Being very limited on space, needing a new propane grill, and wanting to get into smoking I've set my sights on two products and thought I'd share my findings with you. One, for any last minute advice/thoughts and two, so others who may be in the market can get a quick comparison.
If you're not familiar, the Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Combo (OKJ) and the Char-Griller Texas Trio (CGTT) combine a propane grill, charcoal grill, and offset smoker all-in-one. Plus a side burner. Same size as your typical cheap offset smoker, but split down the middle for charcoal and propane, with the offset heating the charcoal chamber for smoking. The Texas Trio should not be confused with their Triple Play or other Dual Fuel offerings that have a sometimes optional offset smoker. This is a new this year, Home Depot exclusive. The OKJ on the other hand has been around since at least late 2015, and can be found at Lowes, Academy and Tractor Supply. Both are around $400.
They may not be the best at any, but if you're limited on space like I am it's really the only choice as all three separately would be even bigger. Smoke Hollow also makes a combo, but seemed cheaper and no display units for me to see. There's also the Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 4-in-1 at Walmart, but I don't want an electric smoker at this time.
I'll start with some point-for-point comparisons, that is extensive at first sight but not exhaustive as I tried to list what was important to me or minor differences I saw/thought-of. Some of which aren't really important, but trying to break a tie so listed them in my notes. Some pictures of those comparisons are further below.
Char-Griller Texas Trio.
1. 779 square inch main gas/charcoal grills combined + 610 = 1389 sq in. total. The extra is the firebox and the upper racks in the main chambers.
2. Firebox on right. Warming plate on top.
3. 12k BTU Side burner. 40.8k main burners. 3 burners.
4. Porcelain coated cast iron grates.
5. 14 gauge steel (1.984mm according to google)
6. 75"W x 30"D x 50"H. 230lbs (according to Char-Griller, HD gives slightly diff figures, such as 202lb)
7. Slide out ash drawer on firebox.
8. Powder coat exterior, none inside.
9. Plates and air under both charcoal racks. Charcoal chamber has a rack on a curved plate, which sits on 4 triangle legs so heat kept from barrel. Firebox has a drawer/plate that sits slightly above bottom of firebox, and then a rack on top of that.
10. Main charcoal rack only couple inches smaller than chamber.
11. Dual chimney over gas side.
12. 4 petal-shaped air damper holes on ash drawer. In order to increase air, would have to slide drawer out some.
13. Brand new this year, no long term reviews.
14. 1 year warranty, 5 year burners.
15. Hooks on side burner for tools.
16. Char-Griller thermometers, may not be easily replaceable with other brands. (will likely go digital anyway)
17. Gas flame shields on hook-like shelf, not as easy to replace with other brands perhaps.
18. Plastic handles on metal arms.
19. Nuts and bolts don't seem as heavy duty, but overall the unit feels solid. Rack for storage underneath not as sturdy.
Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Combo.
1. 750 sq inch main gas/charcoal grills combined + 310 = 1060 total. The extra is the firebox, with no upper racks in main cooking chambers.
2. Firebox on left. Warming plate on top.
3. 12k BTU Side burner. 36k main burners. 3 burners.
4. Porcelain coated cast iron grates.
5. 2mm steel, 2.5mm doors.
6. 74"W x 31.5"D x 50.6"H. 205lbs. 70" w/o handle by my measurement.
7. Ash door on side of smoker box; level with bottom to clean ashes out during cook.
8. High temp paint exterior and inner doors.
9. Plate under just main charcoal rack, not fire box rack. Charcoal chamber has a rack on a curved plate, which sits directly on barrel with no air in between. Firebox has standard rack, no plate. The plated charcoal rack from the main chamber could fit in firebox if wanted.
10. Main charcoal rack seems several inches smaller than chamber.
11. Dual vents in back of gas side.
12. Approx 1/6 of a circle damper hole. Open door for more air.
13. At least 3-4 years old, long term reviews available.
14. 2 year warranty.
15. Towel/tool bar in front.
16. Thermometers look easily replaceable. (will likely go digital anyway)
17. Flame shields sit on shelf. Likely could use anything that'd fit on shelf.
18. Spring metal handles.
19. Nuts and bolts seem sturdier, as well as the storage rack underneath. Overall, very close comparison in sturdy feel for both. Slight edge to OKJ subjectively.
Pics below of some of those differences.
CGTT nuts and bolts. Not a fair comparison as not from same area, and low quality image.
OKJ nuts and bolts.
CGTT charcoal rack in main smoke/charcoal chamber. As you can see it spans the entire width just short an inch, and sits on a plate that is lifted with triangle legs.
The OKJ main charcoal rack on the other hand is several inches smaller than the main chamber. It sits on a plate, but that plate sits fully on the barrel and not lifted at all. Which means less charcoal side to side, slightly lower charcoal, and less heat protection. Not sure how problematic that would be, but if I go with the OKJ I could just buy the CG rack replacement if it ever becomes available separately.
CGTT has a pull out ash drawer with the petal hole damper I mentioned. The drawer is essentially a tray slightly lifted from the bottom on sliders and has a removable rack on top of that. Benefits would likely be more heat protection and easy clean up afterward. However, I'm not sold on this as I think it'd be problematic to empty while smoking, but that may not be needed often. Plus, it'd get in the way of pulling the drawer open some for more air. My solution would be to have a basket/rack that sits higher off of the drawer. This way the drawer catches ashes, but can still be pulled out as necessary during cooks without pulling the basket/rack with it.
The OKJ on the other hand has a simple door that's flush with the bottom for easy cleaning or pulling ash during a cook. Just a simple wire rack, so not as much heat protection. The damper is pretty small, but leaving the door ajar some would be an easy inlet increase.
Both suffer from cheap offset smoker quality though, as each have general faults in their build. Such as doors that aren't perfectly curved and flush, gaps in the strips the doors sit on, gaps between firebox halves, etc. Plenty of places for smoke/heat to escape from and air to get into. I could add gaskets if I want, but I'll probably start naked and see how it goes from there. Reading reviews and talking to a helpful OKJ owner on here makes me believe that I'll still be able to achieve the desired temps.
The below are not necessarily fair comparisons between the two brands as viewing a number of display models each one is different. Some with more gaps and flaws than others. I can only hope I get a better one, and then work with what I've got from there. Gaskets, jb-weld, etc.
First up are some CGTT pics.
This one may be harder to see, but that is a thin metal strip on the top inside of the barrel. Sort of like a shelf for the outer-skin to sit on. It's not flush all the way around and begins a gap near the door. All though the gap between the strip and the roof is pretty large, the resulting air gap isn't as big on the outside.
Now some example gap issues for one of the OKJ display units.
Like the CGTT gap pic above, the OKJ model may have some gaps between the roof and the thin metal strip it sits on. The arrow is pointing at light entering from the outside.
Here's the left-upper corner of the charcoal chamber. The horizontal strip and vertical strip are stacked on top of each other slightly instead of meeting at the same level, which means heat/smoke escaping right there. As mentioned, other display models weren't as bad and relatively flush.
I won't bore you with endless pictures. You can see the thermometer and handle differences in the full unit pictures above. You can also see the double chimney on the CGTT over the gas side. Both have a single chimney on the charcoal/smoke chamber. The OKJ has vents in the back on the gas side as seen below. Because the CGTT has higher BTUs it seems to have more ventilation on the gas side. I've read at amazingribs that's pretty standard with propane grills. Some have low ventilation, lower BTUs, and as such good heat. While others have high ventilation, high BTUs, and as such good heat. It's a combination of marketing and safety.
OKJ gas side ventilation in back.
And one notable difference on the CGTT are the upper racks in the two main chambers.
All in all, they both seem like quality units with similar faults. They're not 1/4" offset smokers, they're not 6 burner propane grills, and they're not tried and true kettles or easy temp holding eggs. So you're not going to get the best of all worlds. My concrete pad behind my rental unit is about 8 x 8', so this is about all I'm going to fit with my chairs and table. I want propane for quick daily cooks, and smoke and charcoal for flavor days. A small propane and a PBC/WSM combo wouldn't be bad, but not ideal.
Their small chambers wouldn't be good for big families, but I'm single with a gf or few friends to cook for on occasion. The small chambers also mean less fuel to heat and smoke, so good flavor with less wood.
My pros and cons are:
The OKJ has the firebox on the left. If I put the grill where I wanted, the firebox would be about 2.5' away from my screen door. That may not be bad as the heat shouldn't kick in that direction too much, and I can push it to overhang a little when using it. Or move it to the other non-preferred side of my pad. Why OKJ did this when every other offset firebox is on the right, I don't know. If it was on the right, I'd probably go with the OKJ and be done. Other negative is no upper racks. Not necessary, but an extra slab of ribs in a small chamber could be useful. I could probably rig something or use rib racks. The charcoal rack is pretty abysmal in comparison to the CGTT, but I hope I can buy the CGTT version separately if it comes to it.
The OKJ has been around longer and so has way more reviews, especially on long term durability. It's hard to say, but if I subjectively thought one was higher quality it would be the OKJ based on the better looking hardware (handles, bolts, etc.), and durability through years. There's a video on youtube with a 3 year review and it's still up and running with very little maintenance from the filthy looks of it. Bad reviews complain of rust, but that seems to be common with all of these cheap offsets. I plan to oil it and cover it. I also like the firebox door better than the CGTT drawer, though the CGTT offers better protection by lifting their racks off the bottom.
With the CGTT the sore spots are mostly the ash drawer, some superficial cheapness look to the plastic handles, and unknown quality. The steel is damn comparable so likely really close there, it's just a tough sell to be a guinea pig when you've got more long term reviews on the OKJ. The firebox on the right is better for my preference, but the ash drawer not so much. As mentioned, having a rack/basket above the drawer could perhaps fix that negative rather easily. The upper racks are a nice addition, and the charcoal rack is far superior in my eye.
Upper racks can be rigged, ash drawer can be gotten around, charcoal rack can be bought... may come down to partially subjective quality/looks (OKJ) vs. firebox on right (CGTT).
If anyone has experience with either of these units, or thoughts on my pros/cons, possible solutions or experience with overcoming similar features, I'd love to hear them.
Thank you for your patience and hope this was helpful to any shoppers in a similar situation.
If you're not familiar, the Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Combo (OKJ) and the Char-Griller Texas Trio (CGTT) combine a propane grill, charcoal grill, and offset smoker all-in-one. Plus a side burner. Same size as your typical cheap offset smoker, but split down the middle for charcoal and propane, with the offset heating the charcoal chamber for smoking. The Texas Trio should not be confused with their Triple Play or other Dual Fuel offerings that have a sometimes optional offset smoker. This is a new this year, Home Depot exclusive. The OKJ on the other hand has been around since at least late 2015, and can be found at Lowes, Academy and Tractor Supply. Both are around $400.
They may not be the best at any, but if you're limited on space like I am it's really the only choice as all three separately would be even bigger. Smoke Hollow also makes a combo, but seemed cheaper and no display units for me to see. There's also the Pit Boss Memphis Ultimate 4-in-1 at Walmart, but I don't want an electric smoker at this time.
I'll start with some point-for-point comparisons, that is extensive at first sight but not exhaustive as I tried to list what was important to me or minor differences I saw/thought-of. Some of which aren't really important, but trying to break a tie so listed them in my notes. Some pictures of those comparisons are further below.
Char-Griller Texas Trio.
1. 779 square inch main gas/charcoal grills combined + 610 = 1389 sq in. total. The extra is the firebox and the upper racks in the main chambers.
2. Firebox on right. Warming plate on top.
3. 12k BTU Side burner. 40.8k main burners. 3 burners.
4. Porcelain coated cast iron grates.
5. 14 gauge steel (1.984mm according to google)
6. 75"W x 30"D x 50"H. 230lbs (according to Char-Griller, HD gives slightly diff figures, such as 202lb)
7. Slide out ash drawer on firebox.
8. Powder coat exterior, none inside.
9. Plates and air under both charcoal racks. Charcoal chamber has a rack on a curved plate, which sits on 4 triangle legs so heat kept from barrel. Firebox has a drawer/plate that sits slightly above bottom of firebox, and then a rack on top of that.
10. Main charcoal rack only couple inches smaller than chamber.
11. Dual chimney over gas side.
12. 4 petal-shaped air damper holes on ash drawer. In order to increase air, would have to slide drawer out some.
13. Brand new this year, no long term reviews.
14. 1 year warranty, 5 year burners.
15. Hooks on side burner for tools.
16. Char-Griller thermometers, may not be easily replaceable with other brands. (will likely go digital anyway)
17. Gas flame shields on hook-like shelf, not as easy to replace with other brands perhaps.
18. Plastic handles on metal arms.
19. Nuts and bolts don't seem as heavy duty, but overall the unit feels solid. Rack for storage underneath not as sturdy.
Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Combo.
1. 750 sq inch main gas/charcoal grills combined + 310 = 1060 total. The extra is the firebox, with no upper racks in main cooking chambers.
2. Firebox on left. Warming plate on top.
3. 12k BTU Side burner. 36k main burners. 3 burners.
4. Porcelain coated cast iron grates.
5. 2mm steel, 2.5mm doors.
6. 74"W x 31.5"D x 50.6"H. 205lbs. 70" w/o handle by my measurement.
7. Ash door on side of smoker box; level with bottom to clean ashes out during cook.
8. High temp paint exterior and inner doors.
9. Plate under just main charcoal rack, not fire box rack. Charcoal chamber has a rack on a curved plate, which sits directly on barrel with no air in between. Firebox has standard rack, no plate. The plated charcoal rack from the main chamber could fit in firebox if wanted.
10. Main charcoal rack seems several inches smaller than chamber.
11. Dual vents in back of gas side.
12. Approx 1/6 of a circle damper hole. Open door for more air.
13. At least 3-4 years old, long term reviews available.
14. 2 year warranty.
15. Towel/tool bar in front.
16. Thermometers look easily replaceable. (will likely go digital anyway)
17. Flame shields sit on shelf. Likely could use anything that'd fit on shelf.
18. Spring metal handles.
19. Nuts and bolts seem sturdier, as well as the storage rack underneath. Overall, very close comparison in sturdy feel for both. Slight edge to OKJ subjectively.
Pics below of some of those differences.
CGTT nuts and bolts. Not a fair comparison as not from same area, and low quality image.
OKJ nuts and bolts.
CGTT charcoal rack in main smoke/charcoal chamber. As you can see it spans the entire width just short an inch, and sits on a plate that is lifted with triangle legs.
The OKJ main charcoal rack on the other hand is several inches smaller than the main chamber. It sits on a plate, but that plate sits fully on the barrel and not lifted at all. Which means less charcoal side to side, slightly lower charcoal, and less heat protection. Not sure how problematic that would be, but if I go with the OKJ I could just buy the CG rack replacement if it ever becomes available separately.
CGTT has a pull out ash drawer with the petal hole damper I mentioned. The drawer is essentially a tray slightly lifted from the bottom on sliders and has a removable rack on top of that. Benefits would likely be more heat protection and easy clean up afterward. However, I'm not sold on this as I think it'd be problematic to empty while smoking, but that may not be needed often. Plus, it'd get in the way of pulling the drawer open some for more air. My solution would be to have a basket/rack that sits higher off of the drawer. This way the drawer catches ashes, but can still be pulled out as necessary during cooks without pulling the basket/rack with it.
The OKJ on the other hand has a simple door that's flush with the bottom for easy cleaning or pulling ash during a cook. Just a simple wire rack, so not as much heat protection. The damper is pretty small, but leaving the door ajar some would be an easy inlet increase.
Both suffer from cheap offset smoker quality though, as each have general faults in their build. Such as doors that aren't perfectly curved and flush, gaps in the strips the doors sit on, gaps between firebox halves, etc. Plenty of places for smoke/heat to escape from and air to get into. I could add gaskets if I want, but I'll probably start naked and see how it goes from there. Reading reviews and talking to a helpful OKJ owner on here makes me believe that I'll still be able to achieve the desired temps.
The below are not necessarily fair comparisons between the two brands as viewing a number of display models each one is different. Some with more gaps and flaws than others. I can only hope I get a better one, and then work with what I've got from there. Gaskets, jb-weld, etc.
First up are some CGTT pics.
This one may be harder to see, but that is a thin metal strip on the top inside of the barrel. Sort of like a shelf for the outer-skin to sit on. It's not flush all the way around and begins a gap near the door. All though the gap between the strip and the roof is pretty large, the resulting air gap isn't as big on the outside.
Now some example gap issues for one of the OKJ display units.
Like the CGTT gap pic above, the OKJ model may have some gaps between the roof and the thin metal strip it sits on. The arrow is pointing at light entering from the outside.
Here's the left-upper corner of the charcoal chamber. The horizontal strip and vertical strip are stacked on top of each other slightly instead of meeting at the same level, which means heat/smoke escaping right there. As mentioned, other display models weren't as bad and relatively flush.
I won't bore you with endless pictures. You can see the thermometer and handle differences in the full unit pictures above. You can also see the double chimney on the CGTT over the gas side. Both have a single chimney on the charcoal/smoke chamber. The OKJ has vents in the back on the gas side as seen below. Because the CGTT has higher BTUs it seems to have more ventilation on the gas side. I've read at amazingribs that's pretty standard with propane grills. Some have low ventilation, lower BTUs, and as such good heat. While others have high ventilation, high BTUs, and as such good heat. It's a combination of marketing and safety.
OKJ gas side ventilation in back.
And one notable difference on the CGTT are the upper racks in the two main chambers.
All in all, they both seem like quality units with similar faults. They're not 1/4" offset smokers, they're not 6 burner propane grills, and they're not tried and true kettles or easy temp holding eggs. So you're not going to get the best of all worlds. My concrete pad behind my rental unit is about 8 x 8', so this is about all I'm going to fit with my chairs and table. I want propane for quick daily cooks, and smoke and charcoal for flavor days. A small propane and a PBC/WSM combo wouldn't be bad, but not ideal.
Their small chambers wouldn't be good for big families, but I'm single with a gf or few friends to cook for on occasion. The small chambers also mean less fuel to heat and smoke, so good flavor with less wood.
My pros and cons are:
The OKJ has the firebox on the left. If I put the grill where I wanted, the firebox would be about 2.5' away from my screen door. That may not be bad as the heat shouldn't kick in that direction too much, and I can push it to overhang a little when using it. Or move it to the other non-preferred side of my pad. Why OKJ did this when every other offset firebox is on the right, I don't know. If it was on the right, I'd probably go with the OKJ and be done. Other negative is no upper racks. Not necessary, but an extra slab of ribs in a small chamber could be useful. I could probably rig something or use rib racks. The charcoal rack is pretty abysmal in comparison to the CGTT, but I hope I can buy the CGTT version separately if it comes to it.
The OKJ has been around longer and so has way more reviews, especially on long term durability. It's hard to say, but if I subjectively thought one was higher quality it would be the OKJ based on the better looking hardware (handles, bolts, etc.), and durability through years. There's a video on youtube with a 3 year review and it's still up and running with very little maintenance from the filthy looks of it. Bad reviews complain of rust, but that seems to be common with all of these cheap offsets. I plan to oil it and cover it. I also like the firebox door better than the CGTT drawer, though the CGTT offers better protection by lifting their racks off the bottom.
With the CGTT the sore spots are mostly the ash drawer, some superficial cheapness look to the plastic handles, and unknown quality. The steel is damn comparable so likely really close there, it's just a tough sell to be a guinea pig when you've got more long term reviews on the OKJ. The firebox on the right is better for my preference, but the ash drawer not so much. As mentioned, having a rack/basket above the drawer could perhaps fix that negative rather easily. The upper racks are a nice addition, and the charcoal rack is far superior in my eye.
Upper racks can be rigged, ash drawer can be gotten around, charcoal rack can be bought... may come down to partially subjective quality/looks (OKJ) vs. firebox on right (CGTT).
If anyone has experience with either of these units, or thoughts on my pros/cons, possible solutions or experience with overcoming similar features, I'd love to hear them.
Thank you for your patience and hope this was helpful to any shoppers in a similar situation.
