July 4th, 2017 Charcoal Sale has started

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noboundaries

Epic Pitmaster
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Sep 7, 2013
10,240
5,344
Roseville, CA, a suburb of Sacramento
Home Depot and Lowes both have their charcoal on sale for the 4th of July.  This is the third sale of the year (Early Spring, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, and occasionally Thanksgiving). 

Kingsford Original briquette (aka KBB, Kingsford Blue Bag) is on sale at $9.88 for 37.2 lbs (2x18.6 lb bags) at both Home Depot and Lowes.  That works out to just a tad under 27 cents a lb. 

Lowes has Royal Oak Ridge briquette on sale for only $4 for a 15.4 lb bag.  If you draw an equal comparison to 37.2 lbs of Kingsford, or 2.4155 bags of the Royal Oak Ridge, that $9.66 for the same poundage as the two pack of Kingsford, or just a tad under 26 cents a pound.  The Royal Oak Ridge is priced better if you do the math. 

Home Depot has Embers on sale at $4.97 for a 15.4 lb bag, or 33 cents a pound.  This is Royal Oak Ridge rebranded for Home Depot. 

Now, here's the kicker.  I tested both the KBB and Royal Oak Ridge in a head to head burn.  The Royal Oak Ridge lasted 50 percent longer than the KBB, held temperature significantly longer than the KBB, and had a longer temperature drop off period once completely burned.  Here are is the link to the comparison test.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...ttes-burn-temperature-time-and-ash-comparison    

I switched from Kingsford to the Royal Oak Ridge in my smoker at the Memorial Day Sale.  My longest smoke so far has only been 7.25 hours.  I've smoked jerky, ribs, and tri tip in seven smokes.  I have 43.25 hours on 23.7 lbs of RO Ridge, with enough left in my smoker for another smoke.  I was only getting 14-16 hours out of an 18.6 lb bag of KBB.

If you didn't stock up on charcoal at Memorial Day, now's the time!
 
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I will be headed for the RO briqs, only have 6 bags
 
I picked up 12 bags of RO tonight. I'll go back for more most likely. They also said something about a 11% rebate,I have tech support(SWMBO) looking into that.
 
I "might" be set for the year, or until the sales in the Spring.  I'll know by Labor Day if I need to pick up a few more bags to get me through to Memorial Day 2018.  The Kingsford I have remaining is only being used in my Kettle, not the smoker. 

The nice thing is, if I underestimate my needs, my local discount grocer's store brand (Winco) is actually RO Ridge.  Year-round they sell 16.6 lb bags for $5.48, or 33 cents a pound.  That will do in a pinch and still be cheaper than Lowes and Home Depot during the non-sale time. 

 
Why do these folks not stock RO lump any longer?
Lowes does not stock RO lump, but they do stock the briquettes.

Home Depot does stock the RO lump, but it isn't on sale.  They don't stock the RO Ridge briquettes, except under their own name, which is Embers, which is still a dollar more than Lowes when on sale.
 
Well after missing the Memorial Day sale I told my wife earlier this evening that I want to go to lowes and stock up. $4 a bag is hard to beat.
 
Whelp, looks like I missed the sale.  Just started smoking a month ago and I've been running the KBB.  I've had to reload on overnight smokes/ pork butts, which always seems to add to the smoke time.  Will have to try the Royal Oak for sure.  
 
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