Solo Stove Charcoal Grill review

Short verdict: Solo Stove’s charcoal grill is a stainless steel grill with a small footprint that still fit ten burgers with room to spare. The included starters lit the charcoal without lighter fluid, the coals were ready in about 20 minutes, and cleanup was a quick scrub of the grates plus a little ash. My one real complaint is that there’s no thermometer. In 2021 I thought the $500 bundle price was worth it and the $749.99 list price was a stretch. Solo Stove no longer sells this grill on its own site. As of October 26, 2026, Champion BBQ Supply lists the grill alone at $449.99. Weber’s 22-inch Original Kettle Premium is $229.00 at Weber.

How I tested it

My video is from July 2021. It was my first time using this grill, and I hadn’t used a charcoal grill in six or seven years. I’m not a charcoal expert, and I said so in the video.

I cooked ten burgers, then hot dogs, then toasted buns and melted cheese. After dinner my kids roasted marshmallows over the coals that were left. I cleaned the grates in the kitchen sink and dumped the ash.

The video doesn’t say whether I bought the grill or Solo Stove sent it. It does include a Solo Stove affiliate link, so I may earn a commission if you buy through my links on this site. I used the tall stand, not the short stand that came in the bundle.

I didn’t measure temperature (the grill has no thermometer), time the burn or weigh anything. Prices and materials are from the retailer pages listed in Sources, checked October 26, 2026.

Quick specs (sourced)

Lighting it

The grill came with a bag of charcoal and some starter blocks. I piled the charcoal in the center, pushed four starters in between the coals and lit them. No lighter fluid. It caught right away.

After a few minutes with the lid on, the coals were turning red. After about 20 minutes they were ready to cook on.

I’ve also used lighter fluid in this grill since then, and it was fine. If lighter fluid is all you have, you can still use it.

Cooking ten burgers

Once the coals were hot, I spaced out ten burgers with plenty of room between them. I could have fit more if I’d packed them tighter. For a family of four that’s more than enough, and it’s big enough for a party.

I put the lid on and left them for about eight minutes. That was too long. A few came off charred on one side. That was my mistake, not the grill’s. With charcoal the timing depends on how hot the coals are and how high they’re stacked, and that takes practice on a new grill.

This is where my one complaint comes in. There’s no thermometer. Lots of grills have one built into the lid. This one doesn’t, so you’re guessing at the temperature. It wasn’t a deal breaker for me, but it’s the reason I overcooked the first batch. If you buy this grill, get a probe thermometer.

After I flipped the burgers, I moved them to the edge, away from the coals, which were concentrated in the center. Then I added hot dogs, also along the edge, since they char fast over direct heat.

Buns, cheese, and the trick to toasting

I like toasted buns on a charcoal grill. Keep the buns on the outer edge, not over the coals, or they’ll burn quickly. I moved the burgers that needed cheese to the center, over the coals. The cheese melted and the buns toasted in about 35 to 40 seconds.

Overall I was happy with how everything turned out.

S’mores on the same coals

My kids loved this part. After they finished dinner, they roasted marshmallows over the coals that were still hot. That’s the same thing we do with our Solo Stove Campfire. It’s a small thing, but it turned dinner into an evening.

Cleanup

There’s a little cleanup. I pulled out both grates and gave them a quick scrub in the kitchen sink, and they came clean. Then I dumped the ash, and there wasn’t much of it.

Size and build

The size is about right. It isn’t small, but it isn’t huge either, and it fits nicely on my deck. It gives you a lot of cooking space for the space it takes up. If you have a small deck, that’s a real plus.

It’s made of the same high-quality steel as Solo Stove’s fire pits, and it has the same look. The lid hooks onto the side of the grill, so you have somewhere to hang it while you cook. That’s a small thing I like.

The price question

In July 2021, Solo Stove’s Ultimate Grill Bundle was on sale for $500. It came with:

• The charcoal grill
• The 13-inch short stand (the tall stand was about $50 more)
• Tongs, a spatula and a meat fork
• A cover (Solo Stove calls it a shelter) and a carrying case
• A bag of charcoal and fire starters

The regular price then was $749.99. I said $500 was worth it and $750 pushed it over the edge for me.

My argument for paying more than a cheap grill was the build. With a thin $50 grill from a big-box store, you can end up buying a new one every year when the metal rusts out. This one is high-strength steel, and Solo Stove backed it with a lifetime warranty at the time.

Things have changed since 2021. Solo Stove no longer sells the grill on its own site. Retailers still have some stock. On October 26, 2026, Champion BBQ Supply listed the grill alone at $449.99 and the Ultimate Bundle at $599.99. If you buy from a third party, check the warranty terms before you pay, since I couldn’t confirm what still applies.

How it compares

The Weber kettle costs about half as much. I didn’t test it, so I can’t compare how they cook. What the Solo Stove offers for the extra money is 304 stainless steel. Whether that’s worth about $220 more, at October 26, 2026 prices, is up to you.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Fit ten burgers easily, with room for more
• Small footprint for the cooking space
• Included starters lit the charcoal without lighter fluid
• Coals ready in about 20 minutes
• Easy cleanup, little ash
• The lid hangs off the side
• Leftover coals work for s’mores

Cons

• No thermometer
• Expensive next to a basic kettle
• No longer sold on Solo Stove’s own site
• Warranty terms through third-party sellers are unclear

Who should buy it, and who should skip it

Buy it if you want a stainless charcoal grill that fits a small deck, you cook for a family or the occasional party, and you can find it at a good price from a retailer you trust.

Skip it if you want a built-in thermometer, or you’re on a budget. A Weber kettle costs about half as much. Also skip it if a manufacturer warranty matters to you and you can’t confirm one from the seller.

FAQ

How many burgers fit on the Solo Stove Grill? I fit ten with plenty of space between them, and I could have squeezed in more.

Does it have a thermometer? No. That’s my one complaint. Use a probe thermometer.

Do you need lighter fluid? No. The included starters lit the charcoal on their own. Lighter fluid also worked fine when I tried it later.

How long until you can cook? About 20 minutes after lighting, in my test.

Is Solo Stove still selling the grill? I couldn’t find it on solostove.com on October 26, 2026. Champion BBQ Supply listed it at $449.99.

Has it been recalled? I found no recall for the Solo Stove Grill on CPSC’s recall search as of October 26, 2026.

Why this review stops here

My video covers one cook: burgers, hot dogs and s’mores. I don’t have temperature readings, a long-term rust report or a comparison cook on another grill. The grill is also off Solo Stove’s site, so I can’t confirm current specs or the warranty.

Sources

• My video: Solo Stove Grill review, July 2021
• Solo Stove Grill, grill only, at Champion BBQ Supply, accessed Oct 26, 2026
• Weber 22-in Original Kettle Premium, accessed Oct 26, 2026
• Solo Stove fire pit accessories (no standalone grill listed), accessed Oct 26, 2026
• CPSC recalls search, accessed Oct 26, 2026