There’s a particular kind of cook who lights a bed of charcoal, walks away, and trusts the fire to do its work. You’re probably one of them, whether you’re chasing bark on a brisket or just want a Sunday pork shoulder that pulls apart cleanly. The picks below cover full standalone rigs, kettle-friendly add-ons, and portable options for tailgates and campsites. Read the whole list before deciding, since a $40 diffuser ring and an 800-square-inch pellet grill solve completely different problems.
A Quick View Of The Lineup
Vortex Small (in) Direct Cooking Charcoal Grill BBQ Accessory Cone
Kamado Joe Half-Moon Cast Iron Cooking Grate KJ-HCICG
onlyfire Charcoal Holder with Diffuser Ring
Pit Boss 500 FB2 Pellet Grill & Smoker
Pit Boss 150 Portable Pellet Grill & Smoker
Pit Boss 4-Burner Deluxe Fold & Go Portable Griddle
More Details On Our Top Picks
The Vortex Small is one of those simple gadgets that changes how a kettle behaves in a meaningful way. Drop it into your Weber Smokey Mountain or 22-inch kettle and the conical shape funnels lit coals into a tight tower at the center, giving you four distinct cooking zones without buying a second grill. In a backyard where you’ve already got a kettle you like, this is the cheapest way to unlock direct-searing power.
Where it really shines is for cooks who split time between low-and-slow ribs and hot-and-fast steaks. The cone holds enough fuel for a solid sear session, and the stainless body holds up to the heat cycles. For most owners, the appeal is avoiding the cost of a second grill just to get a hot zone.
Notable Gains
- Turns a kettle into a multi-zone cooker for a fraction of the cost of a dedicated grill
- Stainless steel construction that handles repeated high-heat sessions
- Small size fits Weber Smokey Mountain, Big Green Egg Large, and most 22-inch kettles
- Four-zone setup means wings on one side, steaks on another, without juggling charcoal placement
Trade Offs
- You’re still committed to owning a compatible kettle to get any value from it
- Cleaning ash out of the cone takes a few extra minutes compared to a plain charcoal basket
Built With In Mind
Kettle and WSM owners who already pull off indirect cooks and want a sear zone without buying a second grill.
Swap It Out When
You don’t yet own a kettle or WSM, in which case the Pit Boss 500 FB2 Pellet Grill & Smoker is a better starting point with full rig included.
The Kamado Joe KJ-HCICG is a half-moon replacement grate for the Classic Joe 18-inch series, and it addresses a real gap most kamado owners notice early: stock stainless grates don’t leave bold sear marks. Cast iron holds heat aggressively, so the moment a steak hits, you get the kind of crosshatch that defines a backyard cook’s pride. It’s a small surface swap with a noticeable payoff.
The half-moon shape is the smartest part, because it lets you run a mixed setup, cast iron on one side for searing, the regular grate on the other for veggies or thinner cuts. A grate lifter is included, which matters more than you’d think on a hot kamado where you don’t want to fish around with tongs.
Benefits That Matter
- Cast iron retains heat for the kind of deep sear most kamado grates can’t match
- Half-moon design lets you mix cast iron with the standard grate for zone cooking
- Included grate lifter keeps your hands clear of the kamado’s intense heat
Worth Noting
- Cast iron requires seasoning and oil after each cook to prevent rust
- Only fits the Classic Joe 18-inch series, so it won’t help owners of other kamado brands
Whose Shelf It Belongs On
Kamado Joe Classic Joe owners who want stronger sear marks and don’t mind the upkeep cast iron demands.
Consider Something Else When
You don’t already run a Classic Joe, in which case the Vortex Small Cone is a more universal upgrade for a wider range of kettles and kamados.
The onlyfire combo kit is a two-piece set: a charcoal basket that concentrates fuel along the kettle’s wall, plus a diffuser plate that sits above it to even out the heat. Together, they turn a Weber 22- or 26-inch kettle into something that behaves much more like a dedicated bullet smoker. For someone who already owns a kettle and wants to start doing long brisket cooks without buying a new rig, this is the most direct path.
The setup is well-known in the kettle-smoking community, and the onlyfire version is a widely available take on the snake-and-basket method. It keeps a steady low temperature over hours with a single charcoal load, which matters when you’re not keen on babysitting vents every twenty minutes.
Why It Works Well
- Diffuser plate evens out heat so a single load of charcoal runs low and slow for hours
- Charcoal basket concentrates fuel along the kettle wall for efficient burn
- Fits standard 22- and 26-inch Weber kettles without modification
- Far cheaper than buying a dedicated bullet smoker
Things To Consider
- Requires Weber kettle ownership to be useful at all
- Diffuser plate needs to be cleaned after each long cook to prevent ash buildup
- Doesn’t include a water pan, which some pitmasters prefer for humidity control
Key Attributes
Perfect Match For
Weber kettle owners ready to start smoking brisket, ribs, and pork shoulder without investing in a full smoker.
Look Elsewhere When
You want a true plug-and-play experience with digital controls, in which case the Pit Boss 500 FB2 Pellet Grill & Smoker is the better match.
The Pit Boss 500 FB2 Series is a pellet-fed grill that bridges traditional smoke flavor with digital control. You load the 5-pound hopper with wood pellets, set a temperature on the LCD controller between 180 and 500°F, and the auger handles fuel delivery while you handle the rest of your day. For someone who wants smoke without standing over a kettle all afternoon, this is the category entry point that makes sense.
The Flame Broiler slide plate is the trick that separates it from a pure smoker. Pull it open and you get direct flame exposure for searing, which means you can do a smoke-and-sear cook on the same 518 square inches of porcelain-coated grates. A meat probe is included for tracking internal temperature without lifting the lid.
Good Reasons To Consider
- Digital controller holds temperature steady without manual vent adjustment
- Flame Broiler plate converts indirect smoke to direct sear without switching grills
- Two-tier cooking area handles a full brisket plus ribs or chicken at the same time
- Meat probe included for hands-off internal temperature tracking
Honest Caveats
- Pellet grills need a dedicated power outlet and aren’t ideal in rain without cover
- Pellet consumption adds an ongoing fuel cost versus lump charcoal
- 5-pound hopper means long overnight cooks may require a refill
Feature Snapshot
Best Suited To
Backyard cooks who want real smoke flavor but prefer dial-in convenience over charcoal babysitting.
Skip It When
You need to take the cook on the road, since the Pit Boss 150 Portable Pellet Grill & Smoker is built for tailgates and travel.
The Pit Boss 150 is the smaller sibling of the FB2 Series, trimmed down for tailgates, campsites, and road trips. The lid latches shut, both handles fold out for carrying, and the 7-pound hopper gives you more cook time per fill than you’d expect from something this compact. For someone who wants pellet-grill flavor at the parking lot before kickoff, this is the form factor that finally works.
The same Flame Broiler plate shows up here, which is the surprise worth noting. Direct flame access in a portable pellet smoker is rare, and it means you can sear burgers after a low-and-slow smoke without bringing a second grill to the party.
Practical Pluses
- Latch-lock lid and folding handles make transport genuinely one-person doable
- Automatic start-up and cool-down cycles remove the manual lighting step
- 7-pound hopper outlasts the 500 FB2 for the same compact class
- Flame Broiler plate delivers direct sear access despite the small footprint
Points To Keep In Mind
- 256 square inches feeds roughly two to four people, not a full party
- Still requires a power outlet, so it’s not true off-grid cooking
Who Should Grab It
Tailgaters, campers, and small-family cooks who want pellet flavor away from home and have access to power.
A Better Fit Elsewhere
You cook for a full backyard crowd most weekends, where the Pit Boss 500 FB2 Pellet Grill & Smoker gives you nearly double the space.
The Pit Boss 4-Burner Deluxe Griddle rounds out the list as a charcoal-adjacent option, the propane-fired cousin to the smokers above. The Fold & Go frame collapses for transport and the hard cover protects the cooktop in transit, which solves the biggest headache with portable griddles. A hard cover is the difference between a griddle that lasts one season and one that lasts five.
Four separately controlled burners put out 62,000 BTU across 753 square inches of flat-top surface, so pancake breakfasts and smash burgers run side by side. It’s not a smoker, and that’s the point: some cooks want a charcoal rig for weekends and a propane griddle for fast weekday meals.
What Earns Its Place
- Hard cover protects the cooktop during transport and storage
- Four independently controlled burners let you run multiple temperatures at once
- 753 square inches fits a full breakfast spread for a small crowd
- Fold-and-go frame sets up and breaks down in minutes
Possible Compromises
- Propane tank adds a fuel piece charcoal users don’t have to manage
- Flat-top surface doesn’t deliver the smoke flavor the other picks on this list provide
Feature Rundown
Made For
Home cooks who already own a charcoal rig and want a fast, versatile propane option for breakfasts and weeknight meals.
Reach For A Different Pick When
Smoke flavor is the whole point of your cook, since the onlyfire Charcoal Holder with Diffuser Ring is built specifically for that purpose.
Picking The Right Charcoal Setup For Your Yard
The first thing worth settling is whether you want a full standalone rig or an upgrade to a grill you already own. Kettle and kamado owners often save real money by adding accessories rather than buying a second cooker. The Vortex cone and the onlyfire diffuser kit both unlock cooking styles their host grills can’t reach on their own.
If you’re starting fresh, think about how involved you want to be. Pellet grills like the Pit Boss 500 FB2 handle temperature for you once you dial it in, which matters if your weekends are full of kids’ games and errands. Lump charcoal and a kettle give you more control but ask for more attention, and that’s a fair trade for plenty of backyard cooks.
Portability is the third axis worth weighing. Tailgaters and campers should look hard at the Pit Boss 150 or the Fold & Go griddle depending on whether smoke or flat-top cooking matters more. Apartment dwellers with balcony space often find a kettle with a Vortex cone covers most of what they want without crowding a small footprint.
Key Considerations Across These Picks
Pitfalls Shoppers Hit
The most common mistake is buying a full-size rig when a $40 accessory would have solved the problem. Plenty of cooks already own a kettle capable of low-and-slow smoking with the right basket and diffuser, and they spend pellet-grill money without realizing it.
Another trap is underestimating pellet consumption. Pellet grills feel cheap to run per cook, but the hopper empties faster than expected on long brisket sessions. Plan refills into your cook timeline, especially for overnight projects.
Where The Extra Money Goes
Higher-tier pellet grills earn their cost with thicker grates, larger hoppers, and better controllers that hold temperature more precisely. The difference matters most for cooks who run eight-hour sessions weekly. Casual weekend users often find mid-tier models cover everything they need without the upgrade price.