❚ All products chosen independently by our writers. We may receive commission via affiliate links. See affiliates FAQs.

The best charcoal BBQs in 2026

Published: Saturday, 18 July 2026 at 8:56 pm

We teamed up with Good Food magazine to find you some of the best charcoal BBQs

Save

It’s a classic British summertime scene: the sun's just peeked out from behind the clouds, the temperature's barely in double digits, but all along the street there’s the delicious smell of smoky, charcoal cooked food.

And why not cook over charcoal this summer? Though gas barbecues are quick, clean and easy to control, they're also comparatively expensive and require unwieldy tanks of propane. The best charcoal barbecues cook just as well as gas, giving food a woody, smoky flavour that simply can’t be matched.

We teamed up with our colleagues at Good Food Magazine to put a range of charcoal barbecues through their paces. With their exceptional gastronomic knowledge and our expertise in all things gardening, we’ve selected the best charcoal barbecues that will cater for a wide range of gardens.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Best charcoal barbecues to buy at a glance

Our 3 top-rated charcoal barbecues, under £200

Our 5 top-rated charcoal barbecues, £200-500

Our 2 top-rated charcoal barbecues, £500+

Comparison table: Best charcoal BBQs

ProductRatingRRPGrill areaWarrantyKamdo Joe Series III4.8/5£2,8992992cm²LifetimeNapoleon Premium 14 Portable4.5/5£79.99910cm²10 years (limited)Vonhaus Barrel4.3/5£79.992485cm²2 yearsLotus Grill G3404.5/5£175804cm²2 years (against manufacturer defects)Napoleon 22-inch Kettle Grill4.3/5£299.992551cm²10 yearsWeber Classic Kettle E57104.3/5£2392342cm²10 years (limited)Char-Broil Kettleman4.3/5£259.993421cm²2 yearsWeber Master-Touch GBS e-57554.5/5£3352342cm²10 years (limited)Kasai Konro Grill4.5/5£3991040cm²1 yearBig Green Egg4.8/5£1,4951662cm²Limited lifetime

Our expertise

To help you find the right charcoal barbecue for your garden, we tested a range of new and consistently popular models cooking a range of food on each. Every barbecue has a detailed list of pros and cons for clarity and has been rated according to assembly, ease of cooking, cooking results and value for money. From 2026, you’ll only see newly awarded Best Buy badges on cordless mowers that score 4.5 out of 5 or higher. Anything rated 3.5 or above will still feature in our ‘Best of the rest’ list.

Jump to best charcoal barbecues:

Jump to barbecue-buying advice:

Our best charcoal barbecues, under £200

Napoleon Premium 14 Charcoal Portable

Our best portable charcoal barbecue 2025

RRP: £84.99

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Available from: Amazon (£119.99) and Napoleon (£79.99)

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine charcoal barbecue review Napoleon Premium 14 charcoal barbecue portable

Our best portable charcoal barbecue 2025: Napoleon Premium 14 Charcoal Portable

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

This portable kettle barbecue is light with a sturdy handle which makes it ideal for carrying either in the garden or out and about. The 14-inch grill is big enough for a family of four and unlike most portable barbecues it also has a lid with two air vents to help you effectively control the temperature. A dual zone charcoal basket allows you to use both direct and indirect grilling for the best results and there are clear instructions on how to use this.

This is a great alternative to a disposable barbecue. You can use proper lumpwood charcoal with it and a bag of charcoal fits neatly under the lid, so you can then lock and use the carry handle to store it away or take it all to the park, beach or the back of the car for trips away. Alex David

Dimensions: 96 x 89 x 90cm
Grill area: 910cm²

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Vonhaus Barrel Charcoal Barbecue

Our best barrel barbecue

RRP: £79.99

Our rating: 4.3 out of 5

A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.

Available from: B&Q (£99.99), Robert Dyas (£79.99) and Vonhaus (£79.99)

Vonhaus Barrel Charcoal Barbecue - BBC Gardeners' World

Our best barrel barbecue: Vonhaus Barrel Charcoal Barbecue

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

Offering an efficient cooking surface that’s just right for catering to large crowds, the Vonhaus Barrel Charcoal Barbecue has a big grill that delivers delicious and quick results - we thoroughly cooked an entire spatchcock chicken in just 15 minutes. This was charred and crispy but not dry, remaining juicy throughout. This barbecue was easy to load and quick to heat up, reaching cooking temperature in just 20 minutes.

Its cooking surface is 79cm off the ground, which suits most users. It has a handy warming rack, and its carry handle can double as a rest for barbecue tongs. Its lid is weighty but not heavy, with a very smooth opening action, and it fits snugly over the grill to seal in heat. There’s also a thermometer on the front of the lid, which makes it easy to see the temperature. The only drawbacks are its large size and the low-quality wheels, but these are minor issues. Alex David

Dimensions: 96 x 89 x 90cm
Grill area: 2,485cm²

Read the full Vonhaus Barrel Barbecue review

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Lotus Grill G340

Our best portable charcoal barbecue

RRP: £175

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Available from: LotusGrill (£175)

LotusGrill review BBC Gardeners' World magazine

Our best portable charcoal barbecue: Lotus Grill

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

The Lotus Grill is unlike any other charcoal barbecue we tested. As it's assisted by an electric fan, it takes only a few minutes to get up to cooking temperature. It’s simple and well thought out, offering easy, fuss-free cooking. It takes up hardly any space, produces no smoke and can even sit on top of the table; great for small gardens and courtyards. It’s perhaps not for barbecue aficionados but is ideal for anyone new to charcoal grilling. The safe, cool sides also make it great for introducing teens and older kids to barbecuing. Alex David

Dimensions: 23.4 x 35 x 35cm
Grill area: 804cm²

Read the full Lotus Grill review

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Our best charcoal barbecues, £200-500

Napoleon 22-inch Charcoal Kettle Grill Barbecue

Our best charcoal barbecue for user-friendly features

RRP: £229.99

Our rating: 4.3 out of 5

A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.

Available from: Amazon (£249.99) and BBQ World (£218.49)

Napoleon 22 Charcoal BBQ

Our best charcoal barbecue for user-friendly features: Napoleon 22-inch

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

The Napoleon 22-inch is a simple, well-designed kettle-style barbecue, ideal for newbies or those who appreciate a hassle-free cooking experience. It offers plenty of practical features, such as an integral hook so you can hang the lid off the side of the barbecue when you’re checking food, chunky wheels for good manoeuvrability, hinged grills for topping up fuel, removable ash catcher and a temperature gauge on the lid with helpful temperature zones.

It distributes heat evenly, which makes cooking easy. The outside of this grill is cool, offering useful indirect heat so you can cook food slowly, or keep it warm. Courgettes and potatoes cooked well with nicely defined grill lines. Thanks to being able to control the temperature, the kebabs were well-cooked, and the buns were nicely crisped and charred, but not burned. It also comes with a cover and a reassuringly generous 10-year warranty. However, it’s fiddly to assemble and the exterior gets hot. Alex David

Dimensions: 112 x 59 x 70cm
Grill area: 2,551cm²

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Weber Classic Kettle E-5710

Our best budget kettle barbecue

RRP: £239

Our rating: 4.3 out of 5

A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.

Available from: Argos (£150), John Lewis (£169.99) and Weber (£239)

Weber Classic E5710 Kettle Barbecue review BBC Gardeners World Magazine

Our best budget kettle barbecue: Weber Classic E5710

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

This classic kettle charcoal grill is sturdy with a simple intuitive design and is ideal for new users and anyone who wants tasty results easily. Big enough to feed up to six people, it’s easy to move in and out of storage and has handy features including easy cleaning, ash collection and a hook on the hood for tucking it out of the way whilst you’re turning the burgers. The helpful handbook ensures great cooking results. Alex David

Dimensions: 100.3 x 57.2 x 63.5cm
Grill area: 2,342cm²

Read the full Weber Classic E5710 review

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Char-Broil Kettleman

Our best charcoal barbecue for families

RRP: £259.99

Our rating: 4.3 out of 5

A star rating of 4.3 out of 5.

Available from: Amazon (£159.99) and Robert Dyas (£159.99)

Char broil kettleman barbecue BBC Gardeners' World Magazine review

Our best charcoal barbecue for families: Char-Broil Kettleman Barbecue

Reasons to buy:

• Generous size
• Storage rack at base
• Latch to lock lid
• Vents provide good temperature control

Reasons to avoid:

• Unclear instructions
• Tools not provided
• Not a lot of space between grill & coals

With enough grilling space to feed a family of four this sturdy and robust kettle barbecue is a reliable choice for summer grilling. It has an attractive design, smooth opening action and sturdy wheels that make it easy to move around the patio, decking or lawn. The Char-Broil Kettleman offers precise temperature control: the vents provide good airflow, allowing you to adjust the heat and smoke to your liking, plus, there’s a responsive temperature gauge on the lid.

However, we found the manual a little unclear owing to the diagram-only instructions and this, coupled with the many component parts to this barbecue, made assembly a bit of a challenge. It wasn’t entirely clear where the coals should sit either. Despite the difficulties with assembly, once the Kettleman was up and running, we enjoyed a fantastic grilling experience. The grill is generously sized and produced even and consistent browning across all of our test recipes. This model does lose heat quickly when opened, however, meaning some foods took longer than expected to cook. Alex David

Dimensions: ‎66 x 66 x 99.1 cm
Grill area: 3,421cm²

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Weber Master-Touch GBS E-5755 Charcoal Barbecue

Our best kettle charcoal barbecue

RRP: £335

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Available from: John Lewis (£335) and Weber (£335)

Weber Master-Touch GBS E-5755 Charcoal Barbecue

Our best kettle charcoal barbecue: Weber Master-Touch GBS E-5755 Charcoal BBQ

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

The Weber-Master Touch E-5755 is a generously sized charcoal barbecue is not only designed for traditional grilling but can also smoke, and Weber offers additional accessories including a pizza stone, wok, poultry smoker and more, making this one of the more versatile barbecues we’ve tested. It was the easiest barbecue to assemble, thanks to the App Bilt which gives you a 3D step-by-step guide to the building process.

Grilling is a joy on the Master-Touch GBS E-5755. It quickly reaches searing temperatures in the middle of the barbecue that are perfect for burgers, while also offering a cooler ring of indirect heat around the edge, for sides like corn on the cob that need slower, more controlled cooking. It’s a fabulous all-rounder that’s ideal for entertaining, but bear in mind it’s a little more expensive than other barbecues. We also didn’t like the wedge-shaped handle, but this is a minor criticism. Alex David

Dimensions: 118 x 65 x 76cm
Grill area: 2,342cm²

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Kasai Konro Grill

Our best charcoal barbecue for Japanese-style barbecuing

RRP: £399

Our rating: 4.5 out of 5

A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.

Available from: Amazon (from £319.20) and John Lewis & Partners (£319.20)

Kasai Konro Grill BB

Our best charcoal barbecue for Japanese-style barbecuing: Kasai Konro Grill

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

The Kasai Konro Grill is a compact, Japanese-style barbecue that’s both stylish and relatively accessible. We tested the Little Grill, though it is available in a range of sizes from Nano for £299 right up to XL for £799. Set-up takes less than five minutes from the box, and its brushed stainless-steel frame and vermiculite help keep the exterior cool so it’s safe to use on most surfaces.

The cooking area is on the smaller side but still sufficient for feeding two to four people, provided you don’t overload it, and there’s no raised edge so you need to keep an eye on anything that can roll. What it lacks in size, though, it more than makes up for in performance. In testing, it delivered consistently juicy, well-charred results across a range of foods from meat to fish to vegetables, all with a distinctive smoky flavour. Lydia Anderson

Dimensions: 21 x 40.5 x 26.5cm
Grill area: 1,040cm²

Our best charcoal barbecues, £500+

Big Green Egg

Our best charcoal smoker barbecue

RRP: £1,495

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.

Available from: Big Green Egg (£1,495)

big-green-egg-BB

Our best charcoal smoker barbecue: Big Green Egg

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

Perfect for those looking to treat themselves and experiment with outdoor cooking beyond traditional grilling, the Big Green Egg offers impressive versatility for ambitious home cooks. This large ceramic grill multitasks effortlessly as a barbecue, smoker and oven, making it easy to experiment with a wide range of outdoor cooking styles. It can reach intense searing temperatures or maintain a steady, low heat with notable precision, even over long cooking sessions.

Barbecuing remains a standout feature; it’s ready to cook after around 20 minutes and consistently produced some of the best results on test. There is a wide range of accessories available (though these will push the price up even further), including extra racks, baking stones and the option to have the Egg delivered fully assembled, which we would highly recommend. Kay Maguire

Dimensions: 80 x 56 x 69cm
Grill area: 1,662cm²

Kamado Big Joe Series III

Our best premium charcoal barbecue

RRP: £2,899

Our rating: 4.8 out of 5

A star rating of 4.8 out of 5.

Available from: John Lewis (£2,209)

Kamado Joe Big Joe III - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Our best premium charcoal barbecue: Kamado Joe Big Joe Series III

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

This is a huge (130kg) egg-shaped ceramic charcoal grill with a hood. It has a thermometer and a system of vents to easily control airflow and temperature, making it easy to achieve a scorching 400°C (752°F). It's incredibly efficient; with the lid on it can maintain heat for hours, and can be used to slow cook.

It has a unique smoker - the Slōroller - which circulates smoke around the inside of the grill, with delicious results. It can even be used to roast a Christmas turkey, and you can buy a rotisserie attachment as well. It’s very versatile for all sorts of cooking, scoring near-perfect marks in our cooking tests. This is a very high-end barbecue, and all of its parts - even hinges - are heavy-duty and of the highest quality. However, at over £2,000, this is a lifetime investment for serious barbecuers. Alex David

Dimensions: 148 x 136 x 91cm
Grill area: 2,992cm²

Read the full Kamado Big Joe Series III review

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

The best of the rest

Although some models didn’t quite achieve a BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine Best Buy award, they still have features that make them worth recommending. Browse our pick of the best of the rest.

Cobb Premier Air

RRP: £190

Our rating: 4 out of 5

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Available from: Amazon (£189.98)

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine charcoal barbecue review Cobb Premier Air

Cobb Premier Air Charcoal Barbecue

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

Weighing just 4kg, this neat little barbecue is designed for portability, and comes with a great zip up bag to carry it around in. There are no instructions in the very lengthy manual but once you’ve worked out the order how all the pieces go together, it's ready to go in less than five minutes. It uses charcoal briquettes or its own Cobb cobblestones, which are smoke-free and provide up to two hours of fuel. However, we found them extremely tricky to light and needed firelighters underneath a cobblestone to get it going. Once lit, though, it burned efficiently and well, and the barbecue took just five minutes to heat up. It’s easy to control the temperature with the vents on the lid, which you adjust via the handle to create hotter temperatures with a wider gap and cooler with a narrow gap.

Unlike many charcoal barbecues, you can only cook on direct heat, and because the grill grid has an almost solid surface, you get no char lines and some food, like sausages, has a tendency to slide around like they would in a frying pan. Although this barbecue is similar in size and design to the Lotus, this standard cooking surface included with the Cobb, is nowhere as good and although you can purchase other grills and griddles these come at an extra cost. The Cobb also has a moat that sits around the fuel basket and allows you to add flavourings such as wine or cook vegetables etc alongside whatever’s on the grill grid, but after cooking, we found this extremely difficult to get clean. Ours stained after the very first use and although it’s not dirty it detracts from the shiny stainless steel appearance the Cobb had when it first arrived.

The potatoes and vegetable kebabs we cooked, did so reasonably quickly but we found uneven heat across the grid. The chicken we cooked had a layer a burn rather than charring. This barbecue is easy to transport and solid and stable once going but, as a barbecue we found it disappointing. With its effective lid and temperature control it‘s more like a mini camping oven and may be best for foodies keen to experiment on the go rather than easy, successful barbecuing. It comes with a two-year warranty. Alex David

Dimensions: 35 x 33cm
Grill area: 855cm²

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Minimax Big Green Egg

RRP: £925

Our rating: 4 out of 5

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Available from: Big Green Egg (£925)

Big Green Egg Minimax charcoal barbecue BBC Gardeners World review

Big Green Egg Minimax Charcoal Barbecue

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

The smallest, and most affordable charcoal barbecue released by Big Green Egg, the Minimax is a good choice for couples, or small families willing to pay more for reliability and ease of use. It comes partially pre-assembled and with helpful instructions that are accompanied by a video guide accessible via QR code. Compact and attractively designed, this ceramic barbecue takes up little space, and is easy to fit in a garden or shed for storage - however, it's heavy, despite the carry handle on either side and needs two people to lift it. Its sturdy, insulated body, heatproof handles, and four rubber-tipped feet also make it a safe choice to use on a table or lawn.

The Minimax is easy to light, getting to temperature within just ten minutes, and this initial load of charcoal is all it needs, as it burns fuel very efficiently. It has a temperature gauge and vents in its base and lid, which allow you to monitor and manage the cooking temperature by changing its airflow, and it cooks vegetables and meat well and with good char, but it cooks quickly enough to mean vegetable skewers should be watched to prevent burning. Cleaning the Minimax Big Green Egg is simple, too; just remove all residual coal and brush its internal components down. Its premium price tag may be enough to put some people off, but those willing to pay more for will find this model a powerful and easy-to-use little barbecue. Alex David

Dimensions: 50 x 56cm
Grill area: 855cm²

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Everdure by Heston Blumenthal CUBE charcoal BBQ

RRP: £136

Our rating: 3.8 out of 5

A star rating of 3.8 out of 5.

Available from: Amazon (£109)

everdure Cube charcoal barbecue BBC Gardeners' World magazine review

Everdure by Heston Blumenthal CUBE charcoal BBQ

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

Those with limited outdoor space will be well served by this compact box barbecue. Available in three colours, it comes with integrated storage and handy bamboo chopping board for speedy food prep on the go and at home. Despite its robust build, the porcelain enamel firebox is impressively lightweight and comes with cool-touch handles on either side, so you can easily pick it up and carry it around. Set-up is also straightforward, and though the instructions lack some detail, no actual assembly is required.

In testing, getting this barbecue to light and retain heat without a lid was difficult, and without a temperature gauge there was no way of knowing how hot it was. Once it got going though, we found it produced good results. The vegetable skewers were unevenly charred but flavoursome, and our potato slices had a crisp bite with grill lines. The hefty price tag comes down to the name attached to it, but if you've the budget and eye for style, the Everdure Cube is certainly worth considering. Alex David

Dimensions: 23 x 42.5 x 34.7cm
Grill size: 670cm²

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Boss Grill The Egg XS

RRP: £250

Our rating: 3.8 out of 5

A star rating of 3.8 out of 5.

Available from: Appliances Direct (£199)

Boss Gril lXS Charcoal BBQ

Boss Grill XS Charcoal Barbecue

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

This barbecue promises to be an eye-catching addition to the garden yet there’s more to this model than good looks, as it also offers great value and plenty of versatility. Capable of grilling, roasting, baking, smoking and even cooking pizza, the Boss Grill Egg XS is easy to build and use, taking just 20 minutes to get up to temperature. The materials are good quality, it feels solid and sturdy once it’s on its stand, and the hood is spring-loaded and closes firmly. The Boss Grill Egg XS is an ideal size for a small family, allowing you to cook four burgers at a time. However, we found that its excellent heat-retention means that it gets so hot it scorches food.

On test, the courgettes and kebabs cooked well with clear grill lines, but the potato slices burnt before they cooked through, and the buns toasted unevenly, as there are a few cool spots above the ceramic tiles. Unlike other models we tested, it doesn’t have lots of features, but does include a temperature gauge and thick, sturdy wooden handles. Designed to be a table-top BBQ, it doesn’t have wheels and needs to be placed on a heat-proof surface.

Though small, this is a heavy barbecue, so it’s not the obvious choice if you’re looking for a truly portable option, and the handles get quite hot, despite being heat-proof. It comes with a one-year warranty, which is disappointingly short, but does come with a cover and a pizza stone. Alex David

Dimensions: 62 x 55 x 54cm
Grill area: 1,122cm²

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Vonhaus Compact Charcoal Barbecue

RRP: £114.99

Our rating: 3.8 out of 5

A star rating of 3.8 out of 5.

Available from: Vonhaus (£114.99) and Amazon (£107.99)

Vonhaus Compact Charcoal BBQ

Vonhaus Compact Charcoal Barbecue

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

This cheap but cheerful charcoal barbecue and smoker is packed with plenty of features for the price. It comes with a thermometer, two side tables, inbuilt storage, a bottle opener and handy wheels for moving around. The most notable feature is an adjustable firebox, so you can choose the height of your charcoal or smoking wood and adjust the temperature. It also has a front door, so you can easily add more wood while smoking. It offers a surprising number of features for a barbecue of this price and compact size. It’s great if you’ve got a little garden or courtyard, but beware if you’ll be catering to a crowd - this barbecue had an even smaller grill area than a camping barbecue that we had to hand as we tested.

As with many of the parts of this barbecue, the grills were poorly machined, and didn’t quite fit. The grill also has wide gaps, so smaller ingredients like halloumi fell onto the coals. This also meant that grill lines were poorly defined. Though it’s simple to assemble, it’s very fiddly. All the parts need to be screwed into each other, so assembly took us about an hour. While it’s a great price, it feels wobbly and cheap. We think this barbecue suits couples and small families on a budget - you could comfortably stretch it to four people, but not more. Alex David

Dimensions: 120.5 x 108.5 x 50cm
Grill area: 1,312cm²

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Weber Go-Anywhere charcoal barbecue

RRP: £114.99

Our rating: 3 out of 5

A star rating of 3 out of 5.

Available from: Argos (£115) and John Lewis (£114.99)

Weber go anywhere charcoal barbecue BBC Gardeners World magazine review

Weber Go-Anywhere Charcoal Barbecue

Reasons to buy:

Reasons to avoid:

This simple, box barbecue from Weber is portable and easy to use, with a grill big enough for a couple or small family. Well designed for use at home or on the move, it's quick to set up and pack down and most of the materials are sturdy and robust and come with a 10 year warranty. Once lit, it heats up and cooks fast, so food like vegetables will need watching to ensure they don't burn, but despite its small size, the grill is large enough for cooking on both direct and indirect heat, with room to heat food in the centre and then move it to the side to stay warm.

Vents in the lid can help you control the heat, but there's no temperature gauge, which can make it tricky to know exactly how hot it's getting. The outside of the barbecue also got ferociously hot and even though the grill is raised off the ground, heat builds up underneath, so wherever you use it, care must be taken to only cook on a heat proof or concrete surface. Alex David

Dimensions: 37 x 53 x 31cm
Grill area: 1,092cm²

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Squirrel. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Squirrel may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Squirrel and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Getting ready to entertain this summer? Check out our reviews of the best pizza ovens and the best gas BBQs, both in collaboration with Good Food Magazine, and our guides to barbecue accessories and fire pits.

To help set the scene see our test of the best solar lights, or our guide to parasols and to help keep your barbecue in tip top condition, our experts have put the best pressure washers through their paces, so you can buy with confidence.

How to choose a charcoal barbecue

Consider the following points when choosing a charcoal barbecue for your garden:

Charcoal barbecue fuel and lighting

Although it's easy to pick up charcoal online, in garden centres, even supermarkets, sustainable charcoal is now easy to find, and while it can be more expensive, you should need less of it because it burns more slowly, and gives out better heat, which will offset some of the cost. Look for the FSC logo of the Forest Stewardship Council, the global certification scheme of wood products, on the pack to ensure charcoal is sourced from properly managed forests.

Avoid briquettes and self-lighting charcoal that contain chemicals and give off strong odours as they’ll affect the flavour of your food and never use petrol, chemicals or firelighters intended for coal fires to light your barbecue. Instead look for natural firelighters, which are widely available.

How we tested charcoal barbecues

Together with our colleagues at Good Food Magazine, the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine reviews team tested a range of charcoal barbecues. Each was unpacked, assembled, used to cook a variety of food and then cleaned and packed away. We assessed according to specific criteria with Good Food putting particular emphasis on how well each barbecue cooked while we assessed the barbecues within a garden context, including how easy they are to assemble, move around and store. They were assessed according to the following criteria with equal marks attributed to each:

For more information on our testing process see How we review.

Design tips for your BBQ area

A BBQ is the perfect addition to your garden, making it the perfect space for entertaining friends and family. Here are some more tips on how to make your garden the ideal spot for hosting this summer:

Choose some furniture
Think about how much space you have and how many people you’d like to host when choosing your garden furniture. Take a look at our favourite garden furniture sets.

Design the area around your BBQ
If you’re designing a new area in your garden, think about how the BBQ fits into that design. Do you want to make a feature of it, or keep it hidden when not in use? Barbecue ideas for all types of gardens offers all sorts of inspiring design ideas.

Create a patio area
A patio is the perfect spot for a BBQ, providing a level surface for the BBQ as well as space for a table and chairs, ideal for hosting dinner parties. See our patio ideas feature for tips on making the most of your patio.

Create an outdoor kitchen
If spending time cooking and eating outside is a big part of your life, you might even like to build an outdoor kitchen.

Add lighting
For evenings when your outdoor entertaining lasts beyond sunset, you might like to choose some lighting. See our review of the best solar lights for ideas. Just be wary of your neighbours and wildlife if entertaining into the night!

Meet our testing panel

Oliver Parsons, Strategic Projects Editor
Oliver is a gardener and magazine journalist of 20 years’ experience. He trained as a professional horticulturalist at RHS Garden Hyde Hall in Chelmsford and has also worked for Gardening Which?, as a freelance gardener and with the gardening team at Down House in Kent. He is now Strategic Projects Editor at BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine and GardenersWorld.com, heading up our reviews desk, Apple News output and weekly newsletter.

Kay Maguire, Magazines Editor
Kay trained at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and has been writing and making films about gardening ever since. She has written for websites and magazines, including The Garden and Amateur Gardening, was Horticultural Editor on BBC Gardeners' World Magazine for five years, and has also written several books on a range of gardening topics from growing house plants to making the most of a small space. After several years as Reviews Editor, building up our reviews section into a leading resource for UK gardeners, she has now become Magazines Editor for BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, responsible for all print output.

Harry Duncton, Freelance Powered Tools Tester
Harry has a wealth of experience, from being a language teacher to a tree surgeon, and has built this into a career writing about all things DIY and gardening. A passionate believer in self-reliance, his aim is to inspire others to give it a go themselves and not worry about making a few mistakes along the way. A regular contributor to popular DIY blogs and a recent addition to the BBC Gardeners' World Magazine team, he loves tracking down the best new tools and writing about them.

Sue Fisher, Freelance Garden Writer
Sue’s extensive horticultural career spans over 40 years, starting with a decade in the garden centre and nursery industry before developing into an accomplished gardening writer, designer and speaker. Sue writes regularly for BBC Gardeners' World Magazine, GardenersWorld.com and Garden Answers magazine. She has written 10 books on subjects including container gardening, plants for small gardens and designing with colour, and she has co-authored other books with some of the biggest names in gardening.

Emma Crawforth, Horticulture Editor
Emma holds the Kew Diploma in Horticulture and has been working in horticulture for 18 years, including roles in public gardens, a plant nursery supplying plants for the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and a training college for young horticulturists. She looks after an ornamental, fruit and veg garden at home and regularly undertakes trips to see plants growing in their natural habitats. She is the author of the Kew Publications book, Things to Do with Plants.

Jane Moore, Freelance Garden Writer
In a horticultural career spanning 30 years, Jane has been a head gardener at a Benedictine Abbey, a writer for national gardening magazines and newspapers, a researcher on BBC gardening programmes and a TV presenter on BBC Gardeners’ World. Among her many accolades are a Chelsea Flower Show medal, several awards from the Garden Media Guild and her books are published worldwide. She has spent 30 years working as a hands-on head gardener, using tools on a daily basis.

Ad

This review was last updated in July 2026. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.

Loading...

Ad

Ad

Don't miss out this Winter

Enjoy expert advice on what to plant and grow this winter, and how to prepare your plot for the year ahead. Enjoy, 6 months for just £31.99

Subscribe now

Email signup promotion with bold text “Your garden deserves a great deal” and a smartphone displaying a Gardeners’ World offers email about a free allium bumper collection, over a soft-focus purple floral background.

Great gardening savings - straight to your inbox

Sign up to the BBC Gardeners’ World offers newsletter for exclusive deals, seasonal savings, and early access to special promotions.

Sign up now

Loading...

Ad

Loading...

Loading...