Many barbecue enthusiasts swear by a particular lump charcoal brand, and debates over which performs best are common. Recent side-by-side burn-offs, filmed and shared online, tested several of the most widely available lump hardwood charcoals to determine which brand burned the hottest and longest. Below is a clear, concise summary of those tests and the findings.
Overview of the experiment: The test compared six popular lump charcoal brands: Big Green Egg, Royal Oak, B&B, Black Diamond, Cowboy, and Rockwood. Each brand was weighed so exactly one pound went into identical chimney starters. Every chimney was lit with the same fire starter and temperatures were monitored with an infrared thermometer to make the comparison as fair and consistent as possible.
Quick Tips
- Six common lump charcoal brands were tested head-to-head under equal conditions.
- B&B led the field, burning hotter and retaining heat the longest.
- Cowboy finished a close second, while Royal Oak placed third.
- Big Green Egg started strong but cooled down later in the test.
- Temperatures were recorded with an infrared thermometer at set intervals.
- Quality and consistency of pieces in the bag affected performance and ease of use.
The six brands included in the first burn-off represent many of the lump charcoals most commonly found across North America:
- Big Green Egg
- Royal Oak
- B&B
- Black Diamond
- Cowboy
- Rockwood
Rules of the Burn-Off
To keep the test fair, each brand was measured to one pound and placed in an identical Weber chimney starter. Each chimney was lit at the same time using the same type of fire starter. Temperatures were tracked with an infrared thermometer at multiple points during the burn.
B&B Charcoal
B&B emerged as the winner. Produced from oak and made in Mexico, this all-natural lump charcoal stood out for consistent piece size and low amounts of small fragments or gravel. The pieces were well-sized for cooking without the need to break up oversized chunks, contributing to efficient, steady burning.
Royal Oak Charcoal
Royal Oak, produced in Roswell, Georgia, is an established favorite among pitmasters. It contains pure lump oak charcoal with no additives. The sample bag used in the test had consistently sized chunks and very little gravel. While Royal Oak can be pricier than some alternatives, its uniform pieces make it easy to use and reliable for maintaining heat.
Big Green Egg Charcoal
Made for the Big Green Egg brand in Atlanta, Georgia, this lump charcoal blends hickory and oak and is the most expensive option in the group. The bag featured consistently sized pieces and minimal bark. It performed well early in the burn-off but lost some heat over the longer interval compared with the top performers.
Cowboy Charcoal
Cowboy is a budget-friendly lump charcoal commonly found in grocery stores and produced in Mexico. The tested product was the Hardwood Lump Charcoal. Although the bag showed inconsistencies—ranging from large chunks to a notable amount of gravel—Cowboy still performed strongly, finishing second in the burn-off. Its low price and good heat output make it an attractive option despite uneven piece sizes.
Rockwood Charcoal
Rockwood, available at Ace Hardware, is made from Missouri hardwoods such as oak, hickory, and maple. The bag in this test contained a wide range of piece shapes and sizes and a significant amount of small gravel, which can affect both burn characteristics and user convenience.
Black Diamond Charcoal
Black Diamond is an affordable, organic lump charcoal sourced from Russia and sold in boxes. The sample showed many small, consistent pieces and few large chunks. It lit easily and burned well early in the test, though it declined more than the top finishers over time.
Burn-Off Results – 30 Minutes
At the 30-minute mark, all brands were burning well and were easy to light. Observations at this point included:
- Cowboy produced the most visible flames early on.
- Royal Oak burned consistently and appeared very hot.
- B&B showed strong and intense burning early, with substantial charcoal content.
- Rockwood burned hot and looked promising during the early stages.
- Big Green Egg remained full and active at this point.
- Black Diamond burned hot and appeared healthy in the chimney.
Burn-Off Results – 1.5 Hours
Temperatures were measured after one and a half hours with an infrared thermometer. Final readings and rankings were:
- 1st – B&B: roughly 1000°F, still producing substantial heat and content.
- 2nd – Cowboy: also around 1000°F, finishing very close to the leader.
- 3rd – Royal Oak: about 800°F, steady and reliable.
- 4th – Big Green Egg: started strong but cooled after the one-and-a-half-hour mark.
- Black Diamond and Rockwood cooled significantly and provided less heat late in the test.
Overall, B&B was the clear winner for sustained high heat, with Cowboy and Royal Oak close behind. Big Green Egg performed well initially but tapered off, while Black Diamond and Rockwood lost much of their heat toward the end.
Lump Charcoal Challenge 2
A second test expanded the field to include additional international and American brands. The goal is a world championship-style showdown, where top performers from different qualifiers face each other. Brands mentioned for future or follow-up testing included Blues Hog (USA), Fogo (El Salvador), Humphrey’s (USA), Jealous Devil (Paraguay), Wicked Good Charcoal (USA), Nature’s Own (Canada), Kamado Joe (Argentina), and Lumberjack (Europe).
The first part of the second challenge tested four brands: Blues Hog, Fogo, Jealous Devil, and Humphrey’s.
Challenge 2 Observations
At 1.5 hours, Blues Hog was hottest and had the most remaining content, with Fogo second, then Jealous Devil and Humphrey’s. However, readings changed later in the test:
After about 2 hours and 15 minutes, Blues Hog’s temperature fell to roughly 225°F, and Humphrey’s was nearly extinguished at approximately 100°F. Jealous Devil remained strong around 686°F, and Fogo was near 700°F.
Final Results of Challenge 2
By the end of the third hour, conditions shifted again. Final observations were:
- Humphrey’s had burned out and produced no heat.
- Blues Hog had also cooled completely and produced no heat.
- Jealous Devil continued burning with content and measured around 500°F.
- Fogo remained hot but was tapering off.
Jealous Devil from Paraguay won the second challenge, showing strong sustained heat relative to the other brands in that group. A planned world challenge will pit winners from these qualifiers against each other to establish an overall champion.
What is Hardwood Lump Charcoal?
- Lump charcoal is charred wood pieces from hardwood trees.
- The charring process removes moisture and volatile compounds.
- Lump is lighter and burns faster than many manufactured briquettes.
- Because it is a natural product, lump charcoal varies in size and shape from bag to bag.
- By contrast, briquettes are uniform and engineered for consistent burn behavior.
Lump charcoal is made by burning hardwood pieces at high temperatures until only carbon remains. This process reduces moisture and impurities, leaving a product that lights quickly, burns hotter, produces less ash, and imparts a natural wood flavor—qualities that make it popular for grilling and smoking.
Lump or Briquettes For Smoking?
Choosing between lump and briquettes depends on your cooking style and priorities:
- Briquettes are well-suited for kettle grills and low-and-slow methods like the Minion or snake because they burn more predictably and uniformly.
- Briquettes offer consistent heat since each piece is nearly identical; lump can be more unpredictable due to natural variability.
- Lump charcoal tends to burn cleaner and produce less residual smoke after ignition, while briquettes can emit thicker white smoke during the lighting phase.
- Briquettes generate more ash, which can eventually smother a fire if not managed; lump produces less ash and can sometimes be reused.
- Lump typically reaches higher temperatures than briquettes. In the burn tests described above, several lump brands measured between roughly 800°F and 1000°F at peak.
Author’s note: Thanks for reading. The burn-offs provide practical, hands-on comparisons that can help you choose lump charcoal based on heat output, consistency, and value. If you want a long-lasting, hot-burning lump, B&B and Cowboy performed exceptionally well in the tests described here, while Royal Oak and Big Green Egg offer consistent quality and easy handling.