I got shipping for $9 via DoorDash. I also saw the $150 option but chose instead the $9 option
B and B oak/hickory briquettes?
- Thread starter LouieD
- Start date
Closest one is about 15 miles away. Easy enough to get to, but for a $9 delivery charge (6 bags), why not. If I recall ordered late afternoon, delivered next morning
Todd K Wisc
TVWBB Super Fan
Update on the new B&B with letter from Duraflame. Letter sounds like BS. I am thinking they just moved the production to their Cowboy production facility and changed the formula. I am done with them when my last orange bag is gone. Unfortunate, but I don't like what they have done to B&B since buying it.
Its unclear if they were false advertising for years or they changed the "orange bag" contents once before. That letter opens more questions than answers. Are they trying to claim there are 2 different briquet products?
For a long time the bag clearly said "B&B BRIQUETS MADE NATURALLY FROM OAK LUMP CHARCOAL". Notice they were called "Competition Oak Briquets" *Note that these are what Tom used for his test.*
- There is also an answer on their website (still posted) from three years ago that confirms this: " After we process the Oak lump, we take the smaller pieces and form them into our briquettes using a small percentage of corn starch as a binder. There are no minerals, accelerants, sawdust, or chemicals in our briquettes."
Then at some point after the purchase but prior to the new bags with blue on top, they subtly change the bag to say "with Oak". Perhaps they are implying that this is a different product? Shadily launching a new product with nearly identical packaging isn't much better. At this point the wording said "B&B BRIQUETS ARE MADE FROM A PREMIUM BLEND OF OAK & MIXED HARDWOOD".
And now the new bags with blue on top. Competition Charcoal Briquets With Oak & Hickory "B&B BRIQUETS ARE MADE FROM A PREMIUM BLEND OF OAK, HICKORY, & MIXED HARDWOOD"
If you click the link on their website and scroll through the pictures on their product page, it shows the old and new bag interchangeably but not the middle bag: https://www.bbcharcoal.com/competition-oak-briquets
Dustin Dorsey
TVWBB Hall of Fame
I don't even remotely buy the Tom Horseman test. He lit 3 briquettes and that's just one test. There's very little data there. There's a lot of reasons that could have happened. Harder to light doesn't mean anything. Kingsford is probably the easiest charcoal out there to light. Charcoal can also soak up moisture and be harder to light. I haven't tried both, but if I was going to make a video, I might spring for a whole chimney even just a small sized weber one.
Pretty fair- agree on the testing method. I'm more concerned about B&B's answer. If I had to speculate, its fairly likely that the difference between Cowboy charcoal and B&B is now only the price and the "B" stamped on the coals. I plan to compare myself eventually.
Todd K Wisc
TVWBB Super Fan
Another comparsion of the new B&B by Tom Horsman and as expected, they don't burn as long and smell different.
Mark_E
TVWBB Super Fan
I agree. The first Horseman test was flawed. I've fooled around with this kind of thing before - trying to get two or three independent charcoal groups lit and burning in one kettle at one time. It doesn't work. What happens is, one of the coal groups will ultimately begin drawing more oxygen and begin robbing oxygen from the other coal groups, which will retard and even snuff out the other briquettes. You can see in Horseman's first test, the ones that did well are closer to the intake vents.
One really needs to use two kettles to do a test like this.
For what it's worth, I'm currently reading Meathead's recent 2025 book. In it, he says there are two companies who claim to use nothing but hardwood in their briquettes: Kingsford 100% Natural Hardwood Briquets, and B&B Competition Oak Briquets. He also says Royal Oak 100% All Natural Hardwood Charcoal Briquets may be worth a look since they say they use only vegetable starch as a binder.
He also says that if the coals are fully lit, he cannot taste anything bad, regardless of what briquets he uses - he implies coals that are partially lit or not yet lit are a different story.
He also says Harry Soo, who wins competitions all the time, uses whatever is on sale. But I've seen vids where he uses Jealous Devil lump.
Todd K Wisc
TVWBB Super Fan
I found 2 bags of the oak briquettes at my local Ace Hardware, so I bought them. Gives me 3 bags. Called other Ace in my area, and nobody has them. Academy has them for $10, but shipping was like $250. LOL
Mark_E
TVWBB Super Fan
Interestingly, it seems Ace has discontinued stocking B & B wood splits. They had stocked them for years, but have recently switched to "Smokey Woods." I had reservations at first, but I quickly realized these are 10x better than the B&B splits. They are uniform in size and shape, they are knot-free, they are super easy to split. I am extremely happy with these and won't be buying B&B splits again.
Steve Garretson
TVWBB Fan
I’m glad I clicked on this thread! Thanks for the information!Interestingly, it seems Ace has discontinued stocking B & B wood splits. They had stocked them for years, but have recently switched to "Smokey Woods." I had reservations at first, but I quickly realized these are 10x better than the B&B splits. They are uniform in size and shape, they are knot-free, they are super easy to split. I am extremely happy with these and won't be buying B&B splits again.
We have an Argentinian style grill, and prefer shopping at Ace, so this is great to know about the splits.
I just started using a kettle, and have used 1 1/2 bags of these B&B briquettes also. I don’t know what I don’t know yet, but from the videos I see, and the recipes I read, these briquettes seem to cook hotter than my lump (B&B competition)? is this right?
timothy
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
I would base it on more of your own personal experiences then any video. Everyone's cooker acts differently in there own backyard.