FAQ

Charlie runs best on good quality, sustainably sourced lumpwood charcoal. Always use natural, untreated lump charcoal. Never briquettes or anything with additives. It burns hot and clean, giving you consistent heat and proper fire-cooked flavour.

You can add a handful of dry wood chips or small pieces of hardwood (no bigger than the palm of your hand) to boost the smokiness. Oak, cherry, apple, and hickory all work well. Just make sure the wood is untreated, and don’t soak it.

Important: Charlie is a charcoal oven, therefore wood should only be used for flavour, not as the main fuel source.

No. Charlie is designed to run on lumpwood charcoal. Charcoal burns hotter, more consistently, and gives you better temperature control, which is exactly what you need for proper outdoor cooking.

Using wood as the main fuel can cause big temperature swings, excess smoke and flame, and more ash. It also makes it harder to cook evenly and can lead to more residue buildup inside the oven.

You can absolutely add small pieces of dry, untreated hardwood (no bigger than the palm of your hand) to boost the smokiness. Just use them for flavour, not as your main fuel source. Stick to good quality charcoal for the best results.

Yes, it’s very easy. Build a small, loose pyramid of good-quality lump charcoal over one natural, untreated firelighter. Light it, open the top and bottom vents, shut the door, and leave it.

Charlie will reach around 200°C (392°F) in 15 to 20 minutes and hit 375–400°C (707–752°F) in about 30 minutes, depending on how much fuel you use and the conditions outside. No need to wait for embers; you can start cooking as soon as it’s hot.

Temperature in the Charlie Oven is all about airflow. The vents at the top and bottom control how much oxygen reaches the charcoal. More air means a hotter burn. Less air slows things down.

To get started, make sure both vents are fully open while the oven heats up. As the temperature climbs and gets to about ten degrees Celsius below where you want it, start to close both vents down to leave an opening of around 25 millimetres or one inch. A good guide is the width of your finger between the vent knob and the oven casing. This gentle restriction lets the oven reach your target temperature and then hold it steady.

If you want to increase the heat again during cooking, just open the vents up and top up the charcoal if needed. The oven responds quickly, so you can make adjustments on the fly.

It’s a simple system, but it gives you loads of control once you get to know how Charlie behaves. After a few cooks, it becomes second nature.

Charlie is low maintenance. Ash from cooking drops into the ash drawer. Once it’s cool, just slide it out and tip it into the bin. The cooking racks can be cleaned with a wire brush, and the exterior just needs a wipe down with a sponge and some soapy water. Easy.

Yes, the Charlie Oven is built to live outside, all year round. It’s weatherproof, with stainless steel hardware and a tough powder-coated finish.

We do offer a custom cover. Its main job is to keep the oven clean and help protect the paintwork over time. If you use the cover, make sure the oven is dry before you put it on, and pop the vents out to encourage airflow. The cover is waterproof but not breathable, so it’s a good idea to check underneath

Charlie runs from around 100°C or 212°F at the low end, up to 400°C or 752°F at the top of its range. That gives you all the flexibility you need — from slow-cooking and smoking to roasting, baking, and searing at high heat.

Because Charlie runs on solid fuel, it is capable of going hotter if you let it. But we recommend keeping it under 400°C. There’s no benefit to going higher and it can put unnecessary strain on the oven. You’ll get the best results and longest life by staying within that range.

Once it reaches temperature, Charlie holds it steady for hours with barely any input. Just set it where you want it and enjoy cooking without constantly managing the fire.

The door always sits slightly lower on the right on every oven. This is because the hinges have a 0.3mm tolerance between the hinge pin and the hinge bracket. This is because, as with any steel product that is designed to work at high temperature, there an inbuilt allowance for expansion and contraction. 0.3mm at the hinge translates to 2-3mm at the far-right hand side of the door.

Charlie isn’t a heat hog, but it does need 5cm of space all the way around to allow airflow and help it breathe properly — especially underneath the base.

The Charlie Oven is well insulated, so the outside stays much cooler than the inside. You can cook comfortably next to it and it will not throw off loads of heat like an open grill or firepit.

However, it is made from steel. If it sits in direct sunlight for long periods, especially in hot weather, the exterior can heat up just like a car in the sun. If possible, avoid placing it in full sun all day. A bit of shade will help keep the outside cooler and make it more comfortable to use. Always use the handle to open and close the door safely.

The silicone door seal typically lasts between one and two years with regular use. To keep it in good shape, make sure the door is either fully open or fully closed when cooking. Leaving it slightly open can cause heat to build up around the edges, which may lead to the seal cracking over time.

If it does need replacing, no problem. We offer replacement seals for sale on our website, and fitting a new one is quick and easy. The old seal simply pops out, and the new one can be pushed into place by hand. No tools required.