Choosing between a charcoal grill and a gas grill usually means picking one flavor profile over another. A combination unit solves that by putting both fuel types under the same hood, so quick weeknight burgers and slow weekend ribs no longer compete for space. This roundup covers seven setups built around that dual-fuel idea, from a tiny portable option to serious offset smokers with room to spare. Each pick was chosen for the way it actually handles everyday cooking, not just the spec sheet.
The Leading Options At A Glance
Oklahoma Joe’s Rambler Portable Charcoal Grill
Oklahoma Joe’s Bronco Pro Drum Smoker
Oklahoma Joe’s Firecraft Open Fire Barrel Grill
Charbroil Pro Series 3-In-1 Gas Grill
Oklahoma Joe’s Highland Reverse Flow Smoker
Oklahoma Joe’s Canyon Combo Dual Fuel Grill
Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn Offset Smoker
What Each Pick Brings To The Table
The Rambler is the smallest unit in this roundup, and that is exactly the point. It is a tabletop charcoal grill that sets up on a tailgate, a picnic table, or a tiny apartment patio, then folds down small enough to toss in a hatchback. The 218-square-inch grate fits roughly eight burgers at a time, which is plenty for a couple or a small tailgate crew.
A height-adjustable charcoal tray lets you raise or lower the fire, giving you real control over heat without swapping parts. That makes it more useful than many portable grills in this size class, where you are stuck with one heat setting and hope for the best.
Useful Strengths
- True portability for camping, tailgating, and small patios
- Adjustable charcoal tray offers better heat control than most tabletops
- Compact footprint fits where full-size grills cannot go
- Simple design, easy to learn on your first cook
Points To Note
- Limited capacity makes it a poor fit for feeding a crowd
- No lid or enclosed cooking chamber, so it is grilling only, no smoking
- Thin metal construction may demand careful handling during transport
Who It Suits Best
A couple or small household that wants real charcoal flavor on the go, without dedicating patio space to a full-size grill.
Consider Something Else When
Step up to the Oklahoma Joe’s Canyon Combo if you want both propane convenience and charcoal smoke under one larger roof.
The Bronco Pro is a vertical drum smoker, which means heat and smoke travel up and around your food rather than across it. The sealed lid and dedicated airflow system help it hold a steady temperature for hours, which is the kind of behavior that turns a brisket from tough to tender. Compared to the Rambler, this is a completely different animal: heavier, taller, and built for serious cooking sessions.
The oversized charcoal basket is the real headline. It holds enough fuel for extended burns, so you spend more time managing the cook and less time refueling. That is a meaningful upgrade for anyone who has wrestled with smaller baskets on long smokes.
What Helps Most
- Sealed chamber supports steady temperatures and clean smoke
- Large charcoal basket extends cook time and reduces refueling
- Vertical layout saves patio space versus horizontal offsets
- Heavy-gauge construction feels durable in everyday handling
Trade Offs
- Drum design is less convenient for direct grilling than open offsets
- Takes time to learn proper damper and vent control
- Larger footprint and heavier weight make it less portable than the Rambler
Feature Snapshot
Made For
A cook who already knows what a stall is and wants a dedicated smoker that handles long sessions without babysitting the firebox.
Look Elsewhere When
Pick the Charbroil Pro Series 3-In-1 if propane speed and griddle cooking matter more than smoke-heavy sessions.
The Firecraft barrel is built around an open firebox design, so you can access the fire from a full 360 degrees without disturbing the food on the grate. That makes stoking, rearranging logs, and managing coals much more natural than reaching through a small door. Live-fire cooking also means the same setup doubles as a fire pit after dinner, which is a nice bonus on cool evenings.
Two round heavy-gauge wire grates sit inside the barrel, splitting the 480-square-inch cooking area into two 240-square-inch zones. The twist-lock handle releases each grate for height adjustment, so you can move food closer to or further from the coals as needed. It feels more like cooking over a campfire than standing at a typical backyard grill.
Benefits That Matter
- Open-fire design brings a campfire feel to a backyard setup
- Doubles as a fire pit when cooking is done
- Twist-lock grates adjust height without tools
- Large total cooking area handles a crowd
Honest Caveats
- Open top means wind and weather affect the cook more than enclosed grills
- No lid, so true low-and-slow smoking is not really an option here
Technical Sheet
Best Suited To
Anyone who wants a statement piece in the backyard and enjoys the open-fire ritual as much as the food.
A Better Fit Elsewhere
Choose the Oklahoma Joe’s Highland if you want the same large capacity with a sealed lid and reverse-flow smoke control.
The Charbroil Pro Series takes the “combination” idea and stretches it across three fuel functions rather than two. Out of the box, you get a propane grill, a griddle insert, and charcoal trays, all built into a single cabinet. For households that cook a little of everything on weeknights, that kind of flexibility removes the need to own separate appliances.
The Amplifire infrared technology helps the gas side reach higher searing temperatures while keeping flare-ups in check. Compared to the drum-style Bronco Pro, this is a faster, more convenience-oriented setup, trading smoke depth for weekday speed.
Standout Benefits
- Three cooking modes in one cabinet
- Infrared burners handle high-heat searing with fewer flare-ups
- Side burner adds a saucepot station to the setup
- Faster startup than any charcoal-only option on this list
Small Caveats
- Charcoal trays do not deliver the same smoke depth as a dedicated smoker
- Larger cabinet footprint requires a committed patio space
Quick Facts
Who Should Grab It
A household that wants weekday propane speed, weekend griddle breakfasts, and occasional charcoal flavor without buying three separate units.
Swap It Out When
Move to the Oklahoma Joe’s Canyon Combo if real smoke flavor and charcoal smoking are higher on the priority list than griddle cooking.
The Highland is an offset smoker with reverse-flow baffles that route smoke and heat along the bottom of the cook chamber before it reaches the food. The effect is more even heat across the grate and a deeper, more consistent smoke profile. A 1093-square-inch cooking area gives you room to run multiple cuts at once without crowding.
Removable baffles and adjustable smokestack positions let you switch between reverse-flow and traditional offset cooking. That is a useful feature for experimenting with different smoke flavors across the same cook. Compared to the Bronco Pro, this is a horizontal layout with far more cooking real estate.
Strengths Worth Knowing
- Reverse flow design evens out hot spots across the grate
- Large charcoal basket supports longer burns with less refueling
- Switchable baffles offer two distinct smoking styles
- Huge cooking area handles brisket, ribs, and sides together
Points To Keep In Mind
- Heavier and bulkier than vertical options like the Bronco Pro
- Learning curve is steeper for first-time offset owners
The Right Fit
A serious hobbyist who wants competition-style smoke control and has the patio space to host a full-size offset.
Reach For A Different Pick When
Choose the Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn if you want similar capacity in a more traditional, lower-priced offset package.
The Canyon Combo is the most literal answer to the “charcoal and gas” question on this list. A 3-burner propane side heats quickly and holds steady for weeknight burgers, while a separate charcoal chamber handles low-and-slow smoking on the same frame. The propane tank is sold separately, which is worth budgeting for during setup.
With 1031 square inches of total cooking area split between the two fuel zones, this grill is sized for serious entertaining. The charcoal side handles pork shoulders and brisket, while the propane side covers the faster cooks without missing a beat. It is a more versatile package than the Highland, trading dedicated smoke refinement for weekday speed.
Everyday Wins
- True dual-fuel design in one cabinet
- Propane side heats fast for weeknight meals
- Charcoal chamber supports proper low-and-slow cooking
- Large total cooking area covers both fuels at once
Some Limits To Know
- Propane tank sold separately, adding to setup cost
- Smoke control is simpler than dedicated reverse-flow smokers
Spec Overview
Perfect Match For
A household that genuinely uses both fuels and wants one cabinet instead of two separate grills taking up patio space.
Another Choice May Suit
Pick the Charbroil Pro Series 3-In-1 if you would rather swap the charcoal smoke chamber for a built-in griddle.
The Longhorn is a classic horizontal offset smoker with a 751-square-inch primary chamber and a 309-square-inch secondary area. That split layout lets you smoke large cuts in the main chamber while warming sides, vegetables, or smaller meats on the top rack. It is a familiar shape for anyone who has spent time around traditional stick burners.
Hardwood splits and chunks feed the firebox, producing the kind of rich, wood-fired flavor that offset designs are known for. Compared to the Highland, the Longhorn uses a more traditional airflow path, which means a slightly more hands-on approach to managing heat and clean smoke.
Everyday Perks
- Large two-tier cooking area fits family-sized cooks
- Classic offset design produces traditional wood-fired flavor
- Well-established shape with widely available accessories
- Lower price point than reverse-flow models
Where It May Fall Short
- Traditional offset requires more fire management than reverse-flow smokers
- Heavier and bulkier than vertical options in this roundup
Built With In Mind
A family cook who wants ample space and traditional offset flavor without paying for reverse-flow baffles.
Where A Sibling Pick Shines
Step up to the Oklahoma Joe’s Highland if more even heat and switchable baffles sound worth the higher spend.
What To Weigh Before Picking A Combination Grill
A true combination grill gives up something in each fuel category to fit both under one roof. Knowing which trade-off bothers you most makes the choice easier.
Fuel Split And Cabinet Footprint
Dual-fuel grills are larger than single-fuel units, so measure your patio before falling for a 1000-plus square-inch model. The Canyon Combo and Highland both need serious space, while the Rambler fits almost anywhere.
Smoking Style Versus Weeknight Speed
Reverse-flow baffles like those on the Highland even out heat but cost more. Traditional offsets like the Longhorn deliver deeper smoke flavor with more hands-on management. Propane sides on the Canyon Combo or Charbroil Pro Series give up smoke depth for fast startup.
Build Materials And Long-Term Care
Heavy-gauge steel bodies hold heat better but weigh more and may need cover storage in winter. Owners commonly report that thinner metal on smaller units can dent during transport, so plan storage space accordingly.
Smart Trade-Offs To Think Through
Mistakes Worth Dodging
Buying the largest cooking area you can find often backfires. A 1000-square-inch grill that sits unused because cleanup feels daunting is a worse purchase than a smaller grill that gets fired up weekly. Match the size to how many people you actually cook for most weekends, not the once-a-year crowd.
Where The Extra Money Goes
Stepping up from a basic offset to a reverse-flow model like the Highland costs more because of the baffle system and heavier-gauge steel. That money buys more even heat and longer burn times, which matters most if you regularly run 12-hour cooks. For shorter sessions or smaller cuts, a traditional offset like the Longhorn delivers similar flavor at a lower price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is A Combination Charcoal And Gas Grill?
A combination unit houses both a propane burner section and a charcoal cooking chamber on the same frame, letting you switch between fuels without owning two separate grills.
Do Combination Grills Smoke As Well As Dedicated Smokers?
Models with a true charcoal chamber, like the Oklahoma Joe’s Canyon Combo, deliver solid smoke flavor. Units that only add charcoal trays, like the Charbroil Pro Series, work for light smoke but do not match dedicated smokers.
How Much Cooking Area Do Most Households Need?
A household of four typically needs 600 to 800 square inches for regular use, while families that entertain often prefer 1000-plus square inches to handle multiple cuts at once.
Are Combination Grills Harder To Clean Than Single-Fuel Grills?
Cleaning takes longer because you are managing ash from the charcoal side and grease from the gas side. Owners commonly report that budgeting an extra 20 minutes for cleanup each cook is realistic.
Can A Combination Grill Replace Two Separate Units?
For most households, yes. The trade-off is that you give up some specialization in each fuel, so a dedicated smoker still wins on competition-style cooks.
The Takeaway
The right combination grill comes down to how you actually cook. Quick weeknight meals lean toward the propane-equipped picks like the Canyon Combo or Charbroil Pro Series. Dedicated smoke sessions point to the Bronco Pro, Highland, or Longhorn. Small-space cooks get the most from the Rambler, and open-fire enthusiasts will appreciate the Firecraft barrel. Match the grill to your most common cook, and the rest of the lineup becomes easier to evaluate.