Using charcoal in a gas grill seems like a great idea on paper. After all, who wouldn’t want to enjoy the convenience of a gas grill with the rich flavor of a charcoal grill? In practice, it’s almost always a bad idea.
Fortunately, there’s a way to get authentic charcoal-grilled flavor with an ordinary gas grill: the FlavrQ Grilling System! This quick and easy upgrade gives you all the perks of a charcoal grill (and more) while still letting you use your go-to gas grill.
Before we talk more about FlavrQ, it’s important that you understand exactly why you should never attempt to fuel your gas grill with charcoal.
Can you use charcoal in a gas grill? No, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice flavor for convenience! Below, we’ll discuss why using charcoal is a very bad idea and provide a solution for getting charcoal-grilled flavor on your gas grill.
1. It’s Dangerous
Some hardcore pitmasters out there might say otherwise, but there’s no level of delicious flavor that’s worth your safety. Gas grills aren’t made for charcoal. If you put charcoal in a gas grill, you’re quite literally playing with fire.
The extreme heat of burning charcoal may melt or damage various gas grill components, which can lead to gas leaks, among other hazards.
You might be wondering, can you use charcoal in a gas grill if it is super high quality? Maybe a rugged gas grill could withstand the heat, at least for a while, but is it really worth testing your luck?
It’s not just the high temperatures you need to worry about. Gas grills aren’t designed to contain charcoal or provide the necessary airflow to keep it burning safely, so you never know when a feisty briquette could jump out at you or a guest!
2. Gas Grills Are Expensive
While personal safety is the top priority, misusing your gas grill can hurt your bank account, too. It won’t be easy to repair a gas grill damaged by charcoal, and any warranty becomes immediately voided.
Can you use charcoal in a gas grill if you’re great at grill repair? Besides the safety problem, no amount of skill can fix certain types of damage. Even if you have the knowledge and are able to find a replacement part, there’s a strong chance that the grill won't be fixable.
3. Performance Suffers
The obvious reason someone would want to use charcoal in gas grills is to get that rich charcoal-grilled flavor and flame-kissed sear. It’s not that cut and dry.
The heat produced by gas and coal is very different from each other. Heat distribution is bound to suffer, and it will be extremely difficult (if not impossible) to control heat levels.
Can you use charcoal in a gas grill that has a charcoal tray? Yes, there are dual-fuel grills that technically work with both fuel sources, but they’re unpopular for a reason.
Rather than getting the best of both worlds, you get two very mediocre options. Hybrid grills are usually overpriced, and you end up with a lackluster gas grill and a lackluster charcoal grill. Stick with grills that are purpose-built.
4. Cleanup Is a Nightmare
Ever cleaned out a dirty charcoal grill? That ash isn’t very pleasant to deal with, especially when it’s been sitting for a while. Now, imagine all that mess and gunk caked in and clogging your gas grill’s components.
5. You’re Wasting Fuel
Can you use charcoal in a gas grill that has no gas? No, for the reasons mentioned. But even if your grill could handle it, gas is cheaper and more efficient, so you’d be better off just refueling anyway.
Using charcoal in gas grills that are full of fuel isn’t just dangerous; it’s also a waste of both fuels. Besides the cost, you’re creating unnecessary pollution that affects both the planet and your health.
The Solution: FlavrQ
Now that we’ve got all of that out of the way, we’re going to explain how you can teach your old gas grill some new tricks. Can you use charcoal in a gas grill? No, but you can absolutely enjoy charcoal-grilled flavor with gas grill convenience.
We invented FlavrQ because we love the performance of gas grills, but we knew the flavor could be drastically better. So, we created our proprietary grilling system, forever transforming how people approach backyard BBQing.
The FlavrQ system consists of two components: the FlavrQ Grid installs onto your ordinary gas grill in seconds with no tools or special skills required to do the upgrade. Once the grid is in place, add our patented ChipCharwood®, and you’re ready to start grilling like the pros.
Why Use FlavrQ?
Can you use lump charcoal or briquettes in a gas grill equipped with the FlavrQ system? NO! Not conventional charcoal, but our ChipCharwood® is superior in every way. Using conventional charcoal in gas grills will never cross your mind again!
FlavrQ ChipCharwood® is derived from Canadian forested sugar maples, so it’s all-natural and contains no chemicals or pesticides. Besides being healthier for you and the planet, our ChipCharwood® burns up to 100 degrees hotter, so you can sear your food to perfection and lock in all the juicy goodness.
Our ChipCharwood® is also much more efficient than conventional charcoal—one pound of it gets the same results as four pounds of briquettes and requires 75% less fuel. It also saves 80% in storage space compared to bulky bags of charcoal.
Get Back the Flavor You Gave Up
Can you use charcoal in a gas grill? With FlavrQ, you can use much better fuel and get better results, and you don’t have to worry about damaging your grill (or a hungry hovering guest). Not bad, right? The FlavrQ Starter Kit has everything you need to try it—just bring the food and grill.
Want to learn more? Check out how it works, read our BBQ blog, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Ready to boost your Q with FlavrQ? Explore our patented grilling system now!