New Kingsford Charcoal briquette
I have been having issues with charcoal briquettes lately. I usually pick up double pack of Kingsford charcoal briquettes while I am at Costco picking up some meat to BBQ. On a recent trip I come to find out that my local Costco only carries the Kingsford Match-Light Instant Light Charcoal. I’m not a big fan of the Instant Light so I had to press on. All that I wanted was my regular Kingsford briquettes.
Plan-two was Smart & Final, I had to go there anyway to pick up some BBQ supplies. I found a double bag of what seemed like the old favorite with one significant difference… it had ridges, or what Kingsford refers to as “Sure Fire Grooves.” What the heck is a Sure Fire Groove? I wasn’t exactly sure, but after further research I come to find out that these grooves are a standard feature across all of Kingsford charcoal products.
These Sure Fire Grooves supposedly allow the charcoal to be lit faster (in fifteen minutes) and burn more evenly for longer time. Now this is really messing with my mind because I never had a problem with the way the old charcoal worked. Why would you even think about changing a winning formula? It has worked well all these years why change it? Lighting it was never a problem in a chimney starter… BTW, why doesn’t Kingsford make a charcoal chimney starter? Duration was never a problem with the old charcoal and I have yet to find that the Sure Fire Grooves to burn longer. It actually seems as though they don’t burn quite as long. Now, that is just an opinion, but it seems that way. I wish I could get a hold of some of the old stuff to put it to the test, but it is no longer available.
One thing that I have noticed is that this new briquette design becomes much more fragile as it burns. So, if you are someone who likes to adjust your charcoal briquettes after they are lit you might find yourself dealing with a pile of lit ash. This also poses a problem if you are the type of person who uses these briquettes for outdoor dutch-oven cooking. Nobody likes briquettes that fall apart once they are lit.
I am not sure what Kingsford was thinking when they decide to change this age-old design… it was probably some market research guy who wanted to be known as the person who reinvented the charcoal briquette. There have been some arguments against using briquettes because of the additives that are used in their production… believe it or not charcoal doesn’t naturally come in perfectly formed little briquettes. But, I was willing to use the briquettes for the strong and steady heat that was produced by them. It was one constant in the world of BBQ that you could count on again and again. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case and I might have to start using more lump charcoal.
Sure Fire Grooves courtesy of Kingsford market research.
Top view of the Sure Fire Grooves
I could be wrong, but it amost appears that those deep grooves decrease the actual physical amount of charcoal in the briquette. Either way, it almost seems pointless. I want charcoal to burn hot and long …. I really don’t care how fast it lights.
Thanks for the great review.
A lot of BBQ’s are displeased with the new stuff. It was designed for grillers since there are a lot more of those. BBQ’ers are making themselves heard though. THere is a really good discussion here:
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15070&highlight=kingsford
Hi Guys, Just got back from Philadelphia last night. Checking the local weather report- we might get rain this weekend during the BBQn at the Autry competition. Let’s pray for dry weather.
Saints be praised! I found a crispy new Kingsford brand charcoal chimney at a yard sale last year. 50 cents? Sold! It works about as well as my old one did, but the wooden handle on this Kingsford model is somewhat bigger, sturdier and fits better in my hand. It’s a real class-A charcoal chimney. Good luck with the bbq cook off!
Kingsford! For Q? Make me puke! Try some lump charcoal. All hardwood - no additives, binders, or awful smell!
True-dat. I used to like the briquettes because of the consistency, but from now on it is all lump all the time.
Lump vs. Briquettes in Q.
They both have their places. I’ve found that in my WSMs that the lump coal makes them burn way too hot.
As long as you’re putting in the coals all burning (no unlit coals) you should be able to avoid the smells / tate / etc.
I’ve used the new Kingsford several times in practice, and it seems to be doing OK. I’ll have a much better idea after this weekend - first major NW event of the year.
I’ve been using the new Kingsford briquettes as well. They seem to burn hotter than the old ones. But when i’m smoking meat for four or so hours. I want a longer lasting one
Marketing scheme? I bought the OLD Kingsford last year on all the “bbq holidays”…. (some of us grill all year round). It was always on sale for $5 or so a bag. I have yet to see any of the NEW stuff on sale? This NEW stuff does not burn the same. I dont put much bbq sauce on any of the meat I cook, but I certainly need a charcoal that can last long enough to slow cook ribs, pork butt, etc. The NEW Kingsford doesnt do the job.
I have to agree–these new briquettes are terrible and I will no longer buy the Kingsford brand. They forgot to tell you that they lit faster and burned out twice as fast. What a disappointment and of course, I had to buy the biggest bag.
I’m a year-round outdoor cooker. I use wood, lump charcoal, propane, and briquettes - depending on what I’m cooking. Found myself out of briquetts yesterday and went shopping. I’ve used Kingsford exclusively for years. Went to three places and found that ALL the Kingsford bag sizes had changed. Used to get 20lb bags at Lowe’s. Now Lowe’s has 18lb bags with the statement printed thereon, “18lb burns as long as 20lb”. Home Depot once carried two 24lb bags, sometimes at a real good price, now you get two 21.9lb bags and the printing states, “21.9lb burns as long as 24lb”.
The answer is very simple and two-fold. Kingsford had a good thing and they screwed with it and they screwed it up! Thier goal? Simple, to raise the price! And they don’t have the guts to say so up front! They think we are stupid!
I bought Royal Oak, it works just fine!
What’s the best way to store charcoal briquettes? I store them outside next to the bbq. Any container recommendations so they don’t get the blue-green fuzz (looks like moldy bread) that seems to come from moisture? Also, those paper bags they are sold in fall apart after a few weeks outside… even in Southern Calif.
Wow! John,
I’ve stored my charcoal the same way for years and have never had any blue-green fuzz. And we certainly do heat AND humidity here in Alabama. And that’s a famous combination for generating blue-green fuzz. My charcoal is stored on an elevated wood deck under an eave of the house (so only indirect rain contacts the bag) and there is generally good ventalation. Does any of that differ from your storage situation? Direct rainfall onto the bag and poor air circulation combined with warm temperatures could be the answer.
Buy the way, if the fuzzy charcoal burns well and hot, who’s to say that blue-green fuzz is not a good thing.
I agree with the negative comments above concerning the “New” charcoal. It may light marginally faster but definitely does not burn longer. Burns hotter and quicker. I’ve worked with marketing people and this whole thing looks like marketing’s justification for a price increase. Sounds like the usual BS to me. Am looking for another source for charcoal until Kingford wakes up.
I’m glad I found you people; thought for a while I was alone in the anti-New Kingsford world. Has anyone else written to Kingsford yet? They don’t seem to be very sympathetic. I too BBQ year-round, and use briquettes plus wood. Maybe it’ll be just wood for now.
SAHARA, CV
About Us
We are an Indonesian company focus in manufacturer and exporter of shell base charcoal from coconut shell and palm kernel. The unique beach side coconut shell produce superior quality raw material for activated carbon, low ash and good ph value.
Our manufacturer plants located in Indonesia, we provide total solution providing quality, quantity and delivery on time to customer requirement. Product also test SUCOFINDO analytical laboratories in Indonesia.
The Company also in manufacturing coconut related product such as : coconut fibre, coconut pith ( coco peat ), virgin coconut oil ( VCO) and the briquette from coconut shell /palm kernel sehll charcoal.
Company Profile
Company Name: Sahara, CV
Country/Territory: Indonesia
Address: Jl. Padang Pasir X No. 7, Padang – Indonesia
Products/Services We Offer: shell charcoal from coconut shell & palm kernel shell, coconut derivative
Business Type: Manufacturer
Industry Focus: Charcoal , Others ,
Geographic Markets: Western Europe, Middle East
No. of Employees: 11 - 50 People
Annual Sales Range (USD): US$2.5 Million - US$5 Million
Year Established: 1997
Don’t you love it. They put grooves in, taking material out - while keeping the same number of briquetts in the bag, which as someone pointed out all contain about 10% less charcoal for the same price. Oh yeah, they say it lasts as long too. Yes, I’m sure someone at Kingsford is getting patted on the back as some kind of genius.
I contacted Kingsford to try to get some answers - they replied with a bunch of form-letter type responses someone in marketing obviously created. They didn’t even make sense, like the person responding was trying to find the best match and picked the one they thought fit.
Has anyone else noticed the white stuff oozing from their NEW KINGSFORD BRIQUETTS, looks like styrofoam? I also noticed an odor that kinda takes your breath away like amonia. I thought I was nuts,I mean kingsford is the best right? so I used up the 1st bag then bought another bag before I realized they did more than just put grooves in the new stuff. Its ROYAL OAK from now on. Didn’t anyone learn from Coke not to mess with a good thing?
Dear Sir,
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the sure fire grooves are a great idea yall just wanna bash. we are the best damn charcoal producers in the world. and if you want lump coal we make that also.
yeah kingsford rocks
I’ve worked for kingsford for 13 years and have never seen the mysterious white ooze. While i sit and read all you guys had to say with four other KINGSFORD employees we can’t help but be shocked by the disloyalty. Surely you don’t believe kingsford is trying to screw you guys out of a couple pounds a bag. They had the customers best interest in mind 100 %.I/we truly believe kingsford rules. p.s. Royal Oak Blows
Relax everyone, you’ll soon see a new and great alturnative charcoal briquette out in the market made buy china charcoal. Don’y be fooled by the name…..it’s less expensive and better quality than that old brand.
I was just reading the local ACE Hardware sale paper and noticed Kingsford Charcoal in an 18 lb bag. Eighteen pounds??? When did they switch from TWENTY pounds to EIGHTEEN pounds? Furthermore, I want to know who authorized that change! All my life (47 years) I’ve been seeing any brand of charcoal in TWENTY pound bags. Now all the sudden EIGHTEEN pound bags????? Looks to me like some CEO will be getting a HEFTY bonus check this year!
You have got to try, The Original Charcoal Company!! They have both a briquette, as well as a hardwood. Both products are AWESOME!!! Original Charcoal features all natural product from South America. It burns hotter and longer, plus has a better taste without all of the chemical flavor of Kingsford. They are in Home Depot this summer, as well as COSTCO in Texas.
Take care! Margaret
Thank You
We grill all the time and havent used Kingsford since i found out its made by Ford so, i found this Royal Oak now, those butt heads at Wally World dont sell the Royal Oak, i bought the Kingsford all Natural because they burn better than the briquets. Now they burn WAY too fast and dont burn with as much heat, i cant even re-use the charcoal like i did with the Royal Oak and cost more! Whats the website or where can i buy them?…
ty
So, I’m not alone. Perhaps some drug lord bought Kingsford and needed a money losing & laundering operation. What else could explain the new, lousy product with mark-ups exceeding 50% beyond he previous pricing?
I am surprised you people haven’t stumbled onto the real reason for the grooves and the changes to KingFords, it is simple, White Castle did it years ago with the holes they put into their patties.
One: Less Charcoal per briquette means they can make more briquette for same price (more profit for same amount of material
Two: If it burns faster, it means you have to buy more quicker and also use more charcoal per que.
I noticed this a long time ago when I purchased a another brand of charcoal and notice how their briquettes completely dwarfed Kingsford. KingsFord did the same trick again only it is much more obvious now.
I personnally dislike company when they tried to get you from both ends! Oil companies anyone?!!
Good Bye KingsFord!
So, I would only emphasize that Kingsford cares a great deal not just about grilling, but BBQing… People working on the grooves are BBQers and talk to BBQers. The charcoal with grooves are made to be more efficient and consistent than ever before. It lights faster, but has more cook time. For low and slow, it does require adjustment to how you cook. Close off the vents even more to hold to same low temperature for even longer. Result is less moisture & juices will escape producing best low and slow results from Kingsford ever- this is feedback from competion teams. It addition, you’ll still find because of our quality standards as we char the wood to make the briquette it’s the most consistent product to use for a low and slow Q.
I agree with the majority! I hate to feel like I’m getting ripped off! I’ve always used Kingsford, but I’m ready to look for a new brand. Less charcoal per briquette, faster burn time and higher costs! Enough is enough! And then they changed the weight of the bags and thought we would’nt notice! Local midwest stores regularly put Kingsford on sale for anywhere between 5.99 and 7.49, usually averaging 6.99. What a deal! I think we can do better.
Dear “Kingsford Employee”:
Charcoal is largely carbon, which is the active element that burns with oxygen to produce CO2 and heat. The “binder” and other noncarbonaceous stuff is what is left over after the burn — in other words, ash.
If you burn less carbon, by mass, you get less heat. 18 lbs of briquettes produce 10% less heat than 20 lbs, assuming the same proportion of carbon/binder. Grooves may give you a faster startup, but WILL NOT PRODUCE MORE HEAT. I
There’s a simple way of resolving this debate: if you want customers to stop criticizing the new Kingsford, put 20 lbs in a 20 lb bag for the same price as the “old” Kingsford (with the same carbon content as the old formulation).
Quite frankly, most of us have been exposed to 20 - 40 years of corporate BS intended to persuade us that ‘less is more’. You can’t buy a pound of coffee in a can anymore, haven’t for years because the number of ounces in “one pound” cans has been steadily shrinking. Have consumers been fooled by these stealth price increases? Not since unit pricing. But the coffee companies are still pulling the same dumb trick and imagining that they’re fooling us. (See Andy Rooney’s take on this: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/03/07/60minutes/rooney/main543240.shtml)
The real question here is “How dumb do you think we are”?
So, if all the grooves were about was reducing material, Kingsford would have raised the price. It would have been much easier. In fact, in addition to the grooves Kingsford did not just reduce material but after significant testing and work with users, adjusted the carbon/binder proportions to improve the product. Additionally, as it relates to the grooves you are spot on that the grooves do not produce more heat in total– but the grooves do aid the burn profile such that the total amount of heat at cooking temperature is longer. Same concept as the pillow shape itself and impact on the burn profile– the edges light quicker and the middle takes longer to burn. Bottom line is that Kingsford product continues to deliver great quality and consistency to the bbq experience.
Here is my gripe, I do not get the great Kingsford charcoal taste I got with the old version. This new stuff is definitly worse. I tested it side by side. Unfortunally I am out of the old stuff now.
Maybe the Kingsford employees can suggest to get it back, maybe call it Kingsford Gold!!
I don’t care if the bag weighs less, give me back the charcoal taste!!
As fas as charcoal from China, if you can’t make dog food you can’t make charcoal, or toothpaste for that matter!
About 15 years ago someone showed me an Embers charcoal chimney. After watching it work I had to have one. But now it is almost beyond repair. I want another, but Embers is gone. The reason it worked so well was that it was an inverted cone, eleven inches high, nine inches at the base, seven inches at the top. Cone shaped chimneys work about 30% faster and get all the charcoal burning, even the outside of the outer pieces. If anyone out there has seen a new chimney like this for sale, please let me know. bigsteve355113@yahoo.com. Thanks
About fifteen years ago I came accross an Embers charcoal chimney. After watching it work, I had to have one. Now it is in terrible shape, cant be fixed. I would like to buy another like it. It is in the shape of an inverted cone, eleven inches high, nine inches at the base, seven inches at the top. If anyone out there has seen one like this for sale, please let me know. They work so much better than straight walled chimneys. thanks big steve
“It is in the shape of an inverted cone”
big steve…isn’t the weber chimney starter what you are looking for? http://www.amazon.com/Weber-87886-Chimney-Starter/dp/B00004U9VV/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-9673308-2299164?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1181171767&sr=8-1
it’s cone shaped.
i bought my 40 th bag of kingsforsd and i finnaly give in . u guys suck ass unless you intended for me to taste lighter fluid on my burger.!!!
I swear i will never by another bad of kingsford unless i try to kill myself
you have made me a propane guy for life\
PS fu
I found at Sam’s Club some briquettes that are made 60%
larger than regular briquettes
they last longer and has decent heat
Now it seems that Royal Oaks has taken a tip from Kingsford. I bought 3 bags (18 lbs) of their “Premium Charcoal Briquets” a few weeks ago and have used them 4-5 times. Last night it took nearly an hour for the coals to ash over and be ready to cook! Last week I cooked chicken for 14 people and it took FOREVER. The coals were totally spent by the time the chicken was cooked. Unfortunately, Kingsford and Royal Oaks are the only brands widely available.
I’ve used the Sam’s Club briquettes and found that they go out when I set them at the same draft/air settings as my old Kingsford. Got my grill set up to slow and low smoke and cook my brisket and pork shoulders without adjusting it for 8-10 hrs. New Kingsford worked OK for 2 1/2 hrs of burgers and chicken at a company picnic but got to find a replacement for my ‘pit’.
Since my husband passed away, I have put off using the grill. I have 1 1/2 bags of Kingsford charcoal briquettes at least 8-10 years old (stored in an unheated utility room). Will a product that old still work as well as a new (probably different brand now that I’ve read the comments!) product??
All you Jabroni’s out there beating up on the new Kingsford product are truly sad and cheap. Probably the type if it cost you a nickle to take a dump, you would throw up! I have NO problems with the new briquette. The fuel smell is probably way TOO much lighter fluid or the Match Light briquettes. Anyone with self respect to light a fire does NOT use a petroleum based product. Sam fu you too, learn how to grill and bbq. Kingsford employee’s, I have your back with my ‘04 Weber Performer. I beleive in American made products!!!
Too bad you don’t “beleive” (sic) in good spelling.
kingsford sucks royal oak rules!
I just opened my first bag of the new Kingsford charcoal. I noticed a strong plastic smell that persisted throughout the heat up in the chimney as well as throughout an hour of cooking beef and venison. During the heat up the smell of styrofoam was not as intense as real burning styrofoam, but it was stron g enough for me to watch my coals carefully. After 17 minutes my coals were not ready. This is the same chimney I always use and 12 minutes is always enough. I dumped the Kingsford coals to inspect them - they really stunk. I reloaded the chimney with the same partially ashed (15% - yes, I counted) coals and loaded fresh newspaper and watch the white ooze appear on three of the top coals. It bubbles up and looks like a liquid, but when you touch it it is very hard and must be broken off the coal. These were not in areas already ashed. The 2nd time loaded did produce white coals in about ten minutes but they really stunk. I continued to use them as per normal, cooking hamburgers (70/30 beef), venison sausage, and hot dogs. The hambergers were not burned in any way. They were cooked for three minutes per side and the grill adjusted for wide open air supply and choked exhaust to intensify the smoked flavor (I really like BBQ). When I pulled all the meat off it had condensed a brittle coating on uncharred surfaces that had a distinctive crunch in places as if the meat had contacted the burning coals, which it had not. I had to throw away the very smelly, tough and crackling surfaced food. I have never used a briquette with such a nasty binder and I have thousands of grilling and smoking time under my belt (big belt). Kingsford had a good product, they do not now. I noticed several Kingsford employees are in the blog. Please take this email and this bag lot number back to the lab for me and fix this. I really hate to see any business that has been such a blessing to so many fail, but fail you will if this bag represents the future. The lot number is SS8 122320224. I do not have the food, but I do have the bag of coals if anyone wants to send a prepaid shipping container.
I was just curious about the current opinions on the “new” (now not-so-”new”-anymore) Kingford charcoal after the stuff has been around a couple of years. I Googled up this old blog and, lo and behold, people still hate the stuff! I have to agree.
I quit using Kingsford after trying several bags of the new stuff back in the very beginning. Prior to that, I was a Kingsford user and recommender. I found the new “groovey” Kingsford does indeed light faster but it also burns up a lot faster, there was less of it in the bag than before and it doesn’t work as well for a several hour barbequin’/smokin’ project. Back around Memorial Day, I was saddened to see the local Walmart only had mountains of Kingsford in stock. I rummaged around and found two small bags of Sam’s Choice that, with some leftover Royal Oak, got me through my weekend cookout. All the local stores have mountains of Kingsford but little of the other brands around. I was getting worried that the new groovey Kingsford was approaching taking over the market and forcing out the competition. It then dawned on me that the reason there was so much Kingsford in stock was because the other brands were selling out while Kingsford’s stock was moving slow.
My experience since I stopped using Kingsford is that all the store brands I’ve tried (including one made in China) as well Royal Oak briquettes are better than Kingsford’s new stuff–both for low, slow barbeque and for grilling. Using a Weber chimney starter, they all light adequately fast and all of them burn slower and last longer. Ash production varies by the brand. All of them are at least as consistent as Kingsford.