In a nutshell

With four functions - a barbecue, smoker, tandoori oven and a fire pit this versatile barbecue gives a lot for the price. A series of vents make it easy to adjust the heat and a clever door lets you add fuel as you cook. Simple to use, it's best for small gardens and those who want to give different grilling and cooking styles a go rather than serious foodies and large crowds.

What we tested

  • Assembly
    A star rating of 3.0 out of 5.
  • Value for money
    A star rating of 3.5 out of 5.
  • Ease of cooking
    A star rating of 3.0 out of 5.
  • Cooking results
    A star rating of 2.5 out of 5.
Overall Rating
A star rating of 3.0 out of 5.

Pros

  • Variety of functions
  • Thermometer, vents, and fuel door make it easy to control
  • Compact

Cons

  • Complete assembly needed
  • Relatively poor quality
  • Small
  • Tandoor mode poor
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Is the Bar-Be-Quick Tandoori Smoker barbecue easy to assemble?

The whole barbecue needs building first, with legs, vents, handles and temperature gauge attaching. There's a lot of screwing of nuts and bolts and a pair of pliers and a Phillips screwdriver are required for the build but the manual breaks it down into eight simple steps. There are clear photos and the whole process is time consuming rather than difficult or unclear.

What is the Bar-Be-Quick Tandoori Smoker barbecue like to use?

Made from enamel with a 43cm grill this versatile piece of kit transforms from a standard charcoal barbecue into a smoker, a tandoori oven perfect for kebabs, a mini kettle barbecue and a fire pit, simply by breaking it down. Standing on tripod legs, it also comes with a hood, which has an accurate thermometer and an air vent plus, there are three fuel vents around the base so it's easy to control the temperature. A handy door on the front lets you top up fuel as you cook. 12 kebab skewers for the tandoori are included.

How does the Bar-Be-Quick Tandoori Smoker barbecue cook?

An accurate thermometer (which we tested against a digital thermometer) and two tiers allow a slow cooked, semi-smoked, spatchcocked chicken to cook slowly on the top, achieve some colour on the bottom to finish and stay succulent. The lower grill does sit very close to the coals so it's necessary to ensure the charcoal grate isn't overfilled - some of our vegetable slices were charred before being cooked through but after a bit of trial and error they cooked well.

Is the Bar-Be-Quick Tandoori Smoker barbecue good value for money?

At half the cost of a simple kettle barbecue this delivers four different functions and if you were to buy each of these pieces individually, the cost would add up to a lot more. However, the price is reflected in the quality of the build. It's not very sturdy, doesn't retain heat as well as others in the test and won't feed a crowd. But, if you’re after a barbecue that easily morphs into a portable mini kettle for camping, a fire pit to toast marshmallows over and an entry-level low-and-slow smoker, then you’re not going to get more for your money.

Who is the Bar-Be-Quick Tandoori Smoker barbecue useful for?

This is great for small gardens and anyone who wants versatility and a chance to experiment with smoking, tandoori cooking and grilling. If you’re looking for a solid, garden barbecue to feed a crowd then go for something wider, more traditional and with a sturdier build.

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If you're in the market for a grill, check out our tests of the best gas BBQs, the best charcoal BBQs, and our guides to barbecue accessories.

Product Specifications

Product
BrandBar-Be-Quick
NameBar-Be-Quick Tandoori Smoker barbecue
ModelTandoori Smoker barbecue
Price£99.00
Barbecue typeCharcoal
Fuel typeCharcoal
Features
Grill area43cm
Adjustable grill heightNo
Cooking featuresTemperature gauge
HoodYes
AssemblySelf assembly
Height75cm
Accessories
WheelsNo
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