Hybrid Grill Guide: What They Are, Pros & Cons, and Are Gas Charcoal Hybrid Grills Worth It??
By Matthew Jackson, BBQ Kitchen Pros · We sell, design and install these grills · Prices checked October 16, 2026
The short answer
A hybrid grill cooks on gas and on a solid fuel, usually charcoal and sometimes wood, in one grill body. It is worth it if you want easy gas cooking on weeknights, smoky charcoal grilling or wood flavor on weekends, and one outdoor kitchen cutout instead of two. Skip it if you rarely light charcoal, or if you want the biggest cooking area for the money.
We sell, design and install gas and charcoal hybrid grills, and we also sell plenty of straight gas and straight charcoal grills, so this guide is about fit, not hype. It covers the types, our survey data, the real downsides, and the hybrids we carry with prices and cutouts.
Three to start with
What Is a Hybrid Grill?
A hybrid BBQ grill, or hybrid gas and charcoal grill, is built from the start to run on gas and a solid fuel. That is different from a gas grill with a smoker box, which only adds a little wood smoke. You will see three designs:
Side by side
A gas grill and a charcoal grill share one body, each with its own grate. The Coyote Centaur and the Fire Magic Aurora A830I work this way; the Fire Magic gives each side its own hood.
Gas under solid fuel
Gas burners sit below trays that hold charcoal or wood. Run the burners alone like a gas grill, or use them to light the charcoal. American Made Grills and Sunstone use this design.
Insert for a gas grill
A tray that swaps into one section of a gas grill so that section burns wood or charcoal. The Alfresco SFI-POD does this for Alfresco ALXE and AIPG grills.
Some hybrids are a hybrid grill gas charcoal wood setup, taking all three fuels; others list lump charcoal only. Check the fuel line on each product page. For how gas and charcoal cook differently in general, see gas grill vs charcoal.
Why 1 in 4 Homeowners Would Pick One
In the BBQ Kitchen Pros Outdoor Kitchen Report, we asked 1,000 U.S. homeowners (Pollfish, September 22, 2026; ±3.1 points) which grill fuel they use or would choose for a new setup.
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| Fuel choice | Share of homeowners |
|---|---|
| Propane | 29.7% |
| Hybrid gas plus charcoal | 24.0% |
| Natural gas | 21.7% |
| Charcoal alone | 10.8% |
| Pellet | 7.7% |
Hybrid came in second, ahead of natural gas and more than double charcoal alone. The pull is easy to see: most people want the speed of gas for a Tuesday dinner, and a lot of them still want charcoal for a Saturday steak. A hybrid is the one-grill answer to that.
The Pros: Quick Gas and Real Charcoal
- ✓Quick gas on weeknights, fire on weekends. Burgers on gas in the time it takes to preheat; ribeyes over charcoal when you have an hour.
- ✓One footprint and one cutout. The Coyote Centaur needs a single 47¾″ wide opening. A separate Coyote 30″ gas grill and 36″ charcoal grill need two openings that add up to 57½″, plus the masonry between them.
- ✓Easier charcoal lighting. On the Fire Magic A830I, a 26,000 BTU burner under the charcoal tray lights the coals. On the Sunstones, the gas burners light the charcoal or wood. No chimney starter or lighter fluid.
- ✓Height-adjustable charcoal. Coyote and Fire Magic use a crank to raise and lower the charcoal tray; Sunstone trays adjust 7″ on the 42″. That gives you a heat dial for charcoal.
- ✓Usually cheaper than two premium grills. See the cost math below.
The Cons, Honestly
None of these is a defect; they are trade-offs built into the design.
- •Less cooking area per fuel. A side-by-side hybrid splits one grill into two. The Centaur lists 1,200 sq in in total, including its warming rack; the separate Coyote 30″ gas (640 sq in) and 36″ charcoal (875 sq in main) total 1,515.
- •Two cleanups. You still deal with grease on the gas side and ash on the charcoal side. Where solid fuel sits above the burners, follow the manual’s cleaning steps so ash stays off them.
- •The charcoal side works harder. Live coals run hotter than the gas side; Sunstone lists 500°F on burners alone and 800°F with charcoal. Expect that side’s grates and tray to show wear first.
- •Price at the top end. The American Made Grills hybrids start at $10,158.72 for a 36″ built-in. That buys a lot of separate grill.
- •Fewer models to choose from. We carry four hybrid brands plus one insert, against a much larger range of gas grills. Sizes, colors and features are limited.
- •Power and weight. The Fire Magic A830I and the Sunstones list a 120V requirement, and the A830I weighs 300 lbs.
- •A learning curve. Charcoal on a hybrid is still charcoal: dampers, tray height and fuel all take practice.
Are Hybrid Grills Worth It?
A hybrid is worth it if
- ✓You grill on gas most nights but light charcoal at least a few times a month
- ✓You are building one outdoor kitchen and want one cutout, not two
- ✓You want gas to light your charcoal instead of a chimney or lighter fluid
- ✓You like cooking over different heat zones and fuels
Skip it if
- •You rarely use charcoal or wood; a straight gas grill is simpler and bigger for the money
- •You want the most cooking area per dollar; two separate grills give more
- •You want a dedicated smoker for long cooks
- •You want the simplest grill to clean
Still comparing combos? Our best gas and charcoal grill combos guide ranks them side by side.
Hybrid Built-In and Cart Grills We Carry
These are the hybrid gas charcoal grills we stock. Specs and prices come from our product pages, and each of these products links to its listing.
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| Model | Layout | Size and cutout | Fuels | Install | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coyote Centaur 50″ | Side by side | 50″ W; cutout 47¾″ W x 20½″ D x 12½″ H; 1,200 sq in total | Natural gas or propane + lump charcoal | Built-in or cart | $4,899 built-in; $6,298 freestanding |
| Fire Magic Aurora A830I | Side by side, two hoods | 52¼″ W; cutout 50¼″ W x 19½″ D x 11½″ H; 1,188 sq in total | Gas + charcoal or wood chunks | Built-in | $7,801.20; $8,397 with rotisserie |
| American Made Grills Encore / Muscle 36″ | Gas under multi-fuel trays | 37″ W; cutout 35″ W x 25″ D x 15″ H; 1,106 sq in total | Gas + charcoal, lump or wood chunks | Built-in or freestanding | $10,158.72 built-in; 54″ from $12,760 |
| Sunstone 42″ Dual Zone | Gas under two adjustable trays | 42″ W; cutout 39½″ W x 22″ D x 12¾″ H; 928 sq in total | Gas + charcoal + wood | Built-in | $6,185 |
| Sunstone 30″ Single Zone | Gas under one adjustable tray | 30″ W; cutout 27½″ W x 22″ D x 12¾″ H; 673 sq in total | Gas + charcoal + wood | Built-in | $3,873 |
| Alfresco SFI-POD insert | Insert for one gas section | Replaces the briquette tray and grate in one section | Wood or charcoal (gas grill sold separately) | Fits ALXE and AIPG grills | $862 |
Totals include warming racks where the maker counts them. Prices from our product pages on October 16.
Best side by side
1. Coyote Centaur 50″
$4,899 built-in · $6,298 freestanding
Gas + lump charcoalCutout 47¾″ WCrank charcoal trayPull-out charcoal drawer
A built-in hybrid with gas on one side and charcoal on the other, in 18-gauge 304 stainless steel. The charcoal side has a hand-crank tray, a pull-out drawer for adding fuel mid-cook, and dampers on the hood and drawer. Read our Coyote Centaur hybrid grill review for how it cooks.
Great for: The lowest-priced side-by-side hybrid we carry.
Know first: Product page lists lump charcoal, not wood.
Two separate hoods
2. Fire Magic Aurora A830I
$7,801.20 · $8,397 with rotisserie
Two double-walled hoods26,000 BTU charcoal igniterCrank charcoal tray120V
Each side gets its own hood, so the charcoal side can smoke with the lid down while the gas side runs open. A dedicated burner under the charcoal tray lights charcoal or wood chunks, and Diamond Sear grids are standard.
Great for: Isolated charcoal and gas cooking at the same time.
Know first: Needs 120V for the ignition and lights.
Most fuel options
3. American Made Grills Encore and Muscle 36″
$10,158.72 built-in · $14,817.72 freestanding · 54″ from $12,760
5 burners, 110,000 BTUMulti-fuel traysRotisserie and griddle includedMade in the USA
In the American Made Grills hybrid series, Encore and Muscle share the same 36″ system and differ in styling. Both come as a built-in or a freestanding hybrid; the Muscle 36″ freestanding grill sits on a cart with soft-close drawers and a cutting board. Fourteen-gauge stainless steel trays hold charcoal, lump or wood chunks over the burners, or you run the burners alone for straight gas. The kit includes a rotisserie, griddle, drop-in infrared burner, and a wood and charcoal fuel kit. More in our American Made Grills review.
Great for: The most complete hybrid kit we sell.
Know first: The highest price on this page.
4. Sunstone 42″ Dual Zone
$6,185
Two 7″ adjustable trays35,000 BTU gas928 sq inLifetime warranty
Two zones, each with its own height-adjustable charcoal tray over gas burners, so you can sear on one side and cook slow on the other. Pull-out fuel trays let you add fuel without interrupting the cook, and a smoker box and cooking-grate inserts are included.
Great for: Two independent solid-fuel zones.
Know first: Piezo ignition and lights need 120V.
Lowest price
5. Sunstone 30″ Single Zone
$3,873
30,000 BTU gas15,000 BTU infrared rotisserie burner673 sq inMade in the USA
The smallest true hybrid we carry: one adjustable charcoal tray over two gas burners, plus an infrared rotisserie burner. A good fit for a compact island.
Great for: The lowest entry price for gas, charcoal and wood.
Know first: One zone: when it’s on charcoal, the whole grill is charcoal.
Add-on route
6. Alfresco SFI-POD Insert
$862
Wood or charcoalFits ALXE and AIPGOne sectionRemovable
Not a grill on its own. It replaces the briquette tray and grate in one section of an Alfresco ALXE or AIPG gas grill, so that section grills over live coals while the rest stays gas. An ALXE 30″ built-in starts at $5,169.
Great for: Alfresco owners who want live fire without a second grill.
Know first: Only for Alfresco ALXE and AIPG grills.
One Grill or Two? Cost and Space
Same brand, same stainless, built-in, at our prices:
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| Setup | Price | Cutouts | Cooking area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coyote Centaur 50″ hybrid | $4,899 | One, 47¾″ wide | 1,200 sq in total |
| Coyote SL 30″ gas + Coyote 36″ charcoal | $3,099 + $2,729 = $5,828 | Two, 25″ + 32½″ wide | 640 + 875 sq in |
| Alfresco ALXE 30″ + SFI-POD | $5,169 + $862 = $6,031 | One | One section becomes charcoal or wood |
A hybrid charcoal gas grill like the Centaur saves $929 and about 10 inches of cutout width over the two-grill setup, and you frame one opening instead of two. The two separate grills give you more cooking area and let you run gas and charcoal at full size at the same time. If counter space is tight, the hybrid wins; if you cook for big crowds on both fuels at once, two grills do. Either way, plan a side burner or griddle as its own cutout.
Questions We Get Asked
What is a hybrid grill?
A hybrid grill cooks on gas and on a solid fuel, usually charcoal and sometimes wood, in one grill body. Designs include side-by-side gas and charcoal, gas burners under charcoal trays, and inserts that turn one section of a gas grill into charcoal.
What are the cons of a hybrid BBQ?
Less cooking area per fuel than two separate grills, two kinds of cleanup (grease and ash), more wear on the charcoal side, fewer models to choose from, and a high price at the top of the range.
Are hybrid barbecues worth it?
Yes, if you grill on gas during the week, light charcoal regularly, and want one cutout in your outdoor kitchen. No, if you rarely use charcoal or want the most cooking area for your money.
Which hybrid grill smoker is best?
A hybrid can add real smoke, but it is not a dedicated smoker. Among ours, the Sunstone hybrids include a smoker box and adjustable trays, and the American Made Grills trays take wood chunks. For long low-and-slow cooks, a pellet grill or smoker is the better tool.
Can you use wood in a hybrid grill?
On many, yes. American Made Grills, Sunstone, the Fire Magic A830I and the Alfresco SFI-POD list wood. The Coyote Centaur product page lists lump charcoal only, so check the fuel spec before buying. Have a regular gas grill instead? Read can you put charcoal in a gas grill? before you add wood or coals.
Is a hybrid grill the same as a dual fuel grill?
Sometimes. Some brands call gas-and-charcoal grills dual fuel, as Coyote does with the Centaur, and others sell them as a gas and charcoal combo grill. Dual fuel can also mean a gas grill that runs on either propane or natural gas. A hybrid always means gas plus a solid fuel.
Want flavor beyond gas and charcoal? Our wood fire grills guide covers Santa Maria, Argentine and other live-fire styles, and all of them are in the wood fired grills collection. Our open fire grill guide grades each style on ease, heat control and price.
Not sure a hybrid fits your island?
Send us your space and how you cook, or call 888-678-3530. We will tell you honestly whether a hybrid or two grills makes more sense, and size the cutout for free. Free shipping on every grill here.
