Top Charcoal Brands That Spark Up Your Grill Adventures!

Charcoal has become an essential component for grilling enthusiasts and culinary chefs alike, offering a distinct smoky flavor that elevates any food. Choosing the right brand is crucial for the perfect grilling experience, with factors like burn time, ease of lighting, and sustainability playing significant roles in the selection process. Several brands have risen to prominence, each offering unique qualities that cater to various preferences and needs. To explore the best charcoal brands currently leading the market, check out the detailed review below.

Illustration of charcoal

Best brands of charcoal in 2025

Kingsford

Kingsford is a leading brand in the charcoal market, known for its high-quality products that have been a gold standard for grilling since 1920. With 100% natural ingredients, Kingsford Original Charcoal briquets offer a smoky wood-fired flavor and are designed to light fast, burn long, and cook hot. Despite a recent decline in sales, estimated at $20 million from the previous year, Kingsford continues to expand its market presence, with its products available in a significant number of stores, contributing to total sales of about $87 million in a quarter. Kingsford holds a dominant market share, previously reported around 80%, and is recognized as America's #1 charcoal brand based on IRI Unit Sales Data. The brand's charcoal briquets are known for their strength and efficiency, outperforming competitors in various tests.

Royal Oak

Royal Oak is a leading producer of high-quality charcoal products, known for its 100% natural hardwood lump charcoal, charcoal briquets, and charcoal pellets. The company has been in operation for over four generations and recently expanded its facility in Salem, MO, increasing production by at least 50% with state-of-the-art technologies. Royal Oak's products are designed to provide a superior grilling and smoking experience, with features such as easy lighting, high heat, and long burn times. Their charcoal pellets, for instance, offer the same authentic BBQ flavor as their hardwood lump charcoal but are optimized for pellet grills. As part of their commitment to excellence, Royal Oak has become a preferred choice among BBQ enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Weber

Weber, a leading brand in the barbecue and grill market, held a global market share of 24% in 2021, solidifying its position as a top producer of charcoal grills and accessories. Known for its high-quality products, Weber dominates the market with its iconic grills, particularly in regions where BBQ culture is deeply ingrained, such as the United States. The brand's expansion into China in 2021 further underscored its commitment to meeting the growing demand for BBQ charcoal. Weber's products, including charcoal briquettes and grills, are preferred for their high heat output, ease of use, and the unique smoky flavor they impart to grilled food. This preference has contributed to the steady growth of the BBQ charcoal market, expected to reach USD 4.84 billion by 2033. For detailed insights on Weber's market share, visit their statistical analysis.

Cowboy Charcoal

Cowboy Charcoal is a renowned producer of high-quality charcoal, specializing in natural lump charcoal since its formation in 1992. The company, based in Stockton, California, generates $18.8 million in revenue and serves a diverse client base, including Williams-Sonoma and the brass foundry industry. Known for its ultra-carbon characteristics, Cowboy Charcoal has expanded its product lines to cater to the consumer barbecue market. The company's state-of-the-art wood-retort plant in Albany, KY, ensures environmentally compatible production. With a focus on reducing bounce rates and enhancing consumer engagement, Cowboy Charcoal has seen a 9% increase in recipe views through targeted data collection and recipe recommendations.

Jealous Devil

Jealous Devil is renowned as one of the best producers of charcoal, leveraging the dense and hard Quebracho Blanco wood from Paraguay, known as "axe-breaker" for its exceptional durability. Their charcoal is made using traditional methods combined with modern innovation, resulting in products that burn extremely hot, with temperatures reaching up to 1172°F, and have a long burn time with minimal ash and no sparking or popping. The company ensures sustainable practices, sourcing wood from sustainable forestry plantations and aiming for FSC certification by 2025. The size distribution of their charcoal is highly consistent, with a low percentage of chips and dust, typically around 3.1%. Jealous Devil's commitment to quality and sustainability has earned it high recommendations from pitmasters and chefs. Find more about their exceptional charcoal products on their official website.

Fogo

Fogo Charcoal stands out as a premium producer of hardwood lump charcoal, crafted from the discarded branches of Inga trees in El Salvador's coffee farms, which are meticulously pruned and managed to maintain ideal growing conditions. This unique aromatic charcoal blend is produced using ancient Mayan techniques and custom-built brick ovens, ensuring a clean and consistent burn. Fogo Charcoal undergoes a rigorous hand-selection process and thorough screening to remove dust and impurities, guaranteeing high-quality products. The company also commits to sustainability by planting over 40,000 trees annually to reclaim deforested areas and prevent soil erosion. With an annual revenue of $3 million in 2024, Fogo Charcoal is a significant player in the wood-charcoal market, which is projected to reach $27.6 billion by 2034. For more information about their sustainable practices and premium charcoal products, visit the Fogo Charcoal website.

Rockwood

Rockwood is renowned as one of the best producers of charcoal, particularly known for its premium all-natural lump charcoal made from Missouri oak, hickory, maple, and pecan. This charcoal is sourced exclusively from timber milling operations, ensuring it contains no chemicals, fillers, binders, or additives. Rockwood charcoal is praised for burning longer, cleaner, and more consistently than other brands, and it was named the best overall lump charcoal in 2021 by NBC Select. The production process involves careful handling, drying, kilning, and cooling to remove all tars, resulting in minimal undesirable smoke. This environmentally friendly product is highly valued for its high calorific value and lower carbon dioxide emissions.

B&B Charcoal

B&B Charcoal is a highly regarded brand in the charcoal industry, known for its high-quality products made exclusively from hardwood lump charcoal without any chemical additives or fillers. Their Competition Char-Logs burn hotter and longer, producing consistent natural flavor and less ash, with a notable 38% less ash production compared to Kingsford briquettes. The brand is favored by outdoor BBQ enthusiasts for its performance and natural processes, earning it the title of 'The Expert's Choice'. B&B Charcoal is a family-owned business based in Weimar, Texas, and their products are suitable for both low and slow barbecue and hot and fast grilling. For more details, visit B&B Charcoal's website.

Big Green Egg

The Big Green Egg is a renowned brand and a leading producer of high-quality kamado-style ceramic charcoal barbecue cookers, founded in 1974 by Ed Fisher and based in Atlanta, Georgia. Known for their distinctive dark green, egg-shaped grills, Big Green Egg products are manufactured in seven sizes and are praised for their ability to contain heat and cook a variety of foods, including smoking, grilling, baking, and cooking pizzas. The company recommends using lump wood charcoal, which produces less ash and no harsh chemicals, enhancing the flavor of the food. Big Green Egg hosts an annual festival, Eggtoberfest, which drew over 3,000 participants in 2022. Their website attracts a significant audience, with 60.68% of visitors being male and the largest age group being 55-64 years old.

Grill Dome

Grill Dome, a prominent player in the barbecue grill charcoal market, is recognized for its high-quality ceramic barbeque grills that offer efficient cooking and fuel savings. The brand is part of a market that is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4% from 2023 to 2033, reaching a valuation of USD 1,355.1 million by 2033. Grill Dome's products, such as the Kamado grills, are favored for their unique shape that quickly raises inner temperatures and their long-lasting durability. The ceramic barbeque grill market, which includes brands like Grill Dome, has seen significant growth, with the Asia Pacific region generating 35% of the global demand in 2022 and expected to grow at a 5% CAGR through 2033. The freestanding segment, where Grill Dome operates, holds 45% of the global market share.