Best Grill Smoker Combo Under $500

A serious fan of delicious smoked and mouth-watering grilled meat? 

Looking for a grilling and smoking option but unfortunately, you are on a budget. For getting the desired taste it’s crucial to need a perfect option that can precisely satisfy both smoking and grilling needs.

In this comprehensive guide, we will share with you the best grill smoker combos under $500 that are very handy in both grilling and smoking compared to their price. Ready to dive in? Let’s get started.

What is a Grill Smoker Combo?

A grill smoker combo is a unit that combines a grill and smoker into one unit. This can be a great option if you want the best of both worlds – the ability to grill your food and smoke it at the same time.

How Does a Grill Smoker Combo Work?

Grill smoker combos work by using two different cooking methods – grilling and smoking. The grill part of the combo uses direct heat to cook your food, while the smoker part uses indirect heat to smoke your food. This gives you the best of both worlds – the ability to grill your food and smoke it at the same time.

The Benefits of Owning a Grill Smoker Combo

There are many benefits to owning a grill smoker combo. Some of the benefits include:

• You can cook all types of food on your grill smoker combo, including meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, and fruits.
• You can smoke all types of food on your grill smoker combo, including meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, and fruits.
• You can grill and smoke food at the same time.
• The grill smoker combo is easy to use – just set it and forget it.
• The grill smoker combo provides great results, whether you’re grilling or smoking your food.

Best Grill Smoker Combo Under $500

Char-Griller E16620 Akorn Kamado Charcoal Grill

This Kamado Charcoal Grill is one of the famous grill smoker combos out there. The grill comes with a total of 447 square inches of cooking space where 314 inches is for the primary cooking space and the rest 133 square inches for the warming rack. 

Its insulated design model stands out for making one of the best grill smoker combos under $500. There are some other features such as foldable black metal shelves, locking lid, and double-wall insulation that makes this great at this price point. 

The temperature range of this grill is from 200-700 degrees Fahrenheit which will let you enjoy high heat grilling and similarly low heat smoking. The adjustable top and bottom dampers can deliver even airflow to make the food perfectly cooked.

Let’s take a look at the construction of this baby. The cooking surface of this grill smoker combo is made from high strength and durable cast iron, the interior is porcelain coated steel, the exterior is powder-coated steel, and the body is constructed of 22 gauge steel.

Key Features:

• Dimensions: 26.6 x 24.8 x 21.65 inches
• Weight: 90 lbs
• Material: Cast Iron
• Color: Graphite
• Cooking Surface: 314 square inches

Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill

Weber Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill is one of the best-rated grills in this best grill smoker combo under $500 series. If you are looking for a convenient budget option that will let you both grill and smoke then you gotta take a look at this one. 

Both the lid and the bowl are made from porcelain enamel-coated steel that can hold up against rust. Besides, the smoothness of the material makes it easy to clean. The grate is made of plated steel with hinges that will let you add charcoal easily while you are grilling.

There are quite a few customers who have reported that they are very much satisfied with this grill smoker combo. The adjustable dampers are pretty good for heat control. 

The grill is easily portable as it comes with durable wheels to move around. Also, the grill smoker combo is easy to clean. Its removable ash catcher is a cool feature that can deliver a hassle-free cleanup of charcoal ash.

Key Features:

• Dimensions: 39.5 x 22.5 x 27 inches
• Weight: 32.3 lbs
• Material: Plated Steel
• Color: Black
• Cooking Surface: 363 square inches

Char-Broil The Big Easy TRU-Infrared Smoker Roaster &amp

Char-Broil TRU-Infrared is an all-in-one smoker roaster and griller. This combo grill smoker has a total of 180 square inches of grill grate that can hold up to 21 lbs of turkey effortlessly. 

This 3 in 1 cooking solution is great whether you are planning for smoking ribs, grill steaks, or even roast chickens. Its infrared cooking technology will deliver oil-less crispy outside and tender and juicy inside. 

Comes with a removable grease tray for effortless cleaning conditions. The legs of this grill are made from steel that can add an extra bit of stability. Liquid propane is used as the heat source of this combo griller and smoker. Burner materials are made from stainless steel which is widely known as durable and corrosion-resistant. 

Key Features:

• Dimensions: 23.1 x 23.4 x 36.2 inches
• Weight: 22.7 lbs
• Material: Porcelain-coated stainless steel
• Color: Black
• Cooking Surface: 180 square inches of infrared grilling space.

Char-Griller E1224 Smokin Pro 830 Square Inch Charcoal Grill with Side Fire Box

Char-Griller E1224 Smokin Pro 830 Square Inch Charcoal Grill is another item from our best grill smoker combo list. This grill has plenty of spaces for smoking or grilling as it comes with a 580 square inches cooking surface. On the other hand the 250 square inch side firebox is for either smoking or charcoal cooking. 

This grill and smoker have some additional features such as a temperature gauge, wheels for easy movement, and of course its heavy-duty steel construction.

The side firebox and the grill barrel are also made from heavy-duty powder-coated steel and the grates are made from cast iron for even heating. It’s an easy dump ash pan that makes the ash cleanups efficient. Besides, the power-coated finish is for long-lasting color. 

Key Features:

• Dimensions: 62 x 29 x 50 inches
• Weight: 113 lbs
• Material: steel
• Color: Black
• Cooking Surface: 580 square inches

PK Grills PKO-SCAX-X Original PK Grill & Smoker Grill Smoker

This is a capsule-shaped grill smoker combo that comes with 4 vents either for grilling hot and fast or smoking low heat and slow. This unique shaped grill is constructed from cast aluminum that is highly durable, lightweight, rust-resistant, and conducts heat efficiently. 

With plenty of cooking spaces (300 square inches), this hassle-free portable grill smoker combo could be a very good choice for camping, tailgating, or hunting cabins. Made from durable cast aluminum this charcoal grill is great for maintaining the temperature.

This combo item is specially made for both high heat and fast grilling and low heat extended period’s smoking. PK grill has a 4-Point Venting System that can deliver both direct and indirect cooking. 

FYI, here direct cooking refers to grilling and indirect cooking refers to smoking. After all this award-winning grill smoker combo could be a great option to buy if you are a serious smoker as well as a griller.

Key Features:

• Dimensions: 16 x 35 x 35.5 inches
• Weight: 45 lbs
• Material: Cast Aluminium
• Color: Silver
• Cooking Surface: 300 Square Inches

Buying Guide for Grill Smoker Combo Under $500

When looking for the best grill smoker combo, there are a few things you need to consider.

Type of food you will be cooking

The first thing to consider is what type of food you will be cooking. If you will be mainly grilling meat and poultry, then you will want a grill that is large enough to accommodate these items. If you will be smoking meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, or fruits, then you will want a smoker that is large enough to accommodate these items.

what type of cooking method do you prefer?

The second thing to consider is what type of cooking method you prefer. If you prefer the direct heat of grilling, then you will want a grill smoker combo with a grill grate. If you prefer the indirect heat of smoking, then you will want a smoker that has a smoke chamber.

consider is the price

The third thing to consider is the price. Grill smoker combos can be expensive, so you will want to choose one that fits your budget. The best grill smoker combos under $500 are the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 18-Inch, the Char-Broil Deluxe Digital Electric Smoker, and the Masterbuilt 20070411 30-Inch Electric Smoker.

Here are the others points that need to be considered.

You Could also Read

• Best Stovetop Smokers
• Best Offset Smokers Under $1000

Build Materials

This should be the first key consideration as you don’t want to cook in such a grill smoker combo that is completely affected by rust. Several types of material can build a smoker or griller. But the fact is you have to choose the best option if you are planning an option for long-term cooking. 

Some commonly used materials are cast aluminum, sheet metal, cast iron, and stainless steel. But our vote goes for stainless steel. The reason is that it has some vital features like it is corrosion-resistant, easy to clean, highly durable, and elegant looks. These are are some key features you have to think about when buying a stainless steel material

Fuel Option

There are various fuel options out there for smoking or grilling food. Charcoal, Propane, Wood Pellet, and electricity are some widely used fuel sources. All of them have some advantages and disadvantages. Propane or electric heat sources would fail to deliver enough heat also propane gas tank is not so friendly when it comes to portability. 

It’s best to use either wood pellets or charcoal as your go-to heat source for grilling or smoking. Charcoal is versatile, easily portable, and most importantly charcoal is renewable which might saves some extra money. On the other hand, wood pellets can add some extra bit of woody flavor to your food that can bring the taste next level.

Insulation

If you are planning to smoke your meat in a grill smoker combo and (part-time grilling) then you gotta take a close look at this point. Generally, for smoking, you have to put your meat in a smoking chamber with a low temperature for an extended period of time. In that case, you need a decent quality smoker or combo grill smoker for proper insulation.  

Controlling

Some pitmasters prefer WiFi controlling features as they can be controlled easily using mobile apps. If you are also in that group then you may go for a pellet grill as most manufacturer includes this cool controlling feature. 

On the other hand, charcoal grills come/ with vents at the bottom of the grill. If you open them air comes into the grill and the result is a hotter fire. For getting a cooler fire just open those vents partially. Don’t forget to open vents when you are lighting the charcoal and setting up the grill.

Cleaning

Make sure the grill smoker combo you are intended to buy is easy to clean. Otherwise, this could be a remarkable setback for you, and will definitely face trouble after ending the party. Stainless steel materials are easy to clean, therefore you could go for them. 

Some of the grills have some extra features such as ash cleanout systems and waste cleanout systems so make sure that the grill you are purchasing won’t fall you in trouble while you need to clean them.

temperature

As you are planning to use this tool as a smoker and griller as well make sure that it comes with a wide temperature range. The ideal temperature for smoking is 225-250 degrees Fahrenheit while 400-450 Fahrenheit could be counted as a good temperature for grilling. Therefore you have to keep it in mind that the tool is pretty good in terms of temperature for grilling and smoking.

Tips for using your grill smoker combo:

1. Start by reading the owner’s manual. This will give you a basic understanding of how your grill smoker combo works.

2. Experiment with different types of food to see what works best on your grill smoker combo.

3. Keep the lid closed as much as possible when smoking food. This will help to keep the heat and smoke inside the smoker.

4. Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of your grill smoker combo. This will help you to cook your food properly.

5. Be patient – it takes time to smoke meat properly.

FAQs about grill smoker combos

What is the difference between a grill smoker combo and a regular grill?

A regular grill can only be used for grilling, while a grill smoker combo can be used for both grilling and smoking.

Can I use a grill smoker combo to smoke meat and poultry?

Yes, you can use a grill smoker combo to smoke meat and poultry. The indirect heat of the smoker will smoke your food slowly, while the direct heat of the grill will add flavor.

What is the best way to clean my grill smoker combo?

The best way to clean your grill smoker combo is to use a grill brush and a soapy sponge. Be sure to rinse your grill smoker combo with water after cleaning.

Can I use a grill smoker combo to smoke vegetables?

Yes, you can use a grill smoker combo to smoke vegetables. The indirect heat of the smoker will cook your vegetables slowly and evenly.

Final Thoughts

We hope this comprehensive guide will help you to make the right decision on your own. If you have followed this complete guide then you might have selected the perfect one for you. But If you are still confused, don’t worry let us help you to choose the right one.