Gas gives you speed. Charcoal gives you flavour. Each fuel suits different cooks, and the amount of time you have usually determines which you fire up.
If you don’t have the space or budget for separate grills, a combo unit covers both tasks. After running real cooks on these pits, from quick burgers to six-hour rib sessions, we narrowed the list to the models that handled both fuels without fuss.
How we test gas charcoal combo grills
Our picks are based on the results of testing every grill to determine how it performs in real cooking situations.
Each model undergoes multiple tests, so we can evaluate both fuel types properly. We check how quickly the gas side heats up, how easy it is to light and manage the charcoal side, and how evenly each chamber maintains its temperature.
We also run a set of practical tests, including:
- Cooking burgers, steaks and chicken on gas and charcoal
- Running longer cooks like ribs to test low and slow stability
- Timing heat-up and fuel consumption
- Inspecting build quality during and after testing
- Evaluating cleanup, ash systems and maintenance
The best dual fuel grill overall
What makes it the best?
The Canyon Combo handled every cook we threw at it. Gas for quick meals, charcoal for flavor, and an offset that managed to actually put out some real barbecue. After a few sessions on it, you see why this layout works so well in the backyard.
Running burgers on both sides immediately showed the difference. The gas burners lit quickly and reached cooking temperature in about 6 or 7 minutes, so weeknight burgers were no problem. The charcoal patties took longer but had that deeper flavor you’re never going to get from propane.
Searing steaks felt solid once the charcoal chamber climbed to around 500 °F. The only mistake I made was forgetting to spray the grates the first time and having a bit of sticking, but the crust still looked good. With a little prep this side cooks clean.
To see the Canyon Combo in action, you can watch our full review video below.
Smoking is where I was most hesitant. Smaller fireboxes heat up quickly, so I ran it with a lighter fuel load and just kept adding briquettes as the temperature dropped. After fixing my wood load, it held around 250 to 275 °F for a six-hour beef rib cook, and the ribs came out juicy with a nice ring.
Cleanup is simple enough. Scrape the grates, dump the ash once it cools, and hit the chambers with a bit of cooking oil so they do not rust out. It is not hard, just takes a minute after each session.
If you want one grill that can handle gas, charcoal and real offset cooking, this one gives you a lot to work with.
The best budget dual-fuel combo grill
The Char-Griller 5030 gives you dual-fuel cooking at a much lower cost than our top pick.
It handled carne asada, Korean short ribs, and even a rack of ribs in our tests, and for anyone watching their budget, it offers a lot of flexibility without stepping up into the heavier, more expensive options.
You do not get everything the Canyon offers, but for the money this one punches well above its weight.
If you want to see how it handled our test cooks, you can watch the full review below.
The gas side lit right away and had enough heat for quick weeknight cooks. Burgers and steak tips came out fine, and it never felt like a struggle. If you want something simple that fires up fast, this side does exactly what you need.
The charcoal side is where the grill is most enjoyable. The adjustable charcoal tray makes it easy to adjust the heat up or down, and those short ribs picked up great flavor over lump charcoal. You can smoke on it if you pay attention to the fuel and keep adding briquettes as the temperature drops. It is a smaller chamber, but it gets the job done for one rack.
One thing to point out is that the 5030 can be upgraded with the Char-Griller side firebox if you want to play with offset cooking. It is not included by default, unlike the Canyon setup, but adding it later gives you the chance to try that style without buying a whole new grill. Nice option if you want to experiment without spending a lot.
Cleanup is simple. Burn off the grates, dump the ash once it cools, and scrape the chamber. Assembly took us a while since there are a lot of small parts, but once it is together it is light enough to move around without much effort.
If you want a true gas and charcoal combo and need to keep things affordable, the 5030 Duo delivers solid value and more cooking range than most grills at this end of the market.
The Best High-End Duel Fuel Grill
The Coyote Centaur feels like a premium outdoor kitchen component the moment you lift the lid. The whole unit is built from continuously welded 304 stainless steel with polished edges, so it looks sharp and holds up well outside. It is one of the most solid dual fuel options you can buy.
You get about 1,200 square inches of total cooking space across two full-size grill boxes. On the gas side there are two cast stainless burners that put out 40,000 BTUs and heat quickly for weeknight cooking. The charcoal side gives you more control than most combo grills thanks to an adjustable charcoal tray, heat control grids and airflow dampers. You can also add wood chips or chunks for extra flavor.
As a built-in grill it fits cleanly into outdoor kitchen setups, and that is where most people use it. You can buy a freestanding version, but the cart is sold separately, so the price climbs fast if you go that route. This is a better match for someone who already has an island or is building one.
If you want a heavy duty dual fuel grill with better construction than typical backyard combos, the Centaur delivers durability and a lot of cooking space.
The best triple-fuel grill
The Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate is one of the few grills that gives you gas, charcoal and a full vertical electric smoker in one frame. You get about 1,327 square inches of total grilling space across the gas and charcoal sides, plus 840 square inches in the electric smoker.
If you want one setup that handles weeknight grilling and still gives you a proper cabinet smoker, this has more range than most combos.
The gas side heats quickly and cooks like a standard propane grill. Good for fast meals and simple to use. The charcoal chamber works fine for hot and fast cooks like burgers and steaks, but it is not built for long charcoal smoking on its own.
The electric smoker is the real draw. With multiple racks and plenty of room, you can run ribs, chicken or jerky without fighting for space. You can also use the internal venting system to move smoke between chambers, which adds flexibility without extra accessories.
The tradeoff is the build. It is a big cooker with a lot of parts, and owner reviews mention long assembly times and the occasional alignment issue. Once put together it offers a ton of cooking space for the money, but you need the patience to build it.
Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 4-in-1 LP Gas, Charcoal
Pros:
- True multi-fuel setup with gas, charcoal, and electric smoker cabinet
- Large overall cooking space
- Internal venting lets you move smoke between chambers
- Good flexibility for grilling and low and slow
Cons:
- Long, involved assembly with many parts
- Very large footprint
- Some build quality issues
Check WALMART PRICE
Should you get a gas-charcoal combo grill?
Now that you’ve seen some of the best gas and charcoal combo grills on the market, it’s worth taking a few minutes to consider whether a combo grill is right for you.
To help you make the right decision, here is a quick guide to the pros and cons of combo grills.
The Cons
While there are many great benefits to being able to cook with both gas and charcoal, combo grills are not without their drawbacks.
- Quality and price: as a rule, combo grills tend to fall into one of two camps, poor quality or very expensive. If you want a combo grill that will stand the test of time, you’re going to need to shell out for it. All of the grills in this review are top quality, but they aren’t exactly cheap.
- Jack of all trades, master of none: as with most combination cooking solutions, most combo grills just won’t be as effective as a grill dedicated to one type of fuel. If you find that you enjoy the convenience and speed of cooking with gas and only occasionally feel the need for that charcoal taste, you might want to instead invest in a high-end gas grill and a budget charcoal kettle grill.
- Smaller cooking space: while most of the grills we’ve reviewed above boast an ample overall cooking space, this is predicated on your always cooking with both types of fuel. If you aren’t planning on using charcoal because you just want to get the grill lit and the food cooked as soon as possible, you’re effectively cutting your cooking space in half.
- The size: because most combo grills use two cooking surfaces side by side, they tend to be larger and bulkier than a standard grill. This extra bulk is fine if you have a few acres out back, but if you’ve got a more modest outside space, a huge combo grill might make it a little cramped.
The Pros
Despite certain drawbacks, there are some obvious benefits to owning a combo grill.
- Best of both worlds: the convenience of gas and the wonderful smoky flavor of cooking with charcoal, all rolled into one package, is what draws most people to combo grills. Depending on your model, you could also use it as a smoker, or cook with wood chips for a real all-in-one BBQ machine.
- Save money compared to buying two stand-alone grills: while the vast majority of combo grills are more expensive than one single-fuel grill, they aren’t so expensive that they outprice two high-end single-fuel grills. So, if you find yourself constantly wanting to cook with both gas and charcoal, a combo grill could save you money in the long run.
- Good if space is limited: convertible grills, like the Char-Broil Gas2Coal 3-Burner Liquid Propane and Charcoal Hybrid Grill, buck the trend of being chunky monsters and are quite compact. If you don’t have a lot of space to work with, but are still committed to having a comb grill, then finding a conversion model could help you with the logistics of fitting it into your yard.
What to look for when buying a gas-charcoal hybrid?
If you’ve decided that a gas-charcoal hybrid is precisely the grill for you, here are a couple of buying tips to make sure you find the grill that lives up to your expectations.
The build quality
Combo grills have a lot of moving parts, and the more complicated they get, the more there is to go wrong. Because of this, you’ll want to find a grill with the excellent build quality, so keep an eye out for all stainless steel construction and porcelain covered grill plates.
The warranty
Good manufacturers back their build quality up with a good warranty.
You’ll want to look for a grill whose warranty covers it for at least five years and extends to all the working parts, like the gas burners and the ignition system, as these are often the first things to break.
The accessories
Quality of life accessories like a piezo ignition system for the gas burners, a separate side burner, fold-out side tables, and room for you to store extra food and cooking utensils is what separates a good grill from a great one.
Look for a grill with the proper bells and whistles, and don’t underestimate how much more comfortable they can make your life in the long run.
Did you miss our previous article...
https://manstuffnews.com/backyard-grilling/creamy-chicken-enchilada-skillet
Backyard GrillingWeekend WarriorsAdvice from DadBeard GroomingTV Shows for Guys4x4 Off-Road CarsMens FashionSports NewsAncient Archeology World NewsPrivacy PolicyTerms And Conditions
