The best barbecue briquettes, compared.
Top pick: Big K (4 × 5 kg) Best value: Big K (4 × 5 kg) – About £1.35 per kilogram only if the 20 kg title arrives; the size line also says 8 kg Pack of 4. Updated 21.10.2026.
Barbecue briquettes are pressed charcoal fines in a repeatable shape. On a kettle they give you a stackable bed that holds heat longer than irregular lumpwood. You are buying charcoal-grill fuel, not a grill, a firelighter or a bag of smoking chips. Two listings disagree with themselves on weight, so the ticket price is not the price per kilogram. Scores here are amazon.co.uk stars plus review volume, not a timed burn. Weight, binder wording and price per kilogram are set out in the [barbecue briquettes buying guide](/hub/grill-accessories/barbecue-briquettes/sub/barbecue-briquettes-buying-guide). The slower start is part of the product. These seven bags —, K, and — are that kind of fuel. Firelighters and wood chips do not belong in this table. Quality, in the listings and in the UK reviews on file, means dry pieces that light with a chimney, a burn that matches the cook, and smoke that drops once the coals ash over. A plain briquette can still contain a binder. An impregnated instant-light briquette is a different class under BS EN 1860-2:2023. None of these seven is sold that way.
Barbecue briquettes are pressed charcoal fines in a repeatable shape. On a kettle they give you a stackable bed that holds heat longer than irregular lumpwood.
26 products checked · 64 hrs invested · +21,400 readers
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How much fuel do you want to keep?
The Big K multipack is £26.92, with 4.5 from 266 reviews, the highest star line in this set. If the title and the 20,000 g unit count are what arrives, that is about £1.35 per kilogram. The size line says 8 kg Pack of 4, which would be about £3.37 per kilogram, and two reviews received two 10 kg bags instead of four 5 kg bags. The flavour field says Coffee, which the title does not. Across 38 UK reviews, repeat buyers praise a long burn and easier lighting in a chimney, and several say it is cheaper than Weber and smokier, sometimes damp, sometimes torn. It carries the best-value badge only on the 20 kg reading, and you should weigh the delivery before you judge the burn. The score of 87 is stars plus review volume, not a lab test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have dry storage and you will check that the kilogrammes delivered match 4 × 5 kg.
Less suitable: You need a single agreed weight, or you cook where smoke bothers neighbours.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this 20 kg or 8 kg?
The title says 4 × 5 kg and the unit count says 20,000 g. A size line says 8 kg Pack of 4. The item-weight field says 5 kg. Two UK reviews say two 10 kg bags arrived instead of four 5 kg bags.
Does the listing say the briquettes are coffee flavoured?
The flavour and scent fields say Coffee. The title does not. Treat that field as catalogue noise unless the sack you receive says coffee.
What goes wrong in the reviews?
Among 38 UK review bodies, praise is a long burn and a lower price than Weber. Faults that repeat are heavy smoke, damp bags with white spots, split inners, and the wrong bag split.
Big K’s 5 kg bag is £9.30 on the captured amazon.co.uk line, with the title, the 5,000 g unit count and the 5 kg item weight all agreeing, and the listing score is 4.4 from 509 reviews. The file does not say restaurant grade and does not name a binder, so it is not Defra’s hexagonal fuel and it is not a stated additive-free bag. In the first 50 UK reviews, the repeated praise is an easier light than other briquettes, steady heat, and little chemical smell, including one buyer who got three cooks for about six people from the bag. The repeated faults are a damp sack that would not ash over, and pieces one buyer found hot for only about two hours. It is the top pick in this set because the weight is consistent and the review file is the largest one that mostly describes a usable burn. The score of 89 is stars plus review volume, not a timed burn.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one 5 kg bag for ordinary kettle cooks and a large UK review file.
Less suitable: You need a printed no-accelerant line, or you are buying fuel for a chimney on a building.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say what the briquettes contain?
The material field says charcoal and the product type says solid fire fuel. There is no binder line and no accelerant line. Restaurant grade is not in the title.
How much fuel is in the bag?
The title, the unit count and the item-weight field all say 5 kg. The shelf price in the file is £9.30, which is £1.86 per kilogram on that weight.
What do the UK reviews repeat?
Across the first 50 UK review bodies, buyers often describe an easy light and a long even burn, including three cooks from one bag. Damp fuel that would not ash over, and small pieces hot for about two hours, also appear.
The Express bag, brand field ASA and model BRIQ5, is £11.36. The title and a packaging note say 4 kg, which is £2.84 per kilogram, while the item-weight field says 5.21 kg. The listing asks what the briquettes are made from, whether they suit camping, and how long they burn, and it answers none of those. The star line is 4.3 from 9, with one UK review that calls them long burning and a bit pricey. There is no second voice and no additive line. It stays in the table as a briquette bag with an unresolved weight, not as a bag you can specify. The score of 70 is stars plus review volume, not a test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already know this sack and you only need the listing gaps written down.
Less suitable: You need an agreed weight and a stated binder before you buy.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the bag 4 kg or 5.21 kg?
The title says a 4 kg bag and a note says packaging has changed to 4 kg. The item-weight field says 5.21 kg. The unit count says 1.
What are the briquettes made from?
The listing asks that question and does not answer it. Material, additives, camping use and burn time are all unanswered.
What does the review file say?
The star line is 4.3 from 9. There is one UK review body. It says the briquettes are long burning and a bit pricey. No defect is described.
Green Olive’s 4 kg bag is £14.00, so £3.50 per kilogram, the highest price per kilogram in this set, with a 4.2 from 775 reviews. The bullets say chemical-free natural briquettes, quick lighting, a long burn and minimal ash, for charcoal barbecues and smokers. The flavour field says olive, which the title does not support as an olive-wood claim. Across the first 50 UK reviews the split is sharp: some buyers get a very hot bed with Weber firelighters, and many report a bag that will not catch, stays too cool in a Weber kettle after about 30 minutes in a chimney, smokes, or burns out with a lot of ash. It is the dearest small bag here, so the chemical-free line has to be worth that premium to you. The score of 88 is stars plus review volume, not a burn test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You specifically want this brand’s chemical-free wording and you already light briquettes with a chimney.
Less suitable: You want the cheapest kilogram, or you have struggled to light dense briquettes before.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing say the charcoal is olive wood?
No. The brand is Green Olive Firewood Company and the flavour field says olive. The title says natural long-burn briquettes and the material field says natural wood.
What lighting and ash claims are printed?
The title says quick lighting and a long burn. A bullet says minimal ash and free from chemicals. No minutes or ash percentage is printed.
Do the reviews match the quick-lighting line?
In the first 50 UK reviews, several buyers could not get a full bed lit, including with firelighters and a chimney, and some never reached cooking heat in a kettle. Others report a hot bed once Weber firelighters were used.
The Homefiire 4 kg bag is the lowest ticket in the set at £7.49, about £1.87 per kilogram on the 4,000 g unit count, with 4.2 from 16 reviews. The bullets say no artificial additives, minimal smoke, low ash and easy lighting for grilling, roasting and smoking. The brand field says Generic and the manufacturer says Sarasfoods, so the name on the sack is doing more work than the brand field. Only three UK review bodies are in the file: two say it lights and burns well, and one says the product was fine but Evri was not. That is too thin a sample to treat the star line as a burn record. It is the cheap single bag if you accept a short review file. The score of 71 is stars plus review volume, not a test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want one small bag at the lowest ticket and you can see the sack before you rely on the brand name.
Less suitable: You want a deep UK review file before you buy fuel.
Specifications
Common questions
Who makes the bag the title calls Homefiire?
The title says Homefiire. The brand field says Generic and the manufacturer field says Sarasfoods. The origin field says United Kingdom.
What does the listing claim about additives and smoke?
A bullet says natural materials with no artificial additives, minimal smoke and low ash, and easy lighting without chemical firelighters. No percentage is printed.
How many written reviews are in the file?
The star line is 4.2 from 16. The saved listing has three UK review bodies. Two praise heat and burn. One complains about Evri, not the fuel.
Homefiire’s pack of two 4 kg bags is £10.99, about £1.37 per kilogram on the 8,000 g unit count, with 4.1 from 12 reviews. The title says easy to light, long-burning and low ash for garden barbecues and smokers. It does not repeat the single bag’s line about no artificial additives. The brand field again says Generic and the manufacturer says Sarasfoods. Eight UK review bodies split: a family cook from a quarter bag in a chimney, a 45-minute wait then strong heat, and buyers who had to keep adding fuel because the bed would not stay hot, with a lot of smoke. Two reviews are about late delivery. It is the tidy 8 kg option when you want two bags and can accept a short, mixed review file. The score of 68 is stars plus review volume, not a test.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want two modest bags rather than one 10 kg sack, at a low price per kilogram.
Less suitable: You need the additive sentence that appears on the single 4 kg Homefiire listing.
Specifications
Common questions
How is this pack different from the single Homefiire bag?
This title is two 4 kg bags, unit count 8,000 g, at £10.99. The single is one 4 kg bag at £7.49. This file does not repeat the single bag’s no-artificial-additives bullet.
What do the eight UK reviews say about heat?
One verified review says easy to light, hot and long. Another says about 45 minutes before use and then excellent heat. Two say the heat does not hold, with smoke, and one needed half a bag for two people.
Who is the brand?
The title says Homefiire. The brand field says Generic and the manufacturer says Sarasfoods. The origin field says United Kingdom.
Ecoblaze’s 10 kg bag is £11.99, about £1.20 per kilogram if the title weight is the fuel, the lowest price per kilogram in this set, with 3.9 from 23 reviews. The bullets say up to 8 hours, under 20 minutes in a chimney, natural binders and no chemical accelerants, and they name Weber, Kamado Joe, Big Green Egg and Napoleon. The title also says smokeless. The unit-count field says 10,000 count rather than 10 kg. In 13 UK reviews, a ceramic-egg cook lasted hours and several buyers like the bag size, while others report heavy smoke at lighting, a white bag that did not match the picture, and a Weber kettle cook that did not match ultra long-burn. The low price per kilogram is real on the title weight. The smokeless line is not what those reviews describe. The score of 69 is stars plus review volume, not a timed cook.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want the most kilograms per pound in this set and you will wait out the lighting smoke.
Less suitable: You want a smokeless fire or a burn time you can take from the bullet alone.
Specifications
Common questions
What burn and lighting times does the listing print?
A bullet says steady heat for up to 8 hours, and ready to cook in under 20 minutes with a standard chimney. Another says natural binders and no chemical accelerants, petroleum binders or fillers.
Which grills are named?
The bullets name Weber kettles, Kamado Joe, Big Green Egg and Napoleon. One review describes hours of burn in a ceramic egg. Others used a Weber kettle.
Why is the star line 3.9?
There are 23 ratings and 13 UK review bodies. Praise is a slow controlled burn and a large cheap bag. Complaints that repeat are heavy smoke and a shorter burn than the ultra long-burn line, including versus Weber briquettes.
We compared seven barbecue briquette listings from amazon.co.uk files and set aside bags that were firelighters, lumpwood or coconut fuel. Prices, star lines and review counts are the captured UK listings. Each score is stars plus review volume. Public UK sources cover smoke-control rules and lighting safety. Nothing here is a lab burn test.
Agreed weight and price per kilogram
30%A low ticket is not a low rate when the bag weight disagrees with itself. The rate uses the title weight, and a clash is called out.
Lighting and burn in UK reviews
25%Bullets that say quick lighting or eight hours are checked against the review pattern, including bags that will not catch.
Additive wording
20%A printed line about accelerants is useful. Silence is not proof, and restaurant grade on these titles is not Defra fuel ID 0123.
Star line and review volume
15%amazon.co.uk stars and review counts set the score. A 4.2 from 16 reviews is not the same evidence as 4.4 from 509.
Smoke and dry storage
10%Damp bags, heavy lighting smoke and a smokeless title that reviews contradict all count. A tent, garage or room is out of scope.
Seven bags made this table because they are briquette fuel on amazon.co.uk, not firelighters or chips. Read kilogrammes first, then the price per kilogram from the title weight. Ecoblaze 10 kg at £11.99 is about £1.20 per kilogram. The Big K multipack at £26.92 is about £1.35 per kilogram if 20 kg arrives, and a size line also says 8 kg Pack of 4. Big K 5 kg at £9.30 is £1.86 per kilogram with the weight fields in agreement. Homefiire 4 kg at £7.49 is about £1.87 per kilogram.
Barbecue briquettes are charcoal fines pressed into a pillow or a block so you can stack a bed that burns more evenly, and usually longer, than irregular lumpwood. The slower start is part of the product. These seven bags — Homefiire, Big K, Green Olive, Ecoblaze and Express — are that kind of fuel. Hexagonal hollow-core restaurant briquettes exist, including Defra’s Big K fuel ID 0123, and these two Big K titles do not describe that fuel. Lumpwood belongs in the charcoal comparison.
A firelighter lights the bed. It is not the bed. Wood chips and smoking dust are flavour, not the kilogrammes of charcoal you stack. If the title is not briquettes, it does not belong in this comparison.
Homefiire at £7.49 and Big K at £9.30 are close per kilogram once both weights are agreed. Ecoblaze at £11.99 can be cheaper per kilogram than either if the 10 kg title is the fuel. The Big K multipack at £26.92 is only about £1.35 per kilogram if 20 kg arrives.
Silence on additives is not proof they are absent. Restaurant grade on these Big K titles is not Defra fuel ID 0123. A smokeless line, including on the Ecoblaze title, is not what the UK reviews on file describe. Ready to Burn is not printed on these sacks in the files.
Price per kilogram only means something when the title, the unit count and the item-weight field name the same bag. Big K 5 kg at £9.30 is the clean case: title, 5,000 g and item weight all say 5 kg, so £1.86 per kilogram is arithmetic. Homefiire 4 kg at £7.49 matches 4,000 g, about £1.87 per kilogram. The two-bag Homefiire pack at £10.99 matches 8,000 g, about £1.37 per kilogram.
A printed line that accelerants are absent is more useful than silence, and silence is not proof. Homefiire’s single 4 kg bag says no artificial additives. Green Olive says free from chemicals, quick lighting, a long burn and minimal ash. Ecoblaze says natural binders, no chemical accelerants, under 20 minutes in a chimney and up to 8 hours. The two-bag Homefiire listing does not repeat that additive sentence. Neither Big K title states one. Neither Big K listing is Defra fuel ID 0123.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want one 5 kg bag you can finish while it is still dry, for ordinary kettle cooks. Big K’s single bag is the listing where the weight fields agree and the UK review file is large. Skip it if you need a printed line that accelerants are absent.
You have somewhere dry to keep several bags, and you will weigh what arrives. The Big K multipack is the best value on the 20 kg reading, at about £1.35 per kilogram. It is the wrong order if you need one agreed weight.
You want the cheapest single bag in this set and you can look at the sack before you trust the brand field. Homefiire 4 kg is £7.49, about £1.87 per kilogram, with a short review file. The brand field says Generic.
The single Big K 5 kg bag is the top pick because the title, the unit count and the item weight all say 5 kg, and 4.4 from 509 reviews mostly describes a usable burn. The Big K multipack is the best value only if the 20 kg title is what arrives; a size line also says 8 kg Pack of 4. Green Olive is the dearest kilogram here, and its reviews often say the bag is hard to light. Weigh any sack whose fields disagree before you judge the burn. These scores are not a lab test.
Big K (4 × 5 kg)
About £1.35 per kilogram only if the 20 kg title arrives; the size line also says 8 kg Pack of 4.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources for the rules and the lighting guidance, last checked on 21 October 2026. Product prices, stars and review counts come from the amazon.co.uk files for these ASINs.
Some links on this page go to amazon.co.uk with tag pcuk26-21. If you buy through them, a qualifying purchase can earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts come from amazon.co.uk listings. This is not a lab test and it is not a promise of the cheapest live price.
