Collection: Commercial Charcoal Char Grills

A dedicated hood, dedicated ductwork and a dedicated fan, fitted with a spark arrestor at the connection to stop airborne embers entering the duct. Where exposed flames or embers are part of the cooking process, flame barriers are required in the hood. Solid fuel typically classifies as heavy-duty cooking, which drives larger hood overhangs and higher exhaust rates than lighter equipment. Your mechanical engineer will size it — but expect it to be a significantly larger job than adding a gas appliance under an existing canopy.

Usually, yes, and you should assume so until told otherwise. Solid fuel installations involve a new flue penetration, fire safety measures, and smoke and odour that carry to neighbouring properties — all of which councils take an interest in, and all of which are common sources of conditions or objections. Requirements vary by council, so get written advice for your specific address early in the process

Flavour and workload. Charcoal produces genuine smoke and char that gas can approximate but not replicate, and for menus built around the grill that difference is the product. Gas is instant on and off, far cheaper to install, needs no separate exhaust system, and requires substantially less labour to run. If the grill is your signature, charcoal earns its cost. If it's one station among many, gas almost always makes more sense.

Josper" is a brand of closed charcoal oven, used generically the way "Esky" is. A closed charcoal oven is an enclosed chamber that grills and roasts using charcoal, retaining heat far more efficiently than an open grill and using considerably less fuel. They're excellent appliances and they carry the same solid fuel ventilation requirements as any open charcoal grill.

Fuel is the smaller part of the answer. Charcoal costs more per hour of cooking than gas, but the bigger difference is labour: lighting and building the fire before service, managing it throughout, and a longer clean-down including ash removal and flue attention. Then there's the installation, which is by a wide margin the largest cost difference between charcoal and gas. Charcoal is a menu decision, not an economy one.