onlyfire Charcoal Basket with Water Reservoir, Stainless Steel Coal Briquet Holder for Weber 22/26 Kettle Review (2026)

Who this basket fits

This charcoal basket is built specifically for Weber's 22-inch and 26-inch Original Kettle grills, aimed at owners who want to move beyond piling charcoal loose on the bottom grate. It suits someone who regularly smokes ribs, chicken or pork on their kettle using indirect heat, since the basket concentrates charcoal to one side while the built-in water reservoir adds humidity that helps keep food from drying out during a longer cook. It is a good match for a kettle owner who already understands two-zone cooking, banking coals on one side with food on the other, and wants a purpose-made accessory rather than improvising with foil or a makeshift divider. Someone who mostly grills quick, direct-heat items like burgers has less use for the reservoir feature specifically.

Specs and design explained

The basket is built from stainless steel, shaped as a half-moon or contoured holder designed to sit against the curve of a Weber 22 or 26-inch kettle bowl. Its open-hole construction keeps charcoal elevated above the ash that collects below, letting oxygen reach the fuel from underneath for a hotter, more consistent burn rather than smothering coals in their own ash. The integrated water reservoir sits alongside or beneath the charcoal area, holding water that evaporates slowly during a cook to add moisture to the cooking chamber, a technique many barbecue cooks use to help bark form without drying out the meat's surface. Because it is made for a specific kettle size, it drops into place without needing to modify the grill's existing charcoal grate.

Living with it day to day

Using the basket day to day means filling it with charcoal on one side of the kettle, filling the reservoir with water, and lighting the coals as you normally would with a chimney starter. On a long cook like a pork shoulder or a full rack of ribs, the reservoir will need refilling at least once since water evaporates steadily as it does its job, so checking it partway through a multi-hour cook is part of the routine. The stainless steel construction is built to handle the kettle's high direct-heat searing temperatures as well as lower indirect smoking ranges, and it should hold up over repeated seasons of use better than basic steel that can rust from ash and moisture exposure. Cleanup involves dumping ash from below the basket and emptying any leftover reservoir water.

Trade-offs against rival baskets

Against LavaLock's Minion Method basket, which is built for offset and drum smoker fireboxes rather than round kettles, the two are not interchangeable, and a kettle owner should stick with a kettle-shaped basket like this one. Against BBQ-PLUS's firebox basket for Oklahoma Joe's offset smokers, the comparison is similar, since that basket targets a different smoker style entirely. Within kettle-specific accessories, the water reservoir is the feature that sets this onlyfire basket apart from a plain charcoal holder, trading some cooking grate space and an extra refill step for added moisture control during long indirect cooks. Anyone who exclusively does quick direct grilling may not get much benefit from the reservoir and could find a simpler charcoal divider sufficient.

Verdict and who should look elsewhere

For a Weber 22 or 26-inch kettle owner who regularly does indirect, low-and-slow cooks and wants better moisture control without buying a separate water pan, this onlyfire basket is a practical, purpose-built accessory that fits without modification. The stainless steel build and open-hole design support a cleaner, more efficient burn than loose charcoal on the grate. Owners of other kettle brands or sizes should confirm fit before buying, since this basket is shaped for Weber's specific bowl curve. Anyone who almost exclusively grills direct heat items with minimal smoking would likely find a simpler charcoal basket without the reservoir just as useful, and less to refill mid-cook.

Frequently asked questions