Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Charcoal cookers (such as Weber Kettles)
12x7
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Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by 12x7 »

I have been using heat beads for years and often wondered how good are they say compared to the Kingsford which seems to be most popular briquette in the US.

I recently got myself a bag of Kingsford on special from Woolies. It had great smoke flavour but they burn down really quickly with less heat than heat beads.

Have we been spoilt with heat beads and not realised for the price they are one of the best briquettes in the world ?
baguspeter
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by baguspeter »

I h
ave used Kingsford a few times but prefer the Red Heat Beads, I also use Redhead robot turds a lot and think they are great.
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12x7
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by 12x7 »

How much are you paying for the redhead heat beads and turds?
baguspeter
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by baguspeter »

I thinkI get a 16kg box of the red bag heatbeads for $24 from Bunnings, the Redheads charcoal turds are $11 a box in Coles, 4kg ?
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Bill44
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by Bill44 »

baguspeter wrote: Tue Apr 04, 2017 8:47 pm I thinkI get a 16kg box of the red bag heatbeads for $24 from Bunnings, the Redheads charcoal turds are $11 a box in Coles, 4kg ?
3Kg.
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12x7
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by 12x7 »

Bill44,

Quite a set of charcoal BBQs in your signature. What's your take on the best charcoal briquettes to use, eg for your kettle?
SitDown
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by SitDown »

Have tried a few brands of briquettes here in NZ, well, where I am from anyway, west auckland
The aussie head beads are best I have tried. Holds temp well & for much longer with ash being less than other brands
10kg = 35 bucks mitre10, am happy to pay that
It would probably be better if those on the floor stacking the bags, stop throwing them around like cement bags, I sort of frown when I see that happen when I am looking to buy some

Mate of mine uses the coconut briquettes, cheaper than heat beads... might have to give em a go. 20 bucks for 10kg at bunnings
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Davo
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by Davo »

I've been using heatbeads now since the mid 90's when i got my first kettle, I find that they are pretty much neutral in flavour, just add favourite wood, they are awesome when doing the snake method as they burn evenly when set up right,they burn long which is important for overnighters.
Heat beads have been the Australian standard since the 70's when Webers hit Australian shores so I think they know a thing or two about making them right....basically they are fine brown coal briquettes shaped into pillows by using vegetable starch which is harmless...theres nothing harmfull in them at all despite all the opinionss of many years past.

Redhead robot turds arn't bad but the last lot i had might've got damp coz they didn't perform too well.

I know I haven't given lump charcoal a really good go due to the inconsistencies I've experienced and also in the past it was very expensive and hard to come by...but theres nothing yet that compares with the smell of good charcoal cooking as it's made from natural timber product...but heat beads still rule in Australia. Weber Australia have answered the call and made River red gum Charcoal from the Riverina district that used to be owned by one of our members Peter Yeoman.....poor ol Peter had some real challenges in the beginning though when he first got the Weber deal, just after the first truck load that was sent out, big floods hit his region and filled all his pits...so it took Months and Months to dry out.....that's the dilemmas face by making a natural product.

Cheers

Davo
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12x7
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by 12x7 »

Good summary Davo!

I tend to experiment every now and then with other briquettes to see anything out there is better than heat beads, but keep coming back to heat beads as they seem the best for the kettle

Thanks for all the info around the Weber lump charcoal. $20 for 5KG is real expensive.
Turkey
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by Turkey »

Heat beads are my backup if Hot Shots aren't available. I reckon HS give the longest, most consistent burn in my kettle and WSM.
Bill44
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by Bill44 »

12x7 wrote: Wed Apr 05, 2017 1:15 pm Bill44,

Quite a set of charcoal BBQs in your signature. What's your take on the best charcoal briquettes to use, eg for your kettle?
For the kettles: Low and slow is Heat Beads.
Quick cook is Lump Charcoal.
Longer cook is Lump Charcoal and Robot turds.

For the Spit: Robot Turds with some large Lump Charcoal.

For the Hibachi I use all the little bit that are left over from a cook. At the end of any cook I put the still burning coals into a large old stainless steel saucepan with a lid, this kills the coals, and is quicker than leaving them in the kettle.

I recently bought some Heat Beads Coconut beads, used them in the spit with the usual mix. They are showing promise as they light quickly and burn hotter than normal beads, last reasonably well to but not as long as Robot Turds or normal Heat Beads.
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the dane
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by the dane »

Some times supermarkets have heatbeads for $4.50 or $5 a bag. Thats when i bag up. My local bunnings had them for $3 a bag, but limited stock in garden section, funny thing the bags said not for separate sale, and were in plain black bags

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lockyer
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by lockyer »

I use Heat beads and lump charcoal when cooking on our rotisserie, I tried charcaol with the ProQ smoker and have had issues with temperature swings. When I bought the Q last, year BG threw in a large bag of Pro Smoke Charcoal bricquettes. I decided to try them in the smoker on a slow cook (5hrs) a full starter into the fire ring and 12 Heat beads to set the cook off (minion method)
95% of the Pro Smoke was goonnnne at just under 5hrs, yet the 12 Heat beads I placed in the middle were still going strong....I noted in my cook log "only use Heat beads in the smoker" !

Cheers L
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by paulr »

I mainly use charcoal.. or bug ol lump when I do a 12 hour cook...
No briquettes for me... I pay about 40 dollars for a 20kg bag...

Happy BBQ-ing, Paul
PS I do recommend Heat Beads if people want to use briquettes as theyre the best around imo
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Charstone1
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Re: Are head beads the best briquettes around?

Post by Charstone1 »

Heat Beads the best, confirmed, especially for a long snake burn. I often do a mix of beads and lump for flavour.
I've tried Kingsford, they light more quickly (wonder if their shape helps that?) but they don't seem to have as much heat or burn as long.

Apart from that, the Beads are Aussie! I'm all for competition and choice for the consumer, but when the best is a local product, the choice is easy.
Anyone tried the new charcoal stuff from HB yet?
https://heatbeads.com.au/products/
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