Best Charcoal and Gas Combo Grills 2026

Dual-fuel combo grill with gas burners lit on one side and charcoal glowing on the other, on a backyard patio at dusk

The best charcoal and gas combo grill is the Char-Griller 5050 Duo: a separate 40,800 BTU gas side and a full 580-square-inch charcoal chamber in a single unit under $400. For larger groups, the Dyna-Glo DGB730SNB-D delivers 730 square inches of total cooking space with five gas burners and a dedicated charcoal zone that doubles as a smoker.

A dual-fuel grill solves the central tradeoff of outdoor cooking: gas is fast and convenient, charcoal produces superior flavor and higher searing temperatures — but most patios have room for only one grill. Combo grills give you both cooking modes in a single footprint. The gas side handles Tuesday-night chicken and sausages in ten minutes. The charcoal side handles Saturday briskets and ribs, or anything that benefits from a proper smoke ring. Below are the models worth owning, and what to skip.

Quick comparison

Product	Best for	Rating	Notes
Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal Grill	best overall dual-fuel under $400	★★★★★	$350-400. 40,800 BTU gas side, 580 sq in charcoal side. Best build for the price.	Check price
Dyna-Glo DGB730SNB-D Signature Dual Fuel Grill	large groups needing maximum cooking space	★★★★☆	$500-600. 730 sq in total. 5 burners plus dedicated charcoal zone.	Check price
Char-Griller 5030 5-Burner Dual Fuel Grill	households cooking for 6-8 people regularly	★★★★☆	$450-550. Five gas burners and a full charcoal chamber in one unit.	Check price
Nexgrill Dual Fuel Combination Grill	entry-level dual-fuel under $300	★★★★☆	$250-300. Budget starting point for occasional dual-mode cooking.	Check price

The picks

Best overall: Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal Grill

Best for anyone who wants authentic charcoal flavor AND weeknight gas convenience in a single grill

Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal Grill

The Char-Griller 5050 Duo is the best dual-fuel grill at any price under $500. It pairs a 40,800 BTU three-burner gas side with a separate 580-square-inch charcoal chamber in a single cart — total cooking surface across both sides runs to over 1,000 square inches. The two chambers are fully independent: fire up the gas side for a ten-minute Tuesday dinner, or spend a Saturday morning lighting the charcoal side for slow-cooked ribs. The 18-gauge steel body is heavier than most competitors at this price. Porcelain-coated steel grates hold heat well and clean up easily. A cast iron side burner on the gas side handles sauce warming and corn boiling. The 5050 Duo has been the go-to dual-fuel recommendation for nearly a decade precisely because it delivers the dual-fuel concept without compromise at a fair price.

★★★★★ 4.6 · 1,850 reviews

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Pros

Two fully independent cooking chambers — no shared heat or flavor crossover
40,800 BTU gas side lights in seconds; charcoal side delivers authentic smoke flavor
18-gauge steel body is heavier than competitors at this price point
Porcelain-coated steel grates resist rust and are easy to clean after heavy use
Cast iron side burner included for sauce warming and side dishes
$350-400 is very competitive for a well-built dual-fuel unit

Cons

Wider footprint than a standalone grill — requires significant patio space
Charcoal side needs 15-20 minutes of chimney startup time before cooking begins
Two separate fuel sources must be stocked — propane AND charcoal at all times
Lid thermometer reads ambient air temperature, not grate-level cooking temperature

Best large capacity: Dyna-Glo DGB730SNB-D Signature Dual Fuel Grill

Best for households cooking for 8 or more people who need maximum capacity in a dual-fuel design

Dyna-Glo DGB730SNB-D Signature Series Dual Fuel Grill

The Dyna-Glo DGB730SNB-D packs 730 square inches of total cooking space — 494 square inches on the main gas surface plus a dedicated charcoal and smoker zone — into a single unit. Five stainless-steel tube burners deliver 51,000 BTU with consistent heat distribution across the main cooking surface. The charcoal zone doubles as a smoker box when you want to add low-level wood smoke to gas cooking, a feature the Char-Griller Duo does not offer. At $500-600, it costs about $150 more than the 5050 Duo, but the extra cooking space and burner count justify the price for frequent entertainers. The heavy-gauge stainless burners are more durable than the tube burners found in cheaper dual-fuel grills in the $300-350 range.

★★★★☆ 4.3 · 980 reviews

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Pros

730 sq in of total cooking space handles meals for 10-12 people comfortably
Five stainless-steel burners deliver 51,000 BTU with even distribution across the grate
Charcoal zone doubles as a smoker box for adding smoke flavor during gas cooking
Heavy-gauge stainless burners outlast the cheaper tube burners found in sub-$350 combos

Cons

$500-600 is 30-40% more expensive than the Char-Griller Duo for comparable dual-fuel function
Large footprint requires a substantial outdoor space — plan for at least 72 inches of width
Heavy unit is difficult to reposition once placed on a patio
Electronic ignition can fail over time; keep a backup lighter or matches nearby

Best five-burner option: Char-Griller 5030 Dual Fuel Grill

Best for families who grill for 6-8 people regularly and want five gas burners with charcoal flexibility

Char-Griller 5030 5-Burner Dual Fuel Grill

The Char-Griller 5030 steps up from the 5050 Duo with five gas burners instead of three, giving finer control over heat zones across the main gas cooking surface. Five burners let you run a proper two-zone setup — two burners off for indirect chicken and vegetables, three burners on high for direct searing — while the Duo's three-burner layout forces a cruder hot-and-cold split. The charcoal chamber on the 5030 is slightly larger than the Duo, handling a full brisket flat or two racks of spare ribs without overlap. At $450-550, it sits between the base Duo and the Dyna-Glo, and for most families who cook for a crowd regularly, the five-burner gas side is the right call.

★★★★☆ 4.4 · 720 reviews

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Pros

Five gas burners give more precise two-zone control than a three-burner design
Larger charcoal chamber handles a full brisket flat or two racks of ribs without overlap
Same proven Char-Griller build quality as the 5050 Duo at a moderate price step-up
$450-550 sits between the base Duo and the more expensive Dyna-Glo

Cons

Wider footprint than the 5050 Duo — requires even more patio real estate
Five burners mean higher propane consumption during long gas cooking sessions
Heavier unit at roughly 140 lbs — difficult to move once positioned on a patio

Best budget: Nexgrill Dual Fuel Combination Grill

Best for occasional dual-fuel users who want to try the format without spending over \$300

Nexgrill Dual Fuel Combination Grill

The Nexgrill dual-fuel grill fills the entry-level slot at $250-300 — about $100 less than the Char-Griller 5050 Duo. For occasional outdoor cooks who want the flexibility of both fuel types without a large budget commitment, it serves as a reasonable starting point. The build is noticeably thinner-gauge steel than the Char-Griller or Dyna-Glo, and the grates discolor and scratch faster. But the core dual-fuel concept — gas side for quick meals, charcoal side for weekend flavor cooking — works as advertised at the entry price. Think of it as an evaluation unit: if you cook on it for a season and decide dual-fuel cooking suits your style, you will have a clear benchmark when upgrading to the Char-Griller Duo.

★★★★☆ 4.1 · 640 reviews

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Pros

$250-300 is the lowest defensible entry point for a functional dual-fuel grill
Core dual-fuel concept works — gas side and charcoal side function independently
Compact footprint fits on smaller patios where the Char-Griller Duo would not
Good evaluation unit for first-time dual-fuel buyers before committing to a premium model

Cons

Thinner-gauge steel than the Char-Griller or Dyna-Glo — shorter expected lifespan
Smaller cooking surfaces on both sides limit capacity for gatherings beyond 4 people
Grates discolor and scratch faster than porcelain-coated steel alternatives
Plan to upgrade after 2-3 seasons of regular use — not a long-term purchase

What to skip

Sub-$200 dual-fuel grills. Below $200, combo grills use steel gauges that warp in the first season and vents that seize with rust by year two. Cooking performance on both sides is compromised — the gas side lacks the BTU output to sear properly, and the thin-walled charcoal side cannot maintain stable temperature for low-and-slow cooking. The Nexgrill entry point at $250-300 is the minimum acceptable build quality for dual-fuel.

Any combo grill with a shared cooking chamber. Some cheaper combo grills combine gas and charcoal into a single chamber — you load charcoal in a tray underneath gas grates, or switch modes between sessions. These offer none of the actual benefit of a true dual-fuel design, which is using both fuel types independently or simultaneously. Look for units with clearly separate gas and charcoal sides that operate without interfering with each other.

Pellet-gas combo grills. A newer category pairs a gas side with a pellet hopper instead of a charcoal side. At $700-1,200, these are substantially more expensive than charcoal-gas combos and require two fuel sources (propane plus pellets). For most buyers, a dedicated pellet grill handles both convenience and smoke flavor more effectively than a pellet-gas combo at that price. The charcoal-gas format in this guide is the more affordable and straightforward path to dual-fuel cooking.

What to look for in a dual-fuel grill

Steel gauge matters more than anything else

Look for 16-gauge or heavier steel throughout the body. The Char-Griller 5050 Duo uses 18-gauge steel — meaningfully heavier than the 20-22 gauge found in sub-$250 combos. Heavier gauge steel holds temperature better, warps less under repeated high-heat cycling, and resists rust across more seasons. A simple test: press firmly on the side of the cooking chamber. Solid, minimal flex indicates adequate gauge. Noticeable flex or a hollow metallic sound indicates sheet metal that will warp within a few seasons of regular use.

Cooking surface area on each side

Evaluate useful cooking surface on each side independently, not combined. A dual-fuel grill advertised as “800 sq in total” may have 600 on the gas side and only 200 on the charcoal side — inadequate for most charcoal cooking tasks. For cooking for 4-6 people on the gas side, you need at least 400 square inches of primary surface. For the charcoal side to handle a full rack of baby back ribs laid flat without folding, you need approximately 280-300 square inches minimum.

Gas burner count and BTU output

A minimum of three gas burners lets you run a proper two-zone setup — one burner off for indirect heat (chicken, larger cuts) while two burners run on high for direct searing. A 40,000+ BTU rating across the gas side ensures you reach searing temperatures in under 12 minutes. Four or five burners provide more nuanced zone control, which becomes meaningful when cooking multiple proteins at different target temperatures simultaneously.

Grate material

Porcelain-coated steel grates are the best value choice at this price range. They hold heat well, require no seasoning, and clean up with a grill brush without flaking when used properly. Cast iron grates hold heat better and produce slightly more pronounced sear marks, but add weight, require regular seasoning, and crack if dropped or thermal-shocked with cold water. Avoid chrome-plated grates, which appear on cheaper models and strip within a single season of regular use.

How to use both cooking sides effectively

The most common mistake with dual-fuel grills is treating each side as a standalone grill rather than coordinating them. For a Saturday cookout serving 6-8 people:

Light the charcoal side 30-45 minutes before guests arrive. You want a full chimney of coals at the point where all briquettes have an ash-gray surface. This takes 20-25 minutes in a chimney starter, plus 10 minutes of settling time in the grill before the cooking surface reaches temperature.
Use the gas side for high-heat searing work. Burgers, steaks, sausages, and shrimp benefit from consistent high-heat searing on the gas side, where you can hit 500-600°F reliably. Sear on the gas side, then move finished items to the charcoal side’s indirect zone to stay warm without overcooking.
Reserve the charcoal side for longer cooks and smoke flavor. Chicken thighs, ribs, pork shoulder, and bone-in cuts benefit from indirect charcoal heat at 275-325°F, with a small hardwood chunk added at the start of the cook. Low-and-slow work at 225-250°F is difficult on most gas sides, which tend to run hot even at minimum settings.
Coordinate your timing around the charcoal side. The gas side comes up to temperature in 10 minutes. The charcoal side takes 30-45 minutes. Start lighting charcoal well before guests arrive — waiting on the charcoal side after guests are already there is the most common dual-fuel hosting mistake.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is a dual-fuel grill worth it over two separate grills?

For most households, yes. A dual-fuel combo grill occupies less patio space than two separate units and costs significantly less than buying a quality gas grill AND a quality charcoal grill separately. The tradeoff is that each side is slightly smaller than a dedicated full-size grill. If you regularly cook for 10 or more people on one fuel type, two separate full-size grills will outperform any combo unit.

Can I smoke low-and-slow on the charcoal side of a dual-fuel grill?

Yes. The charcoal side of a combo grill runs at 225-275°F the same way a kettle grill does. Add a piece of fruit wood or hickory to the charcoal once it is fully ashed over, close the lid, and adjust the vents to maintain temperature. Results are comparable to a Weber Kettle with a charcoal divider for cooks of 4-8 hours.

What is the best charcoal to use in a dual-fuel combo grill?

Hardwood lump charcoal burns hotter and produces less ash than briquettes — an advantage in the smaller charcoal chambers found in combo grills. For long low-and-slow cooks lasting 6 or more hours, briquettes burn more consistently and predictably. Both work fine. Our guide to the best charcoal covers specific brand picks in detail.

How much space does a dual-fuel grill require on a patio?

Plan for 60-72 inches of width for a full-size combo like the Char-Griller 5050 Duo or Dyna-Glo DGB730SNB-D, plus 18 inches of clearance on each side from walls or structures. A standard 10x12-foot patio accommodates one full-size combo grill with space for a small side table. Tighter patios should look at the Nexgrill entry-level option, which is narrower than the full-size combos.

Char-Griller 5050 Duo vs Dyna-Glo DGB730SNB-D — which should I buy?

Char-Griller 5050 Duo for cooking for 4-6 people with the best value. It delivers the core dual-fuel benefit at the lowest defensible build quality. Dyna-Glo DGB730SNB-D for cooking regularly for 8-12 people who need the extra cooking surface. The $150 price difference is justified by capacity, not by meaningfully better construction quality.

Can the charcoal side of a combo grill handle a full brisket?

Yes. A full packer brisket fits on the charcoal side of the Char-Griller 5050 Duo with the point end angled slightly, or completely flat on the Char-Griller 5030. Running a brisket at 225-250°F with a 3-ounce piece of post oak on the charcoal side takes 10-16 hours and produces results comparable to a dedicated bullet or offset smoker in the sub-$400 range.

Bottom line

Best overall: Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal Grill ($350-400) — the standard recommendation for dual-fuel cooking. Best for large groups: Dyna-Glo DGB730SNB-D ($500-600) for 730 square inches of total space. Best five-burner option: Char-Griller 5030 ($450-550) for finer zone control on the gas side. Best budget entry: Nexgrill Dual Fuel Combination Grill ($250-300) to evaluate the dual-fuel format before a larger investment.

If you have never cooked on a dual-fuel grill, start with the Char-Griller 5050 Duo. The build quality is honest, the price is fair, and the two-chamber design delivers exactly what the category promises. If you already know dual-fuel suits your cooking style and you feed a crowd regularly, move directly to the Dyna-Glo or the Char-Griller 5030.

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