If you have been looking for a grill and cannot decide whether you should buy a gas or a charcoal one, we are happy to say that you don’t even have to make a choice between them: combo grills and this comprehensive list about them will come to your help. Without sacrificing the smoky flavor that comes from charcoal, or giving up the convenience and ease of using gas fuel, you can still have the perfect grilling experience by using a functional combined grill.
Our Top Dual Fuel Combo Grills List
In the table we prepared below, you will find our top pick hybrid fuel grills and have a quick look at their power and capacity specs, in addition to their remarkable features.
Power
Features
Capacity
Best Overall
Char-Griller 5050
Power
Features
Capacity
Runner-Up
Royal Gourmet
Power
Features
Capacity
Compact
Char-Broil Gas2Coal
Power
Features
Capacity
Best Budget
BLOSSOMZ
Power
Features
Capacity
Old School
Char-Griller 5030
Power
Features
Capacity
Smoking or Grilling or BBQ? What is the Difference?
Even though charcoal might not be the healthiest or greenest fuel to choose, it is obvious that it gives a great flavoring to the meat you cook. However, especially for those who are new to grilling, there might be some confusion about it as we talk about the smoky flavor coming from grilling with charcoal and smoking. There is a high chance that they will seem like the same procedure for you at first glance, but there are actually a significant number of differences between the two. For more information about different food cooking techniques, you can check out the table we prepared below.
SMOKING | GRILLING | BBQ |
|---|---|---|
We should note that you can always smoke on a charcoal grill, or use one of the appliances specially made for this job: smoker grills. On the other hand, if you are looking for a more complex option, there are smoker and grill combinations in the market. So, without further ado, let’s move on to the detailed reviews of gas & charcoal combo grills we have chosen for you.
#1 Best Capacity, Powerhouse - Char-Griller ™ 5050 Duo
Top Pick
With its great cooking space and perfect heating power, Char-Griller Duo ™ 5050 will combine the best of both worlds for you and be the essential helper in any party you hold.
Power and Capacity
Char-Griller is a company that has been in the market for over 20 years and this product is no surprise: 5050 has 3 burners with 48,000 BTUs. It is safe to say that this grill has a powerful heating system than most of the combined grills in the market. Not only are the grills burners sufficient on their own, but the grill also has a side burner with 12,000 BTU output. Moreover, it has a great cooking space, to be exact, 1260 square inches in total. As if it was honoring its name, this grill will allow you to cook up to 50 burgers at once. With a large cooking surface and great power, we have decided that this model of Char-Griller 5050 has all the features we look for in grills and it is a perfect deal considering its price. With all its capacity and power, this grill is the perfect complement to your backyard, garden or terrace, and your essential helper as you cook for a crowd, your family, and a party.
Appearance
The grill comes as a combination of 2 cooking surfaces, thus, you can use both conveniently at the same time. The grill is a combination of steel parts, needles to say, it is quite heavy and sturdy. Moreover, the three main features that we look for in grills are included: It has warming racks, porcelain-coated cast-iron grates and temperature gauges on the lids. In addition, the charcoal grate height of the grill is adjustable. We have decided that this grill is the best for everyday use: you can use the propane gas function for a quick meal and use the charcoal feature to enhance the flavour of your food or even smoke the meat for a longer period of time. What is more is that the grill has an easy-dump ash pan and not as large as you expect a combined grill to be. Considering all its features and its price, Char-Griller 5050 is the most functional grill you can get. The most considerable downside of this great grill might be the electric ignition case just like most of the hybrid grills.
What We Love:
What We Don't Like:
Final Remarks
Char-Griller, as the inventor of the dual fuel grills, sets the standards for high quality and versatility with the Char-Griller 5050 combo grill. This outdoor grill presents gas and charcoal functionality all in one element with the most popular design features for all your grilling needs.
#2 Best Design - Royal Gourmet 3-Burner Gas Grill and Charcoal Grill Combo
Runner-up
Royal Gourmet will meet all your expectations from a hybrid grill with its powerful yet graceful and elegant design.
Power and Capacity
When it comes to a hybrid grill, we have decided that Royal Gourmet 3-Burner Gas Grill and Charcoal Grill Combo is one of the best choices. The price is quite fair considering the functionality of the grill and its features. Like most of the dual-fuel grills, The grill comes with 3 burners with 27.000BTUs. In terms of its capacity, this combo grill has 742 square inches of cooking space, to put it in another way, enough space to fit up to 33 burgers at once. Since it is the type of hybrid grill that consists of the combination of 2 grills side by side, you can start your grills one at a time for smaller and quicker meals or you can light them both for a party or a crowded family meal.
Appearance
Royal Gourmet combo grill has 2 side tables and a built- in thermometer. Besides, the grates are porcelain-enameled, completing all the main features we expect from a grill. The grill also has warming racks for you to keep the food you cooked warm. What is more is that the grills structure is stainless steel and it is quite solid. Moreover, it is on 2 wheels and 2 casters, thus, more mobile than average combo grills that sit on 2 wheels. In addition, the body has an enclosed storage space for storing grilling equipment. Furthermore, there is a slide-out ash pan in the grill that helps you to clean without having to deal with the great mess caused by charcoal fuel.
What We Love:
What We Don't Like:
Final Remarks
If you are looking for a barbecue that has dual fireboxes, one gas and one charcoal, you'll enjoy the convenience of a three burner gas BBQ or the wonderful flavor of charcoal with Royal Gourmet Gas & Charcoal Grill Combo. Although you can't use the gas unit to light the charcoal, after you get the fire going for each side individually, you'll be ready to cook on both sides perfectly at the same time.
#3 Best Small - Char-Broil Gas2Coal® 4-Burner Hybrid Grill
Compact Pick
Along with not occupying a lot of space as expected from a large combined grill, Char-Broil Gas 2 Coal will function perfectly with its 4 burners without sacrificing any power.
Power and Capacity
Different from the generality of the grills in this list that have 3 burners, this grill comes with 4 burners putting out 44.000BTUs. But the power of it is not limited to only the main burners, the grill also has a side burner with 12.000BTUs for you to cook any side dish at the same time. Again, different from the other grills in this list, this one has only one cooking surface. The grate of this grill is 560 square inches in area. To illustrate and give a more precise measure, you can cook 32 burgers on this grill at once.
The switch between gas and charcoal is quite easy: it will only take 60 seconds and 3 steps to go from gas to coal or vice versa. Also, the ignition of the charcoal is trouble-free in this grill since it uses its electric igniters in order to light the coal. Therefore, it is safe to say that even though a fuel that pollutes your grill and the air -charcoal- is used, the grill is almost mess-free and combines the finest features of both grill types in a much smaller space.
Appearance
As mentioned before, if you don’t have enough room for 2 grills combined, char-broil gas 2 coal will come to your help: different from other models we analyzed so far, this grill has 1 cooking surface that you can switch between gas fuel and charcoal. In short, it saves space without sacrificing any quality and Char-Broil offers 1-5 years of warranty on different parts of the grill. The grill is a complexion of stainless steel, black painted steel, and porcelain-enameled cast-iron (grates), thus, it is stable and solid. Moreover, there is an enclosed storage space in the body of the grill, so you can store all your grilling equipment with convenience. The grill also has warming grates, a temperature gauge, and porcelain- coated cast-iron grates; hence, it meets our basic and principal expectations. Last but not least, the grill has one side table in addition to its side burner.
What We Love:
What We Don't Like:
Final Remarks
If you want to buy a combo grill but you don’t hold that many parties or you don’t have a crowded family, or even if you don’t have a lot of space in your backyard or terrace that most of the dual-fuel grills require, you can still achieve all the features of a perfect hybrid grill with Char-Broil Gas 2 Coal.
#4 Best Budget - Blossomz Dual Fuel Combination Charcoal/Gas Grill
Cheap Pick
If you are looking for a hybrid grill with complete features without spending extra on high-priced options, Blossomz Dual Fuel Grill might be the grill you have been looking for.
Power and Capacity
Blossomz Dual Fuel Grill comes with 3 burners with 24.000 BTU and a side burner with 12.000 BTU. Two grates combined make up 557 square inches of total cooking space, enough to fit 32 burgers in it (16 burgers on each grill). Overall, the power and capacity are approximately the same as most of the hybrid grills in the market. This grill can be perfect if you want the best of both fuel options and don’t want to spend that much on fancier models and just like any other combo grill, it can serve an entire party or a crowded family easily.
Appearance
First of all, this grill doesn’t have an enclosed storage space in its body; nevertheless, in our opinion, this is not a major downside. Even though it is a cheaper option, it has all the main features we look for: temperature gauges on the lids, a side table, and even a side burner. The grill is on 4 wheels and weighs approximately 103 pounds, so it is not actually as heavy as other models. In addition, the construction material of the grill is mostly stainless steel and the grill also comes with warming racks to keep food warm.
What We Love:
What We Don't Like:
Final Remarks
Total of 36.000 BTU power and two grates with the ability to adjust the height of the tray like the traditional style grills make Blossomz an unrivalled option for such a competitive price.
#5 Best Classic - Char-Griller 5030 2-Burner Dual Function Gas & Charcoal Grill
Conventional Pick
With all its lovely design, Char-Griller 5030 is among the best classic dual-fuel grills.
Power and Capacity
This grill comes with 2 burners with 24.000BTUs. This might seem as if this grill was not powerful as others in this list; however, this is not the case. Thanks to the more round and smaller design of this grill, you won’t need that much power to warm it up and it will perfectly retain the temperature inside. The primary cooking surface of the grill is 606 square inches, again, this is not a large grill as much as others. It can be the perfect choice for grill enthusiasts or small families who want to try both grills at the same time but do not have that much space.
Appearance
The grates are porcelain-coated cast-iron, and there are temperature gauges on the steel lids of the grill. In addition, there are warming racks and the grate height is adjustable. Since most of the parts of this grill are steel, construction can be considered as a solid and sturdy one. Lastly, this grill comes in a matte black color and not only pretty but a functional cylindrical shape.
Final Remarks
If you're looking for a dual fuel grill with an optional smoke box room, Char-Griller 5030 Dual Function Grill can also offer smoking feature when added the side fire box.
#6 Best Pellet & Gas - Pit Boss PB1230G Navigator Combo Grill
If you can't give up on gas grills but are open to replace charcoal with wood and use pellet features powering by an electrical outlet, Pit Boss has engineered a great fit for that.
Bonus Pick
Pit Boss combines pellet, gas and smoker grill options just in one combo unit...
Power and Capacity
In the gas side there are three independent burners each one of 10.000 BTU's. Each burner is well protected by a heat tent. In the pellet grill side, woods can generate nearly 8200 BTU's per pound. Pellet grill provides a complete natural way of cooking, since pellets are hundred percent hardwood with no artificial flavor. Thanks to the 1261 square inches of large cooking surface, even a medium sized whole brisket can fit inside. As for gas grill/smoker, it can hold up to 5 racks of pork ribs.
When it comes to what temperature ranges this grill can cook, once the pellets are burning, it can sear up to 1.000° F open flame temperature. During pellet mode, it can cook in the range Of 180° To 500°F, which can bet set on the digital control panel.
PRO TIP
If you don't have a smoker or pellet grill, you have the chance to mimic a similar experience with the so-called smoker tubes. You just fill the tube with pellet wood, burn it, blow the flame out and it's ready to put on your grilling place. Smoker tubes can be used in your charcoal, propane, or electric grill and fits any smoker for extra smoky flavor. It is perfect for cold or hot smoking all of your favorite foods. When the smoke flies on the grate, it adds delicious smoky flavor to any food you crave - meat, fish, cheeses, vegetables, or nuts.
Appearance
On the left side, you'll have a pellet grill and on the right side, you get a gas grill with three burners, which you can also use the gas grill as a cold smoker. You can direct the smoke from the pellet grill to the gas grill by simply adjusting air flow slide cover.
Built-in thermometer, temperature gauge on the lid, and meat probes ensure you about the provided heat, so that you can track the grilling process in every second of time. The easy of cleaning makes it ready for the next use quickly. You just use your vacuum cleaner, brush on the grates and that's it.
What We Love:
What We Don't Like:
Final Remarks
Basically, you end up with these options; first both grill units are independently usable, secondly you may both use gas grill together with the pellet grill and enrich the taste of your food by letting some amount of wood smoke of pellet grill move into the gas grill. The other, you can use the gas grill entirely for indirect heat cooking by keeping the gas burners directly below the food off. Pit Boss PB1230 blends your barbecues with the additional smoke taste that you can adjust the intensity as you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
For any other questions than below, you can check out our other analysis about Best Gas Grills under $1000.
What is a combo grill and what does dual-fuel mean?
A combo grill is basically two grills combined - one charcoal and one gas grill - side to side. Combo grills, in other words, multi-fuel, hybrid, or dual-fuel grills will save you from buying 2 separate ones, therefore, occupying less space than 2 separate grills and giving you the ability to use both of them at the same time for different meals.
How or when do I use a combo grill?
Using them is quite simple in fact since you don’t have to use both at the same time. For diverse purposes, you can cook on one of your grills, or you can light and use them both in order to give the food you cook a rich-smoky flavor. For example, you can cook the meat in the charcoal part of the grill and transfer it to the gas side and use this side as a warmer, or you can use the charcoal grill to smoke the meat and use the gas side to sear it quickly. In short, combo grills might offer a great and diverse grill experience.
Why is grilling healthier than frying?
There is a simple explanation: When you are frying a portion of food, you are causing oil to get in almost every inch of it. To put it another way, once you soak vegetables or meat, even pastries in oil at a high-temperature, suddenly the calorie value of the meal increases, and unfortunately, this is not a healthy increase. Frying oil is not rich in nutrients and most of the time it reduces the already existing nutritional value of the food.
Grilling, on the other hand, doesn’t increase the oil amount in the food, in fact, it does the opposite: as you grill meat, you cause it to lose the existing grease it has. However, you should keep in mind that grilling might have its downsides too. Note that the burnt grilled food might carry carcinogens, thus, try to prevent these dangerous chemicals from developing by flipping your food frequently and not leaving it on the heat for too long. Overall, as long as you are careful in the process, grilling can be considered as a healthier alternative than frying.
Can I use charcoal in a propane grill?
The answer depends on your combo grill. If your grill has one grate with 2 fuel options, it can be used both as a propane grill and a charcoal grill. However, if your grill has 2 grates with separate fuel establishments, you cannot use the same surface both as charcoal and a gas grill.
What is the healthiest way to grill?
As we mentioned before, flip your food frequently to prevent it from burning and forming harmful chemicals. When you are grilling, if it is not going to make a big difference for you, try to choose meat options with less fat percent. Since consuming a lot of fat might cause cardiac problems, we recommend being a little extra careful on this matter. For a healthier way of grilling, try to avoid inhaling the smoke coming from the grill and try to clean your grill regularly to prevent it from forming rust.
Do combo grills occupy a lot of places?
We are aware that a hybrid grill might seem massive at first glance. However, if you don’t have enough room to put a big grill or you think that you don’t need charcoal and gas features at the same time, this doesn’t have to be the case. Combo grills come in 2 main sizes: there are smaller combo grills with one cooking surface which take less space but can only offer 1 feature at a time, and there are larger grills with 2 surfaces to cook and this type allows you to use both fuels at the same time. Nevertheless, note that if the grill has 2 cooking surfaces, each surface tends to be smaller than the one cooking surface of the other type.
Conclusion
We've reviewed best combo grills according to our examination and listed their key features, pros and cons one by one for each product. Now, it's time to see the big picture and have a look at the ups and downs of duel fuel combo grills in general.
Combo Grills: Ups and Downs
Pros:
Cons:
After all, we soon come to the fact that gas & charcoal grill combination is also very practical, because while you are grilling on charcoal, you can prepare sauces and other dishes on the gas side. Dual fuel hybrid barbecue is the ideal solution, if you opt for gas and charcoal packed in a single unit.
