Char-Broil Gas2Coal 2.0 440 review: gas or charcoal? Have both

For dads who refuse to choose sides in the great gas-versus-charcoal debate, Char-Broil has come up with the obvious solution: don’t.

Our Char-Broil Gas2Coal 2.0 440 review may be the one to convince you that Britain’s mild autumn weather means families will be keeping the grill out a little longer, because there’s just no indoor substitute for those smokey flavours. And, as you may be able to tell, we’re obsessed.

The Gas2Coal is a substantial four-burner barbecue that switches from gas to charcoal in under a minute, without tools or the usual faff of trying to persuade reluctant coals to catch. Better still, its two charcoal trays mean you can use gas and charcoal at the same time, giving you speed on one side and that unmistakable smoky flavour on the other.

The best of both worlds

On an ordinary weeknight, gas wins for convenience. Turn the burners on and you can be cooking almost immediately. Come Saturday afternoon, however, there’s still something satisfyingly primal about charcoal.

Here, the gas burners actually ignite the charcoal for you. Lift the cast-iron grates with the supplied grate lifter, add charcoal to the stainless-steel trays and let the burners do the hard work. The trays are designed to distribute heat evenly and reduce flare-ups.

With four stainless-steel burners, porcelain-coated cast-iron grates and a separate side burner for sauces or side dishes, there’s enough going on here to cater for considerably more than a couple of burgers. Char-Broil positions the 440 for groups of more than six, with a cooking surface around 85 x 43.5cm. 

Big barbecue energy

At roughly 1.55m wide and around 65kg, this isn’t something you’ll casually tuck behind the shed after every use. It is very much a piece of garden furniture in its own right. Four wheels make it manoeuvrable, with two locking in place once you’ve found its home. 

It looks the part, too. The black cabinet hides the gas bottle behind two doors, while the side shelves give you useful prep space. Naturally, there is also an integrated bottle opener, apparently now the legal requirement for any barbecue aimed at dads. 

Any downsides with the Char-Broil Gas2Coal 2.0 440?

The main one is simply scale. This is overkill for a tiny patio or anyone who only cooks for two, and switching to charcoal still means handling trays, grates and ash afterwards.

The charcoal sits relatively close to the cooking grates too, so it pays to keep an eye on food when you’re cooking over direct heat. That’s also something owners have mentioned in longer-term reviews. 

But the hybrid design genuinely earns its keep. You’re not buying a gimmicky gas barbecue with a token charcoal option bolted on. The split trays let you use both fuels simultaneously, which makes the flexibility far more useful in practice.

Char-Broil Gas2Coal 2.0 440: FQ verdict

The Char-Broil Gas2Coal 2.0 440 is for anyone who likes the ritual and flavour of charcoal but doesn’t necessarily want the ritual every single time they cook.

Gas makes spontaneous autumn grilling realistic; charcoal is there when you’ve got more time and want the full barbecue experience. And being able to run both together means there’s considerably less need to pick a camp, so you actually can have it all.

Char-Broil Gas2Coal 2.0 440 at Char-Broil UK
Char-Broil Gas2Coal 2.0 440 at BBQ World