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The 7 Best Lump Charcoals in 2022

Find the right kind of charcoal for your grill

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The Spruce Eats / Chloe Jeong

No summer party is complete without a backyard BBQ! When it's time to fire up your charcoal grill, you're going to need fuel to get it going, and in general, you're going to have to choose between briquette and lump charcoal. While briquette charcoal is commonly sold in stores, many grilling enthusiasts prefer lump charcoal, which is made by burning hardwood pieces in an airtight environment to remove moisture, sap, and more. The resulting charcoal makes for consistent fires that are easy to control.

If you're ready to give this type of charcoal a try, here are the best lump charcoals to cook with on the grill.

Courtesy of Amazon

What We Like

• Flavor is smooth and mild

• Packaging keeps pieces dry

• Lights quickly and heats consistently

What We Don't Like

• Expensive

One of the top-selling points for this charcoal is the re-designed bag that protects the charcoal better in shipping, so there are larger pieces and less dust and residue. It's a small thing, but it makes a difference when the fire hits the coal.

The coal itself is made from South American hardwood that users say is similar to oak but lacking the unpleasant bitterness that sometimes creeps in. With a smooth and mild flavor, you don't have to worry about the coal overpowering your food, even with long, slow cooking. The wood is purposely selected for coal making and is hand-cut and hand-fired in brick kilns built on-site for that purpose. The largest and most intact lumps are sold to ensure a consistent product in each bag.

This wood also sparks less than some other types, so it's a bit safer and less dramatic to light and use.

Wood Type: South American hardwood | Weight: 35 lbs.

What Our Experts Say

"When you're buying lump charcoal, look for brands that prominently contain 100 percent hardwoods. The pieces should be between the size of a golf ball and a tennis ball, and you want to avoid brands where the bags contain lots of charcoal dust and pea-sized pieces, as they can hinder airflow." – Paul Sidoriak of Grilling Montana

Courtesy of Walmart

What We Like

• Easy to light

• Burns very hot

• Affordable

What We Don't Like

• Quality is inconsistent

Royal Oak Hardwood Lump Charcoal is affordable and is great for new users who are just getting used to the fuel, and it's also popular with experienced grillers who like the smoky flavor. The charcoal is made from American oak and hickory hardwood.

It offers more smoke than other brands, can be easier to light, and burns slightly faster. Some users have found that the quality can be inconsistent with bits of rock or metal appearing in the bottom of the bag, although many other users have had no issues at all.

Wood Type: American oak and hickory hardwood | Weight: 15.4 lbs.

Courtesy of Walmart

What We Like

• Easy to light and burns long

• Pleasant flavor

• Eco-friendly

What We Don't Like

• Inconsistent quality

While not the least expensive lump charcoal you can buy, this is highly rated by users. Buying multiple bags at a time often reduces the price-per-item significantly, so it's a great value for those who will be barbecuing a lot of chicken legs during grilling season. It has consistently been voted the best by websites and chefs, and it's often used by competitive barbecue teams.

This charcoal is made from hardwoods harvested in Missouri and includes oak and hickory as the majority of the product, along with some maple, cherry, and pecan wood. This boasts a rich aroma from woods that offer a desirable flavor in the smoke, adding a pleasant taste to the food. The wood is not purposely cut for charcoal. Instead, it is leftover wood that was cut for other uses, so it's better for the environment as well as for your grill.

Wood Type: Oak, hickory, maple, and pecan | Weight: 20 lbs.

Courtesy of Walmart

What We Like

• Burns hot and long

• Smoky flavor with no off-notes

• Made from renewable resources

What We Don't Like

• Some say there are too many small chips in a bag

Made from a mix of hardwoods, including oak, hickory, and mesquite, this is a great charcoal for folks who are just starting to dabble with lump charcoal and for all those times when premium charcoal isn't needed. While it's not the least expensive lump charcoal you'll find, the price is reasonable for everyday grilling, whether it's burgers, ribs, or a roast.

This charcoal burns hot and fast when needed for excellent searing and has the longevity required for low and slow cooking. It imparts a smoky flavor to food without any off-notes for the perfect grilling experience every time. Kind to the environment, this is made from all-natural wood that has been charred. It comes in a 20-pound bag, so there's plenty for family grilling and parties.

Many customers are happy with the quality of the charcoal and that it burns very hot, but some say they found a lot of small-sized bits in the bag that either burn too quickly or fall through the grate.

Wood Type: Oak, hickory, and mesquite | Weight: 20 lbs.

Courtesy of Walmart

What We Like

• Burns long

• Produces minimal sparking

• Easy to control temperature

What We Don't Like

• Smaller pieces than expected

Harder Lump Charcoal is made from a South American Quebracho wood nicknamed "axe-breaker." Wood for this charcoal is harvested without cutting down any living trees, making it very eco-friendly. It works well for any charcoal grill, but specifically for kamado-style grills, like the Big Green Egg, Kamado Joe, and others, that retain heat for long, low-and-slow cooking as well as high-heat applications.

This charcoal produces minimal sparking for safer lighting and grilling and minimal smoke while imparting just the right flavor. It is sold as a 33-pound bag, so you'll have plenty for grilling, family dinners, and parties. Users complimented it for its responsiveness to airflow changes for heat control and the long-lasting fire for slow cooking.

Wood Type: South American Quebracho wood | Weight: 33 lbs.

Courtesy of Amazon

What We Like

• Burns clean with flavorful smoke

• Includes many large chunks

• Comes in a box that's easy to store

What We Don't Like

• Some lumps are too big and have to be broken down

Made from Guayacan, Guayaibi, Mistal, and White Quebracho hardwoods ("axe-breakers") from Argentina, this wood is roasted in outdoor ovens to create the lump charcoal. The result is clean-burning wood with flavorful smoke.

Packed in a box rather than a bag to protect the charcoal during shipping, according to users, this includes pieces in various sizes, with large, medium, and small pieces filling the box. While some users prefer to use all large pieces for long cooking sessions, the smaller pieces light faster and are great for quick-cooking foods like steaks and burgers since there's no need to extinguish large pieces to save them for later cooking.

Wood Type: Guayacan, Guayaibi, Mistal, and White Quebracho | Weight: 30 lbs.

Courtesy of Ace Hardware

What We Like

• Gives food superior flavor

• Lights easily

• Different size chunks

What We Don't Like

• Not ideal for long smoking sessions

If you want to impart the most flavor into your steaks, ribs, and other grilled foods, the FOGO Premium Lump Charcoal is well-regarded for its superior flavor. This lump charcoal is made from hardwood oak trimmings with no additional ingredients added, and you can definitely tell the difference in the taste of your food.

This lump charcoal lights up easily and is generally hot enough to grill in 15 minutes. It provides a long burn time that's ideal for everyday grilling and short smoking sessions, and its pieces come in two different sizes. Majority of the pieces are medium-sized pieces, and the remaining are small pieces.

Wood Type: Oak | Weight: 17.6 lbs.

Final Verdict

We chose the Jealous Devil All Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal (view at Amazon) for the top spot due to its smooth, inoffensive flavor and how quickly and consistently it heats up. Plus, it doesn't spark as much as other products. If you're on a budget or are new to charcoal grilling, go for the Royal Oak All Natural Hardwood Lump Charcoal (view at Amazon). It's easy to light, burns hot, and produces a great smoky flavor.

What to Look for When Buying Lump Charcoal

Sources and Quality

Make sure the lump charcoal is made of hardwood that was sourced sustainably. In terms of quality, good lump charcoal is composed of hardwood with no fillers, additives, or binders. There also shouldn't be a lot of sparks.

Flavor

A bag of lump charcoal typically consists of a mixture of hardwoods (usually oak, beech, and ash) as opposed to one species. But different hardwood species provide distinct flavor profiles. Lighter woods, such as maple, impart a sweeter flavor, which is better for cooking white meat. Darker woods (oak and hickory) impart a stronger flavor that's ideal for red meat. Remember that it's difficult to find single-species lumps; you'll usually find them in the form of briquettes.

Burning Temperature

Each species of hardwood lump charcoal burns at different temperatures. For example, apple burns at 1190 degrees, while maple burns at 1200. This means you'll have to vent your fire differently depending on the makeup of your charcoal, so take this into account.

Size

High-quality bags of lump charcoal will have mostly large, uniform wood-shaped pieces; the larger they are, the longer and hotter they burn. Also, be mindful of the amount of charcoal dust at the bottom of the bag; these are useless for grilling and can cause excessive sparking.

FAQs

How do you light lump charcoal?

There are several methods you can use to light lump charcoal for your grill. Perhaps the easiest option is using a charcoal chimney, which uses crumpled newspaper to get the charcoal going. However, other options include stacking the charcoal in a pyramid, using lighter fluid to start the fire, or employing an electric charcoal starter.

How long does lump charcoal burn?

Lump charcoal tends to burn hotter and faster than charcoal briquettes, but the exact burn time will vary depending on how you're cooking. On an open grill, you'll likely get around 45 minutes to an hour of burn time with lump charcoal, but the fuel may last significantly longer in a closed smoker.

How do you use a chimney starter with lump charcoal?

Chimney starters are a handy tool when it comes to lighting charcoal, and they're surprisingly easy to use. All you have to do is place a few pieces of crumpled newspaper or lighter cubes underneath the chimney, then put charcoal inside the metal tube. Light the newspaper on fire with a lighter, then leave the chimney to work its magic. In about ten minutes, your charcoal will be lit, and you can transfer it into your grill for cooking.

Why Trust The Spruce Eats?

When it comes to charcoal-grilled burgers and home-smoked bacon, you can bet The Spruce Eats writer and cookbook author Donna Currie knows her stuff. Check out reviews on two charcoal-burning products she's tested for us that got high marks: the Char-Griller AKORN Kamado Charcoal Grill and the Weber Smokey Mountain 18-Inch Smoker.

The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

1. Illinois Sustainable Technology Center Prairie Research Center. Charcoal vs. Gas – A Sustainability Question.

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Source: https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-lump-charcoals-4584186

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