Charcoal Amount Calculator
Estimate how much charcoal to use for your grill — pounds, briquettes and chimney-fulls — based on grill size, heat level and how long you are cooking.
How it works
Charcoal (lb) = (initial load + burn rate × hours) × (grill area ÷ 380 sq in) · Briquettes ≈ lb × 32 · Chimney ≈ 2 lb
Charcoal use scales with two things: how much cooking area you have to cover, and how hot and how long you burn. A high-heat sear needs a thick bed of lit coals up front, while low-and-slow smoking uses a small lit pile that feeds a larger unlit stack (the "minion method") and burns slowly for hours. The estimate is anchored to a 22-inch kettle at about 380 square inches and scaled to your grill; for long smokes you top up rather than lighting it all at once.
Worked example
A 22-inch kettle for a 1-hour medium grill: initial 1.5 lb + 1.8 lb/hr × 1 hr = 3.3 lb, times an area factor of 1.0, so about 3.3 lb — roughly 106 briquettes or 1.7 chimney loads. A 26-inch grill (531 sq in) would use about 40% more.
Frequently asked questions
How many briquettes are in a pound?
Standard charcoal briquettes run roughly 32 to a pound, and a typical charcoal chimney holds about 2 lb, or 60–100 briquettes depending on size. This tool converts your pound estimate into both so you can measure however you prefer.
Why does low-and-slow use less charcoal per hour?
Holding 225–275 °F needs only a small amount of lit fuel at a time. With the minion or snake method a few lit coals ignite neighbouring unlit ones gradually, so the burn rate is low even though the total cook is long.
Should I use lump charcoal instead of briquettes?
Lump lights faster and burns hotter but less predictably and is gone quicker, so you may need to refuel sooner. Briquettes burn steadier and longer, which is why they are preferred for long cooks. The pound estimate applies to either; only the briquette count assumes briquettes.
Related calculators
This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.