Best Overall – Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal Grill
The Pros:
- Lots of cooking space across the two grills
- The grill comes with electric gas starters
- Additional side burner
- High BTU output burners
The Cons:
- The grill comes in a fair amount of pieces and owners have reported that assembly instructions are not particularly clear
The Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal Grill solves the problem of having to choose between gas and charcoal by simply putting two cooking surfaces next to each other.
The gas surface has three stainless steel burners with a total output of 40,800 BTUs, which can quickly bring the temperature up to 500°F – more than hot enough to get a good sear on a steak.
The electric starters mean you can get cooking with the push of a button, and there is also an additional fold-away side burner to keep food warm or for sauces.
The charcoal side has an adjustable pan that can be raised to different heights to help control cooking temperature and to make clearing out the ash as easy as possible. The double-insulated base of the Char-Griller improves heat retention and means you need to use less charcoal.
Both sides combine to give you 1,260 square inches of cooking space, including warming racks, and the grill itself is made of sturdy and corrosion-resistant stainless steel.
The non-stick porcelain grates make for easy cleanup, and the Char-Griller has a couple of bells and whistles, like a condiment and utensil rack and grate lifter for when you need to add more charcoal.
Char-Broil also offers a Charcoal/Gas combo with a smoker side box which is also worth checking out if you want that added option.
