# Embers charcoal



## jokensmoken (Jun 18, 2019)

So I see HD has twin 20lb packs of embers charcoal for 10 bucks...
Kingsford for 15...
Anyone used embers...
Did a quick online search for reviews...
Here are a few of the complaints...
~ Burns faster than kingsford (vent control?)
~ More ash or "lots of ash" to be more specific but didnt state what they were comparing to...
~ Chemical smell...the contention here was there was a chemical aditave to make them burn...the same review also said the "smell" transferred an "off taste" to the food...
One review said "havent seen them in years but they were horrible"
Now most reviews were positive but there were these few issues.
Does anyone have any real life experience with embers brand (I run an 18" and 22" WSM...) that could give me an honest review?
Thanks folks
Walt


----------



## GoldenAmbers BBQ (Jun 18, 2019)

I buy that brand. Just bought 4 twin pks. 
  I believe it has been all gone through on here before. The Embers is Royal Oak Ridge put in bags for Home Depot to sell. There was a thread here Kingsford blue vs Royal Oak. Not a major difference.


----------



## jokensmoken (Jun 18, 2019)

GoldenAmbers BBQ said:


> I buy that brand. Just bought 4 twin pks.
> I believe it has been all gone through on here before. The Embers is Royal Oak Ridge put in bags for Home Depot to sell. There was a thread here Kingsford blue vs Royal Oak. Not a major difference.


Thanks for the info...I'm a die hard kingsford guy and wasnt having any luck searching the forum with my phone and I'm at HD now so threw the question out in hoping for a quick response...guess I'll load up then....
Walt


----------



## GoldenAmbers BBQ (Jun 18, 2019)

jokensmoken said:


> Thanks for the info...I'm a die hard kingsford guy and wasnt having any luck searching the forum with my phone and I'm at HD now so threw the question out in hoping for a quick response...guess I'll load up then....
> Walt



In here noboundries gives a link to his comparison.

www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/lowes-has-royal-oak-ridge-on-sale-4-00-15-4-lbs-extended-thru-5-23-18.275399/#post-1831973


----------



## noboundaries (Jun 18, 2019)

Kingsford has been reformulated for the grill, and pretty much for one-time use. They've cut the weight by 25%, keeping the same molding stamp. 

Royal Oak Ridge / Embers / Walmart Expert Grill / Safeway brand / Winco brand are all Royal Oak Ridge. The red bag Royal Oak Ridge contains perfect stamps. Embers, etc, are the seconds that don't pass the stamp muster but perform exactly the same as the red bag.

Below is the link to a test I conducted comparing Kingsford to RO Ridge. Note, I tested the Kingsford formulation prior to the current briquette on the street. It was the current formulation which drove me to the test and to look for another briquette because I noticed a substantial drop in performance with the current Kingsford product in my 22.5" WSM.  

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...n-temperature-time-and-ash-comparison.262989/


----------



## BoilerBBQ (Jun 18, 2019)

I just finished about 350 lbs of Embers and didn't have any issues with it.  No chemical smell, burns hotter than Kingsford, but takes longer to light than Kingsford. I stocked up on Royal Oak Ridge over Memorial Day and it burns the same as Embers, but as Ray stated, it is the 2nds briquettes, so it has smaller pieces and a lot of dust in the bag.  I'd pay a small premium to get RO, but wouldn't hesitate to get Embers if it is a better deal.  I'll take either over Kingsford.


----------



## justplainbob (Jun 18, 2019)

i bought Embers when they were on sale over the winter
love them


----------



## GoldenAmbers BBQ (Jun 18, 2019)

I looked at some different Ridge brands side by side and only the finish looked different on some. Some shinier or duller looking.


----------



## 6GRILLZNTN (Jun 18, 2019)

I was a die hard KBB fan, but after reading noboundries excellent test, I decided to try the RO out.  I've only tried it in my kettle, but it pegged the lid thermometer.  I also noted that it burned longer.  I can't wait to try it in my 18.5 WSM because when I do large pork butts, I'm always having to add charcoal before the pork is done.


----------



## GoldenAmbers BBQ (Jun 18, 2019)

I'm gonna try the kingsford long burn one day. 25% longer? Maybe it's on sale some time.


----------



## PolishDeli (Jun 18, 2019)

I’ve not been overly impressed with RO.  Maybe I’m just use to kingsford.
RO briquettes look like they are made up of larger particles which are less densely packed.  This would indeed make RO burn hotter.   On the flip side though, this makes them burn out more quickly.  They also kick up a lot of cinder and sparks.

As an example:  For dinner, I make a rotisserie chicken about one a week on the Webber kettle.  With Kingsford, there is a little bit of still-usable charcoal once the bird is done.  With RO, I need to add a few extra briquettes to finish the job.  This can be corrected by playing the vent positions, I suppose.  So just be aware that there is a learning curve when you move from one brand to another.


----------



## noboundaries (Jun 18, 2019)

Yep, if you try to use RO exactly like you use KBB, you'll have a furnace in your smoker.  With KBB, if I wanted a 225F fire I'd light a quarter chimney (about 25 briquettes) to start the cold pile of briqs and wood chunks. With RO, no more than 8-10 hot briquettes. Definitely an adjustment learning curve.


----------



## jokensmoken (Jun 18, 2019)

Thanks for all the great input.
I'm seasoned...i.understand making adjustments to accommodate burn and temp...it was the chemical smell and taste review that had me most concerned...apparently that is a non issuse. 
Glad I loaded up...
Thanks again...no finer bunch of folks on the web than you all.
Walt.


----------



## bluewhisper (Jun 19, 2019)

Good information here.

I recently loaded up on that Embers deal at Home Depot. (I was working there this time last year.)

The funny thing with me is, I'm not driving these days so I show up at the store pulling a garden wagon. Load that thing with bundles of charcoal, and roll the 3/4 mile back home.


----------



## timstalltaletav (Jul 21, 2019)

I just bought a twin pack of Embers last weekend.  Used it Friday for an overnight PP smoke.  I'm impressed.  Heat was very consistent throughout the process and there were still quite a bit of coals left when I shut down the cooker.

I think I may switch from KBB if they have the special running yet.  I'm happy overall with how it performs.


----------



## noboundaries (Jul 21, 2019)

timstalltaletav said:


> I think I may switch from KBB if they have the special running yet. I'm happy overall with how it performs.



Usually, the last dependable $10 for 40 lbs sale at HD will be Labor Day weekend. Sometimes they repeat for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but not always. 

HOLY CRAP! I just checked HD's website and they have it on sale for $7.98 for 40 lbs. STOCK UP!


----------



## timstalltaletav (Jul 21, 2019)

noboundaries said:


> Usually, the last dependable $10 for 40 lbs sale at HD will be Labor Day weekend. Sometimes they repeat for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but not always.
> 
> HOLY CRAP! I just checked HD's website and they have it on sale for $7.98 for 40 lbs. STOCK UP!



I'll be there tomorrow for sure!


----------



## timstalltaletav (Jul 21, 2019)

noboundaries said:


> Kingsford has been reformulated for the grill, and pretty much for one-time use. They've cut the weight by 25%, keeping the same molding stamp.
> 
> Royal Oak Ridge / Embers / Walmart Expert Grill / Safeway brand / Winco brand are all Royal Oak Ridge. The red bag Royal Oak Ridge contains perfect stamps. Embers, etc, are the seconds that don't pass the stamp muster but perform exactly the same as the red bag.
> 
> ...



This is good info!  And to be honest, I've never looked at any of the charcoal briquettes I've ever used.  But since I'm firing up the kettle for some jerk chicken, I took a look at the briquettes.  There are some broken or otherwise not perfect pieces.

If I wouldn't have just read this, I don't think I would ever know the difference.


----------



## Almartinmeatmaster (Apr 12, 2020)

jokensmoken said:


> So I see HD has twin 20lb packs of embers charcoal for 10 bucks...
> Kingsford for 15...
> Anyone used embers...
> Did a quick online search for reviews...
> ...


For years and years I was a Kingsford man. Last year when Kingsford went up and Embers/Royal Oak was even cheaper, I went 65Embers/35Kingsford. I did an unrecorded impromptu light, burn, add comparison. Kingsford won. Light off was faster, burn seemed more even coal for coal, and fresh charcoal really took off comparatively. Open grate, not in a shielded box, can, dish. Where Embers shined was flavor. Really did. Tasted like a wood fire, smelled like it too. After a couple bags of Embers, I got ahold of some good steaks and fired up one of my hoarded bags of Kingsford. Let me tell ya bud, I use a chimney starter. No lighter fluid. Kingsford smelled like the coal piers over in downtown Norfolk. We are pork chops that night and we could taste it. Do some research. Kingsford adds a lil anthracite coal to thier charcoal. It's what makes it perform so well. I'm a wood or Royal Oak man now. Dont think I'm going back even if Kingsford becomes cheaper.


----------



## stubster (Apr 16, 2020)

Almartinmeatmaster said:


> For years and years I was a Kingsford man. Last year when Kingsford went up and Embers/Royal Oak was even cheaper, I went 65Embers/35Kingsford. I did an unrecorded impromptu light, burn, add comparison. Kingsford won. Light off was faster, burn seemed more even coal for coal, and fresh charcoal really took off comparatively. Open grate, not in a shielded box, can, dish. Where Embers shined was flavor. Really did. Tasted like a wood fire, smelled like it too. After a couple bags of Embers, I got ahold of some good steaks and fired up one of my hoarded bags of Kingsford. Let me tell ya bud, I use a chimney starter. No lighter fluid. Kingsford smelled like the coal piers over in downtown Norfolk. We are pork chops that night and we could taste it. Do some research. Kingsford adds a lil anthracite coal to thier charcoal. It's what makes it perform so well. I'm a wood or Royal Oak man now. Dont think I'm going back even if Kingsford becomes cheaper.


Loyal Royal Oak fan here. I used both Kingsford and royal oak and the only dif I got was the R O tasted and smelled way better (kingsford was mediocre at best). Stopped at H D and no R O so it was between embers and the king. I bought the embers not knowing it was a royal oak product. And after the 1st burn, I was in love with it. I picked up the bag to read up on it and wham, there it was! Royal Oak.  D G is right around the corner and usually has R O and that will be my go to. But I WILL be buying embers anytime I'm at H D.


----------

