Best Kettle Charcoal Barbecues – from affordable to premium

Samuel J Tan BBQ, Home & Kitchen, Kitchen 0

The sun is out, time to bring out your barbecue and if yours is in need of an update, check out our best kettle based charcoal BBQ. There is one to fit every budget.

We take a look at some of the best Kettle Charcoal BBQs in the market right now.

Table of Contents

Why Choose a Kettle Barbecue

Unlike an open grill, you have the versatility of operating a kettle barbecue as an open grill or with the lid closed. When closed, the barbecue acts like a convection oven, circulating heat around the food and not just grilling the food as in the case of an open barbecue.

More Ways Than One

Cooking with a kettle barbecue is more fun. This is not just your typical open grill barbecue. You can use it for:

Grilling – your standard cooking method, just place the meat on the cooking grill
Roasting – a stand accessory for poultry is available
Casserole – simply use your oven proof stoneware
Baking bread and cakes
Bake pizza (with the right accessories e.g. stone base and wooden pizza paddle)

With a kettle barbecue, food stays juicy and aromatic, and if you are adventurous like me, you can add even add more flavour to your meat by using one of the many smoking wood chips you can now buy from your local garden center or shops.

Smoking Wood Chip Options

Here are some of the most common smoking wood chips you can use to enhance the flavour of your meat or fish.

Hickory Wood Chip
Apple Wood Chip
Mesquite Wood Chips
Cherry Wood Chip
Whisky Wood Chip (incl. Jack Daniels and Bourbon)
Beech Wood Chip

What to Look For in a Kettle Barbecue

So if you are in the market for a new kettle BBQ, here are some of the features you might be interested in:

Overall size and size of cooking surface or grill. Kettle barbecue are typically round and a good measure of its size is the diameter. This translate directly to the cooking area and portions of food with typical sizes as below:
- Small: around 37 cm (3-4 portions)
- Medium: around 47 cm (4-6 portions)
- Large: around 57 cm (up to 9 portions)
porcelain-enamelled lid with integrated thermometer and adjustable air vent to control air ventilation
porcelain-enamelled bowl with adjustable air vent at the bottom together with air vent on the lid allow air flow
heat proof handles, wooden or insulated handles with protective heat shield
receptacle for ash or ash plate to catch any ash or embers that falls through the air vent in the bowl
additional grill level(s), only available on bigger kettle barbecue, usually on mounted lids with grill folding and unfolding as you close or open the lid.
mounted/anchored or removable lid with hook
wheels, base storage shelf, side shelf(s) for storing and preparing food
optional accessories: pizza oven stacker, protective cover, chimney or charcoal starter, tools

Best Kettle Charcoal BBQs

From cheap and affordable to down-right expensive, there is a kettle BBQ to fit every pocket and with the range of sizes, there is one to fit every family too.

Cheap and Affordable Kettle BBQs

1. Redwood Leisure 18-inch Kettle Barbecue

Enamelled bowl and lid with ventilation controls, ash catcher
Removable Lid
Dimensions: H 76.2 cm D 45.7 cm
Diameter of Cooking Area: 41.7cm

2. Landmann 43.5cm Kettle Charcoal Barbecue

Enamelled lid anf fire bowl with ventilation controls, ash catcher
Removable Lid
Dimensions: H 71 cm, L 49 cm, D 44.5 cm
Diameter of Cooking Area: 41.5cm

3. Bentley Round Metal Coated 22-inch Kettle Charcoal Barbecue

Coated lid and bowl with ventilation controls, ash catcher
Removable Lid with clip to hang on the side of the BBQ
L66 x W58 x H88.5cm,
Diameter: 56cm

Also consider a smaller Bentley Stainless Steel 17-inch

Dimensions: Bowl – Dia. 43 x H16cm, cooking height – 59cm, Overall H75 x D44 x W47.5cm
Cooking area – Dia. 41.5cm

Best Mid-Range Kettle Charcoal BBQs

4. Ultranatura 88cm Kettle Grill Pasadena

Porcelain enamel bowl and lid, aluminium ash catcher
Mounted/anchored Lid
Dimensions: 26 x 23 x 35 inches (67 x 58 x 88 cm)
Diameter: 88cm – BIGGEST COOKING AREA

5. Weber Compact 47cm Charcoal BBQ

Porcelain enamel bowl and lid, aluminium ash catcher
Removable/lift up lid
Dimensions: (H)88, (W)53, (D)54cm
Diamter 47cm (4 adults)

Also Consider the bigger Weber Compact 57cm Charcoal BBQ and to start your barbecue easily, the Weber Chimney Starter

Premium High-End Kettle BBQs

6. Kettle Pizza Oven 22 inch (57cm)

Made of 20 gauge, 304 grade stainless steel made in USA
Adapter ring and pizza late included to transform the kettle BBQ into a pizza oven
Dimensions: 57.2 x 57.2 x 17.8 cm
Diamter: 57cm

7. Weber One Touch Original 57cm Charcoal Kettle BBQ with Thermometer

The original classic with the one-touch cleaning system by emptying the ashes into the removable ash catcher with a single touch

Porcelain-enamelled bowl and lid, triple-plated cooking grate with vents for air flow, lid thermometer,
Dimensions: (H)99, (W)59, (D)66
Diameter of Cooking Area: 57cm

8. Outdoorchef Classic 570 Charcoal BBQ

Enamelled bowl and lid with hinge (mounted) with ventilation control and removable ash catcher
Easy slide funnel system for direct and indirect cooking, two BBQs in one
Durable and Patented trolley design
Side table and bottom storage tray in eucalyptus timber
Dimensions: H 111 x W 62 x D 100
Diameter of Cooking Area: 54cm