Many people start their relationship with BBQ by first beginning to grill and then by learning how to smoke their meats. This means that they begin with a grill, usually a gas one, and then when they decide they want to smoke meat, they then buy a smoker. This results in them purchasing two different pieces of equipment—sometimes at a premium cost. This prompts many consumers to wonder if there is a better way—and to that question, we say enthusiastically yes!
People who love to grill and smoke their foods can buy the best gas grill smoker combo that they can find. A model that can effectively grill foods on one side and then smoke meats on the other side. We know quite a bit about these models because we’ve spent quite a lot of time reviewing them. We encourage everyone to check out the models we’ve selected.
Quick Summary of Best Gas Grill Smoker Combos
Reviews
Editor’s Choice: Oklahoma Joe’s LP Gas Grill & Charcoal Smoker
A product that we feel is the apex gas grill smoker combo is this one from Oklahoma Joe’s. This is a model that used both LP gas and charcoal to grill and smoke foods to perfect. It’s a grill that not only looks nice but is also powerful and is equipped with a ton of features. Let’s examine what this product brings to the party and how it ended up at the top of our list of grills.
This product weighs around 205-pounds and is 31.5-inches by 74-inches by 50.6-inches in size. This model has a grill and a smoker. It’s also equipped with a side firebox and even has a side burner for cooking sauces or other sauces while the consumer is waiting for their BBQ to get finished up.
Since this model has separate cooking chambers that allow for gas grilling, charcoal grilling, and smoking, the consumer has a lot of options available to him or her. In the main cooking space, there are approximately 750 square-inches of space and in the secondary cooking space, there are 310 square-inches of cooking space. That gives the BBQ chef approximately 1,060 square-inches of cooking space.
Another thing that tickled our fancy was that this model used porcelain-coated cast-iron grates that offer non-stick cooking, and are designed to be easy to clean and to last a long time. This grill/smoker combo is also equipped with three 12,000 BTU burners in the gas grilling chamber that gives the cook the grilling power they need for cooking chops, steaks, chicken, seafood.
Additional fine features that can be found on this model include professional temperature gauges in the lids for better cooking accuracy, a bottom storage shelf for storing charcoal or other supplies, cool-touch handles, and a firebox access door that makes accessing the fire quick and easy. All of this product’s features make it one of the best gas grill smoker combos currently available.
- This product has a 1,060 square-inches cooking area.
- It has three 12,000 BTUs/Hr burners.
- This product is equipped with built-in thermometers.
- None.
Also Recommended: Char-Griller Duo Charcoal & Gas Grill
The next product on our list is the Char-Griller 5050 Duo. This model is actually a product that combines a gas grill with charcoal and doesn’t really have a dedicated smoker attached to it. However, with that said, the consumer can still get the charcoal side smoking for some grilling/smoking action on the side. Now that we’ve said that, let’s take a look at this grill’s features as well as its flaws.
Something that immediately caught our attention about this product was the amount of cooking space that it had. This product has a gas grilling area with a total cook space of 438 square-inches, and it has a charcoal cooking area that has a total of 438 square-inches of cook space. It also has a warming rack that has a total of 384 square inches. That gives the BBQ cook approximately 1,260 square-inches of total cooking area.
The gas grill portion of this product delivers 40,800 BTUs/Hour over three burners. It has an adjustable grate height for temperature control, porcelain-coated cast-iron grates, and a chrome-plated warming rack. Additional features that can be found on this grill include a 12,000 BTU side burner, an ash pan that’s easy to dump, a storage basket underneath the grill, and a condiment basket for holding BBQ sauce or other condiments.
If there’s one thing that didn’t make us particularly happy with this model is that it’s a little bit more expensive than other gas grill smoker combos. This is especially true since it’s not a true charcoal smoker, so the consumer is going to have to do a little bit of work to operate it in that manner.
Keeping all of this in mind, we still think that this is a great product that many of our readers are going to appreciate. It’s a model with electronic ignition and built-in thermometers so that it’s easy to use. We definitely recommend our readers check out this product and see if it fits their needs.
- It provides 1,260 square-inches of total cooking space.
- It uses both gas and charcoal.
- It has three main burners and a side burner.
- This gas/charcoal grill combo costs more than other units.
Also Consider: Royal Gourmet 3-Burner Gas/Charcoal Grill Combo
The model on our list is an inexpensive one that’s easier to fit in most people’s budgets than some of the other models we may have reviewed. It’s a product that can use both gas and charcoal, but it isn’t specifically a grill/smoker combo. However, the charcoal side can be made to smoke using this model’s incredible smoke and air management system.
This model also doesn’t deliver the same amount of cooking space that other gas grill smoker combos we’ve reviewed. This model only had a total of 742 square-inches of cooking space. This product’s left side has 288 square inches of cooking space with 82.7 square-inches of warming rack area. This product’s right side also has 288 square-inches of cooking area with 82.7 square-inches of warming rack area.
This product also has three stainless-steel burners that deliver a total of 27,000 BTUs/Hour. It’s made with a firebox that is tolerant of temperatures up to 600-degrees Fahrenheit, built-in lid thermometers, and a height-adjustable charcoal pan. Other features found on this model include a bottom cart that can be used to conceal the LP gas tank, two 6-inch directional wheels, two locking casters, and two lid-mounted dampers, plus slide-away front air vents.
Taking stock of all of this grill’s features, it’s easy to see that many people are going to love it. It’s an inexpensive model that will help more people grill and smoke their foods. It’s a product that can be used to make incredible BBQ or just about anything else the home cook wants to make. That is why we have no problems giving it a hearty thumbs-up.
- This is an inexpensive gas/charcoal grill/smoker combo.
- Heat and smoke can be easily controlled.
- This is a nice looking model.
- It only has a total of 742 square-inches of cooking space.
Gas Grill Smoker Combo Buying Guide
Once a person has decided that they want to purchase a gas grill smoker combo, they’re going to have to think about which model might be the best one for them to purchase. And this is where a lot of people freeze up with indecision. People look at many of the grill models, look at all of the features they have, and then decide that they’re not completely sure of which one they should buy.
Fortunately, we have a solution for our readers. We’ve decided to write this guide—a guide that will help consumers make an informed buying decision when they buy the best gas grill smoker combo for their household. It doesn’t matter if the consumer uses this guide to buy one of the grills we’ve recommended or use it to buy a totally different model. We just want all of our readers to have the best grill for their needs. Now that we’ve shared our stated purpose, let’s look at some of the things our readers should consider when buying a new gas grill smoker combo.
Step One: Decide On A True Smoker Combo
One of the first things that the consumer is going to want to decide on is whether they need a true gas grill smoker combo or if they want one that’s basically a gas grill paired with a charcoal grill. And this is an important distinction to make and will inform the consumer on how they’re going to use their grill.
What’s the difference? Well, let’s examine two of the grills that we reviewed: Oklahoma Joes’ Gas Grill Charcoal Smoker and the Char-Grill Duo. Only Oklahoma Joe’s model is a true smoker/grill combo. It has a gas grill and a firebox. The Char-Griller Duo is basically two grills—one gas and one charcoal—put together. That means the consumer is going to end up doing a little bit of grilling as they’re smoking using the charcoal side of the grill. It also means that the consumer is going to have to do a little bit of meat rotation on the grill to smoke the foods without overcooking them.
Step Two: Consider The Grill’s Size
The next thing that the consumer needs to think about is the size of the grill/smoker combo. Not only do they have to think about whether it’s going to fit in the area of their yard where it will be placed, as well as the cooking space of the grill. The consumer is obviously going to want to get a grill that’s large enough to provide the cooking space they need, but not so large that it’s difficult for them to find a place for it in their yard.
Consumers should be careful when they’re searching for the overall cooking area of a particular grill/smoker combo. Some models will give the consumer a total cooking area that includes the warming area rack. This essentially means that there’s less cooking area on the grill than the consumer thinks it has. That’s why the consumer should carefully read the description for any grill they buy online to find out just how much cooking space it has.
How much cooking space does the consumer need? Well, this depends greatly on the size of the owner’s household and how much grilling or smoking they intend on doing. However, we think that it’s safe to say that 500 square-inches of cooking space is the minimum, and the maximum is around 1,000 square-inches. A model on the smaller end is suitable for a family of four, and a model more towards the larger end is suitable for feeding 4+ people.
Step Three: Consider The BTUs Of The Gas Side
It’s also a good idea for the consumer to think about how many BTUs an hour the grill produces. BTU stands for British Thermal Units and this unit of measurement tells the consumer how much heat the grill produces. The higher the number, the more heat it produces. Some of the more powerful gas grills have 12,000 BTUs/hour per burner, but as long as it produces at least 8,000 BTUs/hour, it should work just fine.
Step Four: Additional Features That Might Be Needed
As we wrap up this guide, we’ll go to end it on some of the other features that the consumer might want to think about. Although the above features that we’ve talked about are the foundation of any gas grill smoker combo, the following features are almost as important and should be considered.
- Porcelain-Coated Cooking Grid Or Grates
- Pull-Out Ash Trays
- Electronic Ignition Systems
- Whether the Unit Is Gas/Charcoal Or Gas/Wood Powered
- Adjustable Racks
- Underneath Basket Or Cabinet
- Utensil Hooks Or Condiment Baskets
