A brazier grill loaded with fresh charcoal briquets.
The simplest and most inexpensive of charcoal grills, the brazier grill is made of wire and sheet metal and composed of a cooking grid placed over a charcoal pan. Usually the grill is supported by legs attached to the charcoal pan. The brazier grill does not have a lid or venting system. Heat is adjusted by moving the cooking grid up or down over the charcoal pan. Even after George Stephen invented the kettle grill in the early 1950s, the brazier grill remained a dominant charcoal grill type for a number of years. Brazier grills are available at most discount department stores during the summer.
Advantages: Inexpensive, compact, portable.
Disadvantages: No lid, flimsy construction, ineffective in wind and rain.
Portable charcoal grills are small but great for traveling, picnicking, and camping. This one is loaded with lump charcoal. The legs fold up and lock onto the lid so it can be carried by the lid handle.
The portable charcoal grill normally falls into either the brazier or kettle grill category. Some are rectangular in shape. A portable charcoal grill is usually quite compact and has features that make it easier to transport. Often the legs fold up and lock into place so the grill will fit into a car trunk more easily. Most portable charcoal grills have venting, legs, and lids, though some models do not have lids (making them, technically, braziers.)
Advantages: Designed for travel, works for one to two people, great for picnics or camping, compact, lightweight, self-contained, some models are quite durable.
Disadvantages: Small design limits cooking capacity.
In its most primitive form, the barrel grill is nothing more than a 55-gallon steel barrel sliced in half lengthwise. Hinges are attached so the top half forms the lid and the bottom half forms the charcoal chamber. Vents are cut into the top and bottom for airflow control. A chimney is normally attached to the lid. Charcoal grids and cooking grids are installed in the bottom half of the grill, and legs are attached. Like kettle grills, barrel grills work well for grilling as well as true barbequing. For barbequing, lit charcoal is piled at one end of the barrel and food to be cooked is placed at the other. With the lid closed, heat can then be controlled with vents. Fancier designs available at stores may have other features, but the same basic design does not change.
Advantages: Lots of space for cooking for large crowds, can be used for true barbequing, can be inexpensive if you have a steel barrel and have access to welding equipment.
Disadvantages: Large, will rust through eventually, retail models can be expensive, heavy, not portable
Two charcoal kettle grills, a small 18-inch tabletop model, and a freestanding 22.5-inch model.
The kettle grill is considered the classic American grill design. The original and often-copied Weber kettle grill was invented in 1951 by George Stephen. It has remained one of the best and most reliable charcoal grill designs to date. Smaller and more portable versions exist, such as the Weber Smokey Joe. The kettle grill is composed of a lid, cooking grid, charcoal grid, lower chamber, venting system, and legs. Some models include an ash catcher pan and wheels. The lower chamber that holds the charcoal is shaped like a kettle, giving the grill its name. The key to the kettle grills' cooking abilities is its shape. The kettle design distributes heat more evenly. When the lid is placed on the grill, it prevents flare-ups from dripping grease, and allows heat to circulate around the food as it cooks. It also holds in flavor-enhancing smoke produced by the dripping grease or from smoking wood added to the charcoal fire.
The Weber kettle grill has bottom vents that also dispatch ash into a pan below the bowl. Most kettle grills can be adapted for indirect cooking.
The kettle design allows the griller to configure the grill for indirect cooking (or barbequing) as well. For indirect cooking, charcoal is piled on one or both sides of the lower chamber and a water pan is placed in the empty space to one side or between the charcoal. Food is then placed over the water pan for cooking. The venting system consists of one or more vents in the bottom of the lower chamber and one or more vents in the top of the lid. Normally, the lower vent(s) are to be left open until cooking is complete, and the vent(s) in the lid are adjusted to control airflow. Restricted airflow means lower cooking temperature and slower burning of charcoal.
Advantages: Sturdy, feature-packed, lidded design, can be used for indirect cooking (barbequing), heat control through venting system, usable in wind and rain, many accessories.
Disadvantages: Moderatedly priced, larger models not portable.
The charcoal cart grill is quite similar in appearance to a typical gas grill. The cart grill is usually rectangular in design, has a hinged lid, cooking grid, charcoal grid, and is mounted to a cart with wheels and side tables. Most cart grills have a way to adjust heat, either through moving the cooking surface up, the charcoal pan down, through venting, or a combination of the three. Cart grills often have an ash collection drawer for easy removal of ashes while cooking. Their rectangular design makes them usable for indirect cooking as well. Charcoal cart grills, with all their features, can make charcoal grilling nearly as convenient as gas grilling. Cart grills can also be quite expensive, with prices between $199 and $2,500 USD.
Advantages: Sturdy, feature-packed, lidded design, can be used for indirect cooking (barbequing), heat control through movable grids and venting system, usable in wind and rain.
Disadvantages: Large, heavy, moderately priced to expensive, not portable.