A few weeks ago, Char-Broil UK asked me if I’d like to review one of their charcoal grills.  Of course I’m happy to review all kitchen equipment I’m offered but I always give an honest professional opinion. Char-Briol is an American company that started in 1948 in Columbus, Georgia, so they should know something about the art of barbecuing.

As some of you might know, last year I reviewed a 4 burner gas BBQ made by Landmann.  Both gas and charcoal BBQ’s have advantages and disadvantages, but if you have the room in your garden for both this gives you maximum flexibility to your barbecue parties.

Char-Broil also sent me a cover which is useful to help prolong the life of new charcoal BBQ, since I don’t have garage.

Interactive Assembly Guide
The Char-Broil UK website has a Interactive Assembly Guide for this model which is  helpful, I wish other BBQ makers would do likewise. That said, it does say that you need an 8mm wrench/spanner when in fact you need a 10mm wrench/spanner. Nevertheless, I used a combination of the interactive guide and the manual that came with the barbecue to assemble the Charcoal L.

Cast Iron Grate
When you are deciding whether to buy a charcoal or gas BBQ, the features can be confusing but you will definitely get better results on a grill that has cast iron grates rather than steel.
Cast iron gives you better heat retention for even cooking temperatures and the food is less likely to stick. Try looking for cast iron grates that have an enamelled coating for easier cleaning. The grates on the Charcoal L are also enamelled to give them further protection.

Cooking Area
The cooking area is a measurement of the grilling space and the Charcoal L model has grilling space of 70cm (27.5 inches) in width and 50 cm (19.6 inches) in depth.  This is a decent enough cooking space for 6 people. The large warming rack above the grill can be used to “park” food and I like the fact that when the lid is open the warming rack position is out of the way so it doesn’t impinge on getting access to the grill as some designs do.

Built in temperature gauge
Like many modern barbecues the Charcoal L comes complete with a built-in thermometer which gives you a guide to the temperature when the lid is closed. I checked the gauge’s accuracy before I installed it by covering a small pot of water with aluminium foil. I then bought the water to a boil, pierced the foil, then placed the end of the gauge in the hole.  The gauge climbed and held steady at 100 C — water boils at 100 C (212 F ) so I knew the gauge was accurate.

Specifications

Warranty
The Charcoal L has a 2 year warranty, which tells you that Char-Broil backs the products they sell. You should always check that the barbecue you intend to buy has a warranty.

Build Quality
Having just put this barbecue together I would say the overall build quality is good.  It is stable and reasonably sturdy though I would prefer a more solid lower shelf rather than the wire rack.  The parts all fit together well so there were no surprises or problems during the build.  I always recommend that you check all parts are there before you start your build.

Design
I’m not a fan of some of the design elements, such as the way you lower or raise the coals by lifting the two fire grate hangers. Other models from Charbroil such as the Performance 3500 have a crank handle to raise or lower the charcoal, which I prefer.  If you do buy the Charcoal L I would recommend you buy some heat proof BBQ/Grill gloves to avoid accidents.

Having 3 side shelves (2 at the side and one at the front) is a plus to lay things down, and the hooks on the left and right shelf come in handy to hang your cooking tools, tea towels  and BBQ gloves on. The shelves are metal and sturdy, so they are not going to rot after a couple of summers. I would have preferred if at least one of the side shelves had the option to fold down, to shrink the footprint when it comes to storing in the winter, but that’s a minor point. On the plus side, I like the wide and easy to access ash trap, which makes it easy to empty and the clean up simpler.

Shop around!
If you are in the market for a new charcoal bbq then shop around as prices do fluctuate, due to weather and competition.  The list price for this model is £319.97 but you can find it selling for £287.97

Charcoal 2Go

The Charcoal2Go unit is a stand alone mini mobile bbq so it is ideal for people who want to take their barbecues on trips with them. This unit also attaches to the Charcoal L barbecue to turn your barbecue into an offset smoker. An offset smoker gives your BBQ the ability of smoking food at different temperatures (long and slow).

When using the BBQ as an offset smoker the fire is built and maintained in the smaller unit (fire box). Then the hot smoke passes horizontally over the food in the larger chamber cooking and smoking the food. Usually it is a good idea to have a water tray in the larger chamber to help keep the food moist.

Conclusion 
If budget isn’t your first concern I very much like the idea of being able to bolt the Charcoal2Go unit onto the Charcoal L to turn your BBQ into an offset smoker, and also being able to use the Charcoal2Go unit as a portable BBQ.

Any barbecue will last longer if you clean it regularly after use.  I usually brush my barbecues down after the cooking is done and then clean it the following day when it is cool.

Overall I like the Charcoal L, you can tell this BBQ is from an established American barbecue company.   If you spend money on a barbecue then I would strongly recommend you also buy a waterproof cover, particularly if you don’t have a garage or shed to store it in.  CharBroil also supplied me with their extra wide grill cover, which is weather resistant and has sealed seams.  It also comes with useful velcro straps to help hold it down in windy weather.

The review is now live on my youtube channel