There’s really nothing better than cooking outdoors. It leaves you with some delicious food while you get to enjoy the smells and fresh air of nature - but to get outdoor grilling right, you need the right tools.
The most important part of outdoor grilling is the grill itself and when it comes to buying a new grill, you really are spoilt for choice. There are many types of grills out there and some use different kinds of fuel that each has it’s on advantages and disadvantages.
Two of the most popular grilling methods are grilling with gas and grilling with charcoal. Gas grills are easier to control and fire up quickly, making them very convenient.
However, they don’t add the same unique flavor that grilling with charcoal does - and for these reasons, a lot of people are usually torn between getting themselves a charcoal grill or a gas grill.
Thankfully, there is no longer any need to compromise as combo grills that are able to cook with both charcoal and gas are now widely available.
However, there are still a lot of disparities between each grill - so what are the best gas and charcoal combo grills available?
If you want to get yourself a combo grill but you are not sure where to start, then don’t worry - that’s where we come in. We have pulled together our top ten favorite gas and charcoal combo grills that are now available to purchase.
We have also made a handy little buyer’s guide so if for whatever reason you aren’t impressed with our top picks, you can head there yourself and find your own ideal combo grill using our recommendations.
So - what are we waiting for? Check out our recommendations for the top ten gas and charcoal combo grills ready for this year’s grilling season!
This gas and charcoal combination grill from Char Griller is definitely one to consider. It boasts a streamline design that is also incredibly light and simple, yet so huge that is capable of grilling a lot of food.
It features four stainless steel burners, two of which are stacked on top of another, that overall gives you an impressive 1260 square inches of grilling space.
That’s a lot of space for one grill, so it’s perfect for grilling for large gatherings and barbecues. The height of the grates are adjustable so you are able to control the temperature even when using charcoal, allowing you to have full control over your cooking.
And throughout all that cooking space is evenly distributed power that hits heights of 40,800 TUs.
Although that’s a fairly average amount of power for a combo grill of this size, the heat is evenly distributed to ensure that all your food is grilled equally and ready at the same time.
The Char Griller 5050 Duo combo grill also has an additional side burner that features an additional 12,000 BTUs of power - meaning that you can grill at different paces if you desire. This makes this combo grill extremely versatile.
It is made mostly from an alloy steel which is not as durable as cast iron, but it is light and easy to maneuver. However, the grates are cast iron and also coated in porcelain enamel to help food not stick to the grates, meaning that they require less cleaning and maintenance.
Overall, we are in love with this combo grill - it has nearly everything we look for in a combo grill, so it is definitely one of our favorite recommendations. One nitpick is that you have to shop around for the best warranty which is currently at Lowe’s.
The warranty is always subject to change so get it now at Lowe’s or at Amazon.com.
Pros
Cons
This charcoal and gas combo grill from Blossomz is an affordable option for all those who want to try out outdoor grilling for the first time.
The reason for this is because while this combo grill doesn’t offer a huge amount of cooking space (it features 557 square inches all together) it does boast some additional accessories that can really help out when it comes to cooking outdoors.
As well as all that cooking space, there is also a warming rack of 188 square inches which is great for either keeping food warm while you grill another batch or warming up burger buns just before the patty is finished.
There are also two prep tables that you can use to prepare meat or salads on, and one of them transforms into a side burner.
Basically, this is a very versatile combo grill as it has many features that you use to cook in different ways.
It’s also super easy to use and maintain thanks to many of this grill’s design features.
There are cast iron cooking grates for durability, porcelain coated heat plates that reduce flare ups, and even front door access to the charcoal so you can keep those coals going without removing the grates.
There is even a height adjustable, removable charcoal tray so when it comes to cleaning your combo grill, it will be a breeze.
All of these features and ease of use does come at a small price - both literally because it is a very affordable combo grill, but also because this grill does not come partly or wholly assembled.
This means that before you can get grilling, you will have to spend around three hours assembling your grill following the steps in the instruction booklet. While this might be easy for some, this can also be a time consuming and frustrating process.
Pros
Cons
As far as name brands go, Oklahoma Joe is one of the most beloved grill manufacturers out there. They have been around for years and have consistently produced high quality grills - and their charcoal and gas combo grill is no different.
This grill is a monster - and it’s because it does more than just grill. While you have the option to grill with either charcoal or gas, you can also smoke your food all in one unit.
This makes it great when it comes to fuel as you can shift between whatever you have on hand or need to use up by using different chambers and burners to accommodate for your fuel needs.
It features a total of 1,060 total square inches of cooking space, including the 310 square inch firebox chamber and the 750 square inch primary choking surface over six individual grills.
The grates are cast iron and porcelain coated so this grill is also easy to clean.
The firebox chamber is not just the only additional feature - there is a professional temperature gauge so you can accurately measure the temperature of the cooking chambers so you can get your food precisely as you want it.
There is also a handy storage shelf to store utensils.
It’s design is styled to look slightly antique and it reminds us of all steam engine trains, but it is a durable and heavy duty grill thanks to its many features including an airflow regulator and cast iron grills.
Overall, we really like the style and precision of the Oklahoma Joe combo grill, and would definitely recommend it to you.
Pros
Cons
This gas and charcoal combo grill is ideal for those who have limited outdoor space as it only offers 540 square inches of cooking space.
While this smaller scale grill won’t be tempting to those with larger backyards, it’s definitely one of the best on offer for those who want to grill outdoors but are limited by space.
Char-Broil Gas2Coal Hybrid grill is the perfect choice because while it limits itself on space, it does not cut back on performance. This means that you can still enjoy wonderfully grilled food even with this smaller sized grill.
It still packs a punch when it comes to power, and evenly distributes 40,000 BTUs over 3 stainless steel burners. Although cast iron would be far more durable, the grates themselves are cast iron and coated with porcelain enamel for easy cleaning.
As for accessories, there is even a side burner that powers at 12,000 BTUs so you can cook many different foods simultaneously - even with a smaller amount of cooking space.
Basically, this grill from Char-Broil may be small but it still allows you to enjoy the unique cooking flavors of charcoal grilled food and manages to deliver a lot of power in one small package.
The side burner is also a huge advantage, helping it be more versatile while grilling meals. This is what makes the Char-Broil Gas2Coal Hybrid grill a real contender for those looking for a small combo grill.
Purchase this grill at either Amazon.com or straight from Char-Broil themselves.
Pros
Cons
Weber is another name that instantly crops up when you think about grills. They are a mid range brand that offers a great product for a fair price, which helps make outdoor cooking accessible to more people.
Their combo grill doesn’t come with a lot of cooking space as it’s unique bowl design only allows for a total cooking area of 363 square inches.
However, the bowl itself is deep and is coated with porcelain enamel - lid and all - to help protect your grill and make it easy to clean and durable in all types of weather.
The Weber Deluxe gas and charcoal grill also features a bunch of cool design tricks that make it even easier to use.
For example, it features a CharBin storage collector to collect any ash from your charcoal so you can easily clean it out, plus an electronic Touch and Go system that starts up the grill in seconds.
This hassle-free way of grilling allows you to grill up a meal when time is short, allowing for ultimate convenience.
So, overall, this affordable grill is simple and easy to use, making it ideal for first time grillers.
Pros
Cons
Another brand well known for making amazing grills for years is Royal Gourmet. Their combo grill is a little underwhelming compared to their other products, but still very good quality overall.
The main issue is the power output as a power of 27,000 BTUs is kind of weak when compared to some of the competition, but it does offer a fair amount of cooking space with 810 square inches in total.
It also features a charcoal firebox that is designed with two air vents that help make grilling easy by maintaining the heat. It is also able to operate as a smoker so you can have more ways to cook your food, making this grill very versatile.
As for accessories, there isn't much outside of the two handy side tables that you can use to keep your spices and sauces near at hand. This can be super useful to have so you don’t have to take your eyes off of your food while you are cooking.
Another useful feature that makes this grill very easy to use is the adjustable charcoal pan that you can also use to control the temperature, then take it out to clean out your grill.
Versatile and easy to maintain, this grill is definitely one for you to consider. It is either available to buy on Amazon or at Lowe’s.
Pros
Cons
This combo grill is a cool, affordable option for those seeking to try out both gas and charcoal methods of outdoor grilling. The Dyna-Glo Dual Fuel grill offers a total of 952 square inches of cooking area which is a fair amount of space to fit plenty of burger patties.
What’s so great about this combo grill is it’s heat adjustment systems.
There is a charcoal tray that can be adjusted to even control the temperature of your food while cooking with charcoal, plus an electronic pulse ignition system to quickly fire up the gas and get you cooking with easily controllable flames.
As for durability, the Dyna-Glo Dual Fuel grill is pretty good - it features the same cast iron grate that is heavy duty and easy to clean, but the commercial grade stainless steel burners and alloy steel body could have been made with more durable materials.
Overall, it’s fairly average but requires little maintenance and cleaning.
Something we wished could be improved would be the power. This grill’s power output is only at 24,000 BTUs which is not bad but is quickly outshone by the competition.
However, it still works great - just expect those cooking times to be a little longer than they would be if you used a different grill.
Pros
Cons
This combo grill is an absolute unit that others so much when it comes to grilling and outdoor cooking.
If you are someone who loves barbecues and large gatherings, then this is the grill you need because it offers so much cooking space that it blows away the competition. In total, there are 2,100 square inches of cooking space and three separate cooking stations.
One is for grilling, the other for charcoal, and a third glass-doored option is an electric smoker.
So basically, you can cook so much food in so many different ways all at the same time with this grill from Pit Boss. Although we wish it put out a little more power, 36,000 BTUs is not a bad power output.
However, there is one feature that we have to mention just because it is pure genius. The electrical smoker has a designed offset which allows you to offset smoke into the other grilling stations so you can carry that smokey flavor all the way over to your other food!
This can save you a lot of time messing around which trays of wood chips with just a press of a button.
And that’s not all - there is also a two drawer storage system for your spices, and many heavy duty hooks to hang your utensils from.
Overall, we love the Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate grill - and you can also buy it from multiple sources including Amazon, Longacres, and Walmart.
Pros
Cons
This grill from Coyote is a hybrid made to handle both natural gas and charcoal grilling with ease. It has two main features that make it a great option for a lot of grillers - its power and its size.
This combo grill has a power output of 40,000 BTUs which is pretty great when compared to other combo grills. This means you can have more control over the cooking temperature of your food and take less time preparing meals.
Even the charcoal station is able to control the temperatures easily thanks to the adjustable fuel tray that can be hand-cranked into the right position.
As for size, this grill offers a very impressive amount of cooking space. Overall, there are 1,200 square inches of space available to you including a hand-welded grill box. So, if you need to cook for a large number of people, you should be covered.
Our only gripe with this grill is it’s durability. It is mainly made up of stainless steel which is fine but there are other, more durable materials out there like cast iron that can really benefit a grill.
Without it, we do have some doubts over how long this grill will last - but it’s name and customer base over at Coyote will more than vouch for its longevity.
Pros
Cons
And finally, we have this combo grill from Fire Magic that is a solid choice for any griller.
The Aurora gas and charcoal combo grill from Fire Magic has a lot to offer, including 1,100 square inches of cooking space that is divided between a primary cooking surface and an additional warming rack.
This is a good amount of cooking space for grilling for larger parties.
It’s power output is also impressive, with the main burners outputting 50,000 BTUs - a great amount of power that is perfect for having complete control over your cooking temperature.
You can also keep track of said temperature with the analog thermometer so you can cook your food to absolute perfection using this combo grill.
As for additional features and accessories, the Aurora combo grill is generous as it offers plenty of storage doors and drawers, plus it includes halogen interior lights to make late night cooking an absolute breeze.
The only downside for us is the complete reliance on stainless steel as a material, rather than using some cast iron or porcelain enamel to help improve it’s durability and ease of maintenance.
However, this is still a great grill that has so much to offer, making it a great choice in our eyes.
ProsSo those were our top ten recommendations when it comes to great combo grills that cook with both gas and charcoal. However, if you are still not sold on any of our above choices, you are always more than welcome to shop around by yourself.
However, trying to find a good gas and charcoal combo grill can be tricky and if you are not sure what counts as a positive or negative in terms of grills, then you could be leaving yourself vulnerable to be cheated or ripped off.
The last thing you want is to be duped into buying a mediocre grill when you were told it’s one of the best ones out there, so how can you avoid this?
By checking out our buyer’s guide.
Below we have made a list of the things you want to consider when shopping for a gas and charcoal grill.
Of course, there are more obvious features you need to look out for - like if it actually can use gas and charcoal - but there are probably other factors that you haven’t really considered.
So, find out everything you need to know about charcoal and gas combo grills below so you can shop for your own combo grill in confidence. Check out the list below to see what factors you need to consider and keep in mind before you commit to a single grill.
Grilling outdoors can be a fun challenge, but how much cooking space you need really comes down to your own situation.
Ideally, everyone loves a lot of cooking space. It means you can grill far more efficiently, plus grill up larger batches of food so you can throw parties and everyone can tuck into dinner at the same time.
Most combo grills offer around 400 square inches of grate space, which on average will fit 12 burger patties - that’s plenty for a family meal.
But what if you have a very small outdoor cooking space? Not everyone has a huge backyard with a patio to fit a huge combo grill on - perhaps a smaller grill is an advantage to you so you can easily fit it into a limited space, like an apartment balcony.
Everyone deserves to enjoy the wonders of outdoor grilling, so measure up how much space you can spare to fit your grill.
There are tons of different sized grills out there so you are sure to be able to find the right size for you - sometimes, it just requires a little more shopping around.
So remember - size matters when it comes to outdoor grills. Don’t end up with a grill that doesn’t fit your yard, nor one that requires you cook batches and batches of food one after the other. Work out what you need and go from there.
When it comes to durability and longevity, most of the time it comes down to the build quality and materials used to make your grill.
Everyone wants a long lasting, sturdy outdoor grill that is made using the best materials to ensure that you can keep using your grill again and again for many years.
So, when you are shopping around for a gas and charcoal combo grill, you need to pay extra attention to the build and materials of the grill.
These factors play a huge part in your grill’s durability so save yourself the trouble of having to buy a new grill every year and get yourself a high-quality built grill that will last for years.
A large amount of combo grills are made from materials like stainless steel, or cast iron that are coated with porcelain enamel.
Cast iron is vital for improving the longevity of your grill so this is definitely a material you want your grill to feature, as well as the enamel coating which helps even the distribution of heat, minimizes the chance of flare ups, and also makes the grates non-stick.
So ideally, the materials you want your grill to feature is cast iron and porcelain enamel. Stainless steel is also great, but not as good when it’s compared to cast iron and enamel.
These materials can be less cost effective as stainless steel so if you are bound by a tight budget, stainless steel will definitely get the job done - but if you can afford to spend more for a cast iron and enamel combo grill, we would definitely recommend that you do.
Heat is so important when it comes to grilling. Too much can burn your food, but not enough can lead to food poisoning so you need to pay extra attention to the power output of your combo grill.
Power output is measured in a unit called BTUs which stands for British Thermal Units. You should be able to find this information on all grill packaging and manuals and the higher the BTUs, the hotter your combo grill can get.
The amount of BTUs each grill can produce is completely dependent on the grill itself. They can differ drastically from grill to grill as some can produce twenty thousand, some forty thousand, and others can reach as high as sixty thousand BTUs.
The higher BTUs the grill can reach, the better as this means it is capable of cooking at higher temperatures.
This does not mean that you always have to cook using the highest temperature, but it gives you the ability to have better control over the cooking temperature of your food.
This means you will be left with food that is cooked just how you like it and you are able to use any method you like.
A lot of grills (whether they are combo or not) will probably offer extra accessories to help make the grilling experience easier and more enjoyable.
When browsing for your ideal combo grill, you may notice that some grills offer accessories like fold away side tables, or extra storage facilities, or side burners.
The reason why these grills offer such accessories is to also make their grill stand out from their competitor’s to convince you to buy them - so the accessories are definitely something to sit up and take notice of.
They’re like a little extra bonus that can really make your day - like finding an extra pickle in your burger that you didn’t order (unless, that is, you don’t like pickles).
So, if extra accessories are on offer, take advantage of that as they can be a huge plus, especially over other grills that are very similar but don’t offer that little extra bonus.
Another extra bonus grill manufacturers like to add on to make their product appear more attractive to customers is a warranty.
Warranties are great - they basically mean that if something goes wrong with your grill soon after you’ve bought it, you can return and get a new one or a refund (this depends on the terms and conditions).
Of course this only works if the issue is not your fault, but having a warranty can be a real lifesaver.
So, when you are shopping for your combo grill, ask the manufacturers or sellers what kind of warranty they provide for the grill. It might be that some grills don’t have any warranty at all, but those that do are always the safer option to go with.
Neither gas or charcoal is a better method of grilling over the other, but both come with their own advantages.
Gas is all about convenience as it is quicker to ignite and adjust the heat using hand controls so those using a gas grill can have more control over the way their food cooks.
Charcoal grilling can be trickier. You have to light the grill manually by yourself and use kindling, then wait for the fire to build up in heat before you can start grilling.
Adjusting the temperature is not impossible but it is more tricky, and your grill must have the features to do so. However, a lot of people love the unique taste and flavor of charcoal grilled food so that is definitely something that gives charcoal grilling an edge over gas.
If for whatever reason you are stuck with a gas grill and want to try and mimic the delicious taste of charcoal grilled food, there is something you can do to achieve this.
First, put one part of your gas grill on high, and the other on low or even turned off. Make sure that the part of your gas grill that is on high is on as high as it will go.
This will create more browning reactions in the meat which should translate over to the flavor - however, this is not a sure solution. The best you can do is give it a go, or invest in an actual charcoal grill - or to get the best of both worlds, a charcoal and gas combo grill.
It is possible to use wood chips in a gas grill, but it’s not as simple as just throwing the wood chips onto the flames otherwise they will just burn and become ash in a very short time.
You can get yourself a smoker box and fill it halfway up with damp wood chips. Because the wood chips are damp, this will make them last longer and also avoid large amounts of smoke affecting your food.
You should only add the wood chips around 30 minute after you start cooking your meat on a low temperature. This will ensure that they are thoroughly cooked, and then the wood chips can help add a smokey flavor.
You can indeed! Wood chips are used to add a more smokey flavor to grilled food that is difficult to attain with other kinds of grilling methods, including charcoal.
Charcoal is great for grilling because it’s inexpensive and easy to light and cook with than wood chips, but wood chips transfer a smokey flavor very easily.
So you can use them both on the same charcoal grill - just remember to dampen them first so they don’t turn to ash in a very short period of time and to add them to the grill just as you are finishing off the meat.
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