Char-Griller
Char-Griller Smokin' Champ
The Char-Griller Smokin' Champ is a barrel-style charcoal grill paired with a side firebox for offset smoking, offering large capacity at a budget price. It's a flexible, affordable charcoal grill and smoker combo.
Specifications
Features
Pros
- ✓It's a budget powerhouse - around $350 gets you a big barrel charcoal grill plus an offset firebox for real smoking
- ✓Huge total cooking capacity (over 800 sq in with the warming rack) handles big cookouts and multiple racks
- ✓The barrel can be used as a straightforward charcoal grill or paired with the side firebox for Texas-style offset smoking
- ✓The easy-dump ash pan makes cleanup far simpler than digging ash out of a fixed-bottom smoker
- ✓Cast-iron cooking grates retain heat well and give good sear marks for grilling
- ✓Dual damper controls let you manage airflow and learn fire control without a big investment
- ✓A 5-year warranty is generous for a budget charcoal unit
- ✓It responds well to the same cheap mods (sealing, baffle plates) that the pricier offsets use to even out heat
Cons
- ✗Thin powder-coated steel leaks smoke and heat from the factory, so sealing mods are basically required for steady temps
- ✗Heat is uneven, running much hotter near the firebox without a tuning plate to balance the chamber
- ✗Thin metal means big temperature swings with wind and weather, demanding more babysitting
- ✗Like any offset it requires constant fire-tending and isn't remotely set-and-forget
- ✗Durability is budget-grade - the steel can rust and the firebox warps with repeated use
- ✗Assembly is fiddly and QC is inconsistent, with reports of misaligned doors and panels
- ✗It burns through charcoal and wood, so per-cook fuel cost and prep add up
- ✗The lid thermometer is approximate and serious cooks add their own probe at grate level
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