You're excited to get the grill out and barbecue but before you get started you need to make sure that you have charcoal on-hand. I don't know about you, but when I was growing up, Kingsford charcoal was the brand that I saw at everyone's cookout.
However, these days you are likely to see a number of charcoal brands to choose from at your local hardware store and you might be wondering which one is the best.
I've done the hard work of comparing the briquets made by 5 popular brands so that you don't have to!
I looked at 4 factors:
• Cost
• Duration
• Temperature
• How Long To Get Clean Smoke
Watch the video to see which brand came out on top, the winner might surprise you!
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Does anyone else love his voice?
His voice is oozing with wisdom.
Very well done and a pleasure to watch. Thank you!
Great video!! Thank you for the information..
Thanks Ed, glad it was helpful!
Amazing video i definitely appreciate your time and dedication.
Thank you!
Great video. Love how u tested them all. I too get the kingsford from Costco. Does what I need it to do so I’ve been happy with it.
Thanks brother! Kingsford's deal at Costco looks like a runaway winner 😀
Loved the review! Surprised by the results.
Thank you! Which brand did you expect to come out on top?
@@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ Kingsford based on the low cost. Will definitely be checking out Royal Oak. (Now watching your lump charcoal review.)
Great video! Would love to see a similar video with lump i know hard to narrow it down so many brands these days. For briquettes I like to use the webber ones good bang for my buck
Thanks for letting me know that you'd like to see something similar with lump charcoal. I will put one together.
B&B orange bag is my go to
The more I use B&B, the more I like it too.
Excellent video, Kenyatta! You used very fair comparisons and provided meaningful results! I bbq/grill almost every night and have used each of the brands you tested. The durability and re-usability of the briquettes is very important to me, and I have found B&B to be much more useful for a second cook than the other brands. Other cooks may value a different quality in their briquettes! Thank-You for this very informative video!
Thanks Steve for sharing your insights about B&B..... that's good to know!
Excellent video! Really good editing to cram hours of burning into 26 minutes. Good method. The best TASTING briquets are Kingsford Professional, when you can find them on sale, IMHO. A marked difference in flavor. I could smell it right away after lighting off the cook. I have always used briquets in my Weber Performer but not in the KJ. After your video, I'm going to give it a shot in the KJ. You opened my mind up a little. Thanks again.
Great vid thanks
Thank you 😊
Thanks for the video! My go to charcoal is Kingsford. Mainly because my Daddy used it. 😎 I'm just getting back into backyard BBQ so I would grab what my Daddy used. I was pleased to see that it came in second.
Kingsford was the only charcoal brand that I ever saw while growing up. It’s still an all around great choice.
Thanks for the video. I like B&B most of the time but will add a little lump in the bottom of the LSG management basket and then pour 1/2 of a lighted chimney of B&B on top, 10 minutes later the wood goes on top and burns nice and clean. Seems to get the offset going pretty well.
Thanks for sharing.... I always use lump to get the fire started in my LSG. I've been using Fogo Super Premium the most but I'm going to do a similar test with other brands, including B&B's lump.
This is an awesome video that was done pretty fairly and equally. I've been a Kingsford guy for ages and I have tried B/B and RO a few times. But, I keep coming back to Kingsford because it's consistent, and I can find it at SAMS. But you're correct, there's nothing wrong with any of these you've tested. Thanks again for your time and efforts on such a long test.
Thanks Kevin
Thank you for the comparisons. I normally use B&B and as noted below there's always some left for a second burn. I recently tried Royal Oak when I found it at a big box store. I can't say it was bad, but I noticed the smoke coming off it at the initial lighting was excessive compared to any others I've used like Blues Hog, Jealous Devil, B&B and Kingsford.
Thanks for sharing your experience with the different brands.
Great and comprehensive video, as always I believe many of us are in the same boat with Kingsford and their professional briquettes, esp. if you do a lot of grilling and slow cooks, and are a suburbanite. I get some occasional broken or torn bags of briquettes and lump at work as well, at times, for a substantial discount. After working Memorial Day my wife made me drive to Lowes where she had seen some briquettes on sale. They had Royal Oak Super Size in ten pound bags for $5. I had to scoup up a bunch because I don’t always have to be super picky with the different things I cook on my grill and smoker. I have only used the Royal Oak once because I discovered I still had an open bag of Kingsford Professional. And unless I have doing a slows snake method, I use a cheap weed burner to get my charcoal going. Cheap weld on the weed burner so I had broken off halo piece that helps spread the flame. Sometimes I don’t get a great flame which was the case when using the Royal Oak, and it was harder to light/ get the big briquettes going. Their lump is excellent, and I had read the Royal Oak briquettes were I bit dirty burning compared to the Kingsford, and it certainly seemed the case getting them going. They burned along time before I had to cut all the air. Might be a bit better having a dirtier burn this winter when everyone else will be inside, but at 50 cents a pound for long burning charcoal, and not having to cook high temp pizzas, these will do just fine.
Thanks for the tip about Royal Oak's lump. I will try it as part of my lump charcoal test. I also use Kingsford Professional..... looks like I should have included it in the briquette test.
@@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ Too be honest, we all know the K. Professional burns quicker and hotter, so it would have been in a different class to the others. Having used other lump and watched a ton of lump videos, I was most impressed with the consistently big pieces of lump with the Royal Oak, and how they burned. Probably the best burning product I have used, but to be honest, others have tried more brands than I have. Cheers! Keep up the great work, and more importantly, stay the happy and positive person that I can tell you are. Ah, the change is seasons.
Thank you so much…. Enjoy the Fall season and smoke on!
That is very good to know. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Wow!!! That was an excellent designed experiment coming from someone who does Design of Experiments for a living. I would have liked if you considered ash accumulation along with burnout after 2 hrs. I find Kingsford produces much more ash than Band B along with burning out faster. I would have given Band B second with Royal being the winner. You are among my favorite BBQ teachers...I hope you continue to educate the masses.
Thanks for your feedback and your great suggestion about ash build-up….. I wish I had seen your suggestion sooner because I just finished filming another experiment with lump charcoal (it still needs to be edited). That’s a great point.
Very well produced 👌
Thank you!
Listened to this video on the way to town yesterday to get briquettes for my gravity smoker. Went with the royal oak, and when I woke up this morning my temp had nosedived, I couldn’t figure out why. Hopper was still half full, fan was blowing hard. Turns out the royal oak was clogging up the grate with large clumps of ash. I’ve been having to baby sit it and really give the grate a hard shake every half hour or so when the temp starts to dive. Will def be going back to B&B or even good ol blue. Never had that issue with either of those.
Thanks for sharing your experience. B&B and Kingsford are both solid & reliable brands. Sorry to hear that your experience with RO didn’t go well.
I normally use Kingsford Professional, mainly because I can get them on sale at Costco certain times of the year. They light easily, but I suspect they don’t last as long as the original.
Hi Richard, I also get Kingsford Professional occasionally from Costco. It's also my understanding that they are supposed to burn hotter than Kingsford original. I also think that they don't last as long as the original but I haven't verified it in a test.
I load up on Kingsford professional as well when Costco has a deal on it. My Costco only carries it during spring and summer.
That’s another good approach
Give B&B a try. You may like it better..
No way B&B is coming in 3rd place. That taste is unbeatable
The weights are in accurate because the chimneys are not fully on the scale. But it’s still great comparison video.
🏆 great video sir.
Great video! Thanks. I was wondering if you counted how many Royal Oak briquets fit in your chimney and how much that weighed. I've found that, here in Wisconsin, Royal Oak is far more cost-effective than Kingsford. For instance, Kingsford is on sale for $11.99 for a 16-lb bag ($0.75/lb), while Royal Oak's normal price is $8.49 for a 15.4-lb bag ($0.55/lb).
Thanks for your feedback. Unfortunately, I no longer have the specific notes that I took when I made the video (it was around 6 months ago). I recall that I tried fill up the chimney as best I could with each brand's briquettes. The briquettes differ in size by brand, so I knew that going strictly by the number of briquettes would not yield an apples to apples comparison. On hindsight, I should have put the briquettes in a bag for weighing as that would have allowed me to more evenly compare them by weight. I'm sure that the method that I used caused the weights to be off by a number of ounces from brand to brand. The environment wasn't controlled as the temperature outside and wind speed was slightly different for each head-to-head test so the results of my one test run definitely shouldn't be considered scientific but hopefully it helps give some points to consider when comparing brands. Ultimately, they all satisfy the #1 criteria which is to provide heat, therefore I think cost should be the main deciding factor. Not including sales prices, I think Royal Oak is consistently priced less than Kingsford.
My Walmart just started carrying Royal oak all natural briquets and also the super size briquets. I plan on trying both of them. Lately I have been using Cowboy briquets, which are pretty good I think. I also like Kingsford original. I am curious to try royal oak after seeing this video.
Sounds good, I think Royal Oak is a solid economic alternative.
Wich did you like best?
@@bigfoot1261 The one that is cheapest lol. Lately I’ve been leaning more towards B&B but I won’t overlook anything that is reputable and on sale.
Thank you so.much all that money just to test and post for us thank you again
Very welcome, glad it was helpful.
thanks for the info, did you ever try coconut shell briquettes, if yes does it give bad taste?
No, I don’t recall ever seeing coconut shell briquettes. Sounds interesting 🤔
Fogo briquets are made from coconut shells (2:07).
@@docclabo6350 Wow, I didn’t know that! That’s pretty interesting.
Unfortunately we do not have as good a choice in the UK, so as you have seen I tend to stick to Weber which are v good. I like Heat Beads but they are v difficult to light.
I haven’t gotten around to trying Weber’s briquettes and I had not heard of Heat Beads before. Thanks for sharing!
I like the cowboy brand charcoal, as well
Another vote for Cowboy….. thanks for weighing in.
Royal Oak ! They are the best I agree !!! Kingsford, I used to buy when it was on sale. It burns way too fast for me. I quit buying it 3 years ago. I put enough on the grill to get it to 350 or 375, threw chicken leg quarters or chicken on the grill, and before the chicken was done after about 45 minutes the grill was about 250 degrees. I had to add more charcoal and bring it back up and it took too much time. Royal Oak I get a constant temperature for about an hour to an hour and a half easily.
Thanks for sharing your positive experience with RO.
Am wondering on difference in: 1. Scent. 2. Composition. Is there any noticeable differences in these? Wasn't mentioned unless I missed it.
Great questions..... I wasn't actively trying to notice a difference in scent but I now know that Fogo is made with coconut shells so it would likely stand apart from the others. They held up pretty well in terms of composition but I'd say that Royal Oak was probably the brand that put the least effort into it if that makes sense. That being said, it didn't negative effect Royal Oak's performance.
Great Video. Question for everyone: I've tried several bags of B&B Orange Bag Oak, and for whatever reason it seems to give the food a weird taste. It's not necessarily bad, but it just taste weird to me. Anyone else experience this? I love B&B lump charcoal, but the briquettes taste weird to me... Never experienced this with Kingsford or Lump. Idk, got a bag of Royal Oak to try for the weekend at the lake.
I have not noticed a funny taste but I’m curious to learn if others have.
Sir if you don't mind/if you know can you tell me the chemical uses for making these briquettes??
I don’t know 🤷🏾♂️
I recently bought some Kirkland briquettes at Costco at $18.99 for 2 - 20lb bags. Just used it last night and was impressed. Wondering who makes it for Kirkland, my suspicion is that it is Royal Oak. It burns hot, smokes a little longer and looks the same as what you reviewed in this video. When I shut down my Weber Performer, there was a lot of fuel left. If Kirkland is Royal Oak, I'm happy with the Kirkland. Any insights?
I haven’t seen a definitive answer but most signs point to Kingsford. Many users say that it performs similar to Kingsford and Kirkland is known for rebranding popular brands. Costco has been carrying Kingsford charcoal for a long time so it wouldn’t be surprising if they expanded their relationship to include a rebrand.
Agree but I’d be surprised if Kingsford retooled for Costco. The briquettes have that Royal Oak dog bone shape. Not pillow like Kingsford.
I already know Royal Oak makes charcoal for a lot of other brands and stores.. They make charcoal for green egg, Walmart, Kroger, etc. Embers charcoal is also from Royal Oak. So I did some googling and found out they also make the charcoal for Kirkland brand. I'll definitely be stocking up next time I visit Costco.
Kenyatta - Wow! Glad you were able to verify the Costco/Royal Oak connection. I'm impressed with this product and plan to buy more next trip to Costco. Thanks again for verifying. You got the wheels turning with your review video. Otherwise, Royal Oak would not have been on my radar. Thank you so much for doing that test.
@@ernestpaul6444 Thanks for sharing that. Great info!
Great video. Ive been a B&B guy for charcoal and lump. Kingsford for me stays so smokey for so long, so ive strayed away from them. Also, random thought. Lately my weber charcoal starter rusts out quicker and quicker. Im tired of replacing the charcoal starter. I bit the bullet and bought a TMG starter basket, that has a lifetime warranty. Hasnt arrvied yet, but looking forward to it.
Thanks for the tip. I had to replace one of my Weber chimneys too. Now I have three of them. If they go bad quickly, then I will also look at alternatives.
Nice tip!
B&b briquettes only cost about $10 a bag at academy Sports. FYI. Ace hardware routinely sells the same product for $5 a bag more across almost the entire line.
The prices cited in the video were from awhile ago..... my local Ace in the Bay Area has it for $17.99 for 17.6 lb bag. I have never seen it for $5/bag..... wow.
I use to go with Kingsford OG and catch those sales, but nowadays, I usually run B&B comp oak or JD the most. I still do like OG Kingsford for smoking turkey, chicken, etc. I think that OG Kingsford with some apple chunks doesn't overpower the meat. When I use B&B comp oak, I think I get a pretty strong smoke flavor even on quick cooks like grilling chickien, links, etc.
I'm curious about the regular Kingsford vs the professional ones
Kingsford Professional burns hotter than the original and they are supposed to generate less ash. It’s also my understanding that the the professional burns out quicker than original.
Hey, I didn't see any blues hog charcoal in this lineup unless I missed something
You’re right, Blues Hog was not in this video.
I’m sticking w/ Kingsford 😊
Kingsford is definitely a solid & cost effective choice.
@@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ Thank You So Much for all your work & lessons I really appreciate you. 🙏✅Sending Well Wishes to You & Your Family 😊
Thank you, I sincerely appreciate your kind words & ongoing support.
Where did you get the charcoal cause those prices are ridiculous. It’s typically cheaper for all those brands
I bought Fogo on their website and the others at various stores in the Bay Area (Ace Hardware, Home Depot, OSH). Many things are most expensive here.
@@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ oh you are also in the bay. I just got good deals on clearance charcoal that’s hot I stumbled on your video. Like I got jealous devil 20lb of briquettes for $8 And b&b for $10
Wow, those are great prices. I hope you seriously loaded up!
Kingsford
Kingsford is a great choice.
After 15 years I have quit Royal Oak Lump. It’s just dust and chips. I’m all in for B&B. Plus it’s cheaper at Academy Sports.
Thanks for sharing your experience with Royal Oak
I agree. I never could understand why others were so in love with Royal lump
I'm a B&B man
If you use charcoal is that considered bbq? I’ve been going back and forth with this logic.
Absolutely. Charcoal is only a heat source. Smoke from wood splits or chunks adds flavor, like a spice.
Question? Why would ANYONE buy charcoal (or a grill) @ Ace Hardware? Ditto for Home Depot. Ever hear of Walmart??? Secondly Fyi charcoal briquettes ARE NOT what they were in the 1950,s & 60's! Remembering dad used them, 3 days later the grill was still hot! Last time I tried briquettes, they had a "core" that would not burn! Some kind of inert non combustible filler? At any rate natural lump works for me! I put my chimney on my gas stove under the range hood on high to light, only takes a few minutes, carry it outside holding a plate under the chimney,
Thanks for sharing your insights. Ace Hardware is a great place to buy a grill. They offer free assembly, delivery, and they will also take your old grill away if you want. There are some fantastic briquette brands on the market but like you, some prefer to use lump. I have a similar comparison video out for lump. kzhead.info/sun/i8lmeLmAiJxtrHA/bejne.htmlsi=cFBPIeH70aSBJqNe
@@BackyardSmokeMasterBBQ Good points, I was only referring to price point, obviously for some, paying for the extra convince, is worth the extra money! Still sticking by I don't believe briquettes are what they were 60 years ago, (what is?) they used to burn 3 days, and were a perfect briquette shape grey ash, that when you touched disintegrated, 100% combustion.....
@edpritchard3001 5 months ago Great video!! Thank you!
Thanks!