Hibachi grills 七輪

What is a hibachi or konro grill?

A hibachi is a small charcoal grill for cooking at the table, and konro is the word for the style we carry: a body cut from diatomite rather than built from metal. Kinka's Okunoto range is our line of these, and the maker's listing describes the material as Noto Peninsula diatom mud, an excellent insulator that keeps heat inside the grill instead of letting it bleed out, so the coals inside run extremely hot. Each body's narrow shape lets skewers rest across the walls rather than needing a separate stand, and a reusable grill mesh ships with every size for looser food that would otherwise fall through.

Two more grills carry this same listing type without being Kinka's diatomite konro. A detachable cast iron BBQ plate and a small charcoal grill with a wooden stand are both listed on their own, and neither is in stock right now. The Ikenaga cast iron grill pan is a different tool again: a ridged pan with a wood handle built for a stovetop or induction cooktop rather than charcoal. Unlike the rest of this list it is currently on the shelf; our Ikenaga maker page covers the company behind it.

Choosing a hibachi grill size

The Okunoto range runs in five sizes, and each one is pitched at a group size on its own listing. The small grill suits two or three people and weighs about 7.2 kilograms. The medium suits four to eight people at around 11 kilograms, and the medium wide suits the same four to eight people at a heavier 14.5 kilograms, so the wide body trades some portability for more grilling surface at the same headcount. The large and large wide both suit six to twelve people, at about 15.5 and 20.5 kilograms, heavy enough that a wooden stand or a solid outdoor table is worth planning for before ordering.

None of the five sizes are in stock at the moment. The sizing above is accurate to the current listings and useful for planning ahead, but nothing in this range can actually be bought today.

The grill mesh and skewer that go with it

A konro needs somewhere for smaller or looser food to sit over the coals, and two different meshes cover that job. Echo's Grill Mesh is a disposable pack of ten zinc-plated iron sheets, each 21 by 27 centimetres, laid over the grill and thrown away after use. Kinka's own Re-usable Grill/Net is the fix once the mesh a grill ships with wears out: steel mesh cut to match each hibachi body by model code, and the source calls it dishwasher safe if it is washed with detergent and dried thoroughly to keep rust off the steel.

Echo's Stainless Slide Skewer is a 45 centimetre skewer with a sliding pusher built into it. Press the top gently and slide it down, and the food comes off the skewer without pulling it apart by hand.

All three of these are currently in stock, though one variant of the reusable mesh, the version cut for the long BQ8T hibachi, is sold out on its own.

Why binchotan is the charcoal for a hibachi grill

Binchotan is the charcoal Kinka's Okunoto grills are built around, and our own binchotan listing explains why: it is made from ubame oak in a special kiln, producing a very high, steady heat with little smoke, little ash and almost no odour, which is why it is favoured for yakitori-style grilling. That steadiness matters more on a small grill than a large barbecue, since a konro leans on holding heat rather than adding fuel constantly through a cook.

We currently stock this as Tosa region binchotan in two and three kilogram bags, though neither bag is in stock right now.

Where a hibachi grill can be used

Every listing we carry that touches fire says roughly the same thing about where to put it. The binchotan listing says to use it outdoors or in a well-ventilated area and to make sure the fire is fully out after use. The Okunoto listing says to set the grill on a heat-resistant mat and use it somewhere the air moves. Neither listing sets a stricter room, deck or balcony rule. We have not added one that is not there.

For the actual routine, lighting the charcoal, running a two-zone fire and putting it out safely, see our guide to lighting and extinguishing binchotan. It covers the chimney starter method, the hikeshi-tsubo and the indoor carbon monoxide risk in full, so start there before you light one.

How does this connect to the rest of the kitchen?

A hibachi grill sits next to two other parts of the shop rather than inside either of them. Our guide to lighting and extinguishing binchotan covers starting the fire, running a two-zone grill and putting the coals out safely. Our Japanese kitchen tools guide covers the shears, peelers and other prep tools that share the same bench as a barbecue skewer. Our Ikenaga maker page covers the company behind the cast iron grill pan, the one item in this range that is actually on the shelf today.

Quick answers

These are the questions people ask us most often about hibachi grills, answered briefly.

Is the Kinka Okunoto hibachi grill in stock? Not currently, in any of the five sizes. We have left the sizing on this page so it stays useful for planning, but nothing in the Okunoto range can be bought today.

What size hibachi grill do I need? The small suits two or three people, the medium and medium wide both suit four to eight, and the large and large wide both suit six to twelve, with the wide versions trading some portability for a bigger grilling surface.

Are the grill mesh and skewer in stock? Mostly. Echo's disposable grill mesh, its stainless slide skewer and most sizes of Kinka's reusable replacement mesh are on the shelf; only the mesh cut for the long BQ8T hibachi is currently sold out.

Is the Tosa binchotan charcoal in stock? Not right now, in either the two or three kilogram bag.

Where can I safely use a hibachi grill? Outdoors or somewhere well ventilated, set on a heat-resistant surface, which is what our own listings say. For the full lighting and extinguishing routine, see our binchotan care guide.