Charcoal grilling rewards a different kind of cook, the kind who doesn’t mind tending a fire for deeper flavor and a little smoke. The trick is matching the grill to the way you actually cook: weeknight burgers, weekend low-and-slow ribs, or something in between. This shortlist covers full-size backyard workhorses, portable options for the patio or tailgate, and a couple of accessories that meaningfully change how a charcoal grill performs.
How The Shortlist Stacks Up
Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill 22-Inch
Vortex Small Direct Cooking Charcoal Grill Cone
Uniflasy BBQ Whirlpool Charcoal Grill Cone
Weber Original Kettle Charcoal Grill 22-Inch
Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill 18-Inch
Royal Gourmet CD1824M 24-Inch Charcoal Grill
Royal Gourmet CD1824ET Movable Charcoal Grill
Why These Options Stand Out
The 22-inch Weber Kettle Premium is the version of the classic backyard kettle with the practical upgrades dialed in. A hinged grate lets you add fresh charcoal mid-cook without lifting the whole cooking surface off, and the high-capacity ash catcher sits behind the same One-Touch cleaning lever that has defined this line for years.
If you’ve already looked at the standard Original Kettle later in this list, the Premium is essentially the same grill with smart refinements. It earns its place for backyard cooks who want a familiar kettle shape with less hassle during longer cooks, like a basket of chicken thighs that runs 90 minutes, where you’d otherwise need to pull the grate to refresh coals.
The Case For It
- The hinged cooking grate is a genuine quality-of-life upgrade during longer sessions, removing the need to remove the whole grate just to add coals.
- One-Touch cleaning system with a higher-capacity ash catcher means less ash buildup and quicker teardown after a cook.
- 22-inch format gives you a roomy grate for typical family meals without the footprint of a full cart grill.
- Porcelain-enameled bowl and lid are widely reported to resist rust and weather well over multiple seasons.
Things To Consider
- It’s still a kettle grill with no cart or side table, so plan on a separate surface for platters and tools.
- The hinged grate adds weight and a moving part that, in our view, is fine but worth checking periodically for rust on the hinge.
Key Specs
Who Will Love This
Backyard charcoal cooks who want the classic kettle experience with fewer mid-cook interruptions and easier cleanup.
Consider Something Else When
Step up to the Royal Gourmet CD1824ET if you want a cart, side shelves, and rolling mobility rather than a stationary kettle.
The Vortex Small is not a grill by itself. It’s a stainless steel cone that sits in the bottom of a charcoal grill and funnels heat into a tight column at the center, the kind of setup that lets a kettle or kamado behave more like a high-heat sear box. You light charcoal in the cone, let it bloom, and food goes directly over the hottest point.
Where the Weber Premium above is a complete cook station, the Vortex is a performance upgrade for people who already own a kettle, WSM, or large kamado. It fits small WSMs and 18.5 to 22.5-inch kettles, and it’s stainless steel throughout for durability over many seasons.
The Helpful Details
- Concentrates heat in one spot for restaurant-style sear marks on steaks and a serious crust on chicken wings.
- Stainless steel construction is widely reported to hold up to repeated high-heat sessions without warping.
- Designed to drop into a Weber Smokey Mountain Small, a 22-inch kettle, or compatible kamado-style cookers.
- Handy for indirect-and-direct hybrid cooks, where you push coals to one side and use the cone on the other.
Points To Keep In Mind
- It is an accessory, not a standalone grill, so it only makes sense if you already own a compatible kettle, WSM, or kamado.
- Cleaning the cone requires emptying ash and wiping it down; the tight shape catches small debris.
Made For
Grillers who already own a compatible kettle or kamado and want to add sear-and-crisp performance without buying a second cooker.
Look Elsewhere When
Pick the Uniflasy Whirlpool instead if you want a similar vortex-style setup at a lower tier and you grill on a 22-inch Weber Master Touch or larger kamado.
The Uniflasy Whirlpool is the more affordable spin on the vortex-style charcoal accessory. It drops into the bottom of a 22-inch Weber, a Weber Smokey Mountain, a Big Green Egg XL, or a large kamado and channels heat into the same concentrated column as the Vortex above, with a slightly different geometry.
It targets DIY grill modifiers who already have a kettle or kamado and want to experiment with high-heat direct setups without committing to a stainless steel upgrade. The trade-off, depending on your tolerance, is build weight compared to the Vortex’s all-stainless construction.
Advantages To Know
- Broad fit list covers 22-inch Weber kettles, WSM XL, Big Green Egg XL, and several large kamados.
- Cone shape supports sear-heavy cooks like steaks, wings, and burger crusts on a grill you already own.
- Handy entry into vortex grilling for cooks who want to try the technique before upgrading.
- Useful for indirect-and-direct hybrid sessions where you bank coals on one side.
Things To Weigh
- Build materials and finish are a step below the Vortex’s stainless steel, so handle with care during cleaning.
- You’ll want to confirm your specific grill model against the listed dimensions before ordering.
Right Fit For
Grillers on a tighter budget who own a compatible kettle or kamado and want to try vortex-style direct grilling without committing to premium-tier accessories.
Reach For A Different Pick When
Choose the Vortex Small instead if you grill often at high heat and want stainless steel durability for repeated heavy use.
The original 22-inch Weber Kettle is the design the Premium above is built on. It strips the experience down to a porcelain-enameled lid and bowl, plated cooking grate, aluminum dampers, and the same One-Touch cleaning system that has been around for decades, which is exactly why so many backyard cooks still trust it.
Compared with the Premium earlier in this list, you’re giving up the upgraded grate and ash catcher for a lower entry point. It’s the right call for first-time charcoal owners who want the classic kettle experience without paying for extras they may not use yet.
Real-World Strengths
- Time-tested kettle shape is easy to learn, with predictable airflow and dependable temperature control.
- Porcelain-enameled bowl and lid help the grill hold up to weather across multiple seasons.
- Aluminum dampers on the lid and bowl give you simple, repeatable vent adjustments for direct or indirect setups.
- One-Touch cleaning system makes ash removal faster than scraping by hand.
- Wide accessory ecosystem means replacement grates, covers, and tools are easy to find.
A Few Limitations
- No hinged grate, so adding charcoal mid-cook means lifting the whole cooking surface.
- Stationary design without a cart or side shelves, so plan on a nearby surface for platters and tools.
Key Specs
Who Should Grab It
First-time charcoal grillers who want a proven, no-fuss 22-inch kettle they can learn on without overpaying for premium refinements.
Swap It Out When
Step up to the Weber Original Kettle Premium if you want a hinged grate and a higher-capacity ash catcher for longer cooks.
The Jumbo Joe is Weber’s take on a charcoal grill that travels. It’s a compact 18-inch kettle that still delivers a real cooking surface, with a porcelain-enameled bowl and lid, plated steel cooking grate, and aluminum dampers for airflow control.
Compared with the larger 22-inch kettles earlier in this list, the Jumbo Joe trades grate space for portability. It suits tailgates, small patios, and weeknight cooks where you’d rather not fire up something bigger, and its lighter frame makes it manageable for apartment dwellers with limited storage.
Notable Gains
- 18-inch format strikes a useful middle between travel-friendly grills and full-size backyard kettles.
- Porcelain-enameled bowl and lid help the grill resist rust through multiple seasons.
- Plated steel cooking grate delivers enough surface for typical family meals without dominating the patio.
- Rust-resistant aluminum dampers and ash catcher keep airflow control consistent across cooks.
Some Limits To Know
- No cart, so you carry it where it needs to go, which is part of the appeal but worth noting for anyone with stairs.
- Smaller grate means longer cooks for a crowd are tighter than on the 22-inch models.
Quick Facts
Best Suited To
Tailgaters, campers, and small-patio cooks who want a portable Weber kettle without giving up the brand’s familiar cooking style.
Skip It When
Pick the Royal Gourmet CD1824M if you want a larger 24-inch grate, side prep space, and a folding table for backyard cookouts.
The Royal Gourmet CD1824M is a 24-inch charcoal grill with a roomy grate and a folding front table that adds real prep space without the bulk of a full cart. Compared with the Weber kettles earlier in this list, it gives up the iconic kettle silhouette for a rectangular grate and a more traditional grill footprint.
It’s the right kind of grill for backyard cooks hosting larger meals, think a basket of burgers plus a tray of kebabs plus a few ears of corn, who want more flat-top real estate than a 22-inch round can offer.
The Good Stuff
- 490 square inch cooking surface handles larger spreads without juggling grate space.
- Folding front table gives you a dedicated prep area that tucks away for storage.
- Rectangular grate layout suits burgers, steaks, and vegetables side by side, which a round grate handles less elegantly.
- Optional support plans cover accidental damage and breakdowns for an outdoor grill that sees regular use.
Honest Caveats
- It’s a cart-style grill, so it needs more patio space than a simple Weber kettle.
- Charcoal cleanup routines vary more on rectangular grills, depending on how owners manage ash under the grate.
Made For
Family cooks and small gathering hosts who want a roomy rectangular grate and a folding prep surface in a single package.
Look Elsewhere When
Choose the Royal Gourmet CD1824ET if you want foldable side shelves on both sides rather than a single front table.
The Royal Gourmet CD1824ET is the more sociable sibling to the CD1824M above. It runs the same 24-inch format but adds two foldable side tables and a movable cart design, giving you a full prep-and-serve station that you can wheel out of the way when the cook’s done.
Compared with the static Weber kettles earlier, this is the kind of grill you roll into position for a party, set platters on either side, and then push into a corner when the burgers are done. It earns its place for hosts who cook for groups regularly and want a setup that behaves like a small outdoor kitchen.
Everyday Wins
- Foldable side tables on both sides give you two prep surfaces for platters, rubs, and tools.
- Movable cart design lets you reposition the grill around the patio without lifting it.
- Combined main plus warming rack area gives you a place to hold finished food while the rest finishes cooking.
- Support plans cover accidental damage and breakdowns for a unit that sees frequent entertaining.
Points To Note
- The cart and side tables mean a larger footprint than a basic kettle, which can be a factor on smaller patios.
- Moving parts like wheels and folding brackets need occasional checks, especially after a season of regular use.
Whose Shelf It Belongs On
Backyard hosts who entertain regularly and want a movable charcoal setup with prep space on both sides rather than a stationary grill.
Not Your Match When
Pick the Weber Jumbo Joe if you want a smaller, more portable charcoal option that suits tailgates and apartment storage instead.
What Matters Most Before Choosing Barbecue Charcoal Grills
Cooking Surface And Footprint
A 22-inch round kettle handles most family meals comfortably, while an 18-inch travel kettle fits small patios and tailgates. Rectangular 24-inch grills trade the classic kettle silhouette for a flatter layout that suits burgers, steaks, and vegetables side by side.
Direct Versus Indirect Heat
Kettle grills run two-zone cooking by banking charcoal to one side and leaving the other empty, the traditional setup for both searing and slow cooking. Vortex-style accessories collapse that into a single concentrated hot zone for high-heat searing. Choose based on whether you mostly want a flexible two-zone setup or a focused sear station.
Build And Finish
Porcelain-enameled bowls and aluminum dampers hold up to seasons of outdoor use. Stainless steel accessories generally outlast painted or coated alternatives in heavy, high-heat cooks. Worth considering if your grill lives outside year-round.
Portability And Storage
Travel kettles like the Jumbo Joe fold or carry easily, while cart grills with side tables need more space. If your grill has to share a garage with everything else, smaller footprints save real headaches.
Key Considerations Across These Picks
Pitfalls Shoppers Hit
The most common mistake is buying a grill that looks right but doesn’t match how you cook. Kettle grills are flexible but not optimized for high-heat searing, while cart grills are great for groups but too big for daily weeknight use. Another trap is skipping dimensions on accessories, since vortex cones fit specific grills and a half-inch mismatch means it won’t sit flat.
Where The Extra Money Goes
Higher-tier charcoal grills and accessories usually pay for thicker steel, tighter tolerances, and more durable finishes. The Premium Weber earns its place over the standard model through a hinged cooking surface and a larger ash catcher, refinements that show up during longer cooks. Premium stainless accessories hold up to repeated high heat, while budget-tier versions handle occasional use fine but show wear sooner.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I clean a charcoal grill?
Empty the ash catcher after every cook and do a deeper grate clean every few uses. The One-Touch system on Weber models speeds up the ash step.
Can a charcoal grill work for low-and-slow cooking?
Yes, by banking charcoal to one side and using the empty half for indirect heat, kettles and 24-inch grills both handle ribs, brisket, and whole chickens. A water pan helps stabilize temperature over multi-hour cooks.
What’s the difference between a kettle grill and a cart grill?
A kettle is a simple bowl with legs, light and easy to store. A cart grill adds a frame, wheels, and often side tables, which adds prep space and mobility at the cost of footprint.
Do vortex cones fit any charcoal grill?
They fit specific kettle and kamado sizes. The Vortex Small suits 18.5 to 22.5-inch kettles and WSM Small, while the Uniflasy fits 22-inch Weber kettles and several large kamados. Always check dimensions before ordering.
Is a charcoal grill harder to use than gas?
Charcoal takes more attention during startup and cook, but rewards that effort with deeper sear and flavor. Kettle grills are the easiest entry point because the airflow system is straightforward to learn.
Final Verdict
The right charcoal grill is the one that matches your space, your guest count, and how hands-on you want to be. For a classic backyard kettle, the hinged Weber Premium is a refined choice, while the original Weber Kettle is the proven value pick for first-time charcoal owners. For hosting, the Royal Gourmet CD1824ET brings cart-style convenience, and for tailgates and small patios, the Jumbo Joe keeps things portable. Accessories like the Vortex and Uniflasy cones unlock new cooking styles on grills you may already own.