Belgian Natural charcoal tablets are next up in our coal comparisons. Coconara is the champion to beat. Let’s see how the Belgian Naturals fair.
Belgian Natural:
- A natural coal that has flown a bit under the radar.
- Pretty solid and they hold their shape well.
- They come in the 40mm disk shape that is most associated with QL charcoal.
- Made from compressed wood.
- Easily scored and broken apart so you can use half a coal when needed.
They produce surprisingly small amounts of charcoal dust and your hands stay pretty clean. Like all natural coals, you need prolonged exposure to a high heat source to light them but they light pretty quickly. They produce no smell when lighting and don’t drop a lot of coal dust or ash when lighting so your stove stays pretty clean.
After fully lit, these coals produce a good amount of heat and smoke pretty cleanly. I have had a few split apart after a while but it was not until they are at the end of their burn. They produce a lot of ash but no more than a lot of other coals.
I think that these coals put off a good amount of carbon monoxide that I am fairly sensitive to. It’s not a huge amount but I get a bit of a headache and don’t like to smoke with these more than once in a day.
Finally, these coals last a good amount of time.
Compared to Coconaras:
I am giving this round to Coconaras as well. Coconaras produce less ash, have never broken apart on me, produce more heat and I can smoke with them all day but don’t feel effects of carbon monoxide like high blood pressure and migraines. These are great coals and I suggest you try them if you don’t like coconut charcoal and prefer coals made from regular wood. I do suggest you get over that though and try out coconut coals. They are awesome.