In our eyes, smoking and grilling are two sides of the same coin. Both are necessary to cook the kind of BBQ that leaves guests mouths watering and having them wanting more. We should know because we’ve reviewed plenty of smokers and grills, and we’ve found great appliances in both categories. Now, we’re going to do something a little bit different and review the best smoker grill combos. The following smoker/grills have all of the features a person needs to turn an ordinary slab of meat into something truly delicious. It doesn’t matter if you’re making fall off the bone ribs, tender pork steaks, or juicy prime ribs, the following grills will serve you well.
Quick Summary of Best Smoker Grill Combos
Reviews
Editor’s Choice: Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Roaster, Smoker & Grill
The Char-Broil Big Easy Smoker is a product that all of our readers are going to want to take a flyer on. This product is designed to not only grill and smoke meat, but also to roast it. It features a roasting basket that’s perfect for cooking up to a 21-pound turkey; a 180 square-inch TRU-infrared grilling surface that’s perfect for cooking up chops, wings, and burgers; and it has a side-mounted smoker box where the consumer can add their favorite wood chips such as pecan, mesquite, apple, cherry or hickory. And because this unit is simply connected to a liquid propane tank, it’s easy to set up, easy to use and doesn’t create a mess.This unit stands approximately 36.2-inches high, 23.4-inches wide and it weighs approximately 50-pounds, so it’s portable to be used anywhere. It has a propane hose that hooks up to an LP tank and is long enough to allow the propane to sit safely away from the smoker. It also has side-mounted carrying handles that allow the consumer to move it from one location to the next without a whole lot of fuss. This unit comes with the cooker, the smoking/roasting basket, a hose with regulator, a removable grease tray, two half-shelves, a basket lift hook, a smoker box, and a metal thermometer. Everything needed to get this smoker grill combo up and running.
As can be seen from the above specifications, this smoker/grill combo is capable of handling a wide variety of roasting, smoking, and grilling jobs. It can make everything from ribs to whole turkeys and can cook burgers, chops, and veggies as well. And because it has temperature control from 9,000 to 18,000 BTUs, the home cook has plenty of control over how their food turns out. It’s a product that has a very reasonable price tag as well, so just about anyone can buy it and get good use from it.
- It features a 1,200 square-inch roasting/smoking basket.
- It’s a well-constructed unit.
- It’s easy-to-setup and use.
- It has a 180 square-inch grilling surface.
- None.
Also Recommended: Z-Grills Wood 8-In-1 Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker
With a cooking temperature of 160 to 450-degrees Fahrenheit, a grilling area of 504 square inches, and a smoking/warming area of 190 square inches, the consumer has limitless options available to them when they use this product. It doesn’t matter if they’re using this product to smoke ribs, to braise Boston butt roasts or lamb shoulder, or grill hotdogs and hamburgers, this product should serve you well and get it done.
- It’s an 8-in-1 grill/smoker combo.
- It’s easy-to-move and easy-to-clean.
- It costs more than other products we’ve reviewed.
Also Consider: Realcook 20-Inch Charcoal BBQ/Smoker Grill
- This is a reasonably-priced smoker grill combo.
- This is a well-built product.
- Temperature control can be difficult for long smoking sessions.
A Guide To Buying A Smoker Grill Combo
As we reviewed some of the best smoker grill combos, we realized that these grilling appliances are extremely handy to have around the home. A person might get one of these devices and think that they’re probably only going to smoke a few times a year with it, but then realize that they’re using it more and more over time. When you have one of these smoker/grills, you almost want to smoke everything and not just the usual cuts of meat that get smoked.
Of course, before you can go on a wild smoking binge, you first have to buy a model that has the features you need to use it effectively. And that can be difficult because these appliances combine all of the challenges of choosing a grill with all of the challenges of choosing a smoker. In other words, a person has to really pay attention to what they’re doing to ensure that they purchase the best one possible.
To help our readers sort through not only our list of the grill smoker combos that we feel are the best but any other one that they might come across, we’ve decided to write this buying guide. This guide will hopefully clear up some of the confusion about these smokers, and help our readers choose the one that fits their home and their lifestyle.
Choose The Type That Fits Your Needs
When it comes to smoker grill combos, probably the biggest consideration a person should think about is the type of smoker/grill that they want. Although there are several different variations of these products, most of them can be placed into one of four categories: these include charcoal, propane, pellet, and hybrid models. We’re going to examine each of these more closely below.
Charcoal Grills With Side Smokers
Charcoal grills with side smokers are popular nowadays. They allow the appliance to be used as a grill, as a smoker/grill, or simply as a smoker. These models are easy to use, and usually have several dampers/vents that help the consumer control the temperature. The downside to these units is that they can be difficult to cleanout.
Pros:
- Charcoal provides the best flavor.
- Charcoal cooking can help meat get that tasty BBQ crust.
Cons:
- Charcoal can be an expensive option.
- Requires extra time to light and clean up the grill after use.
Wood Pellet Grills
Wood pellet grills are another viable option for most people—although some of these products can be expensive. These systems automatically feed wood pellets during the smoking/grilling process and are basically automated—or as automated as they can be.
Pros:
- Does a good job of maintaining a constant temperature.
- It’s one of the more automatic smoking methods.
Cons:
- Pellet smoker/grills cost more than some other types.
- They don’t make the same BBQ crust on the food that charcoal does.
Propane Smokers/Grills
These smoker/grill combos are another common option for most people. These models are extremely efficient, give the user control over cooking temperature, and can be very easy to use.
Pros:
- Easier to use than charcoal smoker/grills.
- Gives the user a lot of control over the cooking process.
Cons:
- Doesn’t create “BBQ Bark” on the meat.
- Some of these models are too small for larger cuts of meat.
Hybrid Combination Grills
The last category of grills we’d like to talk about is hybrid combination grills. These grills give the consumer the option of cooking with charcoal, propane, and sometimes even wood. These usually have a large cooking area, but they can also cost significantly more than other grills.
Pros:
- Easy to use.
- They give the consumer plenty of smoking, roasting, and grilling options.
Cons:
- They can cost more than other systems.
- Some of them have a learning curve.
Consider The Total Cooking Area
The next thing that the consumer should think about is the size of the grill’s cooking area. Consumers are going to want to make sure that it’s large enough to fit their needs, but not so large that there’s a lot of wasted space. This means that the consumer should think seriously about how much food they’re going to grill or smoke at a time, and then choose the model that has enough surface area to cook that amount of food.
Other Features To Consider
Once a person has chosen the type of smoker grill combo they want to buy, it’s time for them to turn their attention to some of the features they want to find on said system. Below are just some of the things consumers are going to want to ask themselves when purchasing a new smoker grill combo to ensure that they buy the one that most fits their needs.
- Is it capable of being used as a roaster?
- Does it contain a built-in thermometer?
- How easy is it to start and clean?
- What accessories come with the smoker grill combo?
- How durable is the smoker?
