The majority of dual-purpose grill combos are built with generous food yield in mind. Most are able to churn out enough food for up to ten people in one go. We were able to get the barbecue up to temperature in under 10 minutes, and used the main cooking area to barbecue a selection of burgers, corn and sausages in one go – there’s a simple to use electronic SureFire igniter to light each burner so you don’t need to mess around with matches either. While there are only three upward facing stainless-steel burners under the main cooking area, they produced an impressive amount of heat and evenly cooked the meat and veggies we’d laid out. The LED-lit temperature knobs also helps to control the gas flow - and it took us a few attempts to master the perfect heat, but we were suitably impressed with how well this could be controlled.

On the downside, it only has 24,000 BTUs of power, which doesn’t compare well to the other combo grills on this list. For a grill of this size in particular, it means that the overall heat distributed heat impact across the grill will be quite low. Char-Broil Gas and Charcoal Combo Grill Deluxe Are you wondering about cooking with a gas, charcoal or coal BBQ, or whether to use lighter fluid or a charcoal lighter? Maybe you’re unsure of the best time to start cooking after lighting. Our handy FAQ is here to help answer your questions. Is charcoal best for barbecuing? Not only that, but its durable insulated, making its heat retention outstanding. Royal Gourmet ZH3002-S 3-Burner Given the relatively small pellet hopper this isn’t a smoker for all-day cook-a-thons, but thanks to the accurate and consistent temperature achieved by the Digital Arc controller and fan you can roast, grill, fry and smoke, we even made pancakes. It doesn’t quite have the power to flame grill steaks - pro-style where the bars char deeply and the temperature melts the fat - but it will hit 230°C and stay there as long as there’s pellets in the hopper.

Buy your charcoal BBQ from Weber for the best gatherings at your home

While the temperatures in the gas unit can be fairly easily controlled, charcoal can often be a whole different animal. New for this year, the barbecue features an impressive amount of storage, which is compatible with Char-Broil’s Madetomatch range of shelves and storage units that keep everything from griddle pans and pizza stones neaty and safely stowed. Air holes in the lid are adjustable and under the body is an extra tray, not just for catching cooking grease but also deflecting heat so you won’t scorch the grass. Millie Fender is an editor at the Future Homes team, heading up all things cooking across Gardeningetc, Ideal Home, Real Homes and more. Whether it's pizza ovens, barbecues or fire pits, she loves any excuse for outdoor entertaining. Big Green Eggs aren’t simply barbecues: they’re ceramic-lined outdoor cookers in the style of Japanese kamodo ovens. Rather like Indian tandoor ovens, they get very hot indeed. You cook with the lid down and make good use of the built-in thermometer to know when to add food.

So then I tried coal in this BBQ, and it was brilliant. Just load your coal, light the coal with the gas setting. So easy, no faffing around with firelighters or fluid. Description: The Char Broil Gas2Coal 330 Hybrid Grill is a simple solution to the ultimate grilling question, Gas or Charcoal? With the Char Broil Gas2Coal 330 Hybrid Grill it is possible to enjoy both of those op Key to good charcoal grill is air dampers or vents. Most charcoal grill chambers have two, with one (the intake damper) located towards the bottom of the chamber, and the other (the exhaust damper) located near the top. These help maintain good airflow through the grill, feeding your coals with a good air flow and helping to maintain good temperature levels.

You have to be very careful not to burn your food on coals, but with this gas BBQ you can instantly turn the heat down, which you cant do with coals. No grill list would be complete without Weber, and this mid-range option from the brand doesn’t disappoint. It’s fun to use and impressively versatile, but there are a few niggles. The unit gets – understandably - extremely hot, meaning the supplied forearm-length gloves are needed constantly whether you’re reaching into the cavity to flip food - the openings aren’t very wide – or more typically, opening and closing the air vents and door clasps. These are small, irritatingly fiddly (when wearing hefty gloves) and detract from an otherwise fantastic cooking experience. Both gas and charcoal modes cooked excellently, but you get different flavor profiles and cooking experiences depending on which you opt for. If you want to put on a last minute BBQ dinner, just firing up the gas mode takes minutes, and for preserving fuel and achieving that authentic summer alfresco dining experience, the charcoal really is first in class. Char-Broil Gas2Coal BBQ: what we don't like

The infrared burner is a great addition. While gas grills often have side burners, the one provided here is ceramic, which you often see with high-end infrared grill models. Ceramic is a great material for efficient heat distribution, which means you can heat food properly with less energy or heat leakage. We’re here to help. Discover the joy of dual fuel grilling with our guide to the best gas charcoal combo grills available today. Smoke Hollow 4-in-1 All that needs to be done is to simply light the lumpwood charcoal or briquettes with the gas burners, with no lighter fluid being required, in the patented charcoal tray to ensure uniform heat and minimise flare-ups. The patented special design of the charcoal tray creates air movement which impacts on the charcoal from the top surface to allow the charcoal to burn top down instead of bottom up with the guided airflow reducing flare ups and creating more efficient burning while giving more even heat distribution.High performance is one thing, but if the thing falls apart after only a handful of uses then the grill clearly up to the job. Streamlining your appliances from two grill to one simply by investing in a hybrid is a great way to stay organized, time-efficient, and clear-headed. Admittedly, I did review the Char-Broil Gas2Coal BBQ on a handful of windy March evenings, so if you were to use it in the summer when the sun is out and the wind is less strong it's unlikely to blow your flame around, but I was concerned when the burner was on full strength that the flames seemed to be flowing just about everywhere but underneath the pan I was trying to heat. If the grate were a little lower I'd have been able to cook my peas a lot faster! There are some caveats here, particularly if the grill has more burners. For example, if a grill has an average BTU number but a high number of burners, then this actually means that the grill is quite weak ​ per burner ​ .

The best of both worlds! Firstly assembling the BBQ is no mean feat. It took two of us over 2 hours and lots of swearing so be prepared, give yourself plenty of time and read the instructions! I didn’t find the app for installation very useful. Royal Gourmet has a history of producing attractive grills, and this 3-burner combo is no different.

What are the best BBQs in 2021?

As a rule, 400 square inches should be enough to cook about 12-16 burger patties in one go. Construction Build At 168 pounds, it’s a heavy unit, but it’s easy to move around. Besides, when it comes to outdoor grills, I like to bit of heft.