# Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared vs Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K: specs and price compared

A sourced, side-by-side comparison of the Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared (Char-Broil) and Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K (Napoleon) among charcoal grills. Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared is the cheaper of the two at $199.99.

## Side by side

| Spec | Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared | Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US price | $199.99 | $249 |
| Brand | Char-Broil | Napoleon |
| Released | 2015 | — |
| Type | kettle | kettle |
| Primary cooking area sqin | 360 | 360 |
| Material | Porcelain-coated steel with TRU-Infrared porcelain grate | Porcelain-enameled steel bowl and lid, stainless steel cooking grids |
| Hinged cooking grate | No | Yes |
| Ash catcher | Yes | No |
| Built in thermometer | Yes | Yes |
| Diameter or size (in) | 22.5 in | 21.5 in |

## Key differences

- Material: Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared Porcelain-coated steel with TRU-Infrared porcelain grate vs Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K Porcelain-enameled steel bowl and lid, stainless steel cooking grids
- Hinged cooking grate: Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared No vs Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K Yes
- Ash catcher: Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared Yes vs Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K No
- Diameter or size (in): Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared 22.5 in vs Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K 21.5 in

## What reviewers say

**Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared** — One whitelisted hands-on tester survived verification — Reviewed (USA Today), whose chef-tester ran the Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared through a live cook-off against seven rivals and ranked it near the bottom. It praised the TRU-Infrared grate's sear and the hinged lid, but flagged a wobbly build, a v-shaped grate that traps grease and burnt bits, grates with no hinges (forcing hands into a dangerously hot spot when adding coals), and a handle-less ash bucket, concluding better grills exist for the price. (1 sourced review.)

**Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K** — One whitelisted tester, Reviewed (USA Today), hands-on tested this Napoleon 22in charcoal kettle and named it Best Overall charcoal grill, praising even heat distribution, strong heat retention, sturdy four-leg stability, easy vent airflow control, and roomy capacity (12-13 burgers), with no cons found. Note Reviewed tested the prior NK22K-LEG-2 leg generation, and the review was last updated April 2024. (1 sourced review.)

## Sources

- Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared: https://www.charbroil.com/products/kettleman-tru-infrared-charcoal-grill-black-16301878 (charbroil.com, verified 2026-06-19)
- Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K: https://www.napoleon.com/en/us/grills/products/charcoal-grills/charcoal-premium-series/premium-22-charcoal-kettle-nk22k-leg-3 (napoleon.com, verified 2026-06-19)

Canonical: https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/charcoal-grills/char-broil-kettleman-vs-napoleon-premium-charcoal-kettle-22/
Cite: Per The Front Desk Review, Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared ($199.99) vs Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K ($249) — sourced spec-by-spec comparison at https://frontdeskreview.com/gear/charcoal-grills/char-broil-kettleman-vs-napoleon-premium-charcoal-kettle-22/
License: CC BY 4.0.