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There’s are new charcoal product that promises quicker lighting, consistent high heat, and longer burns. Duraflame released Char-Logs, which are charcoal that’s log shaped with a hollow core, rather than the traditional briquette shape.
They’re made from oak and hickory with vegetable starch as a binder, much like briquettes. The ingredients are all natural, with no synthetic chemicals or additives.
The secret to the better burn characteristics is the hollow center, or as Duraflame calls it, Thermacore airflow technology. It allows better airflow through the charcoal rather than just on the outer surface.
Compatibility
Char-Logs work with any outdoor cooking device that you can use charcoal in. With their consistent burn, they would be especially nice in a pizza oven where it’s a more confined space for fire management.
They come in 14 lb bags, and retail for $28.99 (check price) on Amazon. Each log is about 4″-5″ long, and each bag will last around 3-4 times grilling.
Duraflame Brand
It’s notable that Duraflame released the new product under the Duraflame brand. They own B&B and Cowboy, which are both charcoal brands that are popular and liked. They also own Western, which mainly focuses on BBQ wood.
The Duraflame brand is most known for firelogs for fire places and fire pits. Outside of their lighters and matches, I don’t think they make any other products specifically for outdoor cooking.
They also already have a charcoal log product that they offer under the B&B brand, which has been around and also has great reviews. They may be releasing their new Char-Logs under the Duraflame brand because they think it will carry weight with a wider base of consumers or because it appears to be an Amazon exclusive, and the brand difference helps separate it.
More Log Products
The discussion has traditionally been all about briquette vs. lump charcoal. With more non-traditional products coming out, will we see a change from that?
Beyond the new Char-Logs, we also saw Jealous Devil release Blox this year. It’s a log-shaped wood product made from pressed wood particles. It’s almost like a giant wood pellet.
Briquettes are easily the most dominant form of charcoal grilling. It’s good to see more options though, and it’s possible we’ll see the new products stick around especially if they’re superior for specific types of outdoor cooking.