Most backyard charcoal grills are designed to be looked at once, used a handful of times over summer, then covered and forgotten. Hibachi Tabo starts from a different premise: build a grill solid enough for a commercial kitchen, then let home cooks buy the same thing. The result is a small, WA-designed and built range of charcoal hibachi grills that turn up as often in restaurant kitchens as they do on Perth patios.
What is Hibachi Tabo?
Hibachi Tabo is made by Charcoal Grill Company Pty Ltd, based in Osborne Park, Western Australia. The range is built around traditional Japanese hibachi-style charcoal cooking – a compact, radiant-heat grill designed around binchotan and lump charcoal rather than gas – but engineered and manufactured locally rather than imported. Three models sit in the current line-up: the Compact, the Classic and the Classic Pro, each scaling up in size and specification for heavier use.
Three grills, one philosophy
The Compact Grill ($690) is the entry point, shipped with a yakitori rail for skewers, a large mesh grill and a stainless steel scoop – sized for a home patio without sacrificing cooking area. The Classic Grill ($890) is described by Hibachi Tabo as its signature model, built for daily home use with a stainless rod grill and matching dustpan. At the top sits the Classic Pro ($1,280), an enhanced version of the Classic engineered to handle the rigours of a commercial kitchen, with a tiny footprint that fits into tight restaurant spaces.
Built for the heat
What separates Hibachi Tabo from a typical import grill is the construction. The Classic Pro runs a fully stainless steel body with electropolished grill surfaces for easy cleaning, and custom 25mm ceramic bricks line the firebox for efficient charcoal use and even, radiated heat rather than direct flame. At 635 x 240 x 180mm and 20kg, it’s compact enough for a cramped kitchen pass while still handling continuous commercial service; an optional chef’s workstation adds further bench space around the grill itself.
Fuelled by binchotan
Hibachi Tabo also sells its own CGC Binchotan Charcoal, a eucalyptus-based binchotan sold in 10kg boxes ($159.50), alongside other lump charcoal options. Binchotan burns hotter, cleaner and longer than standard briquettes, which is part of why hibachi-style grills are built the way they are – a heavier, insulated body that can hold and radiate that heat evenly across the grill surface, rather than a thin metal shell that just gets hot.
Who a Hibachi Tabo grill suits
- Home cooks who want a serious, long-lasting alternative to a gas barbecue
- Yakitori and skewer cooking, thanks to the dedicated rail on the Compact and Classic models
- Restaurant and cafe kitchens needing a compact commercial charcoal grill
- Anyone switching to binchotan or lump charcoal cooking for the first time
Hibachi Tabo price and availability
All three grills – Compact, Classic and Classic Pro – are designed and built in Australia. The Compact and Classic are available online now through BEON, which also stocks Hibachi Tabo’s charcoal and grill accessories – browse the full range at BEON’s Hibachi Tabo listings. Local pickup is also available direct from the company’s Osborne Park, WA workshop.
