# smoke hollow gas/charcoal pit with firebox help!



## dazelr

I used one on these on vacation recently and loved it. Would really like to buy one but cant find it anywhere. The owner of the grill I used said he got it from Sams, but i cant find it anywhere on their website. Does anyone know anything about this grill and where i could get one? The name brand was Smoke Hollow. It's one the only combo grills that I've seen with a fire box. That is what made it so nice. Any help would be appreciated.


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## Outklassed

See if this will help.
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=191476


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## dazelr

Outklassed said:


> See if this will help.
> http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=191476


that grill is only charcoal. i was looking for one similair to that but with a propane set up on the left side. thanks though!


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## Rembrandt

I just saw one of these this past (Labor Day) weekend at the Sam's up here in Grapevine, TX (just north of DFW airport). Don't know what the model is called, but the brand was Smoke Hollow and it had Propane (left)/Charcoal (right) with Smoker Firebox on the far right & an Infrared Side Burner on the far left.

I just took a very quick look at it, as my wife was already checking out, but it caught my eye and have been trying to find it online to look at it in more detail. As you already know, Sam's does not have it on their website (as of today) even though it is in their store(s). And I can't find anything about it online elsewhere to substantiate its existence, other than my Google searches turning up your post on this forum. (Not being much of a fisherman, I joined the forum just so I could answer your post and let you know that Sam's actually has these in stores... at least the one up here.)

In my online searching, I have found two brands with similar grills, the Char-Griller Duo (2020 and 5050) and the Brinkmann Dual Zone [ http://bbq.about.com/od/gascharcoalgrillsreviews/gr/aapr021110a.htm ]. (Also found a Kenmore that doesn't offer the Smoker option box and another Brinkmann -Triple Function - that doesn't separate the cooking chambers.) The Brinkmanns, in particular, had very poor build-quality reviews.

After reading about both of those, I'm thinking/hoping this Smoke Hollow version is newer (maybe nobody has gotten around to getting it on the web yet), and appears better from what I saw (infrared side burner), but I did not get to inspect build-quality at all.

I'm not yet a big griller/smoker (although aspire to be), but I have never heard of Smoke Hollow. Found their website [ http://www.olp-inc.com/ ], and no mention of this product (yet???), but they appear to come from the "Smoker manufacturer" side of the business, so I'm hoping they have addressed many complaints with the other grill/smokers about not having a well-sealed smoking chamber.

What appeals to me about this grill, going from left to right, is the: 
-- infrared side burner/grill (the flat rectagular fiber burner unit type, not a regular round steel/brass side burner obstructed by a metal plate to make it "infrared") - in theory/I've been led to believe that infrared burners can get much hotter than regular burners so you can really sear steaks and then finish at lower temps. Also, I plan to use this as a regular side burner, not necessarily for beans, etc., but more often to move indoor frying to the outdoors to keep the house from smelling like dinner the next morning. Hopefully the infrared burner will heat up a cast iron skillet better than a traditional side burner.
-- propane gas grill - for quick grilling
-- charcoal grill - for (hopefully) more flavorful grilling. Also had a 5 or 6 level lever to adjust the charcoal height, which seemed really handy to very quickly adjust heat (faster than a crank and easier and safer than sticking your hands over the heat to adjust the shelf by re-hanging the sides of the shelf on different hooks, which I've seen in other charcoal grills)
-- smoker firebox - to use the charcoal chamber as a smoker. If I recall correctly, the fire box also has a grill (maybe they all do), so with the side burner on the left also being a grill (in contract to the others), for large crowds you have quite a bit of grill space on four separate cooking areas.

In the store, the marketing signs on the unit said the grates were porcelain-covered cast iron, but they didn't look porcelain-covered to me. I understand that cast iron is the best for grilling because it holds more heat than stainless steel so when you slap cold meat on it, it doesn't drop in temperature as much -- maybe the issue being that if you turn the meat over in the same spot, you'll still get a good sear for the other side, while stainless steel grates might be somewhat cooler. However, with uncovered cast iron, more maintenance is involved to keep them from rusting.

I think the warming rack was a perforated sheet of metal, rather than grates, which I've never seen before. Maybe blocks some heat for better warming rather than further grilling. And I don't think there were any hooks or trays for condiments or tools.

Anyway, I guess I'll have to make my way back to Sam's soon if I want to check this out more closely since you and I are apparently the only ones on the web who have seen it. Hopefully they do have it at a Sam's near you.

Hope this helps.


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## Team S.A. Blue

home depot , lowes and academy have them.


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## dazelr

*got it*



Rembrandt said:


> I just saw one of these this past (Labor Day) weekend at the Sam's up here in Grapevine, TX (just north of DFW airport). Don't know what the model is called, but the brand was Smoke Hollow and it had Propane (left)/Charcoal (right) with Smoker Firebox on the far right & an Infrared Side Burner on the far left.
> 
> I just took a very quick look at it, as my wife was already checking out, but it caught my eye and have been trying to find it online to look at it in more detail. As you already know, Sam's does not have it on their website (as of today) even though it is in their store(s). And I can't find anything about it online elsewhere to substantiate its existence, other than my Google searches turning up your post on this forum. (Not being much of a fisherman, I joined the forum just so I could answer your post and let you know that Sam's actually has these in stores... at least the one up here.)
> 
> In my online searching, I have found two brands with similar grills, the Char-Griller Duo (2020 and 5050) and the Brinkmann Dual Zone [ http://bbq.about.com/od/gascharcoalgrillsreviews/gr/aapr021110a.htm ]. (Also found a Kenmore that doesn't offer the Smoker option box and another Brinkmann -Triple Function - that doesn't separate the cooking chambers.) The Brinkmanns, in particular, had very poor build-quality reviews.
> 
> After reading about both of those, I'm thinking/hoping this Smoke Hollow version is newer (maybe nobody has gotten around to getting it on the web yet), and appears better from what I saw (infrared side burner), but I did not get to inspect build-quality at all.
> 
> I'm not yet a big griller/smoker (although aspire to be), but I have never heard of Smoke Hollow. Found their website [ http://www.olp-inc.com/ ], and no mention of this product (yet???), but they appear to come from the "Smoker manufacturer" side of the business, so I'm hoping they have addressed many complaints with the other grill/smokers about not having a well-sealed smoking chamber.
> 
> What appeals to me about this grill, going from left to right, is the:
> -- infrared side burner/grill (the flat rectagular fiber burner unit type, not a regular round steel/brass side burner obstructed by a metal plate to make it "infrared") - in theory/I've been led to believe that infrared burners can get much hotter than regular burners so you can really sear steaks and then finish at lower temps. Also, I plan to use this as a regular side burner, not necessarily for beans, etc., but more often to move indoor frying to the outdoors to keep the house from smelling like dinner the next morning. Hopefully the infrared burner will heat up a cast iron skillet better than a traditional side burner.
> -- propane gas grill - for quick grilling
> -- charcoal grill - for (hopefully) more flavorful grilling. Also had a 5 or 6 level lever to adjust the charcoal height, which seemed really handy to very quickly adjust heat (faster than a crank and easier and safer than sticking your hands over the heat to adjust the shelf by re-hanging the sides of the shelf on different hooks, which I've seen in other charcoal grills)
> -- smoker firebox - to use the charcoal chamber as a smoker. If I recall correctly, the fire box also has a grill (maybe they all do), so with the side burner on the left also being a grill (in contract to the others), for large crowds you have quite a bit of grill space on four separate cooking areas.
> 
> In the store, the marketing signs on the unit said the grates were porcelain-covered cast iron, but they didn't look porcelain-covered to me. I understand that cast iron is the best for grilling because it holds more heat than stainless steel so when you slap cold meat on it, it doesn't drop in temperature as much -- maybe the issue being that if you turn the meat over in the same spot, you'll still get a good sear for the other side, while stainless steel grates might be somewhat cooler. However, with uncovered cast iron, more maintenance is involved to keep them from rusting.
> 
> I think the warming rack was a perforated sheet of metal, rather than grates, which I've never seen before. Maybe blocks some heat for better warming rather than further grilling. And I don't think there were any hooks or trays for condiments or tools.
> 
> Anyway, I guess I'll have to make my way back to Sam's soon if I want to check this out more closely since you and I are apparently the only ones on the web who have seen it. Hopefully they do have it at a Sam's near you.
> 
> Hope this helps.


i actually found one at academy in league city. bought it the next day($400) and started smoking it out that same day. did a brisket on it over the holiday weekend and cooked some steaks on it a few days later (didnt use the sear burner yet). over all im satisfied with the grill for the price. the only complaint i have is with the fire box. its pretty thin and requires more attention than i like to give a smoker. i used a little tin foil and sealed it up some which helped out a lot. it also does not come with a grill cover, but i found one on amazon for around $40. its a good deal overall. thanks for all your info. let me know if get one we can trade some tips!


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## TMSpiess

Any feedback on this combo pit? I'm thinking of getting one, but the reviews out there are scarce as it is a new product. Appreciate any additional feedback.


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## TexasTim

*Smoke Hollow Combo Grill...*

These are on sale right now at Academy for $299.00 (Gander Mountain is $499.00!!!)

That's a really good price. I've only had mine for a couple of months, but I'm quite pleased with it.


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## boat_money

i like mine too - got it at academy. you have to call around, they can't keep them in the stores.


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## Rembrandt

*Smoke Hollow Charcoal/Gas Grill Model 47180T -- aka -- Smoke Hollow Combo Gril*

I just went to Sam's in Grapevine yesterday and they still have it, for $329 now, down from $350 at Labor Day. Tag says this product is a one-time deal. I also saw it in ads and on the website for Academy, on sale for $299 (down from $399). Contrary to above, I'm pretty sure it was never at Home Depot or Lowe's. At least not here in DFW. They had the other brand (Char-Griller Duo Combo) that didn't include the smoke box, and had a regular side burner instead of the infrared sear burner.

This product is also now/finally on the manufacturer's website (hence the model number in my title):
http://www.olp-inc.com/smoke-hollow-wagons.php#

I have not bought one yet, but finally took a closer look at it yesterday. From what limited info I have read about smokers, it seems important to have a tightly sealed chamber (with people making modifications to close gaps). This one seems to have no gaps related to poor construction, but does have the gap around the lid of both the smoke box and the charcoal chamber created by the rubber/silicon bumpers used to pad the lid/prevent metal on metal contact when the lids are down. Is this minor (5mm?) gap all the way around both chambers a problem for smoking meat?

Also, can anyone who has used the 12,000 BTU infrared sear burner comment on its effectiveness? Are these "infrared burners" really worth it? Does it really get much hotter than the three 10,000 BTU burners can get the main grill? (Another gas grill next to it had a 15,000 BTU sear burner.)

And lastly, the grease drawer on the gas side is the whole bottom of that side, whereas the charcoal/smoker side has a bottom with a number of one-inch holes in about a 6-8 inch circle grouping in the center, and the grease drawer under that. Therefore, all the ash and grease would fall onto the first bottom, and then I supposed need to be swept to the holes in the center to fall into the grease drawer. The first bottom seemed to be flat, rather than sloped toward the holes, so I imagine you have a lot of grease and ash build-up, which doesn't appear to be easy to clean because the charcoal tray is in the way (although maybe you can quickly dismantle that). Doesn't ash and moisture over time lead to quick deterioration of grills? Any comments from experience?

Thanks for any insight you can provide. Trying to justify to my wife junking our old grill and buying this, and want to know if all the features are really worth it.


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## JJGold1

What are the odds of 4 separate posters, each with their 1st post, commenting on a single thread? I may be wrong, but I'd say someone is colluding to promote their product.


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## dazelr

JJGold said:


> What are the odds of 4 separate posters, each with their 1st post, commenting on a single thread? I may be wrong, but I'd say someone is colluding to promote their product.


No colluding here partner. Alot of people are using these fancy information machines they call computers now a days. Not sure if you are real educated on them, but they have these things called search engines. I bet if you went to one of these(search engines) and typed in smoke hollow grill, you would get directed to 2Cool. Thats probably your culprit! Dont be so quick to throw around accusations.


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## boat_money

i have used the gas side a lot more than the charcoal side so far and it works great. here's what i haven't figured out on the charcoal side yet. when i cured the pit with the first burn, i put the charcoal directly in the charcoal side. i couldn't get the temp down below like 450. there's a gap in the bottom between the drawer and the bottom of the pit, so even with the vents totally closed the fire still burned too hot. i was going to do the turkey the next day so i figured i'd burn the charcoal in the side box and go with indirect heat. i filled the charcoal chimney completely and when coals were ready, poured into the firebox. i had a hard time getting the temp in the cooking area to 250. so i used the gas side for my turkey. i'm thinking you'll have to have a lotta fuel to smoke at around 275-300 degrees.

i haven't used the searing thing yet...

other than that, everyone that comes over is pretty impressed by it 



Rembrandt said:


> I just went to Sam's in Grapevine yesterday and they still have it, for $329 now, down from $350 at Labor Day. Tag says this product is a one-time deal. I also saw it in ads and on the website for Academy, on sale for $299 (down from $399). Contrary to above, I'm pretty sure it was never at Home Depot or Lowe's. At least not here in DFW. They had the other brand (Char-Griller Duo Combo) that didn't include the smoke box, and had a regular side burner instead of the infrared sear burner.
> 
> This product is also now/finally on the manufacturer's website (hence the model number in my title):
> http://www.olp-inc.com/smoke-hollow-wagons.php#
> 
> I have not bought one yet, but finally took a closer look at it yesterday. From what limited info I have read about smokers, it seems important to have a tightly sealed chamber (with people making modifications to close gaps). This one seems to have no gaps related to poor construction, but does have the gap around the lid of both the smoke box and the charcoal chamber created by the rubber/silicon bumpers used to pad the lid/prevent metal on metal contact when the lids are down. Is this minor (5mm?) gap all the way around both chambers a problem for smoking meat?
> 
> Also, can anyone who has used the 12,000 BTU infrared sear burner comment on its effectiveness? Are these "infrared burners" really worth it? Does it really get much hotter than the three 10,000 BTU burners can get the main grill? (Another gas grill next to it had a 15,000 BTU sear burner.)
> 
> And lastly, the grease drawer on the gas side is the whole bottom of that side, whereas the charcoal/smoker side has a bottom with a number of one-inch holes in about a 6-8 inch circle grouping in the center, and the grease drawer under that. Therefore, all the ash and grease would fall onto the first bottom, and then I supposed need to be swept to the holes in the center to fall into the grease drawer. The first bottom seemed to be flat, rather than sloped toward the holes, so I imagine you have a lot of grease and ash build-up, which doesn't appear to be easy to clean because the charcoal tray is in the way (although maybe you can quickly dismantle that). Doesn't ash and moisture over time lead to quick deterioration of grills? Any comments from experience?
> 
> Thanks for any insight you can provide. Trying to justify to my wife junking our old grill and buying this, and want to know if all the features are really worth it.


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## JJGold1

dazelr said:


> No colluding here partner. Alot of people are using these fancy information machines they call computers now a days. *Not sure if you are real educated on them, but they have these things called search engines*. I bet if you went to one of these(search engines) and typed in smoke hollow grill, you would get directed to 2Cool. Thats probably your culprit! Dont be so quick to throw around accusations.


Oh the irony.


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## TexasTim

*...about the drip tray(s)*

The tray under the charcoal side has a fixed pan above it which is sloped own to a 5" or so hole in the middle, which guides everything down to the drip tray. That being said, I've had some crud (fat bits, pieces of meat, etc) get stuck to the fixed tray, but it is really easy to lift off the cast iron grills, then the charcoal basket, to clean off the fixed pan. The charcoal basket is not fixed to the height adjuster, it just sits on top of it (quite securely, I might add).
The smoker box does leak a bit around the gap between the lid and the bottom and there are heat resistant gasket products available to seal this up. However, I haven't added any to my combo as I am not certain if the gasket material would stand up to charcoal heat as well as it would to smoker heat... any feedback?


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## ElmerFudd

JJGold said:


> Oh the irony.


I LOL'ed.

:cheers:


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