A smoker grill combo can be described as a barbecue grill with a smoker box and a grill built all in the same unit. It is also known as an offset smoker. It is a unit that can burn wood or charcoal in a firebox attached to the side.
They are designed with a cooking chamber and shelves to handle different types of meats such as pork shoulders, ribs, briskets, and many more.
A smoker grill combo is handy for people who like to smoke their foods at home. If you are one of them, you should read on as we show you how to choose the best smoker grill combo unit.
Top 9 Smoker Grill Combo Comparison Table
| Picture | Name | Power Source | Material | Rating (1-5) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
  | 1. PK Grills PK360 Outdoor Charcoal Grill and Smoker Combination | Charcoal | Aluminum | 4.6 |
  | 2. Char-Griller E1224 Smokin Pro 830 Square Inch Charcoal Grill with Side Fire Box | Charcoal | Cast iron | 4.4 |
  | 3. PK Grills PKO-SCAX-X Original PK Grill & Smoker | Charcoal | Cast aluminum | 4.8 |
  | 4. Masterbuilt Gravity Series 560 MB20040220 Digital Charcoal Grill + Smoker | Corded Electric | Stainless Steel, Metal | 4.4 |
  | 5. Z GRILLS ZPG-7002E 2020 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker | Wood Pellet | Stainless Steel, Metal | 4.5 |
  | 6. Traeger Grills TFB88PZBO Pro Series 34 Pellet Grill and Smoker | Wood Pellet | Porcelain, Steel | 4.7 |
  | 7. Weber 15501001 Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill | Charcoal | Porcelain Coated Steel | 4.8 |
| 8. Masterbuilt MB20040220 Gravity Series 560 Digital Charcoal Grill + Smoker | Corded Electric | Charcoal | 4.4 |
  | 9. Z Grills ZPG-7002B 2020 Upgrade Wood Pellet Grill & Smoker | Wood Pellet | Stainless Steel, Metal | 4.5 |
Things to Consider When Buying a Smoker Grill Combo
The main characteristic of a smoker grill combo is the power to grill and smoke well. Although most units are perfect on either grilling or smoking, there are those that serve both.
Here are some factors to consider to get the best smoker grill combo:
Material
The material and thicknesses are vital factor for a good combo to have. Most traditional grills and smokers have an outer coat of carbon steel that rusts. You can often season them or find a form-fitting cover to improve their lifespan.
Consider aluminum, enamel-coated, or stainless-made grills and smokers since they are rust-resistant.
A thickness of 12 or 10 gauge metal body is robust and, your smoker grill combo will serve you for years.
Smoker Grill Combo Accessories
Most units come with internal and external features. However, other accessories can make your grilling smoking easier.
Look for things like grill gazebo, digital thermometer, and electric charcoal starter that should be available.
Insulation and Build Quality
This is a crucial factor for a grill smoker combo, especially if you must close the lid. When you smoke at low temperatures for long hours, then you appreciate how important insulation is.
Fuel Source
The fuel source depends on the type of smoker, ranging from charcoal gas to electricity or pellets. Propane and electric smokers are good at smoking due to low temperatures but fail in grilling.
Charcoal and pellets smokers and grill can do both because you can control the amount of fuel and airflow to either searing or low and slow temperatures.
Technology Advancement
Features like Wi-Fi connectivity and other latest advancement enable you to control your grill through your phone. Pellet grills especially have these features. If you are in a cold place, you do not have to stay out for long to monitor the smoker.
Top 3 Best Smoker Grill Combo Reviews
1. PK Grills PK360 Outdoor Charcoal Grill and Smoker Combination
The PK Grills PK360 Outdoor Charcoal Grill and Smoker Combination is one of the best smoker grill combos in the market today. It fits in both of these cooking methods due to its shape combined with four-point venting.
It makes it easy to set up and do the cooking. It is made of a durable aluminum construction that does better than the porcelain Kamado Grills and resists any sort of rusting doing better than the steel on that part.
A good thing about this smoker grill is that it comes with a 10-year warranty giving customers the confidence to purchase it. With a four-point venting, this smoke grill allows you to manage the temperatures and enable you to have a great BBQ experience.
The PK360 can detach from its stand with ease making it easy to carry around. Its portability makes it ideal for camping, tailgating and other outdoor activities.
The PK360 is designed in a way that it can manage the ash within the cook. It can efficiently clean up and dispose of the ash.
It has a capsule volume of 5374 cubic inches. It also comes with one of the best-in-class thermometers from Tel-tru with an accuracy of plus or minus one degree Celsius.
The PK360 comes in a beautiful design. From just its cast, you can easily identify the grill as PK. It has a beautiful simple pedestal stand that has user-friendly cylinder air intakes, an accessory bar, rear stabilizer hooks, and lock/release hinges.
All these features make this grill one of the best in the market. The PK360 griller features shelves that provide a weatherproof workspace for you. You can remove them and store them if the weather conditions are friendly.
2. Char-Griller E1224 Smokin Pro Charcoal Grill
The Char-Griller E1224 Smokin Pro Charcoal Grill is a traditional charcoal grill that features a side firebox for Texas-style BBQ. The firebox and Grill barrel provide heavy-gauge powder-coated steel construction.
It is a nonstick cast-iron cooking grate. It allows for even heating. The removable charcoal drawers it comes with allow users to add charcoal and easily dump ashes with ease. It also has a double bottom for long-term durability.
It comes with additional features that include a storage rack, two wheels for easy transport, and a temperature gauge. It is made of heavy-duty steel construction.
It provides 580 square inches of cooking surface, 250 square inch side firebox for smoking or charcoal cooking. The total cooking area of this griller measures 830 square inches.
3. PK Grills PKO-SCAX-X Original PK Grill & Smoker
The PK Grills PKO-SCAX-X Original PK Grill & Smoker has a unique capsule shape and four vents. These features make it easy to grill low and slow or hot and fast.
It is made of cast iron construction. It makes it lightweight, durable, and resistant to any kind of rusting.
It can conduct heat four times better and efficiently as compared to steel charcoal grills. It is covered against rust breakage or burnout for ten years.
Since it is easy to carry around, it is ideal for camping, hunting, and other outdoor activities. It is a grill with a spacious cooking area and can handle anything from thanksgiving turkey, brats, and many more.
What is the Healthiest Way to Smoke Meat?
Most people cannot do without eating smoked meat.
The best way to smoke and enjoy meat without putting your health at risk includes:
- Ensure you avoid burning the meat. Crisp meat is sweat but, carbonized meat is unhealthy. Research has shown that burned meat contains carcinogenic elements that may cause cancer.
The best way to avoid it is by following your smoker’s instructions to know the time limit your meat should stay inside.
You can also remove as much fat as you can from the meat. When heated, the fat melts and drips onto the fire. It flare-up hence burning the meat.
. - Choose less fatty meat products. Such alternatives include liver, fish, ham, chicken, duck, and lamb. If you have to take beef, leanest cuts like flat steak, sirloin tip, sirloin top, and others.
. - Marinate the meat to prevent overcooking, and it tastes fuller. Use your preferred ingredients to marinate your meat before smoking it.
Smoking marinated meat reduces the formation of carcinogens three-fold. This is because the marinade coats the meat hence preventing burning.
What is the Healthiest Way to Grill?
As the rule goes, grilled food is healthier than fried food. However, there is some extent that grilling may be unhealthy to our bodies.
Here are some tips to grill the healthiest way:
- Go lean for your meat. Cut off all the visible fat from the meat, for poultry remove the skin before grilling.
Your grilling will be clean and avoids fat drips that cause flare-ups. Furthermore, eat more chicken and fish as they contain omega-3 fats that prevent diseases.
. - Marinate your meat before grilling to reduce the formation of HCAs. The marinating layer is a barrier that prevents overcooking as well as adds flavor and, makes tough cuts tender.
There are different types of ingredients to marinate the meat but go for those with small amounts of healthy oils.
. - Grill more fruits and vegetables too. Generally, we should consume more vegetables and fruits so have them to go with your meat.
Grilling the veggies and fruits is healthy as the HCAs do not form on them. Grill the veggies separately to enjoy their full benefits.
. - Time taken to grill can make your meal healthier or unhealthy. Cut down the grilling time. Smaller parts of meat, fish, and poultry take less time to cook on the grill.
A tip to help out is to precook the meat in the oven to the grill to complete the cooking.
Pre-cooking the meat in a microwave before grilling separates the juice from the meat hence doing away with water-soluble HCAs. However, most of the flavors get eliminated.
. - Flip your meat in the right manner. According to research flipping the food regularly prevents the formation of HCAs. Use spatulas or tongs instead of a fork to turn the meat without piercing it. Piecing the meat makes it drip the juices on the coal.
. - Eliminate nitrates and preservatives. Look for natural foods without any preservatives. They may be good to make the items last longer in the store, but not good for your health.
Lastly, always keep it clean. Before starting to grill, ensure the grate and firebox are clean. As you grill, remove charred food to avoid the formation of FCAs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Difference Between Grill and Smoker?
The main differences between a grill and a smoker are the temperature, time, and size of meat cuts. A grill cooks smaller food cuts like chops, steak, vegetables, or chicken pieces.
It operates at a temperature between 400 degrees and 550 degrees Fahrenheit, which is hot and fast hence short cooking time. When grilling, there is no smoke adding flavor.
On the other hand, a smoker cooks and preserve large pieces of meat like briskets, whole bird, ribs, and pork shoulders in a slow and low manner. The temperatures are low between 90 degrees and 300 degrees Fahrenheit and, it takes hours for the food to be ready.
Additionally, some wood is added to the fire to produce smoke to add a smoky flavor to the food.
Can a Smoker Also Grill?
Yes, it is easy to grill with a smoker. As explained earlier, smoking uses low temperatures compared to a grill. For you to grill on a smoker, you need to adjust the temperature.
Instead of the smoker temperature range, increase it to a grilling temperature. If you don’t like smoke flavors, don’t add wood to produce smoke.
Are Ribs Better Smoked or Grilled?
Ribs are considered to be big cuts of meat, and for this reason, it is better to smoke them. Smoking ensures the huge cuts cook slowly and the heat is equally spread.
Since smoking takes hours to complete, the ribs will have enough time to cook.
Is Propane Healthier Than Charcoal?
Most grill masters prefer charcoal to gas grills. From a health point of view, natural gas grilling like propane is healthy for you and the environment.
It is earlier to control the temperatures while grilling with gas than charcoal. When using charcoal, the grilling is smoky, hence increasing the chances of the formation of harmful PAHs.
Propane grills produce little smoke. Charcoal grilling produces harmful compounds to the environment that lowers air quality and health risks. If you compare the two, the carbon dioxide produced by a charcoal grill is twice what a grill releases.
Is Smoked Meat Tenderer?
The smoking process changes the way the meat tastes and cooks. Long and greater exposure to smoke the meat acquire more flavor and becomes more tender.
Why Is Grilling Bad For You?
Grilling involves high temperatures, making the meat’s fat drip in the fireplace. When the fat burn, two compounds are produced, namely HCA and PAH. HCA is formed when animal products interact with hot surfaces.
The compound has the power to change its DNA hence increasing cancer risks.
When the fat drips on the coal or frames, it produces smoke, which forms the PAH elements. This compound has a changing DNA posing a cancer risk.
Conclusion
To get the best grill smoker combo, you need to look at the features that make a good one. The discussion above will help you in making that decision.
You can go for any of the grill smokers discussed in this article. You will get the value for your money and enjoy your BBQ experience.
