Ken Chiku - Bamboo Charcoal 10Kg | Briquettes Perfect For BBQ | Long Burn Time | Smoke Free and Odorless | Restaurant Quality Charcoal | Easy Burning For Grills

I used this bamboo charcoal for the first time and was very pleased with the results, we had a barbecue to celebrate a birthday and put the charcoal in a fire pit which was set into a table. it took a while to get going but once it was up to temperature it cooked our steaks to perfection , in fact the wife said it was "one of the best steaks "she had tastedfor a long while. the charcoal lasted for ages after we had finished cooking. very impressed will definately order again.

Great product. Clearly very different to briquettes or lump wood. I've used it with a Weber plus Slow & Sear, and found it excellent for smoking at 225F or 325F - though it takes a bit of getting used to.Key things are that this burns slowly, and is very clean. When lighting it (I used Weber Eco firelighters) it simply doesn't kick off smoke in the same way briquettes / lump can do - and that remains constant throughout cooking (so the only smoke flavour you get, is that from the wood you add). It then burns very consistently - albeit with a bit of ash removal needed every hour or two. Using the S&S, I was able to get a consistent 325F over 8 hours using half lit, on a bed of half unlit - without fussing with the valves beyond Weber's basic (and outer) smoking settings. I also found it far easier to get down to 225 than lump or briquettes - and to maintain that for a good period of time.The trade off is pure heat - this does seem to burn lower than lumpwood or good briquettes. It'll sear a steak (etc.) if cooked immediately after pouring the rods out of the chimney - but its clearly not designed for that purpose. If you are just doing an hour's grilling, then I suspect lump or briquettes will be an easier bet. (Also, I say 'pouring' the rods - but they really need to be moved individually with tongs, like something in the Simpsons...)Lighting new rods does take a bit longer than briquettes / lump - and I've found it needs a good number of firelighters (again, Weber eco) to get a chimney going - plus up to 45 minutes to get the new rods burning. A key benefit is that the rods are re-useable several times, depending on how you use them - and re-used rods seem to light quickly, if stored in an air-tight container.

I bought these specifically to use as a heat source for smoking rather than traditional BBQ hoping that it would be as long burning and smoke/taste free as advertised.The day they arrived I happened to be doing a bbq though so thought I'd give them a trial run.The box was adequate and the briquettes, although a little broken in transit, were plenty big enough and ranged from about 3" to 12" long. So far so good.I used a small amount of instant light lumpwood as a starter and piled a few large peices on top.They took forever to get going, upward of 45mins even with the excessive starter I gave them, I realy wouldn't recommend trying to start these with a fire lighter. Once burning they are much cooler than lumpwood. They did however last for hours.I'm used to having the coals to one side and using indirect heat for the majority of the cook, these were not up to that and even with food directly above they are a little disappointing.Next try was for smoking where I need the Temps to be much lower but for a long period. I cooked for 9 hours with only 2 topups and the Temps were very stable.So, low and slow cooking these worked brilliantly, low smoke, no sparking, no chemical taste. for a standard BBQ, not as impressive.

If you have got BBQ I strongly recommend to buy. is not long burn time... is VERY long burn time.

Absolutely awful experience. I bought them in the absence of coconut shell briquettes as I like odorless charcoal. This is the first briquettes that do not burn. It took me more time and effort to light them up (used three times more lighting cubes than usual). They did light up but heat level wasn’t appropriate to cook anything. Ended up adding standard charcoal into the mix. The worst thing - they stopped burning half way! Every charcoal that I used so far burns all the way through and turns into ashes. This one didn’t. Just stopped burning. It wasn’t wet, used it next day after delivery. Don’t waste your time!

Amazing heat and longevity. I find it easy to light in chimney with some kindling and a wax starter or paraffin block underneath. Beware that reactions to this fuel are marmite like. Personally I will always use this going forward now: in fire pit, in pizza oven and in portable bbq.. wish I knew about this 20 years ago. Re-ordered twice already. Convert

Sadly, as others have found this product is very difficult to get lit. After 4 attempts in my chimney starter, I used cheap briquettes first to get very high heat and then these on top to get them going.I would not buy again.*** Having now used this, i have to say when lit it lasts a long time! Lighting is slow and you do need a pre starter charcoal to get heat into this. I would now buy again

Perhaps it's the lighter we use (a kind of pressed cardboard and wood-dust sticks), but it doesn't seem to burn through even when completely dry and broken into smaller chunks. It partially burns, then goes out.