How to Choose a Charcoal Grill: Vents, Shape and Ash
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Last reviewed: November 2026. Sources last checked November 2, 2026. We have not tested these grills: features and figures are what each maker states.
Four things decide how a charcoal grill cooks and how much work it is: vents at the top and the bottom, the shape (kettle, barrel or kamado), how the ash comes out, and whether you can add coals without lifting the food. Weber's 22-inch Original Kettle Premium, which sold for $229 on Weber's site on November 2, 2026, is a useful reference point because it has all four, and we use it as the example below.
Airflow is the thermostat
On a charcoal grill you control the heat with air: more air makes a hotter fire, less air a cooler one. That works best with a vent low on the bowl to let air in and one on the lid to let it out. Weber describes the kettle's "adjustable lid and bowl dampers to fine-tune the heat." If you can see a grill in person, work the vents: they should move smoothly and stay where you set them, so you can return to a setting that worked last time. That last point is our advice, not a maker's spec.
Kettle, barrel or kamado
Kettle
Round, compact and the most common shape. Weber dates its kettle to 1952. Its sizes show what a round grate holds: the 18-inch kettle has 240 square inches and "room to cook for 4-6 people," the 22-inch has 363 and "room to cook for 6-8 people." A round grate is awkward for long cuts such as a whole rack of ribs or a brisket.
Barrel
Horizontal and cylindrical, with a rectangular grate that takes long cuts flat. Compare the main grate area and the length of the grate, not just the total cooking area.
Kamado
A heavy ceramic egg with vents at the bottom and top. Big Green Egg lists a "Temperature Range: 200°F - 750°F" for its eggs, and its XL has 452 square inches of cooking area. Kamados cost more and weigh much more than a kettle of similar size.
Ash removal
Every charcoal cook ends in ash, so the design for getting it out matters. Weber's kettle has a "One-Touch cleaning system" that "sweeps ash into enclosed catcher"; other grills use a pull-out ash pan or nothing, in which case you lift the grates and scoop. Empty it once it is cold: Weber warns that "ashes left sitting in the ash catcher can promote corrosion."
Adding coals mid-cook
On a long cook you will need more fuel. Weber's kettle has a hinged cooking grate that "flips up on either side allowing you to easily add more fuel while cooking." Without a hinged section you have to lift a grate full of food to get to the fire.
Thermometers
A lid thermometer tells you the temperature inside the grill; Weber says its kettle has "a built-in lid thermometer to monitor the temperature inside the grill." It does not tell you when the food is done. For that, use a food thermometer: the USDA FSIS chart lists safe minimums such as 165°F for poultry and 145°F, plus a 3-minute rest, for beef, pork and lamb steaks, chops and roasts. A probe or instant-read thermometer does the job.
Lighting the coals
A chimney starter lights charcoal without lighter fluid. Weber's support site says that "in about 10 to 15 minutes the coals should be sufficiently lit," depending on the weather, and that they are ready when the top ones start to turn gray with ash.
A buying checklist
- Vents at both the bottom and the lid, moving smoothly?
- Shape matched to what you cook: kettle for grilling, barrel for long cuts, kamado if you want a wide temperature range and accept the weight?
- A way to get the ash out: a sweep and catcher or an ash pan?
- A hinged grate, so you can add coals without unloading the food?
- Main grate area, not just total, big enough for your normal cook?
Next steps
Still deciding between fuels? See charcoal, gas, pellet and kamado. Working out how big to go? See what size grill you need. You can also see the 22-inch Weber kettle on Amazon.
Sources
Weber: Original Kettle Premium 22-inch, Original Kettle 18-inch, about Weber, spruce up your grill for the season and how to use a chimney starter. Big Green Egg: XL Big Green Egg. USDA FSIS: safe minimum internal temperature chart.
Sources last checked November 2, 2026.
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