Good video. Just want to clear one point. The stack on the Char-Griller XD is 5" in diameter. The Oklahoma Joe stack is 3" in diameter. The OJ has many problems with draw. The larger diameter Char-Griller stack has excellent draw. I have removed my top shelf, lays on my bottom storage shelf. Cheers fron Chuck in the Arizona Desert.
I bought mine in December when Home Depot first got them. I LOVE IT!!! Flipped that grill upside down on the inside and I have pretty even temps on both sides. I called Char-griller and they said they didn't have the temperature gauge for sale yet. I bought two from Amazon that work perfectly! My Military discount dropped it to $450, so I grabbed it quick!
@@boomerbbq4444 Great! Thank you! By the way I call CharGriller the other day and they finally got back to me in regards to the drain plug, I've been searching every where for a ball valve that will fit the threading. CG could only tell me that the plug (nut) is an M16 Hex Bolt. I've 0 luck in finding one that will fit especially the threads.
I enjoyed hearing your thoughts on this rig! I never really took Char-Griller serious, and had my mind made up on getting a OKJ's Longhorn Reverse Smoker. I already have a couple other smoker devices, but want more of an offset version upon my return to the the USA from here in the Philippines. This Grand Champ XD has more cooking surface than the Longhorn, better looking grates, and costs almost $300 less! I will now follow your channel. Thank You!
I’ve had two cooks in Two weeks after seasoning. The two racks of baby back ribs and the pork butt this week came out fabulous and juicy I’ve only put two extra temp gauges on lid my temps were maintained average 225 to 270. No bad spikes or drops in temp. 6 hours on ribs and 9 on pork butt. Beef ribs are next.
Boomer, I just did a small cook on this yesterday and it held temp nicely. I purchased this because I have a 24x60 on a trailer and wanted something smaller and didn’t want to spend a couple more thousand on another smoker. I must say, this smoker worked great for 400.00
Sorry for the late response. Somehow I missed your comment. Yes I have a buddy that has a 500 gallon on a trailer and he's looking at this smoker to have a smaller one for the back yard. It's a great smoker for the price, 😁👍
My pleasure. Sorry for the late reply. You won't be disappointed. I just finished my second season with it and still no problems with paint or anything. Plus if you watch more of my videos, I've done some mods to it.
My first offset was one I bought from Aldi. I got it at a clearance price of $69. It was very similar to the less expensive Char-Griller smokers. It was thin metal and all but it was a great learning experience for me. I'm not ashamed to admit that I can't afford a 1/4 inch smoker. They're way out of my price range. I think the least expensive one you can get is the Old Country Brazos at $1000. Then there's the shipping cost. I just can't afford that. When the Old Country Pecos came back in stock this year, they jacked up the shipping cost over $100! They also raised the price to another $50! It broke my heart but and I was quite angry about it but I started researching alternatives because I wanted a better smoker than I had and this is the one I chose. $499 with FREE SHIPPING from Home Depot! The rest is history. Start looking for them now. They might be out of stock at the moment but I would get your hands on one as soon as you can because they will go fast. You won't be disappointed I can tell you that!
Great review! Out of the box comparison to Oklahoma Joe's Highland and Longhorn, the Grand Champ XD beats them both hands down. I couldn't be any happier with this investment in the XD! I was a little hesitant at first because all the CharGriller lines seem to always be cheap and flimsy, this is absolutely NOT cheap and definitely NOT flimsy. One of the mods I had planned for with the Longhorn was the aftermarket double grates (additional $200 more) was immediately cross off since the XD already came with 2 shelves out of the box. So in the end, I got a superb offset with everything I wanted/needed for less money. IMHO CharGriller is out to take on Oklahoma Joe's (now owned by Charbroil) backyard offsets. To make it my own though, I did add 2 silicon probe grommet's (one on each side of the cook chamber), I replaced the firebox gasket with a woodstove gasket and added a total of 5 thermometers. I also found a good cover that fits almost perfectly, it's for the Longhorn since the dimensions are pretty close and generally aftermarket covers run a little large it almost fits perfectly. The part that's not exact is the exhaust damper, the XD has that little arm (if I remove the damper for storage it will be a perfect fit). If I had to gripe about anything it would be the edges of the outer cook chamber, they're kind of curved (rounded) so if you have lid closure problems on the cook chamber door using something like LavaLocks would be a bit challenging.
You do know the Char-Griller sells a cover that fits the grill perfectly. I bought it when I bought the smoker. I also do not have a problem with the cook chamber lid though I have had a problem with the firebox lid. I will be making a video with my solution. I'm glad that you're happy with your choice! If I was an influence in you're decision, I'm deeply honored. I'm glad that I could be of assistance!
@@boomerbbq4444 Yep, initially I definitely planned on the CharGriller cover (all my webers are always kept covered too), however, I kept coming across various reviews about the CharGriller covers and how long they last in the elements. Some said 2-3 months others were saying 5-6 months, I know the cover and how long it lasts will depend on the climate and where I'm at I can get some good gusts of wind and some extreme heat, etc., so I wanted to start with one made similar to the covers I get for my weber equipment which so far last up to 8 years before I replace them. I had been watching many many videos on the XD, however, your first video was the final nail on my decision on picking it up. So 1 week later I picked one up and as soon as all the other goodies arrived from Amazon I assembled it.
@@boomerbbq4444 That would be great! I may pick one up then as a backup/standby ... Also, you had mentioned changing them wheels, have you done that yet? I'm also looking to do the same except I want to add casters to the other 2 legs. I found 13" wheels that will (hopefully) replace the wagon wheels and found 2.5" casters, Delima now is trying to figure out how to attach them, haven't worked that part out.
I haven't replaced the wheels yet. They're holding up pretty good actually. I thought it would be harder to roll around on them but they're working fine for me.
I don't use the tray anymore as a baffle. I prefer the draw and airflow to be open. If you view my latest video, you will see the changes I made to my methods.
I’m not sure of the dimensions of both. I have both of the highland and the longhorn. I wish I had just gotten another longhorn, so much easier to control temperature. I have had both of mine for about 10 years and they look like an old beat up truck on the outside but they get the work done.
I guarantee you will not be disappointed. The only two flaws are the gaskets are not great but easily replaced and you have to be careful of the hinges. I deal with that problem in one of my other videos.
I'm not sure about the competition pro I will have to look it up. The Grand Champ has a total of 1200 square inches of cooking space. That's both grates combined. I just checked out the competition pro and the cooking space is 1015 sq in. Plus the stack looks to be 3 in in diameter and is on top of the cooking chamber, not on the side at grate level. Also I can't seem to find the thickness of the steel listed anywhere. The Grand Champ has 2.5 mm steel which works out to be 12.5 gauge.
It's 2.5 mm or 12.5 gauge. That's through the whole build. Compared to the Pecos who's body is 14 gauge and the doors are 11 gauge. I don't know what thickness the OKJ Highlander is. They don't advertise it but I know it's thin. The OKJ Longhorn is 2.5 mm like the Grand Champ but the Grand Champ is bigger, has more cooking space with a 5 inch diameter stack, 2 grates and the Longhorn costs 799.00 and the Grand Champ is 549.00.
Are you having any issues with the lid not closing shut? I received mine for fathers day and finally got it assembled. The lid has an opening of about 1/2 inch.
@@hmong71My cooking chamber door has been flush the entire time but I have had problems with the firebox door. If you open it too much it can bend slightly and mess up the alignment. Char-Griller also has a phone number. Give that a call on Tuesday.
@TUNDY I haven't used them as of yet but I believe they will be helpful just because they obviously listen to customer feed back. Here's something you may want to try. I over extended my firebox lid tonight and had a half an inch gap like you have. What I do is take 2 pencils and place one on each side under the lid near the hinges and I apply slight pressure. I find this works for and my firebox lid is again flush. It only needs minor pressure. I hope this works for you'.
Sorry for the late response. Unfortunately due to the rise in steel prices, Char-Griller had to raise their price by $50. Still worth the price for the quality you get and if you buy it from Home Depot they will more than likely deliver it for free if the stock is in a store close to you. They are probably out of stock at the moment because they have become quite popular so you'll want to keep checking on the stock and snatch it up while you can!
@Jrob Uh you're a little mistaken. Charbroil bought out OKJ. The original owners made a decent smoker with 3/16 in steel. Lots of people get the OKJ but I've seen too many videos with problems like a drooping firebox, discolored and peeling paint on the firebox and you need a mod to bring the stack to grate level.
![[Home gardening] Stop buying tomatoes. Grow them at home You Will Be Surprised!](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Em3renW616U/mqdefault.jpg)
Good video. Just want to clear one point. The stack on the Char-Griller XD is 5" in diameter. The Oklahoma Joe stack is 3" in diameter. The OJ has many problems with draw. The larger diameter Char-Griller stack has excellent draw. I have removed my top shelf, lays on my bottom storage shelf.
Cheers fron Chuck in the Arizona Desert.
Looking at buying the Grand Champ, hope all is still well with it a few years later…God Bless and Salamat! 👊🏼
I bought mine in December when Home Depot first got them. I LOVE IT!!! Flipped that grill upside down on the inside and I have pretty even temps on both sides. I called Char-griller and they said they didn't have the temperature gauge for sale yet. I bought two from Amazon that work perfectly! My Military discount dropped it to $450, so I grabbed it quick!
Nice! Do you happen to have the link for that temp gauge on Amazon?
Sorry for the late reply. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084BY6YKK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
@@1TALLKING That LovaLock Thermometer you linked, does that screw cleanly in the threads of the lid?
@@AnthonyMaske I'm going to find out. I just ordered 2 of them yesterday. Of course I will feature them in a video.
@@boomerbbq4444 Great! Thank you! By the way I call CharGriller the other day and they finally got back to me in regards to the drain plug, I've been searching every where for a ball valve that will fit the threading. CG could only tell me that the plug (nut) is an M16 Hex Bolt. I've 0 luck in finding one that will fit especially the threads.
I enjoyed hearing your thoughts on this rig! I never really took Char-Griller serious, and had my mind made up on getting a OKJ's Longhorn Reverse Smoker. I already have a couple other smoker devices, but want more of an offset version upon my return to the the USA from here in the Philippines. This Grand Champ XD has more cooking surface than the Longhorn, better looking grates, and costs almost $300 less! I will now follow your channel. Thank You!
Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad I could help with your decision! 😁👍
I’ve had two cooks in Two weeks after seasoning. The two racks of baby back ribs and the pork butt this week came out fabulous and juicy I’ve only put two extra temp gauges on lid my temps were maintained average 225 to 270. No bad spikes or drops in temp. 6 hours on ribs and 9 on pork butt. Beef ribs are next.
Boomer, I just did a small cook on this yesterday and it held temp nicely. I purchased this because I have a 24x60 on a trailer and wanted something smaller and didn’t want to spend a couple more thousand on another smoker. I must say, this smoker worked great for 400.00
Sorry for the late response. Somehow I missed your comment. Yes I have a buddy that has a 500 gallon on a trailer and he's looking at this smoker to have a smaller one for the back yard. It's a great smoker for the price, 😁👍
Thanks for this. Very good points.
My pleasure. Sorry for the late reply. You won't be disappointed. I just finished my second season with it and still no problems with paint or anything. Plus if you watch more of my videos, I've done some mods to it.
I've been looking at this and the Oklahoma Joe highlander. I definitely want the grand champ. Right now I have a cheap royal gaurmet smoker.
My first offset was one I bought from Aldi. I got it at a clearance price of $69. It was very similar to the less expensive Char-Griller smokers. It was thin metal and all but it was a great learning experience for me. I'm not ashamed to admit that I can't afford a 1/4 inch smoker. They're way out of my price range. I think the least expensive one you can get is the Old Country Brazos at $1000. Then there's the shipping cost. I just can't afford that. When the Old Country Pecos came back in stock this year, they jacked up the shipping cost over $100! They also raised the price to another $50! It broke my heart but and I was quite angry about it but I started researching alternatives because I wanted a better smoker than I had and this is the one I chose. $499 with FREE SHIPPING from Home Depot! The rest is history. Start looking for them now. They might be out of stock at the moment but I would get your hands on one as soon as you can because they will go fast. You won't be disappointed I can tell you that!
Great review! Out of the box comparison to Oklahoma Joe's Highland and Longhorn, the Grand Champ XD beats them both hands down. I couldn't be any happier with this investment in the XD! I was a little hesitant at first because all the CharGriller lines seem to always be cheap and flimsy, this is absolutely NOT cheap and definitely NOT flimsy. One of the mods I had planned for with the Longhorn was the aftermarket double grates (additional $200 more) was immediately cross off since the XD already came with 2 shelves out of the box. So in the end, I got a superb offset with everything I wanted/needed for less money. IMHO CharGriller is out to take on Oklahoma Joe's (now owned by Charbroil) backyard offsets.
To make it my own though, I did add 2 silicon probe grommet's (one on each side of the cook chamber), I replaced the firebox gasket with a woodstove gasket and added a total of 5 thermometers. I also found a good cover that fits almost perfectly, it's for the Longhorn since the dimensions are pretty close and generally aftermarket covers run a little large it almost fits perfectly. The part that's not exact is the exhaust damper, the XD has that little arm (if I remove the damper for storage it will be a perfect fit).
If I had to gripe about anything it would be the edges of the outer cook chamber, they're kind of curved (rounded) so if you have lid closure problems on the cook chamber door using something like LavaLocks would be a bit challenging.
You do know the Char-Griller sells a cover that fits the grill perfectly. I bought it when I bought the smoker. I also do not have a problem with the cook chamber lid though I have had a problem with the firebox lid. I will be making a video with my solution. I'm glad that you're happy with your choice! If I was an influence in you're decision, I'm deeply honored. I'm glad that I could be of assistance!
@@boomerbbq4444 Yep, initially I definitely planned on the CharGriller cover (all my webers are always kept covered too), however, I kept coming across various reviews about the CharGriller covers and how long they last in the elements. Some said 2-3 months others were saying 5-6 months, I know the cover and how long it lasts will depend on the climate and where I'm at I can get some good gusts of wind and some extreme heat, etc., so I wanted to start with one made similar to the covers I get for my weber equipment which so far last up to 8 years before I replace them.
I had been watching many many videos on the XD, however, your first video was the final nail on my decision on picking it up. So 1 week later I picked one up and as soon as all the other goodies arrived from Amazon I assembled it.
Well from what I can tell, this cover is as heavy duty as the grill itself. It is certainly waterproof. I will also show my cover on my next video.
@@boomerbbq4444 That would be great! I may pick one up then as a backup/standby ...
Also, you had mentioned changing them wheels, have you done that yet? I'm also looking to do the same except I want to add casters to the other 2 legs. I found 13" wheels that will (hopefully) replace the wagon wheels and found 2.5" casters, Delima now is trying to figure out how to attach them, haven't worked that part out.
I haven't replaced the wheels yet. They're holding up pretty good actually. I thought it would be harder to roll around on them but they're working fine for me.
Thank You!
This is the smoker that I’m getting… thanks.
Good luck! I'm sure you'll enjoy it though people are telling me you can't get them from Home Depot anymore. Something about them being discontinued.
I’m getting one I’ve seen nothing but good reviews from various owners. I’m impressed.
Char-griller is 250 pounds, okjoe is less than 190
That just goes to show you that the metal is thinner.
Used the tray as a baffle too! For the price it's pretty good 👍
I don't use the tray anymore as a baffle. I prefer the draw and airflow to be open. If you view my latest video, you will see the changes I made to my methods.
@@boomerbbq4444 ok I'll go check it out 👍
I’m not sure of the dimensions of both. I have both of the highland and the longhorn. I wish I had just gotten another longhorn, so much easier to control temperature. I have had both of mine for about 10 years and they look like an old beat up truck on the outside but they get the work done.
Great review ima purchase this
I guarantee you will not be disappointed. The only two flaws are the gaskets are not great but easily replaced and you have to be careful of the hinges. I deal with that problem in one of my other videos.
What are the dimensions of the cooking grates compares to the chargriller competition pro
I'm not sure about the competition pro I will have to look it up. The Grand Champ has a total of 1200 square inches of cooking space. That's both grates combined. I just checked out the competition pro and the cooking space is 1015 sq in. Plus the stack looks to be 3 in in diameter and is on top of the cooking chamber, not on the side at grate level. Also I can't seem to find the thickness of the steel listed anywhere. The Grand Champ has 2.5 mm steel which works out to be 12.5 gauge.
What size is the main cooking grate plz?
I believe I listed the size of the cooking space in my 30 day review but you can easily find that information on the Char-Griller website.
your mic volume is way too low
Yeah I'm working on that. I just use the Mike on the phone.
what is the metal thickness or grade?
It's 2.5 mm or 12.5 gauge. That's through the whole build. Compared to the Pecos who's body is 14 gauge and the doors are 11 gauge. I don't know what thickness the OKJ Highlander is. They don't advertise it but I know it's thin. The OKJ Longhorn is 2.5 mm like the Grand Champ but the Grand Champ is bigger, has more cooking space with a 5 inch diameter stack, 2 grates and the Longhorn costs 799.00 and the Grand Champ is 549.00.
Are you having any issues with the lid not closing shut? I received mine for fathers day and finally got it assembled. The lid has an opening of about 1/2 inch.
No. Both my lids sit flush. Are you talking about the cook chamber lid?
@@boomerbbq4444 yes, im talking about the main cooking chamber. I've emailed Char-Griller support team but yet got a reply.
@@hmong71My cooking chamber door has been flush the entire time but I have had problems with the firebox door. If you open it too much it can bend slightly and mess up the alignment. Char-Griller also has a phone number. Give that a call on Tuesday.
@@boomerbbq4444 how is Char griller customer service? Definitely giving them a call
@TUNDY I haven't used them as of yet but I believe they will be helpful just because they obviously listen to customer feed back. Here's something you may want to try. I over extended my firebox lid tonight and had a half an inch gap like you have. What I do is take 2 pencils and place one on each side under the lid near the hinges and I apply slight pressure. I find this works for and my firebox lid is again flush. It only needs minor pressure. I hope this works for you'.
Who sells it for 499.00.?? Not in my area.... Let me know.....
Sorry for the late response. Unfortunately due to the rise in steel prices, Char-Griller had to raise their price by $50. Still worth the price for the quality you get and if you buy it from Home Depot they will more than likely deliver it for free if the stock is in a store close to you. They are probably out of stock at the moment because they have become quite popular so you'll want to keep checking on the stock and snatch it up while you can!
$600 in 2024
Oklahoma Joe's any grill was better until Char Griller bought them out back in 1998 know they lowered the quality to make Char Griller on top
@Jrob Uh you're a little mistaken. Charbroil bought out OKJ. The original owners made a decent smoker with 3/16 in steel. Lots of people get the OKJ but I've seen too many videos with problems like a drooping firebox, discolored and peeling paint on the firebox and you need a mod to bring the stack to grate level.
Eurn your volume up.
What???