Lumpwood Charcoal vs Briquettes: Understanding the Differences

As we write this, we are entering BBQ season and even though the food shopping might be easy enough, choosing the charcoal can be a challenge. It’ll usually be a choice of lumpwood charcoal vs briquettes, but which one is best for your BBQ?

Short answer:

·        Lumpwood charcoal burns hotter and lights faster

·        Briquettes burn steadier for longer.

Which one is right for you depends on what you are cooking and how you like to cook it.

Our team at Black Dog Forestry has been making lumpwood charcoal in West Sussex for years, and in this time, we’ve learnt the key differences inside and out. So, in this post, we’ll look at the pros and cons of both, and also explain what people may mean when they say they’ll just use “regular charcoal”.

What is lumpwood charcoal?

Lumpwood charcoal is pure carbon, made by slowly burning hardwood in a low-oxygen environment. This is a process known as carbonising. It helps remove moisture and natural compounds in the wood. The result is irregular lumps of, pretty much, pure carbon.

Because there are no binders, fillers or chemicals, good lumpwood lights quickly and burns hot. You’ll notice that the pieces are varied in shape and size, so the heat isn’t always uniform, and where briquettes may last a long time, lumpwood can burn through quite fast.

However, and this is perhaps the kicker, for BBQs where you want quick, fierce heat and that authentic wood-fired flavour, lumpwood is the preferred choice.

Lumpwood burns cleaner than raw logs, too, with less smoke. This means it isn’t just suitable for the BBQ. It’s a great addition for your chiminea or fire pit, either on its own or alongside firewood.

What are charcoal briquettes?

Charcoal briquettes are made from charcoal dust and small fragments that are ground down and compressed into uniform shapes. To keep their shape, a binder is added. This is normally a natural starch, but depending on the brand, it could also contain other additives.

You might often see this charcoal referred to as “regular charcoal”, but it isn’t strictly true. Regular charcoal could apply to both lumpwood and briquettes.  The bagged charcoal you may find in your supermarket or garden centre could be either, yet it may still be labelled as just “charcoal”. This means you may never really know what kind of burn you will get, or whether the quality is good enough for what you need.

Lumpwood charcoal vs briquettes: Key differences at a glance

	Lumpwood charcoal	Briquettes
Made from	Pure charred hardwood	Compressed charcoal dust & binder
Heat output	Hotter	Moderate but steady
Lighting speed	Lights quickly	Slower to light
Burn time	Shorter	Longer
Consistency	Variable size and heat	Uniform and predictable
Ash produced	Less	More
Flavour	Stronger, natural-wood-fired	More neutral
Best for	Searing, quick grilling, flavour	Long, low and slow cooks

Is lumpwood charcoal better than briquettes?

Whilst we would like to be biased and say that lumpwood is far better than charcoal briquettes, it all depends on the cook. Some people naturally prefer the authentic nature of lumpwood and the added flavour it gives, while others prefer briquettes for the consistency.

If you want a steady, predictable burn for something like brisket or pulled pork, then briquettes are a great choice. If you're cooking a variety of burgers, sausages, ribs and steaks, and need a high-heat, and fast cook, then lumpwood wins.

Think of it like this:

·        Slow cooking: Briquettes

·        High heat, faster cooking: Lumpwood

Why you should choose Black Dog lumpwood charcoal

A lot of charcoal for sale in the UK is imported. In 2025, the UK imported around £47.6 million of wood charcoal,Content much of it from thousands of miles away. Its true origin can be hard to trace, and in some cases, it comes from forests where production drives deforestation. Paraguay and Indonesia, which are among the UK’s largest suppliers, have both been flagged as high-deforestation risk sources.

Because charcoal doesn’t have the same legality rules as timber, there is no requirement for it to be sustainably sourced or certified, and shipping a bulky product around the world adds a huge transport footprint before you even get to light your BBQ.

With Black Dog Forestry, things are done differently. Our lumpwood charcoal is made on our own West Sussex land and is sourced from sustainably managed local woodland. It contains no additives and lights faster, burning hotter than the mass-produced products found on garage forecourts or supermarket aisles.

If you would like to know more about our methods or to order your own lumpwood charcoal or sustainably sourced firewood, please get in touch. You can call us on 07586 720155 or complete an online form, and our team will be on hand to help asap.

Lumpwood charcoal vs briquettes FAQs

Can you use lumpwood charcoal for slow cooking?

Yes, you can, but you will need to top it up more often as it burns faster. For very long sessions, where a consistent temperature is important, briquettes are easier to manage. That said, many BBQ aficionados or chefs prefer the heat and flavour of lumpwood and will just add more when required.

What is regular charcoal?

Because lumpwood charcoal is lumpwood charcoal, people often assume that there is also a “regular” charcoal. There isn’t. Although people often give this label to briquettes or the charcoal you can find bagged in supermarkets or garage forecourts.

Is lumpwood charcoal better than briquettes?

Neither is better than the other. It all depends on what you need the fuel for. Lumpwood burns hotter and faster, with a more natural flavour. Briquettes burn longer and more steadily.

What’s the difference between lumpwood charcoal and briquettes?

Lumpwood charcoal is pure charred hardwood with no binders, so it lights fast and burns hot. Briquettes are compressed charcoal dust held together with a binder for a longer burn. Lumpwood suits high-heat, quick cooking, whereas briquettes suit long and slow cooking.