The hand test is dead simple

Yes, you can absolutely tell without a thermometer. The hand test has been working longer than any gadget.

Hold your palm about five inches above the coals (roughly the distance from your grill grate). Start counting seconds. When it gets too hot to hold your hand there:

• 2 seconds – high heat (450°F+). Good for searing steaks, burgers.
• 4 seconds – medium heat (350-400°F). Most common grilling zone – chicken, veggies, pork chops.
• 6 seconds – low heat (250-300°F). Great for slow-cooking ribs or smoking.

You can also look: when the coals are mostly covered in a thin layer of gray ash with a red glow underneath, they