Kamado Joe 100% Natural Lump Charcoal is made from real trees so it burns clean and gives you a robust wood-fire flavor. Some other brands are made from scrap furniture or processed wood. This means less wood-fire flavor. Burns hotter for moister meats! Because Kamado Joe 100% Natural Lump Charcoal is made from hardwood, it burns hotter. This allows you to achieve steak- searing temperatures. Used in conjunction with a ceramic grill which insulates well, you'll use less total heat to cook your food which means moister meats. Burns longer for better slow cooking! Kamado Joe 100% Natural Lump Charcoal burns longer thanks to the hardwood used to make it. Also, you'll get the right mix of fast-starting small pieces and long-burning large pieces that will allow you to cook low and slow for extended periods of time. Other lump charcoals offer too many cheaper small pieces and not enough larger pieces. Costs less per use. Kamado Joe 100% Natural Lump Charcoal costs less per use because the hardwood charcoal burns hotter and the larger pieces burn longer. If you close the vents in your grill when done, you'll also be able to re-use partially burned charcoal pieces.