All-in-One Grills vs Smokers: Which One Actually Does Both?

Standing in the grill aisle, you see two promises: the all-in-one grill that claims to sear steaks and smoke briskets, and the dedicated smoker built for low heat only. The honest answer is that most “all-in-one” labels belong to pellet grills, and not all of them deliver on both sides of the promise. The difference comes down to max temperature, cooking area, and whether you’ll actually use the smoker setting more than once a month.

What Makes a Grill an “All-in-One” Unit?

An all-in-one grill, almost always a pellet model, can hit high enough temperatures for direct searing (450°F or above) and hold the steady low heat that smoking requires. The Traeger Woodridge Pro ($1,900) and Weber Searwood 600 ($2,700, 648 sq in) both reach 500°F and drop as low as 165°F, giving you the full range. Dedicated smokers like the Pit Boss Navigator 1600M max out at 400°F — fine for ribs and brisket, but not enough to put a crust on a steak.

if the grill cannot sustain 225°F for six hours and hit 500°F for a sear, it is not a true all-in-one. That test kills most charcoal units and all offset smokers.

Pellet Grills vs Dedicated Smokers: Key Differences

Pellet grills use an electric auger to feed wood pellets into a firebox, controlled by a PID regulator that holds temperature within ±5°F once calibrated. Dedicated smokers can be charcoal, offset, or pellet — but if they are built as smokers first, their temperature ceiling is lower and their cooking surface may be larger for brisket racks. The table below lays out the real trade-offs between the top 2026 models.

Every pellet model above 400°F uses a PID controller and electric ignition. The Masterbuilt Gravity 800 is the only charcoal unit that crosses 450°F, using gravity-fed charcoal with digital control — but it requires charcoal only, never pellets.

Can a Smoker Do Both? The Real Limits

A dedicated smoker can produce incredible barbecue but cannot replace a grill. The Pit Boss Navigator 1600M offers 1,600 square inches of cooking area for $1,400, making it the best pure smoker in this comparison, but it stalls at 400°F. If you want smashburgers or a steak sear, you need a separate grill or a model that crosses 450°F. Our tested product roundup covers the best all-in-one grills that actually satisfy both needs without compromise — whether you prioritize searing, smoking, or both.

You can find our full guide at the best all-in-one grill recommendations here, including side-by-side comparisons and the models our editors trust for both jobs.

Budget vs Versatility: What Your Money Buys

The cheapest way into smoking is the Royal Gourmet 28-Inch Barrel at $299, a charcoal offset that cannot sear. The cheapest all-in-one that actually grills and smokes is the Masterbuilt Gravity Series 800 at $899, which hits 450°F and includes a griddle adapter. Jumping to a pellet unit that reaches 500°F starts around $1,400 with the Recteq X-Fire Pro 825.

Pellet costs run about $15–$25 per 20-lb bag. A long smoke uses 1–2 pounds per hour, so a 12-hour overnight cook can eat $15 worth of fuel. The fuel cost matters more for high-volume smokers than occasional weekend cooks.

Which One Should You Buy?

The answer depends on one question: how often will you smoke food? If you smoke once a month or more and also want to grill, a pellet grill that hits 500°F (like the Traeger Woodridge Pro or Weber Searwood 600) is your only real all-in-one. If you smoke less than once a month and mostly grill, a standard gas or charcoal grill with a smoke box attachment costs less and sears better. If you only smoke — and grill is something you do on someone else’s patio — a dedicated smoker like the Pit Boss Navigator 1600M gives you the most cooking area for the money.

For most home cooks who want one appliance on the patio, the all-in-one pellet grill wins. It handles a Tuesday night burger at 475°F and a Saturday brisket at 225°F with the same unit, same controller, and no extra gear.