There are many ways to cook food, among the various methods are gas grills, charcoal barbeques, and smoking units. So it won’t come as a surprise to you when some companies decide to mix them all together and create a combination unit that delivers gas and charcoal burners with a smoking unit too.
List of Top-Rated Smoker Grill Combos on the Market
Photo | Product | BTUs | Surface | Details |
---|---|---|---|---|
Fire Magic E1060S-4L1P-51-W | 112,000+22,000+60,000 | 1056+384 sq. in. | View on Amazon | |
Fire Magic Aurora A830i | 50,000+13,000+26,000 | 828+368 sq. in. | View on Amazon | |
Lion Premium Grills 90823 | 90,000 | 1,030 sq. in. | View on Amazon | |
Smoke Hollow PS9900 | 42,000 | 1,100 sq. in. | View on Amazon | |
Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate | 36,000 | 1827 sq. in. | View on Amazon |
There is a lot more to consider, but for now, let’s take a look at the five best gas charcoal smoker grill comb units, and I include professional commercial models as well as home models.
Review of the Best Smoker Grill Combos for the Price
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1. Fire Magic Echelon Diamond E1060s
This is the Fire Magic Echelon Diamond Series E1060 Built-In, Grill
Performance
When it comes to the top of the line models, literally used by 3 star Michelin chefs and found in professional restaurants across the country, it is hard to beat or argue with the amazing properties of the Echelon E1060s 4E1N-51-W Portable Grill.
This model is a masterpiece of science, gourmet and art all rolled into one fantastic unit, and yes, the price is a rave as much as the unit and reflects the investment level required to purchase one of these amazing combo units.
Let’s start off with style, it’s a shiny piece of stainless steel that is easy to clean and looks so good you start to salivate and already taste the food even when it’s not cooking.
This model comes with 4 Cast Stainless Steel “E” Burners that provide you with a whopping 112,000 BTU, in addition to this you get dual Recessed Stainless Steel Rotisserie Backburners giving you an extra 22,000 BTU.
The cooking surface is a very long 48″ x 22″ (1056 sq inches), and the total grill dimensions are 50″ W x 23 1/2″ D x 12″ H. This model is no mobile unit, it’s designed to stand and deliver and weighs in at around 350 lbs. The warming rack is made from a Heavy Gauge Stainless Steel.
The ignition system is a 12 Volt Electric Hot Surface with Flash Tubes, and the model is powered by a 110 Volt Plug-in Electrical supply with 12 Volt Transformer. There are 3 Angled Halogen 12 Volt Internal Oven Lamps for lighting the cooking surface, and there are Backlit Safety Knobs.
The Contoured Control Panel is designed for easy control, and there are 4 Zone Backlit Premium Digital Meat and Grill Thermometers located in the Control Panel.
The grilling areas come with Heat Zone Separators, and the cooking surface has Stainless Steel Diamond Sear Cooking Grids with a Cooking Grid Lifter. There is a Charcoal Smoker Basket alongside the gas unit, and you can switch between Natural Gas to Propane Gas.
The hood is made from a Seamless Double Wall Water-Resistant stainless steel, and the whole unit is constructed from stainless steel.
This model comes with a Roller Ball Bearing Rotisserie that is managed by a High Torque Motor and Spit Rod that comes with Meat Prongs and a Counter Balance.
Features
- Diamond Sear Cooking Grids
- Flavor Grids
- Charcoal Smoker Basket
- Chrome Digital thermometer with meat probe
- Cast stainless steel “E” burners
- Recessed infrared Quantum Backburner
- Angled halogen internal lights
- Hot surface ignition
Recommendations
This is the king of the combo grills, it doesn’t get better than this, and whether you want to open a restaurant, or just have a lot of fun in your large patio, this is the model you want to have.
2. Fire Magic Aurora A830i
This is the Fire Magic Aurora A830i Combo Grills Gas and Charcoal combo with smoker and rotisserie.
Performance
If it’s a professional-style cooking experience you desire, and want a compact but large enough cooking surface, then the Fire Magic Aurora A830i is what you are looking for.
This high-end Michelin rated grill unit is used by professionals and home cooks seeking the ultimate cooking experience. This model is entirely made from stainless steel and is Equipped with two cast stainless steel “E” burners delivering 50,000 BTU’s under a 432 square inches of cooking surface (24″ x 18″).
This models ignition and control unit is powered by a 110 Volt plug-in electrical supply with 12-volt transformer and has 12-volt internal oven lamps, for easy nighttime grilling. The Electronic Spark ignition system with flash tubes and the control panel comes with polished comfort touch control knobs.
There is also 13,000 BTU recessed stainless steel rotisserie backburner, and a Spit rod storage rack.
This model comes with a Stainless steel valve manifold, Stainless steel rod cooking grids, Stainless steel warming rack, a Cooking grid lifter, and very light easy lift seamless hood with mounted analog thermometers.
Even the 36″ flex connector is made from Stainless steel flex connector, and there are Disposable drip tray liners to finish off.
The charcoal burner delivers 26,000 BTU under a 396 square inches of cooking surface (22″ x 18″) and comes with an Adjustable airflow fire pan, a Stainless steel warming rack and a grill matching the hood. The charcoal is easily loaded through an access door.
The overall cooking surface is 828 square inches, and the Cut-out Dimensions of this model are 50 1/4″w x 19 1/2″d x 12″h
Features
- Diamond Sear Cooking Grids
- Analog Thermometer
- Hot Surface Ignition
- Comfort touch knobs
- Halogen Interior Lights
- Cast Stainless Steel Burner
Recommendations
This is an amazing combo unit, yes, it comes with an amazing price too and is fit for professionals, restaurants, as well as for home cooks seeking the ultimate in cooking experiences.
3. Lion Premium Grills 90823 40″ Natural Gas Grill
This is the Lion Premium Grills 90823 40″ Natural Gas Grill
Performance
The Lion 90823 40″ is a compact and affordable combo unit that comes with an all 16-gauge 304 stainless steel construction. This model comes with five cast stainless steel burners that deliver a total of 75,000 BTUs, and a 15,000 BTU infrared rotisserie back burner.
This 90823 comes with a temperature gauge and has a 1030 square inch cooking surface, so you get a lot of food in one package. The smoker head is double layer seamless welded stainless steel polished edges.
There are 2 interior lights, and an infrared rotisserie back burner as well as an adjustable warming rack. The grates are made from thick stainless steel rods.
Features
- 5 cast stainless steel burners 90,000 BTU’s
- 16-gauge 304 stainless steel construction
- 1030 sq. in. of cooking surface
- Adjustable warming rack
- Infrared rotisserie backburner
- Stainless steel light switch
- 2 interior lights
Recommendations
This is an exceptional model; it comes with a strong price which reflects the level of quality in the rugged and extremely corrosion resistant stainless steel components. This is a transfer model it sits between the expensive models and the budget-friendly ones, as such, it’s a perfect complement to any home cook.
4. Smoke Hollow PS9900 4-in-1 LP Gas Charcoal Smoker Searing BBQ Grill
This is the Smoke Hollow PS9900 4-in-1 LP Gas Charcoal Smoker Searing BBQ Grill
Performance
The Smoke Hollow combo unit is a classic home grill for the backyard. This is an affordable large cooker that comes with 1,245 square inches of cooking surface. This model has 4 burners, 3 that deliver 10,000 BTU’s each, and one that provides 12,000 BTU’s, giving a total of 42,000 BTUs.
This model comes with a porcelain-coated cast iron cooking grid, flare guard and warming racks. There are a temperature gauge and a removable grease tray.
The ignition is a battery operated push button electronic system, and the charcoal burner comes with a Porcelain-coated cast iron cooking grid and an Adjustable charcoal pan with a grate. There is also an Air damper control with the Temperature gauge and an Ash removal tray.
This model also comes with four casters for easy mobility.
Features
- 3 x 10,000 BTU stainless steel tube burners
- 12,000 BTU sear burner
- Porcelain-coated cast iron cooking grid
- Porcelain-coated flare guards
- Porcelain-coated warming rack
- Temperature gauge
- Removable grease tray
- Easy, adjustable charcoal basket
- Removable grease and ash drawer
- Side smoker/firebox
- Wire mesh bottom shelf
- Four casters for easy mobility
Recommendations
This is a classic gas charcoal smoker grill combo for the backyard of any home and is designed for looks, style, and performance. The price reflects a budget-friendly approach that does not impact the integrity of the product.
5. Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 4-in-1 LP Gas, Charcoal, Smoker
This is the Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 4-in-1 LP Gas, Charcoal, Smoker
Performance
This is one of the best. Sure, it’s not as expensive as the Fire Magic, but it delivers a lot of features, and the price to performance ratio is unbeatable.
This model comes with a large 2,167 square inches of grilling surface over 3 burners that deliver 36,000 BTU’s and a 3 rack analog electric smoker. The Grilling area is split between the 1,327 square inches griller surface and the 840 square inches electric smoker surface.
Let’s start off with the overall design; this is stainless steel with black component combo unit, so you get that rugged black look with some shiny parts that make it stick out from all black or all shiny models.
The smoker is connected to the griller so you can channel smoke while you cook, adding more smokiness to your already delicious food. The grates are cast iron, and the burners are stainless steel. Each hood comes with a built-in thermometer, and the overall construction is spot on. There is nothing to fault on this model; even the price is spot on.
This model is 49.21” x 22.83” x 30.71” and weighs 235.8lbs
Features
- 2,100 square inches of cooking space.
- 36,000 BTU 3 burner gas grill
- 6 position grade adjustment
- Front air intake
- Rear chimney exhaust.
- Smoke in a 2.7 cubic feet
- 3 rack analog electric smoker
- 2 drawer storage
- Tool Hooks
- 2 Side shelves
- Locking caster wheels
Recommendations
This is one of the ultimate grill smoker combos you can find at an affordable price and comes with exceptional quality construction. This is the one to buy for a budget controlled diet.
How To Choose The Gas Charcoal Smoker Grill Combo?
These combo units are usually made for professionals and as such can come with price tags that cost more than a new car. Having stated this, when you decide to cook professionally, you need a professional cooking unit. Now there are also less expensive models for the home cook too, and in this article, I present you with both types.
Now, when you go out shopping for a combo unit, you need to consider a number of details, and these include:
Cooking surface, for how many people will you be cooking and at what frequency?
BTU’s or Temperature, how many burners, what dispersal rate, and what total temperature will they provide.
Material reliability, how reliable is the construction, is it made from stainless steel? Are the grates made from cast iron? You don’t want a flimsy model made from rusting steel or weak cheap wires.
Can you control the temperature with built-in thermometers and even meat thermometers?
Does the unit come with IoT, which means you can control it from the comfort of your phone, although a professional never leaves the cooking station and won’t use such a device unless they are slow roasting for 8 hours?
How easy is it to clean, which includes dissembling of all the parts that need to be cleaned, after all, a clean cooking device delivers clean food.
So, the bottom line is all about the details of every aspect of the unit, from the casters or legs to the lid, from the materials used in every element to the way the body is constructed and put together, with a final note on the ignition, burning dispersal and the accessories.
Smoker Grill Combo FAQ
What’s the difference between a grill and a smoker?
A smoker is a grill variation and it’s pretty much the way it sounds. Smokers provide grilling food at low temperatures and add a smoky flavor to it. Their controlled, smoky environment provides delicious BBQs.
There are electrical and gas smokers which are usually pretty small in size and do not actually provide the best smoky flavor – their airflow and heat levels are pretty high which is not good for capturing and holding the smoke. Without necessary adjustments and procedures, your meat will, most probably, not come out the way you expect. Gas grills will most probably dry it out.
But then there are also large smokers that are fueled with wood, charcoal, and wooden chips, designed for rather large groups of people to enjoy smoky meat outdoors. These guys are really great at providing delicious meats.
While electric or gas smokers can’t compete with wood-burning smokers in flavor, they are pretty easy to use which is good if you don’t have much time for cooking.
Should I buy a smoker or a grill?
Yes. But that basically depends on whether you have time for cooking since smoking can take a lot of it. Other reasons (drawbacks) are not that important, however, I will talk about them a bit later. If you decide to buy it, you will definitely like the new flavor of your meat.
And though smokers are basically designed for BBQs, you can also smoke cheese and vegetables in them. So if you want to add some smoky flavor to your food, then it’s definitely a must-have.
If you want a better meat flavor without messing about with adding a smoker function to your grill (by adding a smoke box to it) than you definitely need a separate stand-alone smoker grill. Your meat dishes will get more flavorful, tender, moisturized, and mouth-watering.
Find the one that fits your cooking style (e.g. cold smoking needs cured meat with baking, grilling or steaming it before eating, and hot smoking works without that), your budget, and your backyard. You will not regret your purchase.
Choose from a variety of models, decide on whether you need a gas, electric, kettle, pellet, charcoal or wood-burning (the best, if you ask me) smoker.
Pick a smoker with direct or indirect heat and start to make the best food in your life whether it’s barbecue ribs, herbed chicken, pork spareribs or butts, baby back ribs, ribs roast, salmon, barbecue corn, smoked pork ribs, roast turkey, turkey brine, pulled pork, chicken wings, etc.
Are smokers better than grills?
No. At least for smoky meat, cheese, and vegetable lovers. Don’t even doubt that. A smoker will allow you to effortlessly maintain a steady low temperature and maximize the flavor by capturing and holding the smoke inside the appliance (it has a lid for that).
Any meat geek will admit that smoker makes better meat. It’s all about the delicious and unique flavor that only a smoker can provide. It captures, holds and circulates the smoke really efficiently resulting in a delicious meal complemented by the glorious smoke ring (pink/red layer inside the meat).
Are smoker grills bad for you?
Chinese researchers have (supposedly) discovered that we absorb some polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from various oils used for grilling with our skin when standing close to a grill or smoker which can damage our health.
But if you ask me, no, I wouldn’t worry about that, unless you make BBQs every day. In that case, maybe you should think of smoke-resistant gear/wear … And a gas mask.
Still smoking food may be a little disturbing for your nerves, as it’s definitely not for everyone. It’s like the whole universe with its own rules, secrets, and strategies, so if you want to make first-class smoky meat, your patience may be challenged. In addition, there are a few more reasons.
Consider a few minor drawbacks. If you are going to get a solid large smoker that uses wood as a fuel, you will have to spend a lot of time at cooking. So if you don’t have that, maybe a grill is better for you. And then there are also cooking space, temperature control, and food safety issues.
- More grill space. If your smoker is not that large, your meat is located on one side of the grill while the other side remains empty since it’s located over direct heat – that space must remain empty and, consequently, it’s not being used (wasted). So you can’t smoke large/many racks of ribs at once or use it for large steaks. With direct heat smoker, you have to make sure there’s enough space between your meat and the fire. But there are also offset smokers (stick burners that rely solely on wood as the source of their fuel) with indirect heat that have different design – their firebox is located on the side, providing the smoke which, due to the airflow, goes through the cook chamber and up into the smokestack. Both types of smokers are good and able to make great smoky meat.
- Temperature control. A smoker needs a steady and low temperature (between 160 and 250° F) which often takes a lot of time to maintain as cooking itself (from 1 hour to 2 weeks). So you can easily get bored with “babysitting” your grill or checking it every half an hour to make sure the temperature is right.
- Food safety. You will need a meat thermometer. Without it, understanding whether your meat is ready or not may be a problem when you use a smoker. And meats that are not fully cooked are pretty dangerous to consume. Ever heard of the MEATER?
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