploring lump charcoal and for regular grilling. It burns hot and fast, perfect for searing, and has the longevity for slow cooking. It delivered a delicious smoky flavor without off-notes and was easy to light, though it did pop and spark frequently. The pieces varied in size, with many broken fragments.
Best for High Heat
FOGO Premium Lump Charcoal
Pros
- Sustainably sourced
- Mild smokiness
- Slow burn rate
Cons
- Some popping
- Irregular piece sizes
FOGO’s Super Premium Lump Charcoal, made from sustainably sourced oak, is excellent for high-heat grilling. It heats up quickly and maintains temperature, allowing for multiple rounds of cooking without needing to refill. Although we noticed a variety of piece sizes and some initial popping, the charcoal’s performance at high temperatures and minimal smoke made it a standout.
Final Verdict
We selected The Good Charcoal Company Premium Hardwood Lump Charcoal as our top choice because of its even burning and consistent coal sizes. Additionally, it had no sparking issues.
For those on a budget or new to charcoal grilling, the Royal Oak All Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal is a great option. It ignites easily, burns at high temperatures, and delivers an excellent smoky flavor.
How We Tested Lump Charcoals
We dispatched 13 of the most popular lump charcoals to the homes of our experienced at-home testers. Additionally, we consulted grilling expert Paul Sidoriak from Grilling Montana for further insights into lump charcoals. Based on our testing, we assigned star ratings from one to five, with five being the highest and one the lowest, to the products on our list.
Our Observations
Charcoal Shape and Size: Upon opening the bags, we assessed the size and shape of the charcoals. Uniform pieces are preferable for better temperature control, whereas small pieces and dust can hinder airflow. We also noted whether the charcoal sparked or popped when lit, whether using a chimney starter or not.
Smoking vs. High-Heat Grilling: Testers evaluated the ease of lighting the charcoal and its performance in two grilling styles. They slow-cooked half a chicken at 225°F for 30-45 minutes per pound and grilled various meats (like sirloin, pork chops, and burgers) at high temperatures to judge the charcoal’s impact. We also asked them to record the weather conditions during testing, which ranged from 30°F to 70°F, in both rainy and sunny weather, as well as breezy and calm days.
Ash Residue: After each test, we noted the amount of ash produced and whether the grilling process was particularly smoky.
Our Ratings
Ease of Use: Besides evaluating the charcoal size and shape, we asked testers about the bag’s design. Is it waterproof to preserve the charcoal? Is it easy to open and pour from? Is the bag’s weight manageable?
Performance: Grilling is about the food’s appearance, aroma, and taste. Testers focused on these aspects in relation to the charcoal used. They recorded the amount of smoke produced, the intensity of the charcoal’s smell, and the overall flavor of the food, noting whether it was smoky or not.
Quality: Charcoal can be made from various types of wood. We asked testers to note the wood type(s), if the product was sustainably sourced, how much ash it produced, the lighting time, the amount of dust in the bag, who the charcoal would be best for, and the recommended grilling tasks.
What to Look for When Buying Lump Charcoal
Source
“When selecting lump charcoal, choose brands that use 100 percent hardwoods,” advises Paul Sidoriak, the expert behind Grilling Montana. “The pieces should be about the size of a golf ball to a tennis ball. Avoid brands with bags full of dust and tiny pieces, as these can obstruct airflow.”
Lump charcoal can be produced from nearly any hardwood and is often a byproduct of sawmills. To ensure quality, look for lump charcoal made from sustainably sourced hardwood, as this indicates it’s free from varnish or other chemicals. Good lump charcoal should be free from fillers, additives, and binders, and should not produce excessive sparks. Avoid bags with small bits and dust that can clog your ash trap.
Flavor
A bag of lump charcoal typically contains a mix of hardwoods such as oak, beech, and ash, rather than a single species. Different hardwoods provide unique flavor profiles: lighter woods like maple offer a sweeter flavor suitable for white meats, while darker woods like oak and hickory deliver a stronger flavor ideal for red meats. Single-species lump charcoal is rare and usually found as briquettes.
Burning Temperature
Different hardwood species burn at different temperatures. For instance, apple wood burns at 1190°F, while maple burns at 1200°F. This variation means you’ll need to adjust your fire’s ventilation based on the composition of your charcoal.
Size
High-quality lump charcoal bags should contain mostly large, uniform pieces, which burn longer and hotter. Be wary of excessive charcoal dust at the bottom of the bag, as it is ineffective for grilling and can lead to excessive sparking.
FAQs
How do you ignite lump charcoal?
There are multiple techniques for lighting lump charcoal on your grill. The simplest method is using a charcoal chimney, which utilizes crumpled newspaper to ignite the charcoal. Other methods include arranging the charcoal in a pyramid, using lighter fluid, or employing an electric charcoal starter.
How long does lump charcoal stay lit?
Lump charcoal generally burns hotter and faster than charcoal briquettes. The burn duration depends on your cooking method. On an open grill, you can expect lump charcoal to burn for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, while it can last considerably longer in a closed smoker.
How do you use a chimney starter with lump charcoal?
Chimney starters are very useful for lighting charcoal and are quite straightforward to use. Simply place some crumpled newspaper or lighter cubes beneath the chimney, fill the metal tube with charcoal, and light the newspaper with a match or lighter. Within about ten minutes, the charcoal will be ready, and you can transfer it to your grill. Make sure to wear high-heat-resistant gloves, such as grill gloves or Rapicca welding gloves, to protect your hands and arms.
