The "best" fuel depends entirely on what you’re cooking. For quick-grilling items like burgers, sausages, or steaks, lumpwood charcoal is ideal as it reaches high temperatures quickly. If you’re planning a longer session, such as roasting a whole chicken or slow-cooking ribs, briquettes are the better choice as they provide a more stable, long-lasting heat. For pizza ovens, kiln-dried hardwood logs are essential for reaching the scorching temperatures needed for a crisp crust.

While you always need a primary fuel source like charcoal or wood, you can start a fire without commercial chemical lighters. The most effective "natural" method is using a chimney starter with dry newspaper or cardboard tucked underneath. Alternatively, dry kindling, pine cones, or even a small amount of cooking oil soaked into a paper towel can act as a highly effective firelighter to get your coals glowing safely.

Lumpwood is natural charred wood; it lights easily, burns very hot, and leaves behind minimal ash, making it perfect for the traditional British BBQ. Briquettes are made from compressed charcoal dust and binders; they take a little longer to light but burn for a much longer duration and at a more consistent temperature, which is ideal for "indirect" roasting or large garden parties.

A common mistake is using too much fuel. For a standard 57cm kettle BBQ, a single chimney starter’s worth of charcoal (roughly 1.5kg to 2kg) is usually plenty for a family cookout. If you are only searing a few items, you can use less. Remember, you can always add a few more coals later if the heat starts to dip, but it’s harder to manage a fire that is excessively hot from the start.

Charcoal is highly porous and will absorb moisture from the air, making it difficult to light and prone to excessive smoke. Always store your BBQ fuel in a cool, dry place, ideally in a sealed outdoor storage container or a sturdy garden shed. If your charcoal bag has been opened, folding the top over and clipping it shut will help keep the "damp" out during the humid summer months.

Wood chips and chunks are used to add specific smokey flavours to your food. Unlike charcoal, which provides the heat, wood pieces like hickory, apple, or oak provide the "seasoning." Chips are great for shorter cooks as they release smoke quickly, while larger chunks are better for long-form smoking. Simply add them directly to your coals or use a smoker box on a gas BBQ to transform your meal into a gourmet experience.