This is our Char Griller Dual Function Double Play grill review. I was stunned when I came across this bad boy in our local Wal-mart. One of the first reviews I ever posted years ago was of the Char Griller Duo. I will tell you that despite the many flaws in that grill, it is still my favorite grill of all time. That article has been lost along the way so I will have to eventually re-write it from memory.
The other day walking through Wal-mart I stumbled upon the Dou’s big brother the Char Griller Dual Function 5072 grill. Home Depot also offers a different version named the Char Griller Double Play 5650. These are the same basic grills with just minor differences. It appears as though all the short comings of the Dou have been addressed with these new grills and then some.
Let me begin by saying a dual function gas and charcoal grill may not be for everyone. Die hard charcoal guys will want nothing to do with one of these grills and neither will a casual griller.
On to the actual Char Griller Dual Function Double Play Review
At first glance: This grill is massive and very impressive looking. They beefed up the legs, handles and the control knobs and panel also look larger. The wheels look a little small but with a grill this large and heavy you probably won’t be moving it around very much. Still only has a single side shelf with burner on the gas side. For it to look any better they would have to add some chrome but basic black never goes out of style so I am good with it.
The charcoal side vent on the Dual Function is now bolted on. So all the trouble that went into pounding and cutting out the vent on the Duo to fit the off-set fire box sold separately is now gone. Sure it was a one time issue but on the Dou you could end up damaging the lower barrel attempting to do this. On the upper lid the notches for the rotisserie are still welded in place though and look very difficult to remove. Since this grill is larger you would need a 53 inch rotisserie to fit it. I mounted one on our Duo and looked using it on the charcoal side though.
Large Capacity Charcoal Chimney Starter Steven Raichlen
The large capacity charcoal chimney starter by Steven Raichlen has huge 8.5 pound capacity making it the largest charcoal chimney on the market today.
When I grabbed the handle to lift the lid I noticed the heft. They made the barrel body of the Double Play a dual wall. This mean it’s thicker and will hold heat better. This was one of my main complaints with the Dou. The thin walls made grilling in the winter difficult because it held no heat.
The charcoal side:
While a closer look at the charcoal side barrel body I noticed that it is no longer a one piece lid. I guess this is because of the dual wall design. I can not see this as being much of a drawback unless you have to assemble the lid yourself.
The Gas Side:
Then while checking out the gas side of the Dual Function the first thing I looked at was the grease drain holes on the bottom. On the older version the were punched in with a lip the entire way around. They did nothing but collect grease around them. On the Double Play that problem is fixed so that the grease from the grill can now drain freely. The burners and deflectors are the same 40,800 BTU’s as the original.
While the Dual Function and Double Play looks larger then the Dou. They still has the same 438 inch gas side and 580 inch charcoal side cooking surface. It appears to use all the same internal components as the Duo. So it may be a bit taller and wider but it is still the same size grill.
Here is a video Char Griller Dual Function Double Play review (not by us) that we found on Youtube
The Bottom Line of the Char Griller Dual Function Double Play Review:
While I have not been hands on with this particular grill. My experience with the Duo coupled with the fact that Char Griller has listened to the complaints. Lets me highly recommend this grill to those who want a dual function grill. In fact I can say with confidence that this will be my next grill!
Mike
aka Sultan of Sizzle
I have been blogging about and selling grilling tool for over 12 years. A Certified Food Safety Professional, KCBS member, award winning writer and have over 10 years experience in the food service industry.
“I have experienced some of the best food this country has to offer and nothing is better than the food that comes off my own grill!”
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