A bowl on a tube
The grill behind the Amazon link is called the Loewy 45 by Barbecook (article code BC-CHA-1007) and is a charcoal grill without a lid: a round bowl on a centre tube, with a round base below. Barbecook gives 43 x 43 x 97 cm and says you can grill for up to six people with it.
We have not handled it and have not grilled anything on it. This text sets statements side by side: Barbecook’s product page (retrieved on 14.10.2026), the manual and the Amazon catalogue. The manual covers the whole Loewy range; where it names individual models, we follow it.
The Amazon title mentions a height of 96 cm, stainless steel and a grill grate of 45 cm, with 43 cm dia. next to it. Barbecook itself says 97 cm, enamelled steel with a stainless steel grate and 43 cm dia. The 45 is part of the model name; Barbecook’s own dimensions contain no 45. We infer that the Amazon listing means the Loewy 45 from the title and bullet points (Loewy 45, 97 cm, 43 cm dia., six people), because Barbecook’s pages do not link to Amazon. The catalogue dimensions of 96.1 x 54.4 x 46.4 cm do not match the manufacturer’s dimensions and are probably packaging dimensions.
Material and assembly
Enamelled steel in black is how Barbecook describes the Loewy 45, plus a stainless steel grate. The parts list in the manual (13 items with an exploded diagram) marks surfaces with a symbol: circle for enamel, square for stainless steel, star for powder coating. From the diagram and the spare part names, we read the assignment like this: the windshield, fire bowl, QuickStart tube, QuickStop reservoir and base are enamelled. The grill grate, a small lower grate (18 cm dia. according to the spare parts page) and the clips are stainless steel; the handle is powder-coated. The manual does not spell this out anywhere; it is our reading.
Enamel is a glass layer fired onto the steel at high temperature. Section 4.3 of the manual points out that it is less flexible than the metal underneath and that pieces can chip off if it is used incorrectly.
The grate is 43 cm dia.; as the cooking area, Barbecook gives 1,452 cm² on barbecook.com. It sits at three heights, which Barbecook lists as cooking heights of 84, 87 and 91 cm.
For assembly, the manual says to always follow the assembly instructions carefully and to assemble according to the assembly drawings. Fibre washers supplied with it protect the enamel around the screws, and as a tool it names a Phillips screwdriver, for example for the tension of the clips on the centre tube.
The Amazon photo shows more than the dimensions. At the front a handle runs around the bowl rim, which Barbecook describes as sturdy and intended for safety and accessories. At the back stands the semicircular windshield, which is part of the delivery, and the base ends in a flat, round plate. The ash catcher on the product page is, in our reading, the water reservoir in the base: according to the product page, the Loewy 40, which has no QuickStop, also has no ash catcher.
In detail: QuickStart, QuickStop and the air holes
The centre tube connects the bowl and the base. The air holes sit at the lower end, and a small lower grate lies, as we read the manual and parts list, over the tube opening in the bowl floor. To light the grill you take it out and insert three double pages of newspaper, each rolled diagonally into a torch, not too tightly, with the folded ends up; then the grate goes back in its place. The paper should be dry and ideally several days old, and the torches must not sit so deep that they no longer touch the lower grate. Then you cover the bowl floor with a little charcoal in small pieces, larger ones may be added later, open the air holes and light the paper through them. The manual names a long match, the product page a match or lighter. You need neither lighting aid nor firelighter for this, the manual says.
Why this works is physics and not a manufacturer statement: the flame warms the air in the tube, it rises, and new air flows in through the holes. The manual describes the result like this: the further the holes are open, the more air is drawn into the tube and the more intensely the fire burns. If it gets too hot, you partly close the holes or raise the grate.
According to the manual, you start grilling after about 15 minutes, once the charcoal has a thin layer of white ash. As long as flames are still burning in the bowl, you keep waiting.
From the lowest to the highest level it is 7 cm (91 minus 84), and the levels are 3 and 4 cm apart (our own calculation from Barbecook’s cooking heights). Barbecook describes the three heights as a way to stronger or gentler grilling and names the air holes as a second control; the manufacturer does not say how much difference each level makes or how far the grate sits above the embers.
The grill has one fire zone. Barbecook’s texts contain no arrangement with a direct and an indirect zone, and without a lid there is no cooking chamber for large cuts. How two zones work otherwise is explained in the guide Direct and indirect heat. Fat is the risk with this open design: according to the manual, flare-ups are normal, but excessive flaring raises the temperature of the bowl and can ignite accumulated fat. Barbecook advises removing excess fat and marinade from the food, lightly oiling the food or grate so that nothing sticks, and not turning too early.
The base is a water reservoir. Barbecook recommends filling it halfway before each use. The water has two jobs: according to the manual, it improves stability and extinguishes the glowing charcoal if the grill tips over. At the end of the evening you push the charcoal into the tube, it falls into the base and is extinguished by the water; according to the product page, the base is emptied only when everything has cooled down completely. Water in the base is ballast at the lowest point, which explains the better stability (our inference). The manual still requires you to check that the unit stands firmly after assembly.
Can the grill go on the balcony?
Balconies do not appear in the manual or on the product page. The manual requires at least three metres of clearance from a building, an open, well-ventilated place and no spot under a veranda, shelter or leaf canopy. In our assessment, a balcony does not meet this.
The grill may be used exclusively outdoors. Even in a garage, an enclosed space or a shed, the manual says there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, and the warning page with the pictograms lists houses, tents, caravans, motorhomes and boats as places where it must not be operated. The ground should be stable and level, and it must not stand on a moving vehicle such as a boat or trailer.
The small footprint helps with the space it takes up, but not with the clearances. Whether charcoal is allowed at your place at all is decided by your tenancy agreement and house rules; the guide Grilling on a balcony summarises what applies.
Safety and care according to the manual
What follows is a selection from the safety instructions in section 3 and the care in section 8; the manual remains authoritative.
For lighting or relighting you use neither methylated spirits nor petrol nor other flammable liquids, and firelighters must comply with the standard EN 1860-3 (a European standard). Keep a bucket of water or sand within reach, especially on very hot days and in dry surroundings. The grill gets very hot and is not moved during operation. Combustible materials, liquids and soluble objects stay at a safe distance, as do children and pets, and you do not leave it alone. If you have to touch hot parts, you take suitable protective measures. The manual calls modifying parts of the unit very dangerous.
Barbecook recommends cleaning the bowl after each use; with QuickStop that is done quickly. You clean the grate after each use with the Barbecook grill cleaner, alternatively with mild detergent or bicarbonate of soda. For cleaning, the manual says explicitly: “Never use oven cleaner to clean the grill.”
The care table in section 8.4 distinguishes by surface. For enamel the rules are: no sharp objects, do not knock against hard surfaces, and no contact with cold liquids while the grill is hot. For stainless steel it forbids aggressive, abrasive and metal cleaners. Mild products are left to work, then you clean with a soft sponge or cloth, rinse thoroughly and dry completely; against rust, any contact with chlorine, salt and iron should be avoided. For the powder coating (in our assignment, the handle) it says: no sharp objects, mild detergents, soft sponge or cloth, rinse thoroughly and dry.
Store it after each use in a dry place (indoors, under weather protection, etc.), and before putting it away the unit must be completely dry, which prevents rust. The manual strongly recommends a Barbecook cover.
Hood, spare parts and warranty
On Amazon the Loewy 45 stood at €129.00 on 14.10.2026; prices change. Barbecook charges the same price in its shop, €129.00 including VAT, plus shipping (retrieved on 14.10.2026). All other prices in this section come from the same manufacturer’s shop on the same day.
Instead of a lid there is the hood BC-ACC-7030 for €43.95 as an accessory; according to the manual, it is a semi-open, shell-shaped lid that reflects the heat of the charcoal onto the food. It does not create a closed cooking chamber (our conclusion from the word semi-open).
As further accessories for this product, the product page lists a premium cover for €34.95, a transparent standard cover for €15.50, a universal pizza stone for €34.95, a round universal contact plate for €49.95 and a spit with two forks and motor for €25.75. Cleaning brush, tongs, a three-piece standard set, 72 firelighter cubes and the grill cleaner range between €5.95 and €20.50. Hood and premium cover together cost €78.90 (our own calculation). Which charcoal suits what is explained in the guide Charcoal or briquettes.
The shop also lists individual parts: the fire bowl in black (BC-SPA-8306) for €37.00, the windshield (BC-SPA-8304) for €25.25, the handle (BC-SPA-8305) for €29.50, the base (BC-SPA-8244) for €34.00 and the QuickStart tube (BC-SPA-8227) for €38.00. Lower grate, clips and assembly material range between €12.00 and €19.75. The QuickStop part (BC-SPA-8226, €44.00 in the shop) is sold out, and some items are, according to the shop, no longer listed and can no longer be ordered. The manual expects that parts exposed to fire or intense heat will have to be replaced at some point; you order via barbecook.com or the retailer. We would think of the fire bowl, windshield and QuickStart tube here, together €100.25 (our own calculation).
As a replacement grate, the shop lists a stainless steel grate of 42 cm (420 x 420 mm) for €30.95, suitable for the Loewy 45 and Optima; the grill’s product page speaks of 43 cm dia. Whether it is the same part behind this is unclear.
The warranty runs for two years from the purchase date and, according to the manual, covers manufacturing defects if you assemble, use and care for the grill according to the manual. Section 9.2 excludes, among other things: normal wear (grate, deformation, discolouration) on parts directly exposed to fire or intense heat; damage from poor care, improper storage, incorrect assembly or changes to pre-assembled parts; rust or discolouration from external influences, aggressive cleaning agents or chlorine exposure; commercial use and use as a fire basket.
What Barbecook does not state
These details appear neither on Barbecook’s product pages nor in the manual:
- Weight of the grill (the Amazon catalogue lists 18.5 pounds, converted approx. 8.4 kg, with no indication of whether with or without packaging)
- Maximum temperature or temperature range, plus the heat-up time to a given temperature
- Charcoal consumption and burn time per barbecue evening
- Steel grade, material thickness and enamel thickness, stainless steel grade of the grates, maximum grate load
- Footprint of the base in centimetres, tip resistance and wind load
- Capacity of the QuickStop reservoir in litres
- Distance between grate and embers for each height level
- Shelf, wheels or carrying handles; what fits on the handle is not stated either
- Test marks or standard conformity of the grill itself (the manual names standards only for charcoal and firelighters)
- Country of manufacture (the brand calls itself Belgian, nothing is stated about where it is made)
- List of the parts covered by the wear clause of the warranty
- Price and shop listing for the manual part number BC-SPA-8058 (grill grate); we did not find it on the spare parts page
- Assembly time and content of the assembly video, which we have not watched
What else is worth considering?
| Model | The difference | Price | Our rating | Choose this one if |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbecook Loewy 45 (this one) | Grate 43 cm dia. at three heights, QuickStart lighting tube, water in the base, no lid | approx. €129 | 8.3 | you want to start charcoal without a firelighter and can keep clear of the house in the garden |
| Tepro Toronto Click | Grill trolley with lid, thermometer and two wheels, cooking area approx. 56 x 41.5 cm according to the Amazon catalogue | approx. €139 | 8.2 | you want to cook with the lid closed and have room for 115 x 67 x 107 cm |
| ACTIVA Säulengrill Pisa | Column with rectangular grate 54 x 34 cm, ash box and warming rack | approx. €60 | 8.2 | you want a rectangular grate with a warming rack and want to spend less |
| ACTIVA Hebefix | Grate height adjustable by lever, enamelled fire bowl | approx. €60 | 8.1 | you want to adjust the grate height by lever |
The difference column for the three other models follows the Amazon catalogue entries (data as of 05.10.2026), not the manufacturers’ pages. The prices are guide values from the price boxes in our reviews, not offers, and the rating is our editorial assessment based on manufacturer data, not a measurement result. The comparison of the best charcoal grills 2026 places further models.
Who the grill suits and when another is better
Six people, says Barbecook. The range below and above: Loewy 40 (40 cm dia., 1,075 cm², four people, no QuickStop, €95), Loewy 50 (47.5 cm dia., 1,772 cm², ten people, €169) and Loewy 55 (grate 55 x 33 cm, 1,815 cm², ten people, €189), all prices from the manufacturer’s shop. If you divide the cooking area by the number of people, Barbecook allows around 269 cm² per person for the Loewy 40, exactly 242 for the Loewy 45, a good 177 for the Loewy 50 and around 182 for the Loewy 55 (our own calculation). So the stated numbers of people grow faster than the area. If you want to lay out food generously for six guests, look at the Loewy 50: 320 cm² more cooking area (1,772 instead of 1,452) and €40 more in the shop (€169 instead of €129).
If the grill stands in a garden or on an open terrace where the clearances from the manual work, it needs little space at 43 x 43 cm.
Charcoal always costs time. Newspaper does replace the firelighter, but there is also the water reservoir, which has to be filled before each use and emptied afterwards, and a grate that is cleaned after each use. If you want to eat within ten minutes after work, gas or electric suits you better (our assessment). The guide Gas or charcoal weighs up what speaks for each, and the grill finder narrows the choice.
Large roasts, whole chickens or ribs over several hours need, in our assessment, a closed lid and an indirect zone. The Loewy 45 has one fire zone and only with the hood a semi-open lid; for that we would go for a grill with a lid, like the Tepro in the table.
The Loewy 45 is wrong for tenants whose only grilling spot is the balcony. If only an electric grill that works without an open flame is left there, the house rules still decide whether it is allowed.
