Charcoal & Fire Starters

The quality of your charcoal largely determines the flavour and temperature control of your barbecue session. At Boender Outdoor you'll find restaurant-quality charcoal, briquettes and electric fire starters for your kamado or charcoal barbecue. Also check out the full range of accessories.

Charcoal or briquettes?

Type	Characteristics	Best for
Lump charcoal	Pure wood, no binders, burns hotter, more authentic smoky flavour	Kamados, short to medium sessions, direct grilling
Briquettes	Consistent shape, burns longer and more predictably	Long low-and-slow sessions where stability matters more than peak heat

For the best results on your Keij Kamado, we recommend high-quality hardwood lump charcoal such as oak, beech or acacia — avoid cheap charcoal with a lot of fine dust or chemical binders, which can affect the flavour of your food.

Lighting quickly and safely

Avoid lighter fluid — it can give your food a chemical aftertaste and will attack a kamado's ceramic over time. Better alternatives:

Electric charcoal lighter — directly heats a small amount of charcoal to a glow, no chemicals or open flame needed
Chimney starter — fill with charcoal, which glows fully within 15–20 minutes thanks to a small fire lit underneath
Briquette starter — designed specifically for quickly and evenly lighting a batch of briquettes

Dosing charcoal on the kamado

Thanks to a kamado's excellent insulation, you often only need to fill part of the charcoal basket, even for sessions of 8+ hours. Don't fill the basket to the brim by default — go by the cooking time and temperature you're after; more charcoal doesn't necessarily mean more heat, but it will burn longer.

Smoking wood for extra flavour

Add smoking wood chips or chunks while cooking for an extra layer of smoky flavour, especially with indirect cooking using a plate setter:

Apple or cherry — mild and sweet, pairs well with poultry and pork
Oak — medium-bodied and versatile, suits almost any type of meat
Hickory — strong and smoky, a classic with beef such as brisket
Mesquite — intense and spicy, use sparingly to avoid overpowering flavours

Storing charcoal

Always keep charcoal and briquettes dry — damp charcoal lights poorly and burns unevenly. A sealed storage box or a dry shed/storage space is ideal.

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Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between lump charcoal and briquettes?

Lump charcoal is pure wood with no binders, burns hotter and gives a more authentic smoky flavour. Briquettes are pressed and evenly shaped, burning longer and more predictably — ideal for long, stable sessions.

Can I use lighter fluid on my kamado?

This is not recommended. Lighter fluid can give your food a chemical aftertaste and will attack the kamado's ceramic over time. Use an electric starter or chimney starter instead.

How much charcoal do I need for a long session?

Thanks to a kamado's excellent insulation, you often only need part of the charcoal basket, even for sessions of 8+ hours. Don't fill the basket to the top by default — go by the cooking time you're after.

Which smoking wood pairs with which meat?

Milder woods like apple and cherry pair well with poultry and pork, while stronger woods like oak and hickory suit beef such as brisket better.

What's the best way to store charcoal?

Always keep charcoal and briquettes dry, for example in a sealed storage box or a dry storage space. Damp charcoal lights poorly and burns unevenly.

What is a chimney starter and how does it work?

A chimney starter is a metal cylinder you fill with charcoal or briquettes. You light a small amount of fire starter at the bottom; the chimney shape creates a strong airflow, so all the coals glow evenly within 15–20 minutes, with no chemicals involved.