Char-Griller 5050 Duo Gas-and-Charcoal Grill

by Char-Griller

• Charcoal and gas grill combo with 1260 square inches of cooking space
• 40,800-BTU gas grill with electronic ignition and 3 burners; 12,000-BTU side burner
• Adjustable grate height for temperature control; chrome-plated warming rack
• Stainless-steel heat gauge; cast-iron grates; easy-dump ash pan
• Measures 60 by 25 by 50 inches; 1-year limited warranty

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 48 x 21.5 x 13 inches ; 168 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 168 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item can only be shipped to the 48 contiguous states. We regret it cannot be shipped to APO/FPO, Hawaii, Alaska, or Puerto Rico.
• ASIN: B001CJKUO4
• Item model number: 5050
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (93 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,621 in Patio, Lawn & Garden (See Top 100 in Patio, Lawn & Garden)

Product Description

Every grill lover's dream! Charcoal and gas grilling all in one grill! The Char-Griller Duo provides 1,260 sq. in. of BBQ grilling and smoking space. Add the side fire box for great Texas smoking. Side Fire Box not included.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

163 of 172 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Great idea, ok implementation June 15, 2009

By Ty J. Rost

I used a Weber charcoal grill for years. I used it to grill and smoke. I loved the taste of charcoal, but finally got tired of the hassle. When I saw the duo, I thought my prayers had been answered. They were....but not really.

This is definitely the most versatile grill on the market (I added the smoker box) but they could have done so much more to make it a 'great' grill. When I saw the price tag, I was worried about the craftmanship. My worries were justified.

First, the materials that the grill is made out of are pretty good. The steel is heavy, the grills are solid, and the frame is rigid. The problem is the design and craftsmanship. A previous reviewer complained about the wheels being cheap plastic. Chargriller must have taken the advice, because the wheels that I have are fairly solid. It took about 2 hours to put the grill together by myself. While putting it together, I noticed the charcoal side and smoker are far from air-tight, not good for charcoal and smoking. You want a very tight charcoal grill so temperature can be controlled precisely by the dampers (the Weber I had was as tight as a drum). This grill is far from air-tight. The area around the lid has about a 1/4 inch gap and the smoker has many many areas where the pieces don't fit together perfectly. There are also a few holes in the smoker where screws for the feet would have gone (the smoker can also be a standalone grill). All these gaps and cracks make it nearly impossible to control the heat. With all the dampers closed, I should be able to smother the fire/coals/wood, but the grill burns at 400+ degrees even with all the dampers closed!!!

Other Cons:
- When the lids are open, the warming racks go up/back right over the lid. Anything that drips off the warming rack goes right down the lid and onto the ground behind the grill. I found this out the hard way after an afternoon of cooking burgers. What a mess!
- There are no bumpers around the grilling perimeter. One bad spatula or tong move and your meat will slide right off in any direction! They should have at least put a bumper in the back!
- The joints aren't tight. Any grease that drips down on the propane side in the corners between the bottom and side pieces of the grill goes right between the two pieces of metal and drips on the propane tank.
- No natural gas option

Pros:
- Propane, charcoal, smoker, side stove. Nuff said
- Cover that was ordered separately covers everything, including smoker box.
- Lots of grilling surface
- Grill plates are nice, solid, iron.

All in all, I would have paid $500 for this grill if it were of better quality. I'm not to upset, because I feel I got what I paid for, a substandard grill at a low price.

59 of 61 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Grill! October 6, 2008

By P. Kelly

Ok, so this is for the grill, NOT the price. Amazon's price on this item is WAY too high but that isn't what the review is for... I got mine at a sporting goods store for under $250 so shop around.

This is a fantastic grill, it is really versitile.

Pros:
- Allows you to cook with charcoal, gas, or smoke (with the optional side firebox)
- The 3 burners on the gas side are close to the cooking surface which makes it really easy to control the cooking temperature.
- The side firebox somes with cooking grates for grilling 1-2 steaks

Cons:
- The grease pan is difficult to clean
- The ash tray can be cumbersome to remove
- It could really use some better wheels, this is a HEAVY grill if you have the firebox attached and moving it around is tough.
- No option for using natural gas as a fuel source

The Cons are all relatively minor in my opinion. This is a great grill, I'd buy another one for sure.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Duo feature August 24, 2009

By Angie

My husband and I searched and searched for a grill that could do both charcoal and gas. I found this one on Amazon. I love the fact that it offers a smoking option. The burners on the gas side fire up easily and on the charcoal side you can raise and lower the rack you put the charcoal on. It's heavy enough that it hasn't once tipped over from strong winds.(I've had that problem with other grills I've had.) I also like the fact that the gas and the charcoal are completely separate. You can smoke meat on the charcoal side while you are cooking on the gas side. I've had the grill for almost a year and it still works great!

On the con side...
-It rusts easily, even with putting vegetable oil on the surfaces like it directs you too. You have to clean out the charcoal ashes after every use and it's not the easiest to clean. The rack that holds the charcoal doesn't come off the rack that catches the ashes, so rust is bound to form. You will definitely need the cover, unless you plan on storing it inside out of the elements when not in use. A heads up on the cover...although it fits the grill perfectly, it doesn't have elastic on the bottom to stop it from coming off in the wind. We used a couple bungee cords to hold the cover on and that is working great.

-The grease drip pan on the gas side doesn't fully come off making that difficult to clean as well.

Even despite it's cons, I would recommend this grill. It serves it's purpose for the quickness of gas, but also the flavor of charcoal.