Charcoal Showdown: High-End vs Budget Brands

I've wondered if it is worth splurging on fancy expensive charcoal since it literally goes up in smoke. I bought six different brands to compare and test them to see if there is a difference and it was huge!
This is the list of charcoal I tested, which may be available to you locally for cheaper!
Embers - (Sold at Home Depot)
Expert Grill - (Sold at Wal-Mart)
Royal Oak - amzn.to/3IVhVnn
Kingsford - amzn.to/3Tz567m
B&B - amzn.to/3xamt6N
Jealous Devil - amzn.to/4awcQh1
Equipment I use to make the videos:
www.amazon.com/shop/grilltope...
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

[@elbob17]

Regular Kingsford has served me well for years. I don't need to overthink it.

[@nategibbons172]

Just not as good as others. They loose size and burn off sooner. Pound for pound, it’s cheaper for B n B

[@EndlessNico]

​@@nategibbons172 You hit it man. Nothing wrong with Kingsford. I've used it before and probably will again if I need to pick up something quick and cheap for a quick and cheap cook. But they burn fast and the amount of ash is insane.

[@nategibbons172]

@@EndlessNico yep! 2 years ago, I bought 8 or 10 big bags because they were on a huge clearance sale for $5 a bag. I use them for large hotdog/burger cooks where I need a lot of cooking space for a short time.

[@S1I2D]

Kingsford blue bag is not what it used to be. Long heavy white smoking and lots of unburnt coal, plus the smell is awful.

[@Fatboypool]

B&B orange bag is great!

[@DGHustla305]

Amazing video!! I expected it to be 40 minutes but getting all the info out in under 6 minutes is a boss move!

[@GrillTopExperience]

Rambling videos drive me crazy and I vow'd to never be that guy. Thanks for checking it out.

[@moe2377]

I totally came to this video because it was short and had all the brands I was hoping to learn more about. Great content and straight to the point!

[@ernestvernon9658]

Kingsford. That’s the answer. Always.

[@deander7653]

Don’t sleep on b&b now

[@rajaboes5425]

This is what you do better than anyone else on yt! Love the content!

[@DavOryan]

Great video brother! You really get into details and I appreciate that!

[@leeh9420]

That is a ton of info in a really nice, short package. THANKS!

[@gacj2010]

Great information...great facts....love this

[@johnpnj]

Great video. I personally really like Cowboy Briquettes. B & B has been good too, and you can really never go wrong with Kingsford classic

[@eriklopez7010]

B&b for smoking and jealous devil for grilling

[@crashcopter6000]

Really great review! Confirmed what I've believed for a long time... it's all about B&B!

[@SeanMagin]

Great vid and info. I've always used B&B or Kingsford for my grills, but recently switched to Jealous Devil for my Weber smoker. I've noticed a drastic difference, specifically around how long they last, and flavor. but it is twice the price in my area.

[@richardingraham-yy4sz]

I like Kingsford I've been using Kingsford for years never had a problem. I use it in my Weber grill I have no briquettes left over and it lasts for a long time in cooking.

[@DrGoyo626]

I remember a couple years ago the kingsford bb was ~$10 for a double pack of 20lb Now its like $20 for a double pack of 16lb.

[@GrillTopExperience]

My shopping cart bent under the weight of the Kingsford charcoal when it came in that cheap 😂

[@JoeyDoingThings]

Right?! I remember when Home Depot would have two 20lbs bags for sale on Memorial Day, and I would buy 10 bags. Now they sell the 8lb bags for more. Thanks Obama.

[@danielploy9143]

Maybe we need to boycott them. Less charcoal for more money. We no buy they have to lower cost. One of three things happened, either they got greedy, COVID-19 or Biden in White House.

[@adjunkin1]

Just paid 8.99 for 20lb bag at Harris Teeter.

[@Teach_1ne]

Used to run to Lowe’s for that special haha

[@markpeever496]

Good content, good test methodology, good presentation. Thanks for this! While lump charcoal gets my kamado hotter, I frequently use briquettes. They're easier to find around here, and there's a nostalgia too.

[@larrymarshall6377]

Totally agree. I recently discovered B&B and can compare directly to Kingsford. For me Kingsford always takes 20 minutes to be ready in my kettle while B&B is about 25, but B&B definitely burns longer and hotter. I had to change my steak grilling process to not overcook my steaks. B&B is now my go to for my gravity smoker, and interestingly is cheaper than Kingsford where I live.

[@GrillSergeant]

Great video! Competition B+B for the win. I can get a bag for $6 at my local HEB.

[@devinwashington4160]

I love jealous devil briquettes and I’ve tried several!

[@RobFerrellDrumStudio]

Another great video Ryan! I’ve tried B&B as well as Jealous Devil and Fogo Lump. For my style, I prefer KBB. Affordable, predictable and easily acquired on sale. I ALWAYS reuse charcoal. I noticed with the B&B briquettes andJD briquettes that they disintegrated whenever I tried to shake the ash off! KBB holds it shape and I can either shake my SnS or rake a gloved hand over them and dump freshly lit right on top. I also like the neutral flavor so I can flavor with wood of choice (or none at all as the family doesn’t like heavy smoke flavor!😬)

[@lowdownone]

Exactly. No need to reinvent the wheel for marketing purposes.

[@bluecreekroad]

Cool video! I used to use Kingsford exclusively when I had a Weber Smokey Mountain and a kettle just because of the consistency and price, but since I got a pellet pooper, I only buy the B&B now to use in my PK. I tried and liked the Jealous Devil okay, but it wasn't noticeably better to me, and it's not readily available close by like B&B is, so that's what I stick with for live fire cooking.

[@bamacheats]

Just discovered Kirkland brand at Costco. It’s phenomenal for the price! I’m pretty loyal to Jealous Devil, but the Kirkland charcoal burns just as well for half the price.

[@luvyesmusici4886]

I like the Total Oak lump charcoal. This winter Lowes had some Royal Oak extra large charcoal briquettes, which I had never tried before , I think for $7 a bag. It was some of the most toxic smelling, a lot of white smoke , sparky, and a ton of ash charcoal I have ever used. I had bought several bags and they seem to burn up quickly, also. I try different things at times, although Kingsford is my go to when it’s on sale. Their competition briquettes might give off more heat, but they burn about a third quicker. I have recently used a couple bags of Safeway’s Signature Select charcoal has it was cheap, but not the greatest either.

[@Rebel-Rouser]

I use Kingsford for grilling and BnB for smoking long cooks ..

[@Murdolph]

B&B is always available at my local ACE and its my go to for my offset smoker. I use lump for the kettle. I'd love to see a video about different lump brands.

[@GrillTopExperience]

I got it from Ace too, but just learned from Tom Horsman that it is cheaper from Wal-Mart online.

[@210pitmasterjoey]

Agree

[@dmaffeo1]

I’ve gotten non wood items out of B&B like pieces of lava rock out of 2 separate bags. I’m going to give them another shot with their hickory for my gravity fed.

[@nategibbons172]

@@GrillTopExperiencejust ordered from Blain’s Farm and Fleet. 9.97/bag free shipping over 100$

[@NipItInTheBud100]

I have never liked lump! Pieces are too inconsistent in size! So much goes through my grill grates!

[@showtimes1000]

I switched a few years ago from being a long time kingsford fan to expert because it was out of stock and that’s all Walmart had at the time . I’ve stuck with it and it has yet to let me down. It dose great on long cooks where as the other I ended up having to add charcoal more often it seemed. Use whatever works for you though it’s all about having fun and getting out here and using those grills .

[@GrillTopExperience]

You are right, the most important part is to get out there and have some fun with people you like to be around.

[@SteveD12]

B&B briquettes are my fav. Kingsford if I can’t find B&B

[@JoeAnshien]

I have been using Kingsford Professional at about 50 cents / lb when on sale at Costco. I would love some B&B but harder to find by me and usually double the price.

[@andrewdavids]

Hey there! Great vid and new sub...just used Royal Oak xl for the 1st time and loved the smokey flavor! Quick question, do you cook different stuff on the copper vs. black kettles? Curious if I should invest in another one. Thanks! Andy

[@derekw948]

Jealous devil is the best lump charcoal and they have great pellets too!

[@christophercline6001]

All these charcoals act in different environments with humidity and temperature here in North central Florida Royal Oak has always worked the best for me it always cooks long and hot with great flavor

[@Tanis1kanan]

How do you like that kettle joe. I've had mine since it came out. I'm a bit on the fence. The fire box is abot awkward and have had struggles trying to maintain a consistent fire without buring through a ton of fuel.

[@opprometheus]

I used to be a Kingsford guy, but tried Cowboy charcoal and like it better.

[@rudymmirelez6289]

Agreed. The hardwood briquettes burn quite hot and long. Cleaner too. A little but cheaper. Can't go wrong

[@EngelFiresUSA]

We consider B&B charcoal to be the ideal choice for our cooker.

[@mpls8_24]

Any thoughts on the Kirkland brand charcoal?

[@grownupgaming]

Will try b&b. Try olivette charcoal briquets, they are quite special.

[@denrayr]

I'd love to see a comparison for hot and fast vs low and slow cooking. I assume the ashy charcoal would be better for low and slow cooking.

[@nickheezy]

My old man used Kingsford, I use Kingsford. I am interested in B&B

[@nategibbons172]

I was the same way until I got turned on to that orange bag. It burns longer and hotter. You end up using less charcoal, so pound for pound it has actually been cheaper for me over Kingsford.

[@jimj8369]

Used almost all of these and it's b&b for me. But when I can find it it's Blues Hog . I used to get it at Ace. It right in line price wise with b and b but it burns hotter and longer.

[@kathyphilmurphy5517]

Thanks fir the info. I do the bbq I. The family. I have a 44 year old disabled son who needs meat fir each meal and then a can of veg to round it out. He loves charcoal hamburgers. He can freeze them individually then heat one up with veg and he has a good meal. He loves the charcoal taste. When grocery stores have hamburg patties on sale I pick one up then all I have to do is season and grill. Thanks for making g my job easier. I knew choice of charcoal is a personal thing g, but frankly when I see hamburger patties on sale I pick up whoever charcoal I'd o. Sale too. Now I know to look for and when they run them on sale.

[@jimj8369]

Kathy and Phil, with a better quality charcoal it burns hotter and longer (briquettes,lump burns hotter more complete but faster). In the end quality charcoal costs less because you use less .

[@BB-rs4sb]

Kingford!!!

[@malcolmdean6899]

The Royal Oak and B&B are great. A lot less ash than kingsford. You should've added Kingsford Competition briquettes. Jealous Devil is a great option as well. Can you test a hardwood lump comparison test? Fogo is amazing along with jealous Devil.

[@blueberrymcphuckerson9821]

Damn. I was rooting for Royal Oak.

[@jasons5726]

Love your videos!!! This is a great experiment, but (if I may make a suggestion) I think you missed one factor that’s important when choosing your bbq fuel. I’d like to know how true the weight of each bag is versus what you think you’re buying… Are you really getting 20 pounds of charcoal in a 20 pound bag (or whatever weight is being sold in that particular bag)? Keep up the great work! Your videos are always entertaining and informative.

[@GrillTopExperience]

Do charcoal companies lie about how much you get? I assumed there were regulations where they have to meet the stated weight, but I had not thought to check.

[@Langhorstiness]

Fogo is also a top tier charcoal like Jealous Devil.

[@GrillTopExperience]

Hey... Look at that. They do have Fogo briquets. They will be in the lump test.

[@Amocoru]

The tier list is this: Jealous Devil Fogo Royal Oak Everything esle.

[@chriswalters1228]

Good comparison Ryan. Sadly none of these are available in the UK as far as I know🙁. Aussie heat beads are the best Ive come across over here.

[@GrillTopExperience]

That's the bummer about charcoal is that many of the brands are super local. That's OK. I can't jump in my Holden Ute to go down to the Bunnings to pick up some Heat Beads either. :)

[@Roger__Wilco]

​@@GrillTopExperience Just FYI wording it as "go down to the Bunnings" would make you sound really weird and alien to us in Australia, it would just be "go down to Bunnings" without 'the'. You redeemed it with the Holden ute and heat beads though :D

[@l.p.5259]

FOGO seems to be good, if you can find it

[@boohoohoohoo]

5:17 by process of elimination, embers is the one that almost made you throw up!

[@nategibbons172]

Everybody on here that is for Kingsford, I understand people but it’s just habit. My dad used it so I use it. When you see the smoke that comes out of it and how quickly it burns off and how many more you use, there’s so much better out there. That orange bag is the only one I use now.

[@darthrochon]

What about Weber briquettes?

[@michaellochmoeller4520]

Cowboy briquets are really good. I also like Kingsford original. In my small town there's only one place that sells b&b and it costs twice as much as cowboy and Kingsford. Good stuff but not twice as good to justify paying twice as much. Same for Jealous Devil. One time I tried the expert grill briquets and it is so bad, barely makes any heat and crumbles to ash in no time. But how about the heat and burn time on the royal oak super size? My Walmart has those now and I might try it.

[@bc454irocz89]

Youre testing confirms what ive learned over the years. Use BnB and if you cant find any use Kingsford. Never ever use the cheapie brand of charcoals

[@SonicBoomC98]

I know this is about briquettes, but for lump the brands actually matter in my opinion. Since I switched to Jealous Devil I haven't gone back. It seems to have a lot his baby chips of chunk and scrap in it. A lot of the other brands I tried seemed to have paper of twigs or something in it. I also don't get sparks with JD

[@GrillTopExperience]

You'll like the next version of this video. Any lump brands to avoid?

[@SonicBoomC98]

@@GrillTopExperience I'm still buying different ones. JD is the only one i can say I have no problems with

[@lassiejr2115]

That Expert Grill has lower price but it hard to start , Kingsford and Royal Oak are much better .

[@ebrente]

Have you already done a lump comparison? I’m pretty committed to B&B, but still enjoy watching.

[@GrillTopExperience]

If this video does well (and it looks like it will) I'll do a lump video and then bring the winners of each in for a comparison.

[@ebrente]

@@GrillTopExperience glad to hear it! I use lump almost exclusively in my kettle as well as to help my coal bed in my cheap offset.

[@suzukikawasaki5165]

Royal Oak has always delivered on the flavor. Kingsford is usually Hot

[@bks7842]

Kingsford Original smokes SO MUCH upon start up. It affects my wife's asthma even if she doesn't come outside.

[@nategibbons172]

BnB is soooo much better

[@warrengiang6502]

I’ve been using expert grill charcoal because it was cheap and it’s worked well for me. But now that you have run these tests, I’ll be using kingsford as my go to value charcoal. Thanks GTE!

[@GrillTopExperience]

I'm interested in your thoughts after you give it a go!

[@JohnCena-nz8nq]

Maybe I missed it, but which briquettes burn the longest?

[@GrillTopExperience]

The complexity of having six different grills going at the same temp at the same time prevented me from doing that test. Off camera, Jealous Devil lasted much longer than I expected.

[@daves2822]

Kingsford is the money

[@GrillTopExperience]

Which charcoal brand is your go to?

[@rodneyodell8959]

I like the new Fogo briquets.

[@keen8271]

Well I've been using Expert Grill. I always hated how much unburned charcoal I had leftover, but thought that's just how it works. BUT now I am going to use Kingsford. Going to consider B&B if I can find/afford it as well. Thanks so much for this video!

[@John-tx1wk]

B&B and if I can't get that, which happens occasionally, Kingsford blue.

[@markbiggs7689]

Kingsford

[@thomasmiles9585]

It depends what you're cooking and it depends what you like .

[@Southjerseysmokin]

So I sent my wife on a mission to grab a Royal oak bag at Walmart one day 😂 she did Infact pick up the expert brand, and it had suuuch a terrible Oder I stopped the lighting process and trashed them right away, thankfully I had some lump left!

[@GrillTopExperience]

There's a reason why that brand wasn't mentioned in the taste test! Thanks for confirming.

[@Southjerseysmokin]

@@GrillTopExperience yea it was a bit disturbing, I thought the Walmart brand was made by royal oak too, defffffff not

[@jernigan007]

B&B all the way

[@georgecurtis6463]

The only thing I will never ever use is kingsford.

[@GrillTopExperience]

I could add a couple more to that list if that's where you draw the line.

[@georgecurtis6463]

@@GrillTopExperience I'm sure one could. But I have tried some, not all and have found my comfort ground with royal oak.

[@MacTechG4]

Lump is better, just carbonized chunks of wood, no binders/fillers

[@eurokid83]

No hard wood charcoal?

[@GrillTopExperience]

Stay tuned!

[@deanvoss7098]

Charcoal is charcoal and they all burn different like hotter or longer or whatever you just got to learn how to cook with it so I just buy what's cheapest and I supplement it with smoking wood

[@Rebel-Rouser]

Before I watch this video I'm gonna say that BnB wins..

[@gusm2752]

What , no Match light ? 😀

[@GrillTopExperience]

The lump guys in the comments would have lost their minds!

[@gusm2752]

@@GrillTopExperience 😂👍

[@josephedwards8992]

You didn’t buy cowboy charcoal it’s my go 2

[@paisteplayer1040]

Go lump it tastes better

[@PebblesOTB]

Cheap charcoal is the worst

[@JoeyDoingThings]

I haven’t watched the whole video yet, but I’m of the opinion that you just need to pick one, and run with it. Learn it, and learn its intricacies. I picked Kingsford Blue because it was at Home Depot, which is two miles from my house. Now I know it so well, I’d probably screw up a cook if I used something different.

[@nevadabrad6392]

Royal Oak products always seem to be junk.

[@DaMurph]

I'm a big fan of Jealous Devil.

[@GrillTopExperience]

I can see why.