The best charcoal grill and smoker combo depends on which job you do more often. A barrel grill with an attached firebox lets you cook directly over charcoal in the main chamber or send heat and smoke into it from the side. The harder choice is between a manageable everyday grill and a larger offset built around long smoking sessions. This shortlist separates usable main-grate space from advertised totals, then weighs fire access, airflow controls, assembled size, and what comes with each model.
These picks prioritize a useful main cooking grate, an attached offset firebox, practical ways to tend the fire, and a footprint suited to the intended cook. A large advertised total matters less if much of it is a warming rack or firebox grate; a compact grill can be the better choice when space and handling matter more. Included equipment also changes the decision: the covered Royal Gourmet kit serves a different buyer from its otherwise similar sibling. Scores express each model’s suitability for its stated use, with its limitations considered alongside its features.
Top-rated Comparison
For regular grilling and offset smoking: a 580-square-inch primary grate and useful fire controls, but a nearly 60-inch-wide footprint.
For long offset cooks: a 616-square-inch main grate, firebox door, dampers, and removable ash pan; larger than compact patio grills.
For large smoking cooks: a listed 751-square-inch primary area and accessible side firebox, at the cost of a 253-pound listed weight.
For grilling with occasional smoking: a 475.3-square-inch main grate and adjustable charcoal pan; the cover is not listed as included.
For a buyer who wants the CC1830-style grill with a cover in the box; cooking space is otherwise much like the uncovered CC1830S.
For bigger backyard meals without the Longhorn’s listed weight: a 551-square-inch main grate, though the unit still weighs 123 pounds.
For cooks who want more charcoal-position adjustment across a large grill; its 104-pound weight and 67.28-inch width need planning.
For a backyard cook who wants tables and utensil hooks near the grill; its 811-square-inch total includes only 443 square inches of main grate.
For smaller gatherings and tighter storage: a 45.28-inch listed length, adjustable charcoal pan, and shelves; just 321 square inches are on the main grate.
For a patio cook seeking fire access in a narrower cart: two main-chamber grates ease charcoal additions, but main-grate area is unspecified.
The Char-Griller Smokin’ Pro CG30044223 is the most rounded pick for someone who wants substantial charcoal-grilling space and an offset smoker in one unit. Its 580-square-inch primary grate, included side firebox, adjustable charcoal grate, dampers, and ash pan make the two cooking modes practical; its nearly 60-inch width calls for a roomy spot. (chargriller.com)
For cooks who favor smoking, the Oklahoma Joe’s Highland 24203001 offers a 616-square-inch main grate, a firebox access door, dampers, and a removable ash pan. Its product title says 900 square inches, while the manufacturer lists 879 total, comprising 616 square inches on the primary grate and 263 in the firebox. Neither total means 900 square inches of main-chamber space. (oklahomajoes.com) The larger Longhorn 13201747-05 provides a listed 751-square-inch primary area but demands considerably more room and effort to move.
For a smaller backyard setup, the Royal Gourmet CC1830S balances a 475.3-square-inch main grate with an adjustable charcoal pan and side-door fuel access. Choose the CC1830SC instead if its included cover is useful. At the compact end, the CC1624W gives up main-grate capacity for a shorter footprint; Realcook is another relatively narrow option, though its listing does not break out main-grate area.
Start with the surface that holds the food during your usual cook. The Longhorn lists 751 square inches of primary space; the Char-Griller lists 580, the Highland 616, and the CC1624W 321. Those figures answer a different question from each product’s larger advertised total. The Char-Griller, for example, lists 1,130 square inches overall but 580 on its primary grate. (chargriller.com) If you mainly smoke large cuts, compare primary grates and the space around the food rather than adding a firebox grate to your imagined brisket capacity. For weeknight grilling and smaller gatherings, a shorter barrel and less charcoal to manage may be more useful than a crowd-sized total.
A height-adjustable charcoal pan changes the distance between the fire and food when grilling directly. That is a different control from the firebox and chimney dampers used to manage airflow during offset smoking. The CC1830S, CC1830SC, and CC1830W offer two-level pan adjustment; the Highland emphasizes firebox access and dampers instead. Its removable firebox ash pan is useful when clearing spent fuel between cooks. (oklahomajoes.com) Choose according to the mode you will use most. A lid gauge helps you follow chamber temperature, but it does not set the fire for you.
| Profile | Recommended Product | Why It Fits | Avoid If |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backyard cook splitting time between grilling and smoking | Char-Griller Smokin’ Pro CG30044223 | A 580-square-inch primary grate, included firebox, adjustable charcoal grate, dampers, and ash pan support both modes. | You cannot accommodate a grill nearly 60 inches wide. |
| Cook who expects to tend longer offset-smoking sessions | Oklahoma Joe’s Highland 24203001 | The 616-square-inch main grate, firebox door, dampers, and removable ash pan suit that routine. | You need a small patio unit or expect the advertised total to be main-grate space. |
| Cook prioritizing a very large primary grate | Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn 13201747-05 | The listed 751-square-inch primary area exceeds that of the other picks. | A listed 253-pound, 64.3-inch-wide grill would be hard to place or move. |
| Buyer who wants a cover included with a mid-size barrel grill | Royal Gourmet CC1830SC | The CC1830SC listing includes a cover alongside its 475.3-square-inch main grate. | You do not need the cover or want more primary cooking space. |
| Smaller-household cook seeking a compact offset layout | Royal Gourmet CC1624W | The CC1624W pairs a 321-square-inch main grate with an adjustable pan and side firebox. | You routinely need to fit several large cuts in the main chamber. |
| Patio cook seeking a narrow cart and mid-cook charcoal access | Realcook Barrel Charcoal Grill and Offset Smoker | Realcook lists a 39-inch width and two main-chamber grates for adding fuel. | You need a verified main-grate area before choosing. |
Compare the exact model number, main-grate area, secondary-area breakdown, assembled width and depth, and listed weight. A 941-square-inch Sophia & William total includes a 198-square-inch warming rack and 192-square-inch firebox; the MFSTUDIO’s 1,015-square-inch total similarly includes 289 square inches of warming rack. Check the kit contents separately: CC1830SC lists a cover, while CC1830S does not. Also check model-specific published information when figures conflict. The Highland listing title says 900 square inches, but its manufacturer specification lists 879; the 616-square-inch primary grate is the more useful comparison point. (oklahomajoes.com)
Measure the intended outdoor location with the side firebox and prep shelf in mind, then leave working room to open lids and tend fuel. The 39-inch-wide Realcook cart suits a different space from the 67.28-inch-wide MFSTUDIO. Wheels help reposition a cold grill, but the Longhorn’s listed 253-pound weight makes moving it a more consequential task than shifting the listed 38.6-pound CC1624W. Follow the instructions for the exact model during assembly. Realcook specifically calls attention to lid and chamber alignment; the Char-Griller includes its Side Fire Box attachment. Use these charcoal units outdoors, not in an enclosed space.
Favor access that fits the cleanup you are willing to do. The Char-Griller’s EasyDump ash pan and the Highland’s removable firebox ash pan offer distinct routes to clearing ash; side doors on the Royal Gourmet CC1830S and the Longhorn provide firebox access. Let the unit cool and follow its own care instructions before clearing ash or storing it. A cover is an included item for the CC1830SC, not a feature to assume on sibling models. For the CC1830S specifically, Royal Gourmet’s manual permits briquettes or lump charcoal, suggests chips or chunks for additional smoke flavor, and advises against wood pellets as fuel; do not transfer that fuel instruction to other models. (royalgourmetcorp.com)
Look for details you can verify for the exact grill: identified grate materials, accessible ash removal, assembly guidance, available parts information, and written warranty terms. Char-Griller identifies cast-iron main grates, an ash pan, and replacement parts for the CG30044223. (chargriller.com) The Highland’s manufacturer documentation identifies heavy-gauge steel and a two-year parts warranty, while its listing’s cooking-area headline disagrees with the manufacturer’s specification table. (oklahomajoes.com) A material description or warranty is useful purchase information, not proof that a grill will hold a particular temperature or last a particular number of years.
Match any feedback you read to the exact model, assembly, and cooking task. A comment about a Highland reverse-flow model does not establish how the standard Highland 24203001 behaves; similarly, a covered CC1830SC purchase does not tell you what came with a CC1830S. For the Char-Griller, distinguish reports about direct grilling on the main grate from reports about tending an offset fire. For the Longhorn, check whether an account identifies model 13201747-05 before applying its comments to this pick. Give more weight to descriptions of the setup, fuel, and cook duration than to an unqualified verdict.
Do not buy on total square inches alone, assume a warming rack is another full-size main grate, or mistake an offset charcoal grill for a gas-and-charcoal hybrid. Do not treat an adjustable charcoal pan as a substitute for managing airflow during a long smoke. Before ordering, check the exact suffix on close models such as CC1830S and CC1830SC, the space needed for the assembled firebox and shelf, and whether the included accessories match your expectations. Finally, size the grill for the meals you actually cook: a compact CC1624W may serve a small gathering better than a heavy Longhorn you have nowhere convenient to keep.
Can these grills cook directly over charcoal as well as smoke indirectly?
Yes. These are charcoal barrel grills with attached offset fireboxes: use charcoal beneath food in the main chamber for direct grilling, or build the fire in the side box to send heat and smoke into the main chamber. Follow the setup instructions for the exact model.
Does a larger total cooking area mean a larger grate for smoking?
No. Totals can include a warming rack and firebox grate. The CC1830SC, for example, lists 824 square inches overall but 475.3 square inches on its main cooking grate. Compare main-grate figures when sizing food for the primary chamber.
Which Royal Gourmet model includes a cover?
The CC1830SC listing includes one. The closely related CC1830S listing does not identify a cover as included, so check the exact model suffix and package contents.
Is the Oklahoma Joe’s Longhorn here a gas-and-charcoal combo?
No. The selected Longhorn 13201747-05 is an offset charcoal smoker and grill, not a gas-grill hybrid. Check that model identifier when comparing similarly named products.
Choose the Char-Griller Smokin’ Pro CG30044223 if you have room for it and want a capable main grill alongside an included offset firebox, with practical charcoal and ash controls. If extended smoking matters more than everyday grilling versatility, the Oklahoma Joe’s Highland 24203001 offers a larger primary grate and convenient firebox tending. For a smaller setup, start with the Royal Gourmet CC1830S—or the CC1830SC if you want its included cover.
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