Buying guide
Charcoal, gas, pizza oven or smoker: what each does best, in plain English.
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Five ways to cook outside, side by side.
| Feature | Charcoal kettle | Kamado | Gas barbecue | Pizza oven | Smoker |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ready to cook | 15 min | 20 min | 10 min | 20 min | 30 min |
| Top heat | 350°C | 400°C | 300°C | 500°C | 150°C |
| Best for | Burgers, steaks, Sunday roasts | Roasts, bread, long cooks | Weeknight speed | Pizza, flatbreads, fish | Brisket, ribs, pork |
| Flavour | Real smoke | Real smoke | Clean | Wood-fired or clean | Deep smoke |
| From | £89 | £899 | £499 | £299 | £299 |
A kettle does the classic British garden cook: burgers, steaks and a Sunday roast on the lid. Real smoke, honest flavour and no gas to run out.
£89
From
Thick ceramic holds the heat and shuts down the air, so a kamado roasts, bakes bread and holds 120°C for hours. Heavy, precise and built to outlast the garden.
£899
From
Gas lights in a click and is ready in ten minutes. Precise dials make weeknights easy, and a plancha turns the same frame into a griddle.
£499
From
A stone floor and a rolling flame reach 500°C, so a Neapolitan pizza cooks in 60 to 90 seconds. Wood, gas or both, depending on the model.
£299
From
A smoker holds a low, steady temperature for hours, so brisket, ribs and pork shoulder come out tender with a proper smoke ring.
£299
From
Sizing
| Cooking area | Feeds | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| 47 cm kettle | 2 to 4 people | Forge 47 |
| 57 cm kettle or Foundry 3 | 4 to 8 people | Forge 57 or Foundry 3 |
| Kamado Large or Foundry 4 | 6 to 10 people | Hearth Kamado Large or Foundry 4 |
| Ridgeway 100 cm | 10 plus | Ridgeway Steel Grill |
Every starter kit pairs the cooker with the tools and fuel you would buy in week one, and saves you up to £49.
