Short answer: Hollow hexagons let air through the centre and stack neatly, which suits long cooks and professional grills. Pillow briquettes pour easily and pack densely, which suits retail bags. Both can be made from the same charcoal.
Barbecue briquettes are sold in several shapes. The two most common are the hollow hexagon and the pillow. The shape does not change what the charcoal is made of, but it changes how the product behaves in the grill and in the pack.
Hollow hexagon
A hexagonal briquette with a hole through the centre.
Strengths
- The centre hole gives air a path through the stack, which helps ignition and steady burning.
- Flat sides let the briquettes stack in a tight, stable pattern.
- A stable stack suits long cooks and kettle or drum grills.
Things to consider
- The shape is more complex to press, so tooling matters.
- The hole and edges can chip if the briquette lacks strength, so ask how it is tested.
Pillow
A compact, rounded briquette with a pillow shape.
Strengths
- It pours easily from a bag and fills a grill basket evenly.
- It packs densely, which helps with bag weight and pallet use.
- It is the familiar shape for retail barbecue.
Things to consider
- Without the centre hole, airflow depends more on how you stack it.
- Edges and corners can wear down if the briquette is soft.
How to choose
| If you sell to | Look first at |
|---|---|
| Retail shoppers | Pillow, for easy pouring and familiar look |
| Restaurants and caterers | Hollow hexagon, for stacking and steady heat |
| Both | Offer both shapes under one brand |
Two other points matter more than the shape: strength (it should survive shipping and handling without crumbling) and ash and fixed carbon, which decide how clean and long-lasting the burn is.
Flat and custom shapes
Other formats exist, such as flat briquettes. Dimensions, density and tooling can usually be discussed for larger programmes. See shapes and sizes for the formats we make.
At Aero Charcoal
BBQ Pure and BBQ Blend are both available as pillow and hollow hexagon briquettes, in packs from 3 kg to 20 kg depending on grade. Read more about barbecue charcoal or request a sample of the shape you prefer.
