Char-Broil
Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared
$199.99Cheaper
Released 2015
Best Charcoal Grills · head-to-head
Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared vs Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared is cheaper at $199.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Napoleon
Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K
$249
Which is better: the Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared or Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K?
On the specs we track, they're closely matched. The Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared is the cheaper at $199.99.
See Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared on Amazon See Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K on Amazon
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Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| 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 |
| Release | 2015 | — |
Sources — Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared: charbroil.com (verified 2026-06-19). Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K: napoleon.com (verified 2026-06-19).
What's the difference between the Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared and Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (4 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- 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 false vs Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K true
- Ash catcher: Char-Broil Kettleman TRU-Infrared true vs Napoleon Premium 22" Charcoal Kettle NK22K false
- 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
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
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, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: TRU-Infrared grate produced a beautiful sear and grill marks on burgers; Hinged lid.
Flagged: Wobbly, unstable build versus competitors; V-shaped grate very difficult to clean; grease and burnt bits lodge in crevices; Grates have no hinges, putting hands in a dangerously hot spot when adding coals.
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, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Even heat distribution and strong heat retention (center convex dome spreads heat); Sturdy, stable four-leg design; Easy, precise vent airflow control and effortless coal access for indirect cooking.