Everyone loves to barbecue their food, but they do not have enough space for a large charcoal grill. In this case, one should invest in small charcoal grills.
It is an ideal solution for those who want to enjoy grilling without taking up too much space.
A mini charcoal grill is perfect if you’re going on a summer BBQ with friends because it’s small and easily transportable. You can take the grill to the park or beach.
If you’re looking for a new grill, you’ve probably already narrowed your options to a few brands. But if you want to make sure you’re buying the best mini charcoal grills in the market, then this article is for you.
We’ve waded through numerous reviews and compiled a list of the best small charcoal grills for you.
Our Top Pick For Small Charcoal Grill
The Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill is our best pick for a mini charcoal grill. Thanks to its versatile design, affordable price, and smart lid option.
Further, if you can broaden your budget then PK GRILLS Dual Zone Premium Charcoal Grill is your best bet. It has the sleekest cart design with high temperature retaining capacity.
Well, there are more best options out there.
Let’s dig into the detailed overview of each!
6 Top Picks For The Best Small Charcoal Grill
If this is your first time using a mini charcoal grill, then you should know that many models are on the market today.
For apartment-friendly small pellet grills check out 7 Best Apartment Friendly Pellet Grill.
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They offer different features that can make your cooking experience more enjoyable. The following are the six best mini charcoal grills with their key features in the market:
1. Best Overall – Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill
Features
- Fuel: Charcoal lump or briquette
- Weight: 18 pounds
- Total cooking area: 240 square inches
- Product dimensions: 19.7″H x 19.7″W x 20.5″D
- Warranty: 10-year rust
Why We Love It
The Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill is a great way to start grilling. It has an 18 inches wide cooking area that can make your grilling experience a breeze.
In addition, the mini grill has an astonishing Tuck N Carry lid that can be closed quickly and makes it easily portable.
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The grill has two grates, one for coal briquettes and the other for your food. Below is a removable ash catcher to keep your grill clean.
The steel construction ensures that this grill will last for years. It’s super easy to assemble, and the company offers a 3D guide to assembling it through their application.
The Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill is a mini charcoal grill that offers excellent value for money. It’s made of stainless steel and is easy to move around.
It has a heavy-duty cooking area that can accommodate up to eight burgers at one time.
In addition, the grill has a unique charcoal chimney and vents, which maintains the temperature and makes it easier to cool down.
What To Look Out For
Some users are not fond of their ashtray much. They suggested it should be enclosed.
The weber jumbo joe charcoal grill has an open ashtray that makes it tricky to remove and place it back. This causes ash to blow up everywhere.
The other thing you need to know about this mini charcoal grill is that you must have your temperature probe while using it.
These two drawbacks aren’t much to put you off from this beauty.
This mini charcoal grill tops the charts in terms of price and durability. So buy it today and enjoy grilling!
2. Best Tabletop Small Charcoal Grill – Kamado Char-Griller AKORN Jr
Features
- Fuel: Charcoal lump or briquette
- Weight: 33 pounds
- Total cooking area: 153 square inches
- Product dimensions: 20″H x 20″W x 26″D
- Warranty: 5-year rust
Why We Love It
The Char-Griller AKORN is another great choice for people looking for a small charcoal grill. It has an exquisite cauldron shape that gives it a distinctive look.
It can easily be stored in the kitchen or garage. It features triple-walled insulation and a firmly sealed gasket ring.
This allows maximum heat retention and high efficacy of the grill.
The Char-Griller is the perfect choice for anyone who wants to put their own spin on the barbecue.
This grill has a built-in thermometer that lets you know when the temperature of your food is correct, so you can focus on other things while you’re cooking.
Furthermore, the specially designed damps can elevate the temperature to 700 degrees Fahrenheit which seems impossible with any other mini charcoal grill.
This premium small charcoal grill has many features that stand out from other models today. It comes with a detachable ashtray with a versatile temperature control system.
This allows you to cook just about any type of food at any time of day or night.
This model is also handy to clean and can last for years!
What To Look Out For
This mini charcoal grill can light up any camping site or tailgating party.
Ensure to prevent food from sticking because the cast iron grates aren’t coated.
In addition, use thick oven mitts or high-quality welding gloves to grab the super-hot handles.
3. BEST VALUE CHARCOAL GRILL – Super Pro Black Barrel 30-Inch Charcoal Grill — CHAR-GRILLER
Features
- Fuel: Charcoal lump or briquette
- Weight: 103.4 pounds
- Total cooking area: 830 square inches
- Product dimensions: 42″H x 29″W x 50″D
- Warranty: 1-year parts
Why We Love It
If you want to give your food a nice char and perfect texture, look no further than the Super Pro Black Barrel 30-Inch Charcoal Grill from CHAR-GRILLER.
It’s a compact unit that can be folded up for easy storage and transportation.
In addition, it has an easy-to-clean surface, making it ideal for RV use or camping trips where space is limited.
This humble grill features four cast iron grates, but they are light in weight and easily maneuverable.
On top of that, the area of 850 square inches is ideal for large backyard gatherings.
If you are a die-hard smoker, you can upgrade your mini charcoal grill by adding an offset smoker box.
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The ash pan under the grates makes cleaning up hassle-free.
Moreover, you don’t need extra coals to burn because the double steel walls are efficient enough to retain heat for 5 hours.
The chimney also helps in viable air flow through which you can maintain temperature and cook food exactly how you like it!
What To Look Out For
Super pro-black is known for its versatility, but some users have complained that the lid doesn’t fit appropriately.
Furthermore, the assembling instructions might confuse you, so we recommend seeing any youtube tutorial before assembling it.
4. Best Price— Cuisinart CCG-100 GrateLifter Tabletop Charcoal Grill
Features
- Fuel: Charcoal lump or briquette
- Weight: 23 pounds
- Total cooking area: 240 square inches
- Product dimensions: 17.70″H x 18.50″W x 15.40″D
- Warranty: 3-year warranty
Why We Love It
The Cuisinart CCG-100 GrateLifter tabletop Charcoal Grill is perfect for grilling and smoking food.
It’s got everything you need, from the dual-zone cooking system to a large enough grate to accommodate up to 6 burgers or steaks at once.
Its novel cooking grate lifting system distinguishes it from other mini charcoal grills.
As a result, you don’t need to touch the dirty grill to access the charcoal bed.
It also has a perfectly designed ash collection bin that lets you cook food effortlessly.
In addition, it has a handy integrated temperature gauge that displays the precise internal temperature.
Moreover, the porcelain-coated, heat-resistant steel lids and double vents allow a durable and firm heat supply. Lastly, the lightweight build makes it easy to carry anywhere.
So now make this mini charcoal grill your partner, whether you are tailgating before the big game, gazing at stars on a camping site, or planning a backyard BBQ party.
What To Look Out For
The slight flaw of this grill is the thinness of its grates.
This makes it difficult to hold the heavy meat at once. But, other than that, it is pretty cool to use and a solid choice among other small charcoal grills.
5. MOST VERSATILE CHARCOAL GRILL — PK Grills PKO-SCAX-X Charcoal Grill and Smoker Combo
Features
- Fuel: Charcoal lump or briquette
- Weight: 45 pounds
- Total cooking area: 300 square inches
- Product dimensions: 16″H x 35.5″W x 35″D
- Warranty: 1-year warranty
Why We Love It
The Grill and Smoker– PK GRILLS Dual Zone Premium Charcoal Grill is an excellent choice if you want to prepare some delicious barbecue meals on your patio or deck.
It features a vast 300 square inches area that allows you to cook more significant cuts of steak or even a full-size turkey.
The best feature is its versatility.
Its body is made of cast aluminum with no joints, giving it an impeccable, lasting finish.
This grill also comes with a side table with storage space underneath it so that you can keep your food cold while eating it outdoors!
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The Pk Grills Grill and Smoker feature dual zone cooking. This grill can easily reach high grilling to low, slow smoking.
Lastly, it has sturdy removable wheels, making it an ideal fit for decks or patios.
What To Look Out For
The grill is not supplied with an ash catcher, making cleaning difficult. Furthermore, it is a bit pricey and doesn’t even have an internal temperature control.
6. BEST COMPACT SMALL CHARCOAL GRILL — Lodge Sportsman Pro Cast Iron Grill
Features
- Fuel: Charcoal lump or briquette
- Weight: 33.2 pounds
- Total cooking area: 156 square inches
- Product dimensions: 19.38″H x 9.69″W x 7.56″D
Why We Love It
The Lodge Sportsman Pro Cast Iron Charcoal Grill is another great choice if you want to prepare some delicious barbecue meals on your patio or deck.
The grill has a sturdy design and can last for years.
It is made with high-quality cast iron which is seasoned with vegetable oil.
The amazing feature of this small charcoal grill is its separate and adjustable draft door. There is also a flip-down door so you can keep the coals as per your need.
This makes you easily grill the brisket on low heat and the vegetables to set up the long tailgating parties.
The grill also features cast iron grates that give it a modest appearance.
The grill is also equipped with ashtrays that hold all the mess.
This provides hassle-free cleaning. The lodge sportsman pro grill is worth every penny you spend on it. It’s light in weight and durable and you can cook perfect hibachi-style meals on it anywhere
What To Look Out For
The lodge Sportsman Pro is the cheapest and sturdiest small charcoal grill on this list.
However, the legs of this grill become super hot so it’s not recommended to keep it on a plastic table.
Moreover, you need to be extra conscious while protecting it.
Best Small Charcoal Grill– Buying Guide:
When you want to enjoy a great meal outdoors and don’t want to worry about refilling your propane tank and cleaning up the mess, then a mini charcoal grill is for you!
Without a doubt, there are many brands out there, but not all of them are made equal. In fact, some of the better brands will cost you more than others do.
However, if you follow some simple guidelines, then you will be able to get the best mini charcoal grills for your money.
Here are some important things that you need to consider before buying any grill:
Size:
The size of the grill should also play a role in which model you choose.
A larger grill will have more space inside it, so it will be easier to cook different types of food at once without having them overlap each other too much; on the other hand, smaller models tend to be cheaper because they don’t have as much space inside them.
So if space isn’t an issue, then go ahead and buy one with more sizes available!
Durability:
The grill has to withstand rough use for many years. Hence it would be wise for you to buy something with good build quality so as not to have problems later down the line when it gets old and breaks down on you.
Ease of cleaning:
You should also consider how easy it is to clean after each cooking session. Make sure that there isn’t any build-up of debris or ash left behind from previous meals burned on top of your grill’s surface.
Accessories:
Check whether any other features like grill plates and other accessories are included inside its package because some models come with these accessories while others don’t.
Check reviews:
Fortunately, many reviews about different products are available online nowadays so that people who want to buy them know what they need before buying them.
This can help them make an informed decision about what product they should buy before purchasing from the market.
Wrap Up:
The best mini charcoal grills are a great way to get your food started, but they can also be used for a wide variety of other purposes.
For example, they can be a showstopper for tailgating parties, Halloween decorations, and camping.
If you want to feed 3-4 people and are looking for a sturdy yet versatile grill, then we recommend you buy Weber Jumbo Joe Charcoal Grill.
Moreover, you can consider buying PK GRILLS Dual Zone Premium Charcoal Grill if you are in search of a premium portable charcoal grill.
We hope this article has helped you decide which charcoal grill is ideal for you.
Just make sure to identify your needs before buying anything. Thanks for giving it a read! Have a lovely shopping experience!
I am a writer, editor, and publisher of Grillcuisines.com – an online blog dedicated to sharing grilling tips, accessories, and recipes to encourage more people to get outside and grill.
I’m off to find out the different types of grill foods, their seasons, and how to conduct outdoor cooking properly. I’ll also show you some of my grill-worthy cooking tools & accessories!
