Walk down the grilling aisle and the charcoal splits into two camps. Briquettes are the uniform pillows that most backyard kettles have burned for generations. Lump is wood that has been charred and bagged in whatever shape it came out of the kiln. Fans of each are loud about it, and both sides make claims about heat, ash and flavor that only partly hold up when someone measures them.
A restaurant grill runs on whatever gives steady heat for carne asada night after night, so this guide sticks to what the measurements and the makers say. It compares lump charcoal vs briquettes on heat, burn time, evenness, ash, ingredients, cost and the cooker you own, then names one pick for briquettes and two for lump.
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Quick verdict: which charcoal to buy
For most people grilling on a kettle, briquettes are the better buy. They cost less per pound, burn longer per chimney and give a more even fire, and both Consumer Reports and America’s Test Kitchen found taste differences hard or impossible to detect. Buy lump if you cook in a kamado or another tight ceramic cooker where ash matters, if you mostly sear quickly, or if you simply want charcoal that is nothing but charred wood and accept paying more for it.
The table sums up the differences. The sections after it explain where each figure comes from.
Lump charcoal vs briquettes, side by side
| Lump charcoal | Briquettes | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Wood charred in a kiln, left in its natural shape | Charred wood or sawdust mixed with binders and minerals, then pressed |
| Peak heat | Slightly hotter in Consumer Reports’ grills; cooler in America’s Test Kitchen’s | Hotter in America’s Test Kitchen’s chimney tests |
| Cooking time per full chimney | About 40 minutes to 2 hours (America’s Test Kitchen) | About 2.5 to 3.5 hours (America’s Test Kitchen) |
| Evenness | Fair in a kettle, very good in a kamado (Consumer Reports) | Excellent in both (Consumer Reports) |
| Ash | Less ash per chimney | More ash per chimney |
| Bag consistency | Varies; 20 to 50 percent too small to use in bags surveyed | Very uniform, few broken pieces |
| Cost class | Higher per pound | Lower per pound |
| Flavor | Tasters could not reliably tell them apart (America’s Test Kitchen) | |
How each one is made
Both start the same way. America’s Test Kitchen, in its charcoal guide by Miye Bromberg, describes wood or sawdust heated slowly at high temperature in a kiln with little or no oxygen. That drives off water and volatile compounds and leaves mostly carbon.
Lump stops there. It is bagged as it comes out, so it still looks like the wood it came from: some pieces as big as a fist, some like gravel, plus dust. Briquettes take one more step. The charred material is mixed with wood fiber, starches, minerals and other ingredients and pressed into identical shapes. Kingsford describes its Original briquets as carbonized wood blended with natural binders and pressed, made in the USA from North American ingredients.
That extra step explains almost every difference that follows. Pressing makes briquettes dense and alike, so they burn slowly and predictably. Lump is irregular and lighter in the chimney, so it lights in its own way and burns faster.
Heat: the tests disagree, and the gap is small
Lump’s reputation is that it burns hotter. The measurements are mixed. Consumer Reports, in a 2018 test written up by Paul Hope, found lump burned slightly hotter, by 40 to 50 degrees, in both a kettle and a kamado. America’s Test Kitchen got the opposite result: full chimneys of briquettes usually reached higher peaks in its tests. Its explanation is useful. Lump holds more energy per gram, but a full chimney of briquettes weighs more, so it brings more fuel to the grill.
The practical reading is that neither one is weak. Either will sear a skirt steak if you use enough of it and give it air. If you want more heat from lump, add more lump. If you want more heat from briquettes, bank them closer together under the food.
Burn time: briquettes last longer per chimney
This is the clearest result. America’s Test Kitchen measured about 2.5 to 3.5 hours of cooking time, which it defined as temperatures above 300°F, from a full chimney of briquettes. Lump gave about 40 minutes to 2 hours. Its guide flags lump’s shorter burn as the thing to plan for on anything that takes more than about 40 minutes, such as bone-in chicken or barbecue.
That matters for a long cook, where you would otherwise be adding fuel partway through. For a quick grill of tortillas, onions and a few pounds of fajita meat, both last long enough.
Evenness: a steady bed favors briquettes
Consumer Reports rated evenness across the grate. Briquettes scored excellent in both the kettle and the kamado. Lump scored only fair in the kettle and very good in the kamado. Its conclusion was plain: for evenness, briquettes were the clear winner, and they are better suited than lump to most grilling tasks. It suggested saving lump for when you need serious searing.
The reason is the shape. Identical briquettes form an even layer; irregular lump leaves gaps and hot spots. A kamado’s thick walls and tight airflow even things out, which is why lump did better there.
Ash, dust and what’s actually in the bag
Lump produces a smaller volume of ash per chimney than briquettes, according to America’s Test Kitchen. That is lump’s strongest practical point, and it matters most in a kamado or another cooker whose small firebox and vents clog as ash builds up. In a kettle with an ash catcher, it is a minor chore either way.
The other side of lump is the bag itself. America’s Test Kitchen found the briquettes it bought incredibly uniform, while lump varied from brand to brand and within the same bag, with about 20 to 50 percent of the lump in the bags it surveyed too small to use. Some of what you pay for in a lump bag ends up as fines at the bottom.
Additives and flavor
Briquettes contain more than charcoal. America’s Test Kitchen lists limestone, starch and borax among the known ingredients and says its science advisor considers them unlikely to harm people through food. It also points out that makers do not always publish a full ingredient list and that lump is not automatically purer. Kingsford says its Original briquets are made with natural ingredients and no chemical additives. Instant-light briquets such as Kingsford’s Match Light are a different product, and this page does not cover them.
On flavor, the blind tasting is the useful evidence. America’s Test Kitchen’s tasters couldn’t reliably tell food cooked over one from food cooked over the other. Barbecue writer Meathead Goldwyn, quoted by Consumer Reports, prefers to get heat from the charcoal and flavor from wood chunks, so he knows what goes into the fire. That is a sensible rule: if you want mesquite or oak flavor, add a chunk of wood, whichever charcoal you choose.
Cost class
Briquettes are cheaper per pound, and America’s Test Kitchen found them easy to buy almost anywhere. Lump costs more per pound, burns faster, and part of each bag is too small to use, so the real gap per cook is wider than the shelf price suggests. Check current prices on Amazon or in store, since they change by season.
Safety is the same for both
Both release carbon monoxide as they burn. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says never to use charcoal to cook or provide heat inside homes, garages, tents, campers, vans, cars or other enclosed spaces, because the carbon monoxide can kill you, and to use charcoal grills outside only. That includes coals that look finished: let them burn out in the grill, outdoors.
The commonest everyday hazard is lighter fluid. A chimney starter lights either fuel without it, and America’s Test Kitchen calls it the best way to light both.
Your grill decides more than the bag does
On a kettle grill, briquettes play to the cooker’s strengths: an even bed, long burns for indirect cooking and an ash catcher that handles the extra ash. On a kamado grill, lump makes more sense, because less ash keeps the airflow open over a long cook and the heavy ceramic smooths out lump’s uneven bed, as Consumer Reports’ kamado scores suggest. Charcoal pizza ovens are a third case, with their own fuel needs, covered in our guide to the best lump charcoal for pizza ovens.
Many cooks keep both: briquettes for long cooks, lump for a fast, hot sear. Mixing them in one fire works fine.
Choose lump charcoal if… / Choose briquettes if…
Choose lump charcoal if…
- You cook in a kamado or another ceramic cooker where ash buildup chokes airflow.
- Most of your cooks are fast and hot: steaks, carne asada, vegetables.
- You want charcoal that is only charred wood, and you accept the higher cost per cook.
- You don’t mind sorting through some small pieces and dust at the bottom of the bag.
Choose briquettes if…
- You grill on a kettle or a barrel grill.
- You do long, indirect cooks and want fewer refuels.
- You want an even bed and predictable heat from one bag to the next.
- You want the lower cost per cook and can empty the ash catcher after each session.
Our picks on each side of the lump charcoal vs briquettes question
One briquette and two lump bags, all in stock when we checked. The briquette is Kingsford Original, the reference briquette that Consumer Reports used in its comparison. Our best charcoal briquettes guide already reviews it in a single 16-pound bag; this is the same charcoal as a pair of 12-pound bags, chosen because it is the fair baseline for any comparison. For more briquette options, start with that guide.
1. Kingsford Original Charcoal Briquettes, 2 x 12 lb – The Baseline for Even, Long Fires
Kingsford Original is the briquette most Americans picture, and it is the one Consumer Reports put up against lump. That makes it the honest choice for this side of the comparison. This listing is two 12-pound bags, which Kingsford’s listing says is about eight uses.
The briquets have grooves and extra edges that, according to the listing, catch the flame quickly and leave air channels for even burning. Kingsford says they are ready in about 15 minutes, once the briquets are covered in gray ash, and that they are made in the USA with North American ingredients and natural binders. Expect a moderate amount of ash, as Kingsford itself puts it.
Store the bags sealed in a dry place. Kingsford says moisture stops briquets lighting well and that Original charcoal keeps for years when stored that way.
Why we like it
- The briquette Consumer Reports rated excellent for evenness.
- Ready in about 15 minutes, according to Kingsford.
- Made in the USA with North American ingredients, according to Kingsford.
- Two bags, so one can stay sealed while you use the other.
Key specifications
| Model | 32066 |
|---|---|
| Type | Briquettes |
| Bag size | 2 x 12 lb |
| Wood | Real wood, species not stated |
| Piece size | Uniform grooved briquets |
| Ready time (maker) | About 15 minutes |
| Additives | Natural binders; full list not stated |
| Made in | USA |
Why we recommend it
It suits kettle and barrel-grill owners who want a steady, predictable fire for everything from burgers to a long indirect cook.
Skip it if you cook in a kamado, where its extra ash can build up over a long cook, or if you want charcoal with no binders at all.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Even bed of coals from identical briquets.
- Longer burn per chimney than lump, per America’s Test Kitchen’s tests of briquettes.
- Lower cost class than lump.
Cons
- More ash than lump.
- Kingsford does not publish a full ingredient list.
- Sold by a third-party seller, not Amazon, when we checked.
2. FOGO Super Premium Hardwood Lump Charcoal, 35 lb – Big Pieces for Long Cooks
FOGO’s Super Premium is the large-piece version of its lump, and big pieces answer lump’s two weak points. According to FOGO’s Amazon listing, about 80 percent of the bag is pieces four inches or longer, aimed at low and slow cooking, so less of it ends up as unusable fines and each piece burns longer than chips would. The listing says it is made only from dense Central American hardwoods, hand-picked, with no added ingredients.
FOGO says it lights quickly and is ready to cook in about 15 minutes, and that it works in all major grills and smokers. Its listing also says the wood is mostly tree trimmings and timber marked for removal. Those are the maker’s claims; FOGO’s own website was blocking our requests when we checked, so these details come from the brand’s Amazon listing.
Very large pieces can be awkward in a small kettle or a chimney. Break the biggest ones with a gloved hand or a mallet before lighting.
Why we like it
- About 80 percent of the bag is pieces four inches or longer, according to FOGO.
- No added ingredients, according to FOGO.
- A 35-pound bag suits regular kamado cooking.
- Sold by Amazon.com when we checked.
Key specifications
| Model | FG-CH-FP |
|---|---|
| Type | Lump charcoal |
| Bag size | 35 lb |
| Wood | Dense Central American hardwoods |
| Piece size | About 80% 4 in or longer |
| Ready time (maker) | About 15 minutes |
| Additives | None added (maker) |
| Made in | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits kamado owners and anyone who has decided on lump and wants the large pieces that make it last longer and waste less.
Skip it if you grill on a small kettle a few times a summer; a 35-pound bag of big lumps is more than you need.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Large pieces, per the maker, mean fewer fines.
- Low ash, as lump generally is.
- No added ingredients, according to FOGO.
Cons
- Higher cost class than briquettes.
- Very large pieces may need breaking for a small grill or chimney.
- Country of manufacture not stated.
3. Masterbuilt Hardwood Lump Charcoal, 16 lb – Smaller Bag From a Grill Maker
Masterbuilt makes the Gravity Series charcoal grills and smokers, and this is its own lump. According to its Amazon listing it is 100 percent hardwood, naturally sourced and fired in artisan-style kilns, with a blend meant for all temperature ranges. The listing names Gravity Series grills first, but says it suits other charcoal cookers too.
The 16-pound bag is the reason to pick it over the FOGO. It is a sensible size for trying lump in a kettle before committing to a large bag, or for keeping a sack of lump beside your briquettes for quick, hot searing. Masterbuilt’s listing does not name the wood species, the piece size or a ready time, so we can’t compare it with FOGO on those points. Masterbuilt’s website was also blocking our requests, so these details come from the brand’s Amazon listing.
If you own a Masterbuilt Gravity Series grill, using the maker’s own charcoal also keeps you on the fuel the grill was designed around. For other grills, it is simply a smaller, easy-to-store bag of lump.
Why we like it
- Made for Masterbuilt’s own Gravity Series grills, according to the listing.
- 100 percent hardwood, according to Masterbuilt.
- A 16-pound bag is an easy way to try lump.
- Sold by Amazon.com when we checked.
Key specifications
| Model | MB20091621 |
|---|---|
| Type | Lump charcoal |
| Bag size | 16 lb |
| Wood | Hardwood blend, species not stated |
| Piece size | Not stated |
| Ready time (maker) | Not stated |
| Additives | 100% hardwood (maker) |
| Made in | Not stated |
Why we recommend it
It suits Masterbuilt Gravity Series owners and kettle cooks who want a modest bag of lump for searing alongside their usual briquettes.
Skip it if you want to know the wood species or piece size before you buy; the listing gives neither.
Pros and cons
Pros
- From a grill maker, for its own gravity-fed grills.
- Manageable 16-pound bag.
- Low ash, as lump generally is.
Cons
- Wood species and piece size not stated.
- Higher cost class than briquettes.
Charcoal questions, answered
Is lump charcoal better than briquettes?
Not for most people. Consumer Reports concluded briquettes suit most grilling better, and America’s Test Kitchen found briquettes burn longer per chimney and cost less. Lump wins on ash and suits kamados and fast searing.
Does lump charcoal burn hotter than briquettes?
Only slightly, if at all. Consumer Reports measured lump 40 to 50 degrees hotter; America’s Test Kitchen found briquettes usually hotter, because a full chimney holds more of them by weight.
Can you mix lump charcoal and briquettes?
Yes. Many cooks light a base of briquettes for a long, even burn and add lump where they want a hotter searing zone. Both light in a chimney.
Does lump charcoal taste better?
America’s Test Kitchen’s tasters could not reliably tell the difference. For a smoky flavor, add a chunk of hardwood to either fuel.
Which charcoal is best for carne asada?
Either works. Carne asada is a fast, hot cook, which plays to lump’s strength, but a full chimney of briquettes spread close under the meat will sear it just as well.
Which bag to bring home
If you have one kettle and grill a couple of times a week, buy briquettes and a chimney starter, and add a wood chunk when you want smoke. If you own a kamado, or you mostly sear at high heat, buy a large-piece lump and accept the higher cost per cook. For grills to go with either, see our guide to the best charcoal grill, and when you would rather someone else tended the fire, the menu at Julia’s is a call away at (346) 546-8283. Call to order.