We browsed all the best lump charcoal available in the market and compiled our best picks into the following list. Looking forward to buying some charcoal for your upcoming BBQ event? Take a look at the following reviews.
Table of Contents
Best Lump Charcoals
| Image | Best Lump Charcoals | Rating |
|---|---|---|
 | 1. Jealous Devil Lump Charcoal | 99% |
 | 2. Royal Oak Lump Charcoal | 96% |
 | 3. Fogo Premium Lump Charcoal | 92% |
 | 4. Harder Charcoal Natural Lump Charcoal | 89% |
 | 5. Cowboy Lump Charcoal | 85% |
Want to learn more?
Here are our best lump charcoals’ reviews.
1. Jealous Devil Lump Charcoal
Jealous devil tops the list of best charcoals because of its superb quality hardwood and taste. Its packing is so efficient that it protects the charcoal inside for longer periods. It has less dust in the bottom, which avoids sparking, and the pieces of coal in the jealous devil are rather larger, which allows the coal to burn longer and hotter. Some people do not care about the size of the pieces, but it matters quite a lot when a fire hits the charcoal. It is manufactured from South American hardwoods that, according to some users, is similar to oak.
Oak is sometimes known for its bitter taste and aroma, but it is not the case with jealous devil lump charcoal. Even if you cook slowly for a long time, it will maintain its mild and smooth taste and will not overpower the taste of your dish. The hardwood is purposely extracted (hand-cut and hand-fired) for the making of coal. This hardwood gets high density from the Blanco tree, which adds a smoky flavor to your BBQ. This coal is also safe from sparking and is easy to use and light. This jealous devil lump charcoal is best for grilling because of its sweet, almost burnt aroma.
Why do we like it?
- It can reach a temperature of 1172 degrees Fahrenheit
- Mild and smooth flavor
- Perfect for charcoal grilling
2. Royal Oak Lump Charcoal
Royal Oak’s charcoal is manufactured in the USA. It is purely made from maple, oak, and hickory and contains zero additives and chemicals. These coals are easy to burn, taking around 15-20 minutes to reach a high cooking temperature. The coal can also retain heat for longer periods than most of the others. One of the most noticeable features of Royal Oak lump charcoal is that it produces just a little ash during burning.
Royal Oak charcoal is pocket-friendly and is preferred for those who are new to grilling and smoking. Some reviews highlight the defect in quality, bits of metal and rocks appearing with the charcoal. On the other hand, other users don’t seem to have any problem at all.
Why do we like it?
- Can reach high temperatures
- Easy to burn
- Affordable
3. Fogo Premium Lump Charcoal
Fogo produces charcoal that consists of all-natural hardwood. Most chefs prefer all-natural hardwood when asked about charcoal. It is usually made from oak or maple. Which makes it one of the most reliable lump charcoal in the market. It gets full points when talking about the size of the charcoal pieces. The large chunks of charcoal ensure longer burning. Fogo claims that almost 80% of pieces present in the packaging exceed a size of four inches.
The larger pieces enable the coal to burn at higher temperatures, making the Fogo charcoals even more versatile. They can be utilized in Kamado grills because they too require high temperatures. Unlike the chemical briquettes, the natural hardwood used in Fogo charcoal adds a beautiful smoky flavor to your BBQ. It can go with other delicate foods like vegetables and fish because of its natural and versatile taste. You also don’t even have to worry about your flavor being altered because of the smoky flavor of this charcoal.
Why do we like it?
- Differently-sized pieces
- Easy to burn
- Gives a smoky flavor to your BBQ
4. Harder Charcoal Natural Lump Charcoal
Lump charcoal from Harder Charcoal is manufactured from a special type of wood known as “Axe breaker” because of its hardness. This is greatly preferred for Kamado style grills, like Kamado Joe, Big Green egg, and others that can store heat longer. You don’t have to worry about the sparking when using this charcoal, resulting in safer lighting and grilling.
The package arrives in a size of around 33 pounds carrying large chunks of coal, which means the pieces can retain heat for longer and cook at higher temperatures. A single pack can provide you enough for family dinners, winter grilling, summer grilling, and parties. The charcoal can reach high temperatures in just a little span of 15 minutes. It is also cleaner than some other charcoals and doesn’t leave dust and residue at the bottom of the pack.
Why do we like it?
- Doesn’t cause much sparking
- Burns for longer periods
- Preferred for Kamado style grills
5. Cowboy Lump Charcoal
Cowboy is a great choice for people who are new to lump charcoal. It is made up of hardwoods like oak, hickory, maple. It is also very pocket-friendly and perfectly fits your needs if you do the occasional grilling. The charcoal tends to reach higher temperatures quickly. It can retain the temperature for longer periods, providing you with the facility to cook and low and slow with it as well.
It makes your grilling experience perfect by adding a touch of smoky flavor to your BBQ. Cowboy lump charcoal comes in a package of 20 pounds which is usually enough for family grilling and parties. Some reviews indicate that the pieces of charcoal inside the bag are too small sometimes, that it is almost impossible to burn them.
Why do we like it?
- 100% pure hardwood, no additives
- Smoky flavor with no off-notes
- Pocket friendly
Lump Charcoal Buyer’s Guide
Choosing the right charcoal to enhance the taste of your dishes can be a difficult task. It would be best to consider some things before buying a charcoal product to make sure you are buying the finest choice for your needs. When you have a look on a store’s shelf containing lump charcoal, you will see a variety of them. Which can confuse you.
You need to ask yourself first to know what things you are expecting from the charcoal. Following are some aspects you can consider before buying a lump charcoal.
Size of the Charcoal
Size alters the burning time of your charcoal. The larger the pieces of the charcoal, the hotter and longer they will burn. High-quality bags usually contain large-sized pieces of charcoal. Smaller pieces take longer to burn, and sometimes when the hardwood is not good, they don’t even burn. So it is better that you opt for the packs with larger pieces of charcoal. You also need to consider the amount of charcoal dust that settles at the bottom as it can cause excessive sparking.
Burning Temperature
Different types of hardwood entertain different temperatures. For example, maple burns at 1200 degrees. Apple can burn at a slightly lower temperature than maple, i.e.1190 degrees. You need to take burning temperatures into account because not all the coal will work at the same temperature on your stove. So choose the hardwood that goes with the temperature agreement of your kitchen.
Quality and Source
Quality is dependent on where the charcoal was extracted from. It would be best if you looked for the source of hardwood which is usually visible on the packaging. Good charcoal is composed of 100% pure hardwood with no additives. The higher the quality of the hardwood in your charcoal, the better your charcoal will burn. A lot of sparking is not preferred either.
Flavor
A packet of lump charcoal does not contain a single component. It is enclosed with a mixture of hardwoods like ash, oak, and beech. All these components give a different taste to your BBQ. For example, maple imparts a light and sweet flavor to your dish. Maple is an example of lighter woods and is preferred for dishes containing white meat. Darker woods like oak and hickory are preferred for red meat as they impart a stronger flavor. It is usually hard to get a single-specie lump. They are available in the form of briquettes.
Price
Price is something that a customer looks at very first before buying anything. Lump charcoals are not usually that high in price. Today, a variety of charcoal is available for a few dollars. It goes without saying that the price of the product varies with its quality. You do not want to save those few dollars and get poor-quality charcoal that could ruin the taste of your dish. Either you spend more money and buy good quality charcoal or buy a cheaper one and cry later when the coal doesn’t even burn properly.
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