You always hear about the extensive benefits of grilling with either gas or charcoal. However, choosing between the two fuel options can be very tricky. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages.
Many people feel like they are sacrificing something when they buy into a certain grill type. So why not just buy both of them?
First, it’s expensive to buy 2 units. In addition, you need extra space and effort to store and maintain both of them.
Luckily, when you purchase a gas and charcoal grill combo, the problem is solved and you won’t have to choose between the two methods.
Our recommendations for Best Gas And Charcoal Grill Combo:
- Best Value for Money: BLOSSOMZ Dual Fuel Grill
- Premium Pick: Coyote Centaur Dual Fuel Grill
- Compact and Convenient: Char-Broil Gas2Coal Hybrid Grill
- Large and Versatile: Oklahoma Joe’s Charcoal/Gas/Smoker Combo
- Sturdy and Durable: Dyna-Glo Dual Fuel Grill
Why Get a Charcoal and Gas Combo Grill?
The main reason is quite simple. A combo grill — meaning a single grilling unit with both gas and charcoal capabilities — gives you “the best of both worlds.”
This can be quite true, and most people who opt for this style are satisfied with versatility. You can have the push-button technology and ease-of-use of a gas grill, with the delicious smoky flavor of charcoal without lugging around two grills altogether.
There are many other reasons why a gas and charcoal grill combo might be the right move for your household:
Versatility: You can mix and match the grilling styles depending on what you’re cooking and how much time you have. For a quick weeknight dinner, you can turn a knob and press the ignitor for instant flames and speedy cook time. If you’re in a chilled-out weekend BBQ mode, you can pile up the charcoal and let those babies heat up slowly for flavorful steaks and burgers later on.
Large Grilling Area: Because these are usually combo grill units, they generally have a large grilling area. They house the chambers for both the charcoal and burners for a gas grill, so they are subsequently larger overall. This could double or triple your cooking space. It might not seem important when you’re cooking for a couple of people, but when you are hosting a big Memorial Day shindig, it will make all the difference.
Heat Zones: Most of the gas and charcoal grill combos have separate cooking areas side-by-side. One for grilling with gas and the other for charcoal, and you can use them simultaneously. So when you have a large bunch of steaks or burgers to grill, you can first give them a nice sear over the blazing hot charcoal. Then move them over to the gas grill to finish up with indirect or low heat.
Saves Space: When you use one grill for all your grilling needs, you only need one unit. Therefore you can save space in your yard and garage throughout the year. No more large gas grill for one task, plus a small charcoal unit for the charred flavor meals. Use your new grill for all jobs and reduce the number of appliances.
Possible Challenges With Buying a Dual Fuel Grill
For all the benefits you might get from buying a dual fuel unit, there are also some potential drawbacks:
- Some models are quite pricey:
Due to the fact that there are two different types of technology in one unit means everything is a little bigger, and some items are more complex. All this extra material, space, and parts means more money, plain and simple. Needing additional burners, grates and exterior coverings will make for a pricier grill. - Inexpensive models often have poor quality:
Then there’s the other side of the coin, and that is not spending enough. You can try to scrimp and cut some corners when it comes to quality and durability, but you’ll end up paying more in the long run. Parts will burn out faster, metal will rust out or burn through quicker, and you’re going to have to replace the entire unit.
5 Best Gas and Charcoal Grill Combos Reviewed
Now it’s time to take a closer look at our top recommendations for a gas and charcoal grill combo.
Best Value for Money: BLOSSOMZ Dual Fuel Combination Charcoal/Gas Grill
The BLOSSOMZ Dual Fuel grill offers everything you need in an affordable package. It has plenty of space for both charcoal and gas grilling plus a handy side burner for sauces and side dishes.
Specifications:
- Charcoal Cooking Area: 262 sq.in
- Gas Cooking Area: 295 sq.in
- Number of Main Burners: 3
- Additional Burners: 12,000 BTU side burner
- Total BTU: 36,000
- Weight: 103 lbs
- Build Materials: Painted steel, stainless steel, and porcelain-coated cast iron (grates)
- Dimensions: 64″ x 28″ x 49.75″ (L x W x H)
This grill is nicely designed with two separate hoods that each have a thermometer built into the lid. The gas side packs enough heating power to sear your steaks and the charcoal side allows you to control the height of the charcoal tray to adjust the grilling temperature.
There is a total of 557 square inches of primary cooking space plus additional 188 square inches on the warming racks so you can feed even a big family with this rig. The slide-out ash and grease pans make cleaning easy.
The grill is mostly made with painted steel and has porcelain-coated cast iron grates that have good heat retention. It’s a good idea to buy a grill cover to protect it from the elements and prevent it from rusting over time in case the paint starts to chip off.
When you are looking for a charcoal and gas combo grill that is affordable and cooks anything from steaks and burgers to soups and side dishes, you can’t beat this one!
What We Love
- Excellent value for money
- Good grilling performance
- Large cooking area
- Has and adjustable charcoal tray
- Easy to use and maintain
What We Don’t
- Takes a while to assemble
Premium Pick: Coyote Centaur 50-Inch Built-In Dual Fuel Grill
A simply beautiful grill, the Coyote Centaur is all stainless steel on the exterior, so it has a super professional and impressive look to it. The grill box is double welded to ensure its durability.
In addition to being a quality product, this grill HUGE. It offers over 1,200 square inches of cooking area making it the biggest of our bunch. Invite your whole family tree over, and you’re still not gonna run out of cooking space with this one!
Specifications:
- Cooking Area: 600 sq.in
- Gas Cooking Area: 600 sq.in
- Number of Main Burners: 2
- Total BTU: 40,000
- Weight: 209 lbs
- Build Materials: 304 stainless steel
- Dimensions: 50″ x 25.5″ x 25.5″ (L x W x H)
When it comes to the heating performance of the gas side, Coyote Centaur is extremely powerful. It has two high-performance Coyote iBurners that put out 40,000 BTUs of total heating power.
This is a luxury product with all the bells and whistles. There are even two interior lights that keep you grilling for the whole night if you wish so.
The charcoal grill side has an integrated wind guard. Together with the adjustable dampers, you can control the airflow and temperature with precision. In addition, you can easily lower and raise the charcoal tray to have even more control over the heat level.
Coyote Centaur is a very expensive unit, and it might not be in the budget for every family. It is a built-in type grill, but you can also choose a freestanding model (that costs even more) if you buy it from the BBQGuys online store.
If you’re ready to spend big money on the best quality, then this might be the perfect option for you. Both natural gas and propane models are available.
What We Love
- Huge grilling area
- Plenty of heating power
- Top-notch quality with durable stainless steel
- Looks nice and shiny
- Charcoal tray height is adjustable
- Lifetime warranty for the stainless steel frame and burners
What We Don’t
- High price
Compact and Convenient: Char-Broil Gas2Coal Propane and Charcoal Hybrid Grill
The idea of this grill is a bit different compared to the other ones we have reviewed here. You can just use it as a regular propane gas grill, or you can use the gas burners to light up the charcoal. Then turn off the gas and use it as a charcoal grill.
With this two-in-one combo grill, you can easily convert from gas to charcoal without making any huge part swaps or maneuvers. No conversion is necessary here, simply go from gas to charcoal and back without any tools whatsoever.
Specifications:
- Charcoal Cooking Area: 540 sq.in
- Number of Main Burners: 4
- Additional Burners: 12,000 BTU side burner
- Total BTU: 56,000
- Weight: 110 lbs
- Build Materials: Painted steel, stainless steel, and porcelain-coated cast iron (grates)
- Dimensions: 61″ x 23.9″ x 46.2″ (L x W x H)
Being a hybrid grill makes the Char-Broil Gas2Coal more compact because there is only one grilling area. However, it allows you to only use either gas or charcoal, not both at the same time.
Nevertheless, this grill is still very versatile since it has a side burner that is great for many purposes. Boil some rice, fry eggs, or even make a cup of coffee while grilling at the same time.
There are 540 square inches of total cooking space, made up of 420 square inches in the primary cooking area and 120 square inches in the warming rack. It boasts 40,000-BTUs spread across three center burners and one 12,000-BTU side burner. The burners are made out of stainless steel and come with a 5-year warranty.
Using and cleaning this grill is easy and convenient. The porcelain-covered cast iron cooking grates are fast to clean and will also last a long while.
One of the best things about this model is that it has a separate warming area on the left side, so you can pile up your finished food and keep it ready without losing valuable grill space.
It also has 2 nice shelving units for prep space. However, they do not fold down very easily, and it would be convenient for storage if they both did.
This hybrid grill has a nice exterior and would look lovely in your backyard while also being very functional. You definitely won’t sacrifice durability while having a sleek black and silver outside, along with a splash of red across the control panel. This grill has style!
What We Love
- Great value for money
- Durable built
- Includes a side-burner
- Compact size
What We Don’t
- You can only use either charcoal or gas at a time
Large and Versatile: Oklahoma Joe’s Charcoal/Gas/Smoker Combo
The Oklahoma Joe’s grill is a total beast, there is no way around it. It has a lot of bang for the buck, because not only will it grill using both gas and charcoal, this model will also serve as a full smoker.
This smoker grill combo has a whopping 1,060 square inches of total cooking space. It’s made up of 750 square inches of primary cooking surface in the main chambers and 310 square inches of cooking space inside the firebox chamber.
Specifications:
- Charcoal Cooking Area: 375 sq.in
- Gas Cooking Area: 375 sq.in
- Firebox Chamber Cooking Area: 310 sq.in
- Number of Main Burners: 3
- Additional Burners: 12,000 BTU side burner
- Total BTU: 48,000
- Weight: 204.6 lbs
- Build Materials: Painted steel, stainless steel, and porcelain-coated cast iron (grates)
- Dimensions: 74″ x 31.5″ x 50.6″ (L x W x H)
With 36,000 BTUs of cooking power from 3 burners in the gas grilling chamber, this rig packs enough punch to get hot in about 10 minutes. The grill has six porcelain-coated cast-iron grates.
If looks and style are super important to you when selecting a grill, take a look at this one before committing because it has an industrial feel to it that might not suit everyone. The grill is also quite large so measure your space before buying it.
Make sure to get a cover or store this grill in a dry place, because it can start rusting quite fast if you fail to do so. It’s also a good idea to season the grill thoroughly with oil and repeat the process yearly.
When you are looking to do everything with one unit, here is the answer. Gas and charcoal grill, side burner, and smoker, everything you can ask for.
What We Love
- Super-versatile unit with a smoker
- Large cooking area
- Easy to clean
- Good for smoking
- Has a side burner
What We Don’t
- Requires a lot of space
- Needs extra care to not rust
Sturdy and Durable: Dyna-Glo Dual Fuel Grill
The Dyna-Glo dual fuel grill is a very sturdy unit with stylish silver and black dominating the color scheme. The grill is completely enclosed so that you do not see the propane gas tank beneath, plus there is extra storage too with cabinet doors.
Specifications:
- Charcoal Cooking Area: 420 sq.in
- Gas Cooking Area: 420 sq.in
- Number of Main Burners: 2
- Total BTU: 24,000
- Weight: 48 lbs
- Build Materials: Painted steel, stainless steel, and porcelain-coated cast iron (grates)
- Dimensions: 68.45″ × 45.63″ × 28.67″ (L x W x H)
This grill has 730 square inches of primary grilling space (plus 222 sq.in. at the warming racks), so there’s plenty of room for large-scale entertaining. The gas side features 2 stainless steel burners that pump out 24,000 BTUs of heating power, which is enough to make the grill hot in no time.
Each side has a collapsible shelf, so it’s super handy for setting hot things mid-cook as well as doing a little food prep when necessary. The lid section has a double-wall stainless steel sleeve and easy-to-grip handles.
Some people might not like the fact it is a large grill that takes a lot of space. It even comes in two heavy and well-packed boxes instead of a single box shipment.
The overall dimensions are 68.45″ x 45.63″ x 28.67″ but despite its size, the grill has a sophisticated look and would be a nice patio feature in any home.
This unit has been praised for its reliability and durability year-in and year-out. Considering the price and quality of this grill, it has earned its place in our top 5.
What We Love
- Nice and sleek design
- Large grilling area
- Sturdy and durable
- Lower and raise the charcoal tray easily
- Easy to use and clean
What We Don’t
- Requires a lot of space
- No side burner
Best Charcoal and Gas Grill Combo – Final Thoughts
Getting a combo grill allows you to enjoy more versatile cooking in your backyard or patio. But finding a good unit is not that easy because the availability of charcoal and gas grill combos is quite limited.
We have laid out our top 5 options in this guide and there is something suitable for all budgets and needs. Whether you are on a tight budget or want the best possible quality, you can find something nice here.
Whichever is your choice, I’m sure you will enjoy the versatility that the combo grill brings to your cooking!
Enjoy your barbecue!